Talk of the Town
Gold Sale today at Gulf Breeze Hospital

The Gulf Breeze Hospital Auxiliary will sponsor a Gold Coast Jewelry sale today, from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. The sale will be held in the educational building at 1110 Gulf Breeze Parkway and the proceeds will benefit Gulf Breeze Hospital and its patients. The sale includes diamonds, gold and silver in rings, earrings, watches, pendants, bracelets, baby jewelry and men's jewelry. All credit cards will be accepted and payroll deductions are available. For more information, call Maureen Crocker at 850-932- 4008. It's a Wonderful Life In Gulf Breeze Holiday Parade

Cherry Fitch, local realtor and former Florida High School Principal of the Year, will be the Grand Marshal of the Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce's Holiday and will lead Gulf Breeze Chamber Holiday Parade on Saturday, Dec. 8 at 10 a.m. Fitch was selected because of her level of commitment to the area through education and community service. "It's a Wonderful Life in Gulf Breeze" is the theme of the 2007 parade.

"This year, we want the parade to emphasize the many school and civic organizations that make Gulf Breeze a terrific place to live and work," said Dr. Jim Martin, Gulf Breeze Chamber Board member and Chairman of the 2007 Holiday Parade Committee. The route will begin on Shoreline Drive behind Gulf Breeze High School and continue past City Hall, the South Santa Rosa Recreation Center and until it turns right on McLane Road, and ends at First Baptist Church. Gulf Breeze Mayor, Lane Gilchrist, and Santa Rosa County Teacher of the Year, Nicole Mayhew, will also be featured VIP's in the parade.

A Community Holiday Party with hot dogs, hot chocolate, holiday music and a visit from Santa Claus after the parade in the Gulf Breeze High School parking lot for all participants. This event is sponsored by: City of Gulf Breeze, Gulf Breeze Area Chamber of Commerce, Peoples First Community Bank, PODS, Boogie, Inc. and the Elves at the North Pole.

Entrance fee is $25 for businesses and $10 for non-profit organizations. For details, or to register for the parade, visit www.gulfbreezechamber.com or call 850-932-7888. Democratic Women's Club sale is Saturday

The Santa Rosa Democratic Women's Club is selling craft items, and homemade bakery items at the Gulf Breeze Flea Market on Highway 98 on Saturday, Dec. 8 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. This sale will benefit a local needy family who had major damage from a recent tornado in the Milton area. The club is purchasing items for Christmas for this family. Contact Margie Purkerson at 850-934-7031 or 850-206-5884 for additional information. Pensacola Camellia Club show Saturday

The Pensacola Camellia Club will present its 69th annual Camellia Show on Saturday and Sunday Dec. 8 and 9 at the Wright Place, located at 80 East Wright St. in downtown Pensacola. This free event, presented in conjunction with the American Camellia Society, will exhibit approximately 2,000 camellia blooms. This adjudicated show will have entries from several southeastern states as well as from our Central Gulf Coast area.

Public viewing hours are 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 12 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Plants sales begin at 10a.m. on Saturday. A large number of Camellia japonica varieties and Camellia sasanqua will be available for sale.

In addition to the exhibit of camellia blooms, the Pensacola Federation of Garden Clubs will feature "Christmas at the Cinema" floral designs using camellias. Three features will be entitled: "Frosty the Snowman," "A Christmas Carol," and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."

The Gulf Coast Bonsai Society will also exhibit bonsai from their collections.

Dr. Tom Birdwell, Camellia Show Chair, said, "This is a family event. There will be a camellia hunt for school age kids... There will be books available for sale on camellia care. We will even have a small supply of high quality camellia oil for sale. This can be used like olive oil for cooking or saladsvery tasty and makes a great gourmet gift."

"As a special inducement to join the Pensacola Camellia Club and the American Camellia Society, Camellia Club member and nurseryman John Davy has donated 30 lovely Camellia sasanqua plants. For the cost $35 to join both the PCC and ACS, one will receive a Camellia sasanqua planta $20 value," Birdwell added. St. Sylvester Catholic Church Cantata

The St. Sylvester Choir will present a Christmas Cantata entitled "God's Great Love" on Saturday, Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. Choir Director Gina Lavere will lead the variety of music which includes the Spanish choir and guitar.

St. Sylvester Catholic Church is located at 6464 Gulf Breeze Parkway. The community is invited to enjoy this free concert. Call 850-939-3020 for additional information. Caring and Sharing of South Santa Rosa County in need

Caring and Sharing of South Santa Rosa County has completed its Thanksgiving distribution, serving more than 250 families in Navarre and Gulf Breeze with food boxes and grocery certificates for perishable foods. Although churches, schools, businesses, and local citizens were generous with food contributions, this distribution depleted their food supply.

The organization is facing a critical shortage of non-perishable food for its Christmas Distribution on Dec. 16 at Oriole Beach Elementary School. Collection boxes have been placed throughout the community and they ask for assistance from those willing to help make up the food deficit to brighten the holidays for local families who struggle just to make ends meet.

Residents are urged to donate non-perishable food items. Please bring them to Oriole Beach Elementary after 4 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 14, or take them to one of the following Caring and Sharing collection sites. In Gulf Breeze the sites are the Gulf Breeze News office, the chamber of commerce, Gulf Breeze City Hall, Wal-Mart and Tiger Point Chiropractic. In Navarre the sites are the Chamber of Commerce, Century 21 Island View Realty, NABOR, Abaca Mortgage, Whitney Bank, both Regions Banks, Publix and Wal- Mart.

Volunteers are also needed to sort food and fill the food boxes that will be given to 300 families in South Santa Rosa County. Volunteers should show up at Oriole Beach Elementary School on Friday, Dec. 14, after 4 p.m. or Saturday, Dec. 15 after 10 a.m.

For more information, call 850- 939-0727 or go to santarosacares.com. Financial donations are gratefully accepted and can be sent to Caring and Sharing, P.O. Box 5521, Navarre, Fla., 32566.