Today is the last day of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week. This is a special week that recognizes the hard work animal shelters provide to their communities. Animal shelters provide care to millions of displaced animals across the United States. Yet only 10-20% of owned dogs and cats are adopted from shelters (ASPCA). Additionally, most animal shelters are non-profits which means they depend on donations and grants to stay open while their employees work long hours for minimal pay and benefits.
This is an endemic problem as the services shelters provide are critical to civil orderliness. Shelters not only house stray animals but also find new homes for homeless pets, rescue strays, rehabilitate injured and abused animals, reunite lost pets with their original families, and more! Animal shelters provide necessary animal control and deserve more than to be underfunded and understaffed. Consider adopting from or supporting a local animal shelter today! 
- Partners for Pets, Marianna
- Tallahassee Animal Services, Tallahassee
- Wakulla Animal Services, Crawfordville
- Alaqua Animal Refuge, Freeport
Today is National American Beer Day! Celebrate by visiting a local brewery. This is an annual event designed to help celebrate domestic lagers and ales brewed across the United States. 
If you would like to take part in the exhibition, call the Chamber of Commerce at (850)482-8060. The Expo’s theme is “Fall” in Love with JaCo. Participants are encouraged to decorate their booths in a fall theme. The Chamber will also be holding an Expo 101 class on Tuesday, September 20th from 8am to 9am. The class will be repeated on (1) Friday, September 30th from 11am to 12pm and (2) Tuesday, October 4th from 3pm to 4pm. The class will cover what makes a great exhibit, setup do’s and don’ts, and more. Participating businesses/organizations will also receive a special exhibitor-only networking lunch during setup prior to the 3:00 p.m. public event. 
Sandhills Native Nursery is opening for Fall hours on September 22nd. To celebrate, they are hosting a Benefits of Backyard Bats class with Cre8ive by N8ure. The class will run from 9:30am – 10:30am on September 23rd and 24th. Led by Nate, creator of Cre8ive by N8ure and bat educator, the class will focus on how the bats provide insect management, their reproductive cycle, their habitat and diet, and flora and fauna that is beneficial for bats. Due to parking limitations, the class has only 10 spots and you must register to secure your parking spot; the cost is $10 per car. However, these spots are counted by the vehicle not individual, so the nursery encourages carpooling with friends or family. 
Join the Calhoun/Liberty Community Health Partners tomorrow at Foxtrot 95 Calhoun County Airport for the Soaring out of Summer Celebration. The event starts at 10 am and aims to bring awareness to the Florida Department of Health’s SNAP-ED program and other important local resources. The celebration will host hot air balloon rides, sports activities, bounce houses, yard games, food trucks, live music, a fruit & vegetable stand, and local resource vendors. Admission is FREE so bring out the whole family for a day of fun and education!