Rebuild Florida at the Blountstown Library

Yesterday was the first of four dates that Rebuild Florida Housing Repair and Replacement program came to the Blountstown Public Library. If you are a homeowner with damage from Hurricane Michael, you are encouraged to apply for housing repair assistance.

Rebuild Florida will be here for the following days with no appointment necessary:
April 8: 10 – 4 CST
April 19: 10 – 4 CST
April 20: 10 – 4 CST

Visit HERE for more detailed information such as what documents to bring with you. 

National Poetry Month

April is National Poetry Month! The Academy of American Poets – an organization that includes booksellers, librarians, teachers, publishers, poets, and literary associations – met in 1995 to discuss the need for a month-long celebration of poetry. The meeting was successful, and the holiday was officially launched in April of 1996. There are 6 key goals of National Poetry Month:

1) to highlight the achievements and legacy of American poets

2) to encourage poetry reading

3) to help teachers introduce poetry into the classroom

4) to increase media coverage of poetry and poets

5) increase publication of poetry books 

6) to increase support for poetry and the poets who produce it

Spring Festival feat. Easter Egg Hunt

Tomorrow, April 3rd is Grand Ridge’s Annual Spring Festival and Easter Egg Hunt! Come out to the John Thomas Porter Park behind the Grand Ridge School from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.. The Easter Egg Hunt will start at 10:30 a.m. and includes three age divisions. Admission is free for the Egg Hunt!

Additionally, there will be arts, crafts, food vendors, children’s games, shopping vendors, and more activities for all ages! The day is forecasted to be a lovely, cool spring day with a high of 70′ and a nice breeze. 

National Deaf History Month

National Deaf History Month, which began on March 13th and runs through April 15th, is a celebration of contributions of the hard-of-hearing and the Deaf community to American society. It’s a great time to recognize deaf champions, and increase awareness of the deaf community’s rich history.

Deaf History Month was originally envisioned as just one week. In 1996, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) suggested the week become a full-fledged month, and in 1997, the first annual, nationwide National Deaf History Month was celebrated, March 13 – April 15.

2006; thanks to the efforts of Alice Hagemeyer, a deaf American librarian who’s worked to make libraries more accessible to deaf people.the American Library Association (ALA) and NAD 

Walk in the Park

Today is National Take a Walk in the Park Day! This is a day to slow down, clear your mind, re-energize, and improve mental and physical health by visiting a local park be it community, urban, national, or state. Did you know that Greenland’s National Park is the largest in the world? It covers an area of 604,000 miles!

Considering visiting a local park such as Marianna’s Citizen Lodge Park, pictured below. 

Timber Block Grant

Have you heard the good news? The State of Florida Timber Block Grant’s registration deadline has been extended to April 30th! The Florida Timber Recovery Block Grant Program (“TRBG”) is available to timber producers who suffered timber damage as a result of Hurricane Michael; compensation for the crop loss is provided to producers that meet the eligibility requirements. The program is managed by the Florida Division of Emergency Management in conjunction with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the US Department of Agriculture. If eligible, you may receive up to $608 per acre for pine and up to $714 per acre for hardwood. Repayment is not required. 

Register HERE

Spring Equinox

Today is the March equinox! Also called the vernal – or spring – equinox, today the day and night will be of almost equal duration in most time zones in the world. The spring equinox ccurs when the Sun crosses the equator line, heading north, and marks the start of spring in the northern half of the globe. It is the first equinox of the year and marks the beginning of spring. Happy Spring, everyone!

Kayak Local Econfina Creek

The weather is beginning to get warmer here in the Florida Panhandle as the spring equinox draws closer. Looking for something to get you out in the wonderful world of nature or something to occupy the kids on the weekend? Consider visiting the local Econfina Creek and its beautiful canoe trail in Youngstown, FL for a leisurely trip down the calm trail. The local Econfina Creek Canoe Livery LLC is currently offering shuttle services by reservation only seven days a week. They offer one or two-person kayaks as well as a pick-up from the end of the trail to take you back to your vehicle. They suggest bringing lunch and/or snorkeling gear to make the most of the trip, turning the 3hr paddle trail into a lovely, relaxing day-trip along the cool waters. 

Visit their official website HERE for more information or to make a reservation today. 

Quilting Day

Did you know quilting may date back as far back as 3400 BCE?! It has remained a popular skill and hobby for many ever since it arrived in the United States with the first European settlers. It is a rich tradition with many interesting developments and stylistic differences. In honor of the rising popularity of the annual March 18th Quilting Day celebration, consider visiting one of the Panhandle’s wonderful quilting stores listed below: 

  • Quilting by the Bay, Panama City (website)
  • Margie’s Sew Much Fun, Crestview (website)
  • Lynn’s Sewing Center, Fort Walton Beach (850-864-4555)

Happy St. Patrick’s Day

Today is St. Patrick’s Day, an annual event that began as a religious holiday honoring St. Patrick. Also called the Feast of St. Patrick, it is observed on the day of St. Patrick’s death. As the patron saint of Ireland, this day of observance has evolved into a fantastic celebration of Irish culture with parades, special foods, music, dancing, and drinking. Interested in learning more about the history of the holiday, the culture, or how you can participate? Visit A&E’s History page on St. Patrick’s Day HERE