SRWC fundraiser deemed a success

Santa Rosa Woman's Club (SRWC) held its annual fundraiser event, "Breezing Through the Holidays," at St. Ann's Family Center on Nov. 8 beginning at 11 am. It was planned and coordinated by First Vice Presidents Linda White-Spunner and Linda Dawson. The luncheon was catered by Norma's restaurant. The Breezing through the Holidays experience was a sellout. It included a three-part program. First was a fashion show by Brenda Caraway of Fashion Connections, who had four of SRWC members as models: Berni Findley, Kay Roth, Jane Parker and Betty Lee Sundstrom. Second was a demonstration of trifle recipes and serving tips by Norma employees Kathie Sutton and Joneida Heckle. Emily Peterson with Garden Gate and her assistant Carol Simpson gave the final demonstration about using area plants to decorate for a party. Most of the members of the club who assisted at St. Ann's wore their musical note aprons that the club made several years ago to serve lunch for the Arts Festival.

Local columnist Renee Bookout recorded the event for her show, Santa Rosa Insider, which airs on Mediacom's Gulf Coast Network. The show airs on channel 27 Tuesdays and Fridays from 7 to 8 p.m.

The regular SRWC recently heard presentations from a representative with the Gulf Islands National Seashore and a 2007 scholarship recipient. Their regular meeting was called to order on Nov. 6, at 10:30 a.m. Wendy Brandon gave the devotional. Following the Pledge of Allegiance, the group read the Collect for Club Women. Membership Chairman Jane Parker welcomed President Elect Barbara Gonshor's guest, Tracie McMahon, to her second visit to a club meeting.

The Conservation Department, consisting of Chairman Alma Dearth, Co- Chairman Polly Thompson, Yvonne Barnes, Alice Louise Crawley, Mildred Byers, Peggy Gallagher, Mary Minshull, Kay Roth, Janis Strength, Harriet Weant and Harriet Wright, presented the program. Alma Dearth introduced guest speaker David Ogden, park ranger and historian for the Gulf Islands National Seashore.

Ogden holds bachelor's and master's degrees in history from the University of Central Florida. He has been a park ranger at the Gulf Islands National seashore since 1985. He co-coauthored three books on the history of Fort Pickens and Fort Barrancas. Ogden's topic was storm damage to the national parks. Ogden reviewed the damage caused by the series of hurricanes and the steps that have been and are being taken to repair these damages. At the completion of the program Gonshor presented Ogden with a certificate of appreciation.

Emily Peterson and Carol Simpson with Garden Gate give one of their creations to a prize winner on Nov. 8.

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership (HOBYL) Seminar Chairman Shari Fulford introduced SRWC's HOBYL participant, Rachel Harvey, to report her experiences at HOBYL Camp, held from May 31 to June 3 in Tallahassee. Shari Fulford presented Harvey the 2007 HOBYL scholarship in the spring. Harvey received this award on the merits of an essay she wrote based on leadership. Rachel was 10th grade student at Gulf Breeze High School (GBHS) when she was selected to receive the award. Since then she skipped the 11th grade and is currently a senior at GBHS. Rachel spoke of the unique leadership training, servicelearning and motivation-building opportunities she experienced at the seminar. HOBYL programs are conducted annually throughout the United States.

Kay Roth, Janis Strength, Harriet Weant, Peggy Gallagher, Yvonne Barnes, Alice Louise Crawley, Alma Dearth and Polly Thompson are members of the Conservation Department of the Santa Rosa Women's Club

Each year SRWC sponsors a student such as Harvey from Gulf Breeze High to receive this award.

Chamber Receives National Award

The Pensacola Bay Area Chamber of Commerce will receive the George Washington Honor Medal from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge at their 2007 National Awards Banquet today, Nov. 29.

"This validates for us the great relationship that we have with our military - a win/win partnership," said Evon Emerson, President/CEO of the Chamber.

The Freedoms Foundation was established after World War II by prominent business leaders to honor patriotism and good citizenship. The award recognizes the chamber's efforts in these areas, specifically during their annual Military Appreciation Month sponsored by its Military Affairs Department.

Harvey

"We are extremely pleased to be recognized for our efforts to make Pensacola's Military Appreciation Month the best in the country," said Craig Dalton, Vice President of the chamber's Military Affairs Department.

"In addition to being a terrific reflection of Pensacola's deep appreciation for our military, I think this award also speaks to our community's benevolent desire to volunteer countless hours to ensure May's Military Appreciation Month is memorable and meaningful for our military members and their families. We are very thankful to the Freedoms Foundation for this very prestigious award."

Former President Dwight D. Eisenhower served as the foundation's chair until his death in l969. In addition to educating young Americans, the Foundation educates teachers and volunteers so they can teach their fellow Americans what it means to be an American citizen and the rights and responsibilities of being an American.

For more information on the Foundation visit http://www.ffvf.org or call 850- 453-2093.

The tennis community of Gulf Breeze recently honored the late Mary Blythe. Residents placed a memorial plaque by the tree planted in Mary Blythe's honor on Friday Nov. 9 at 10 a.m. by the Shoreline park tennis courts. The idea for the tribute was initiated by her "Birthday Lunch Group" that included Frieda Brothers, Mary Hamrick, Bette Sprague, Ann Hoffman and Adel Gruber.

Brenda Caraway (center) of Fashion Connections poses with her models as models, Berni Findley and Jane Parker (left) and Kay Roth, and Betty Lee Sundstrom (right).

"The project started way back in the summer and was spearheaded by Mary Hamrick," Brothers said.

Blythe's husband Randy, daughter Sally Blythe Sullivan and a huge crowd of friends attended the ceremony. The plaque was an exceptionally lovely replica of Mary.

Friends and relatives of Blythe said she was a big, one-person welcome wagon to Gulf Breeze who introduced a lot of women to tennis. Blythe is also credited with getting the sidewalks in Gulf Breeze proper. The tennis groups of Gulf Breeze were privileged to honor her with a beautiful bronze plaque. Car Seat Certification Class

Shirley Gaddis, Donna Giddis and Carolyn Pfeiffer sell wine the SRWC fundraiser.

The 24-hour car seat class was held Nov. 1 through 3 at the Midway Fire District office on College Parkway. The groups were fortunate to get a top-notch team of instructors from Alabama, including Mike James, who is on the National Child Passenger Safety Board and is up on the very latest information. Residents from Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties took full advantage of the opportunity.

As James likes to point out, "Computer technology is the only field that changes more rapidly than child passenger safety."

Concerned parents now have several places to go in Santa Rosa County to get their car seats checked. The sites in Southern Santa Rosa County are the Midway Fire District office, located at 1322 College Parkway and the Gulf Breeze Police Department, located at 311 Fairpoint Drive.

These are the only places in Santa Rosa County that have nationally certified technicians available to check car seats. It is important for parents of young children to have their car seats checked or to provide booster seats for older children who are 4 feet 9 inches tall or less and weigh 80 pounds or less.

This Dwarf Magnolia tree was dedicated to the memory of Mary Blythe.

For more information call Ginny Hinton or Santa Rosa Health Department at 850-983- 5200.

Christmas In Swenson Park

"Christmas In Swenson Park" is scheduled for Tuesday Dec. 11 with a rain date of Thursday December 13th. There will be more details to come. For more information contact Margaret Cunningham at 932-2914.

Paint Santa Rosa Contest

Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council members recently announced the winning pieces for the first annual Paint Santa Rosa contest. The winners are: "Beach Scenes" by Eleanor Williams, "River and Rural Scenes" by Janie Seal, "Animal Scenes" by Melinda Giron and "Best of Show" by Dennis Boyce. Kate Wilkes, Executive Director of the Santa Rosa County Tourist Development Council, honored winning artists on Nov. 10.