Category: Education

Celebrating Working Parents

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is the new National Parents Day Off, also known as National Working Parents Day. This is an annual event designed to bring awareness to the complex role parents play in their kids’ lives as caretakers, sounding boards, banks, and more! It is also a day meant to give said parents a break from their hectic schedules. Epic and National Calendar Day collaborated to bring this day to life after the increasing burden placed on parents due to COVID; many parents found themselves with new, time-intensive roles as at-home teachers, week-long watchers, and more for their kids. Epic is a digital reading platform for kids 12 and under. It has a collection of 40,000+ books that were curated for the curiosity and safety of young minds. Visit them at Epic today, and sit your kid(s) down with a book while you enjoy an hour of quiet time! 

Greenpeace is 50!

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Greenpeace Day, and 2021 happens to be the 50th anniversary of the creation of the global organization! Greenpeace was created in the 1970s as a global ecology movement, an organization dedicated to the protection of nature and the education of the public. Fifty years of growth later, Greenpeace has combined the goals of peace and ecology and is established in 57 countries with more in development.

Greenpeace has even had a personal impact on the lovely Florida Panhandle; since 2005, they have been working to help protect and expand an area of Keystone Forest here in the panhandle. It is a hotspot for biodiversity, and is home to the richest endemic plant life in the south, housing 75% of Florida’s native plant species.

Eager to learn more about the impact Greenpeace and its dedicated members have had? Visit their official website for more information on everything from current initiatives to how to get involved and the history of the organization. 

World Suicide Prevention Day

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September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and today is World Suicide Prevention Day. One in every 100 deaths worldwide is the result of suicide. Suicide is a devastating pandemic that is worsened by unequal social conditions. By raising awareness, reducing the surrounding stigma, and encouraging well-informed, multi-pronged action, the prevalence of suicide around the world can be reduced. 

World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) was first successfully launched in Stockholm in 2003. It was a joint initiative of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP). This global event is the perfect opportunity to raise awareness of suicide and its intricate causes. Today is a day to promote action through intersectional and holistic means that will reduce the number of suicides and suicide attempts worldwide. Head over to IASP’s website for resources, statistics, and more.

 

Labor Day (2021)

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is Labor Day, an annual holiday that occurs on the first Monday of every September. The idea of a labor day celebration came about in the 19th century by the growing organized labor movements of the time. The first celebration, a parade, took place in New York in 1882. However, it took until 1894 for then-president Grover Cleveland to establish Labor Day as a federal holiday. 

Alligator Facts

Debbie Roney Smith on

1. There are an estimated 1.3 million alligators in Florida!

2. Alligators have anywhere from 2,000 – 3,000 teeth. While they have a maximum of 80 teeth in their mouth at one time, they lose teeth frequently due to their diet and hunting practices. For comparison, humans only have around 52 teeth!

3. Despite their size and proclivity towards the water, alligators are actually skilled climbers. It’s common to see alligators scaling fences. 

4. Baby alligators are at most risk for alligator cannibalism due to natural population control efforts but even those whole are fully grown may end up another ‘gators meal.

 

 

Greenwood’s Historic Structures

Debbie Roney Smith on

Settled by travelers from Georgia and the Carolinas around 1824, Greenwood remains one of the most historic and picturesque small Florida towns. Make a day of going to the lovely community, and perhaps stop to see some historic sites. There are a number of preserved historic structures; among the most infamous are those listed below:

Great Oaks, 1860: Greek Revival mansion; owned by Bryan family. (Private)

Hayes Long Mansion, ca. 1840: antebellum structure. A historical marker details the rich history of the home. (Private)

Erwin House, ca. 1830s: oldest standing home in the region. A historical marker on Fort Road provides an outline of its history. (Private)

Pender Store, 1896: one of the oldest operating stores in Florida. (Open to Public)

Tupelo Honey

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The center of tupelo honey production is the Apalachicola River in the Florida Panhandle which makes tupelo honey a local honey star! Tupelo honey is a very special form of honey that has a lower glucose content with a very small harvesting window which makes it a more expensive alternative to the general store-bought honey. It is also known as Ogeechee tupelo due to the popular growing region; there are thousands of hectares of Ogeechee tupelo have been planted in bee farms along the lower Apalachicola River and around swamps where it grows naturally.

Tupelo has an incredible amber color alongside a sweet taste and aroma. It is high-grade honey that is good for the digestive and immune system, as well as working for those dressing wounds. Tupelo honey gets its name from the tupelo tree species, a nod to the fact it is harvested from the specific tupelo tree species Nyssa ogeche. Tupelos are popular ornamental trees because they offer form, flowers from March to May, shade, and autumn leaf colors. Honey is only harvestable for a short period of 2-3 weeks and is heavily subjected to poor weather. 

Celebrating Prosecco

Debbie Roney Smith on

Today is National Prosecco Day, an annual event founded in 2011 by Riondo Prosecco. It is a day dedicated to the celebration of prosecco, a sparkling wine perfect for a summer evening. It is a versatile wine that is bright and bubbly, often with pleasing fruit or floral flavor.

Prosecco Region

Prosecco is made from the Glera grape. It is believed to have been cultivated in the Italian village of Prosecco in Trieste circa the 16th century. Nowadays, the best prosecco is actually located about 2-3hours away from Trieste near Venice; this area is called the Prosecco region (also known as the DOCG Prosecco region). 

Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke

Debbie Roney Smith on

Dangerously high temperatures increase the risk of heat-related illnesses, and temperatures are set to rise steadily throughout the weekend. Be on the lookout for signs of heat exhaustion and/or heat stroke!

To treat heat exhaustion, first get to a cooler, air-conditioned location. Then, slowly drink water if you are fully conscious. Be sure to take a cool shower or use cold compresses to cool down without being sick. For heat stroke, call 911 IMMEDIATELY! Then, move them to a cooler location and apply cooling cloths/compresses or use a cold bath. DO NOT give them anything to drink. 

Stay safe by taking breaks, avoiding outside work during periods of high sun, and drinking plenty of water for hydration. 

 

Seacrest Wolf Preserve

Debbie Roney Smith on

Seacrest Wolf Preserve was founded by Cynthia and Wayne Watkins in Chipley, 1999. It is a non-profit dedicated to wolf and wildlife conservation. The preserve has experienced enormous growth over the years and is now a large organization focused on education and conservation. The preserve is home to 30 wolves (Gray Wolves, Arctic-Type Wolves, and British Columbian Wolves) as well as a variety of small native species such as coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks, and foxes.

Seacrest offers an unforgettable, educational experience where visitors encounter wolves face-to-face. Not all 30 wolves living at the preserve are approved for this special experience. Seacrest Wolf Ambassadors are those special wolves that have experience and enjoy interacting with human visitors as they learn important scientific information about this amazing keystone species. There are several different types of educational tours offered but reservations must be made beforehand. Due to Covid precautions, they are currently offering only the VIP Tours, Mondays – Saturdays.  

​Visit their official website for more detailed information, or call (850) 773-2897.