Dining Sites Provide A Good Meal, And A Good Smile For Seniors
February 12, 2018
Century seniors leave the Council on Aging of West Florida’s dining site with more than a hot meal — they usually leave with a smile.
“The program provides them a hot meal that I serve,” said Deborah Williams, the Century site manager as she prepared plates of beef stew, rice and broccoli. “And I always give them a smile. People just need a smile sometimes.”
The senior dining site program is a neighborhood-based program offering nutritious meals, activities and socialization for seniors age 60 and older. Council on Aging operates nearly 20 dining sites in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties including sites in Cantonment, Century, Jay and Chumuckla.
The Century senior dining site on Industrial Boulevard current serves about 10 clients Williams said, but there’s room for about 40. Attendance has dwindled for the Century program, she said, due to a lack of adequate transportation in Century.
A donation of $2 or more per person is recommended, but it is not mandatory. Donations are returned to the senior dining site program to support the provision of meals and activities at the sites.
Along with the sites often offer fun and mentally-stimulating activities. Common activities include puzzles, word games, field trips, guest speakers and bingo.
“I take them on field trips sometimes,” Williams said. “We’ll go to the Golden Corral, go by the doctor’s office or go shopping. It just does them good to get out.”
“It keeps them smiling.”
Individuals interested in participating in the senior dining site program or getting loved ones involved, should call Council on Aging of West Florida at (850) 432-1475 or visit www.coawfla.org for more information.
Pictured top: Deborah Williams, manager of the Council on Aging of West Florida’s senior dining site in Century. Pictured inset and below: Seniors enjoy lunch at the senior dining site in Century. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Good Times Roll With Pensacola Mardi Gras Parade (With Gallery)
February 11, 2018
The Pensacola Grand Mardi Gras Parade rolled through the streets of downtown Saturday before a crowd of tens of thousands.
For a photo gallery click here.
Photos courtesy City of Pensacola for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Students Celebrate 100th Day Of School
February 11, 2018
Bratt Elementary School recently celebrated the 100th day of school with activities that included dressing up as 100-year olds. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: A Rainy Day At The Pipes
February 11, 2018
Pictured is the view looking from The Pipes back toward Old Bridge Road near Cantonment on a rainy Saturday afternoon.
The Pipes is a Northwest Florida Water Management District day-use area that offers a picnic table, pedestal grill, portable toilet, and canoe/kayak launch on the Perdido River. The public area does not allow ATV’s or alcoholic beverage use.
Photo by Jared Sigler for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Don’t Stop Working For It: Winter Olympian Is From Northwest Florida
February 10, 2018
Update 2/21: Mia Mangenello and her speed skating team won the bronze medal in team pursuit, the first medal for U.S. women’s speed skating in 16 years.
Don’t stop working for it is the mantra of a Winter Olympian from Northwest Florida.
Speed skater Mia Mangenello, 28, was born in Fort Walton Beach and later lived in Crestview.
Mangenello’s parents opened Mia’s Italian Restaurant in Crestview and named it after her before selling it. Mia worked there growing up. They later opened Dominic’s Pizzeria in Valparaiso (it’s named for her dad). To this day, she still eats pizza to unwind after competitions.
“As a young child I quickly discovered my talent with inline skating and began to excel in the sport. When inline skating gave way to speed skating, I realized my life passion. With the abundant support of my family, we moved to Salt Lake City, UT, so I could train and pursue an Olympic dream,” she said.
After the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics inspired Manganello to switch from inline roller skating to speed skating, the then-13-year-old and her family made the move from Crestview.
In 2010, however, Manganello missed earning a spot on the U.S. team for the Vancouver Olympics and decided to step off the ice.
“I discovered a new love — competitive cycling,” she said.
She spent the next six years competing in cycling, believing that her speed skating days were over.
“In the winter of 2015, after a long break and a visit back to Salt Lake, the ice called once again. I competed in my first speed skate events in six years, ” Manganello said.
Her comeback was solidified when she claimed three titles at the 2017 U.S. Championships: the 1500m, 5000m and 3000m, which she won with a time that matched the American record. She was a member of the U.S. team at the 2017 World Single Distance Championships, where she finished 13th in the 3000m and 14th in the 1500m.
“Never stop dreaming,” she said online from Gangneung Ice Arena in South Korea. “They really do come true.”
Pictured top: Olympian Mia Mangenello is a Northwest Florida native. Pictured inset: Mangenello sports the official U.S. Olympic team’s official apparel. Pictured below: Mia Mangenello with her parents outside the restaurant in Crestviwe that bears her name. Courtesy photos for NorthEcambia.com, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Names Valentine’s Court
February 10, 2018
Ernest Ward Middle School held its annual Valentine’s Dance Friday night, naming a queen and her court based upon student votes.
King Noah Harigel and Queen Shelby Rice reigned over the dance, along with their court: Sixth Grade Knight Bentley Van Pelt, Sixth Grade Maiden Carsyn Dortch, Seventh Grade Knight Kaden Odom and Seventh Grade Elianna Morales.
Pictured top: King Noah Harigel and Queen Shelby Rice. Pictured below: Seventh Grade Knight Kaden Odom and Seventh Grade Elianna Morales. Pictured bottom: Sixth Grade Knight Bentley Van Pelt, Sixth Grade Maiden Carsyn Dortch. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia 4-H Kids Really Know Their Bugs; Team Places Second In State
February 10, 2018
The Escambia County Junior 4-H Insect ID and Skill-a-Thon team really knows their bugs — the team place second in the recent Florida 4-H Insect-a-Thon contest at the Department of Entomology and Nematology at the University of Florida.
The Skill-a-Thon consisted of insect identification, insect damage matching, a pollinators test, and adult/juvenile insect identification. In addition to the second place junior team (ages 8-10), intermediate (ages 11-13) and senior (ages 14+) teams from Escambia 4-H also competed.
Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Jim Allen Elementary School Names Students Of The Month
February 8, 2018
Jim Allen Elementary School has named Students of the Month for January. They are Joshua List (left) and Kinzy Cutler. Courtesy photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Bratt Elementary Releases Latest Honor Roll
February 8, 2018
The following students were named to the second nine weeks honor roll at Bratt Elementary School:
Kindergarten Honor Roll
Waylon Bell
Rex Brown
Bailey Campbell
Jonah Carter
Sarah Jane Classen
David Daniel
Zoey Davidson
Ella Grace Diller
Amanuel Dubose
Linley Dunn
Brooklynne Fountain
Audrey Franklin
Cameron Gipson
Tucker Hare
Braylie Harrison
Riverly Heathcock
Kalli Ikner
Zoe Jantz
Rylan Johnson
Jonathan Kaul
Ivyonna Knight
Trevor Knighten
Brantley Laborde
Landon Lee
Jadon Long
Bentley Lowery
Madalynn Lowery
Makyla Mason
Freddie McCall
Brylynn McGhee
Shaleria Mitchell
McKenzie Norton
Dalton Perdue
Brylee Peters
Kailah Pompa
Bentley Rice
Aric Rolin
Chayton Rolin
Anniston Salter
Sawyer Sandoval
Samuel Sandoval
Calee Satterwhite
Houston Smith
Emma Southard
Makiah Spates
Bella Walker
Angel Whisenton
First Grade A Honor Roll
Alexis Amerson
Alexa Beasley
Jaxon Byrd
Addison Carpenter
Harmony Cruz
Carson Eady
Aubrey Flowers
Pryce Flowers
Josyah Fontenot
Olivia Garrett
Nathan Gilmore
Kyndal Hadley
Mason Helton
Sophia Ikner
Maybree Johnson
Jeremy Lisenby
Noah Luker
Keylashia Randle
Caden Sanspree
James Thompson
Javan Thompson
Kinley White
First Grade A-B Honor Roll
Eric Anthony
Sadie Baker
Nola Barber
Jerrilynn Barlow
Abigail Brown
Payton Coon
Kintley Flowers
Christian Fountain
Jepp Godwin
Alexa Hardy
Autumn Heist
Denis Lambeth
Parker Marsh
Mya McCants
Briley Moore
Demeatree Moorer
Jonathan Patrick
Layla Pettway
Jade Presley
Madison Rice
Jamileon Syria
Brooklyn Turk
Mi’Kavion White
Dillon Wiggins
Second Grade A Honor Roll
Govan Alexander
Landon Allcock
Jack Carpenter
Logan Diller
Sawyer Gilmore
Brody Hall
Camden Jacobson
John McAnally
Hunter Parker
Kain Pompa
Christian Roberts
Makinzi Roley
Lani Steadham
Kaylee Wilson
Second Grade A-B Honor Roll
Tyler Amerson
Eli Anthony
Kasei Barlow
Gabrielle Boatwright
Jamarreai Davison
Braxton Dinc
Jacob Dove
O’Neshia DuBose
Brayden Faircloth
Zachary Flowers
Parker Ganey
Emmalee Grimes
Anthony Johnson
Evelyn Jones
M’kenzie Mcghee
Mya Pettway
Madalynn Pittman
Brooklyn Reynolds
Jackson Sellers
Breah Shelly
Adalynn Southard
Noah Spence
Wyatt Spence
Cassandra Stilwell
Kameryn Thompson
Third Grade A Honor Roll
Montgomery Baker
Amara Campbell
Christian Caraway
Jacobi Dougall
Annberly Dunn
Jad’Quie Evans
Hayden Gipson
Cathryn Greenwood
Laila Hadley
Presley Johnson
Kylee Langham
Kaylee Long
Savannah Lowry
Mikayla McAnally
Dakota Richardson
Avery Stuckey
Third Grade A-B Honor Roll
William Classen
Caley Daharsh
Crimson Davis
Carlie Davis
Kylar Davis
Thomas Davis
Nolan Eady
Lori Hall
Jackson Helton
Dallas Kelson
Khloe Mason
Logan Morris
Makayla Plato
Anna Claire Sanspree
Miles Smith
Jake Taylor
Raleigh Warr
Jason Wiggins
Cobie Wiggins
Melissa Wilson
Fourth Grade A Honor Roll
Desiray Bagwell
Jackson Bridges
Addison Classen
Tristan Crumm
Samantha Minchew
Jackson Simmons
Fourth Grade A-B Honor Roll
Lauren Abbott
Ellie Adkins
Claire Amerson
Wade Bailey
Bailey Blackwell
Karissa Boatwright
Nevaeh Bush
Luke Chavers
Aakira Davis
Jordan Dawson
John Glenn
Talise Gregson
Joseph Hardenbrook
William Heard
Tristan Johnson
LanDon Johnson
Jessica Jowers
Keeli Knighten
Carley Moore
Christopher Odom
Braylan Shelly
Brayden Smith
Maggie Stewart
Mya Wilson
Fifth Grade A Honor Roll
Ashton Covan
Colton Criswell
JaCee Dortch
Jaylin Evans
Jamison Gilman
Mary Catherine Hughes
Laura Laborde
Colby Pugh
Ally Richardson
Maggie Scott
Zakyla Smith
Fifth Grade A-B Honor Roll
Ayden Atallah
Kinslee Coker
Beau Daw
Noah Faulkner
Aliyah Fountain
Landon Hawthorne
Ja’Marrion Hooks
Taliyah Johnson
Kamryn Langham
Kaitlin Lloyd
Michael McGhee
Anthony Miller
Adannaya Mondaca
Breanna Sanspree
Daygen Slate
Bryce Stabler
Brayson White
Jayden White
Lunch Rush: That’s Love Right There At Mama Ruth’s In Century
February 7, 2018
by Sean Dietrich
“My daddy built this general store when he was twenty-three,” Mary Hudson Bourgeois says. “Folks used’a visit by mule and wagon.”
I’m sitting in Hudson’s Grocery, sipping tea from a jelly jar, eating fried catfish and collards. There are buck-heads on the wall. Black-and-white family photos. Mounted large-mouth bass. A few customers in cowboy hats. I have tartar sauce on my shirt.
I’m feeling pretty good.
Miss Jackie waltzes out of the kitchen. She’s wearing a dusty apron. She’s tall. Bone-skinny. Skin like molasses. She doesn’t talk much.
“I enjoyed your cooking,” I tell her.
“Mmm hmm,” says Miss Jackie.
This one-room joint is located in the speck-of-a-town, Century, Florida—within spitting-distance of the Alabama line. In this city, folks pronounce “fire” as “far.” A place where middle-school girls can drop eight-point bucks faster than most forty-year-old men.
Mary and her best friend, Jackie, run this meat-and-three.
Today, I visited after church. I waited in a long line with Baptists, Methodists, and Holy Rollers who wore neckties and pearls.
“Sometimes we serve so many, we run outta food,” says Mary.
“Mmm hmm,” Miss Jackie explains.
A few years ago, Mary reopened this dusty store as something more than a market. She calls it, Mama Ruth’s, and she sells everything from antiques to catfish.
“I love what we do,” says Mary. “We’re kind of an all-around country store.”
“Mmm hmm,” Jackie points out.
This tight-knit community supports Mary enough to eat her out of house and home. It’s been that way from the day she first opened. Her business took off. People couldn’t get enough of Miss Jackie’s made-from-scratch cooking.
Then Mary got diagnosed with advanced leukemia.
Doctors told her to get her affairs in order. And fast.
Mary closed shop. She left for Dallas to undergo treatment. It was agonizing. It drained her. She felt alone. She missed home.
“I thought, ‘God, why’s this happening to me?’” she says.
“Mmm hmm.”
Mary’s Dallas mailbox began to fill up. Letters, poems, good-luck charms, food, knit shawls, care packages. Each day, her mailman brought a new load.
Mary might’ve left town, but town never left her.
The letters read something like: “Dear Mary, we prayed for you at First Baptist this morning. We pray every single day.”
Another letter—from a five-year-old: “Dear Miss Mary, I believe God will heal you…”
Mary wipes her face. “This town, they just.. They’re so…”
“Mmm hmm.”
Doctors scheduled her for a bone marrow transplant. But during preliminaries, something happened. Nobody could explain it.
One physician told her she was a miracle. Another man of science admitted he didn’t know what made her cancer go away.
“When you’re younger,” says Mary. “Sometimes, you just wanna get away from your little hometown. But this community, this restaurant, they saved my life.”
“Mmm hmm,” Miss Jackie says. “That’s love right there.”
Well spoken, Miss Jackie.
Pictured: Mary Hudson and Mama Ruth’s Cafe on Highway 29, just south of West Highway 4, in Century. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
