Category: Events

National Park Service’s 103rd birthday~August 25th~entrance fee is free

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The National Park Service’s 103rd birthday is being celebrated on August 25th. Different parks are doing different birthday events.

The National Park Services was created on August 25, 1916, when President Woodrow Wilson signed the National Service Act. Each year, they work with partners to celebrate this anniversary. They are offering this day a Fee-free day which makes national parks accessible to more people. They offer five days in 2019 that are Fee-free, all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone. Mark your calendar for these remaining entrance fee–free dates in 2019:
~August 25: National Park Service Birthday
~September 28: National Public Lands Day
~November 11: Veterans Day
There are more than 400 parks available to everyone, every day. The fee-free days provide a great opportunity to visit a new place or an old favorite, especially one of the national parks that normally charge an entrance fee. The others are free all the time. The entrance fee waiver for fee-free days does not cover amenity or user fees for activities such as camping, boat launches, transportation, or special tours.

Here is a list of National Parks in Florida, and you can go to the website below for a complete list of parks in the US. ~Big Cypress in Ochopee, ~Biscayne in Miami, Key Biscayne, & Homestead, Canaveral in Titusville & New Smyrna Beach, ~Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, ~De Soto in Bradenton, Dry Tortugas in Key West, ~Everglades in Miami, Naples & Homestead, ~Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Fort Matanzas in St. Augustine, ~Gulf Inlands in Gulf Breeze, Florida & Ocean Springs, Mississippi, ~Gullah/Geechee in FL, GA, NC, SC, ~Timucuan in Jacksonville

http://nps.gov

August 24th & 25th Meet & Greet

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Businesses and Contractors meet and greet weekend Saturday (August 24th) from 1pm to 5pm and Sunday (August 25th) from 2pm to 6pm at Rutherford High School gym in Panama City located at 1000 School Ave. Hosted by HBCU Adventures and they are doing a whole weekend with different businesses and contractors both days to give people a chance to get different quotes and information so they can choose who would fit there needs best.

They have tried to get businesses of all kinds in Bay County to help you. They plan to have company’s there who will specialize in flooring, sidings, door replacement, window replacement, or house repair in general. You can sit with bankers and let them talk to you about the hurricane loans and much more. Mold remediation companies, plumbers, electricians, landscapers, pool cleaners, painters, everyone in one location. Be sure to take your paperwork if you want to speak with lawyers or public adjusters one on one or just to ask questions or get an understanding of what you’re dealing with in your situation.

For more information contact them at 334-530-7046 or email them at hbcuadventures@gmail.com

Fat John’s Pizza night went great!

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Thanks to all who came to Fat John’s Pizza on Friday night and said hi! We need to do these night’s out more often! We had 4 bottles of wine that we pulled the door prize tickets for at the end of the night and the winners have been notified by text or phone call already this morning! Congratulations to Phillip Dryden, Pam Phelps, Bill Sellers, and Cindy Eade. And a special thanks to John Lamar the owner who let us hang out for the evening.

John Lomar and Debbie Roney Smith at the end of a long but fun night!
Folding boxes, got easier with practice.
A few of my friends who hung out. Tabatha, Elisabeth, and Frank. I missed getting a photo with Heather, Jack, Mark, and Randy who came by and ordered and got a free $5 gift certificate! Thanks ALL!

 

Gulf County~recreational bay scallop season~August 16th – September 15th

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The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) has announced recreational bay scallop season for Gulf County is opening Friday, August 16th and will remain open through September 15th. The region includes waters from the Mexico Beach Canal to the westernmost point of St. Vincent Inland. The FWC says that swimming, boating, fishing and scalloping in the restoration marked areas south of Black’s Island is prohibited.

Scallops can be harvested by hand or with a net. The limits are two (2) gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or one pint of bay scallop meat per person, with a max of ten gallons of whole bay scallops in the shell or a half gallon bay scallop meat per vessel. Continuous transit of scallops is allowed through closed areas as long as the boat does not stop in areas closed to harvest.

Recreational harvesters need a Florida saltwater fishing license to harvest bay scallops unless they are 1. except from needing a license or 2. have a no-cost shoreline fishing license and are wading from shore to collect scallops(ex. feet do not leave bottom), and harvesters do not use a vessel to reach or return from the harvest location.

For more information be sure to check out the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation commission website by clicking on this link http://myfwc.com

The Final Table~Watch Party~August 24th~RSVP by August 31st

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Join the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce and Main Street Marianna in congratulating Chef Nick & Carrie Rickman on Saturday, August 24th from 10:30am to 12:30pm at the Historic First Nation Bank and help Nick & Carrie give back to Operation BBQ Relief.

Last year our community was devastated by Hurricane Michael. With the help of Operation BBQ Relief, our very own Local Chef Nick Rickman, his wife Carrie, and countless friends & volunteers were able to feed thousands in our community. Nick credits his piece of mind to be able to move forward, compete, and win the title of 2018 World Chef Champion merely weeks after the devastation of his home and community to Operation BBQ Relief. Since then Nick has advanced as a Top 3 Finalist at The Final Table New Orleans for a shot at $100,000.

The Salt Block will be providing a BBQ lunch with light desserts and a Mimosa Table. Donations to Operation BBQ Relief will be accepted at the door. Doors will open at 10:30am with The Final Table airing at 11am. Please RSVP to the Chamber, Main Street, or the Salt Block by Wednesday, August 21st.

Good luck Chef Nick!

August 16th~Meet & Greet at First National Bank

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Meet & Greet in Marianna on Friday, August 16th from 4pm to 6pm at the Historic First National Bank at 2873 Caledonia St. Please join the staff and board for refreshments, door prizes, and program updates.

Apalachicola Riverkeeper is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection, restoration, and stewardship of the Apalachicola River and Apalachicola Bay. As part of the Waterkeeper Alliance and with the support of their 1400+ members, Apalachicola Riverkeeper is voice of the River. They focus public and political attention on the importance of saving this truly unique resource. They are a 501(C) 3 organization, which means that your donations to Apalachicola Riverkeeper are fully tax deductible. For more information be sure to click on the link below.

The mission of the Apalachicola Riverkeeper is to provide stewardship and advocacy for the protection of the Apalachicola River and Bay, its tributaries and watersheds, in order to improve and maintain its environmental integrity and to preserve the natural, scenic, recreational, and commercial fishing character of these waterways. The mission also includes working to preserve the ways of living, and ways of making a living, that depend upon a healthy River and Bay. From the catfishermen of Chattahoochee, to the paddling outfitters of Blountstown, to the fishing guides, beekeepers and honey merchants of Wewahitchka, to the oyster harvesters and seafood workers of Apalachicola and Eastpoint, thousands of people depend upon the health of the Apalachicola River and Bay for their livelihoods. Working to ensure that these ways continue is an essential part of what we do.

*This information came from the website listed below:

http://apalachicolariverkeeper.org/

 

Come see me and have great pizza at Fat John’s Pizza~Friday 8/16 from 3:30pm to 8pm

Debbie Roney Smith on

Guess where you can find Debbie Roney Smith this Friday, August 16th? If you guessed Fat John’s Pizza in Marianna you would be right! Fat John’s Pizza is located at 4527 Lafayette St and the phone number is 850-372-4600. Normal hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday 10:30am to 8pm and closed on Sunday and Monday’s.

I am offering a $5 gift certificate for you to use toward your meal if you come see me. My first 10 friends will receive this $5 gift certificate.  I will be there from 3:30pm to 8pm. All you have to do is like and follow my FB page and tell me one (1) thing that has been on my blog in August. Life gets so busy we don’t have as much time as we would all like to see each other, I’m looking forward to seeing you! My friend Elisabeth who writes most of my blogs will also be there and you will get a chance to tell her things you would like to see mentioned on my blog.

Fat John’s Pizza is authentic stone cooked pizza, they do accept credit cards. You can order pizza to go or enjoy it there. They offer pizza, calzones, salads, breadsticks, wings, and Stromboli, to name a few menu items.

 

 

Saturday~August 10th

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Hope you have a fun and safe weekend. Here are a few things happening Saturday, August 10th. Details under each photo. It will be hot tomorrow, in the 90’s, so remember sun screen and water!

The Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge has set a date for their Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Celebration. The doors will open at 9am and Ribbon cutting will be at 10am. This event is in Holley,
Take the whole family to this free family matinee on the big screen, free lunch, and free school clothes and shoes(while they last!) The movie starts at 11am at the NorthStar Callaway Campus 162 N. Tyndall Pkwy.
Sunshine’s Flea Market of NW Florida located at 3310 US HWY 231 in Cottondale. They are open Friday to Sunday from 8am to 5pm.

 

Ice Cream Social~August 9th

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Who doesn’t love ice cream? Panhandle Pioneer Settlement is hosting an ice cream social on August 9th from 6pm to 8pm. They invite everyone to join them for a sweet treat. Admission is free and they will have games, homemade ice cream, and other refreshments. They will have all you can eat ice cream for $5. They plan to have more flavors and more ice cream then they did last year. For more information please contact the settlement at 850-674-2777. The Panhandle Pioneer Settlement is located at 17869 NW Pioneer Settlement Road in Blountstown.

This is a 5 acre historical living history museum located in Calhoun County.

Shoebox filling for Operation Christmas Child ~Thursdays

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Christmas is still 5 months away however it will take that long to try and reach this year’s goal of 3,000 shoeboxes bought, filled, and shipped. Eastside Baptist Church in Marianna took on local management of Samaritan’s Purse, “Operation Christmas Child” about a decade ago. This year would be a record if they are able to collect the goal. They have a core group of volunteers. They started collecting as soon as they were finished with 2018 boxes. They are taking donations and volunteers to help fill the boxes. Each box costs $9 to ship. Each box has a few hygiene items, a stuffed loveable animal, school supplies, socks, and a toy. The boxes are for ages ranging from 2 to 14 years old.

The packers meet on Thursdays from 10am to 2pm. For more information please call the church at 850-536-2004.