Youth Show Their Spirit
September 1, 2013
Youth from Ray’s Chapel and the Walnut Hill Baptist churches came together Saturday night to show their school and team spirit during Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church’s third annual “Spirit Night”. The youth enjoyed worship, a message from youth leader Seth Leonard, food, prizes and games. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Aldersgate UMC Donations A ‘Blessing’ To Molino Park Elementary
August 30, 2013
Aldersgate United Methodist Church is among the many organizations stepping up to help Molino Park Elementary School following the theft and destruction of tens of thousands of dollars worth of technology from the school.
The church is donating proceeds from their next two community dinner collections, accepting donations at a Back to School Splash Party this Saturday and taking up collections from their congregation — all in addition their annual paper drive — for the school.
Molino Park Principal Alice Woodward called the church’s contributions “a blessing”, and said, “I appreciate the whole Molino community in their support of Molino Park Elementary.”
The Aldersgate Back to School Splash party will be held from 3 until 6 p.m. Saturday, September 7 at the church on Highway 29, just north of Highway 97. There will be water slides, water balloon games, fun on a new playground and a cookout. Everyone is invited to the free event, but attendees are invited to make a monetary donation to technology replacement at Molino Park Elementary School.
Aldersgate has also joined other Molino organizations as a Molino Park Elementary technology recovery donation drop off point. Read more…
Pictured top: Rev. Alan Gantzhorn wheels paper donations from Aldersgate United Methodist Church into Molino Park Elementary School Thursday. Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Century United Methodist Receives Statewide Community Involvement Award
August 28, 2013
The Century United Methodist Church was recently honored with the Florida Health Care Activity Coordinators Association’s Community Involvement Award. The statewide award is presented to a group or organization that provides ongoing, outstanding support to the activity department of a long term care facility in Florida. The members of Century UMC provide countless volunteer hours at the Century Care Center. Accepting the award on behalf of the church was Rev. Janet Lee. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Home Run: She Said Yes!
August 26, 2013
Jake Clayton of Molino proposed to his girlfriend Jenna Peoples of Milton during a weekend Pensacola Blue Wahoos game…and she said “yes”. Photo by Michael Spooneybarger/Pensacola Blue Wahoos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Photos: NHS Mini-Cheerleaders, Band, Dance Team And More
August 25, 2013
For a photo gallery with the Northview NJROTC, cheerleaders, band and dance team from Friday night, click here.
For a special gallery featuring the Northview mini-cheerleaders, click here.
For a game summary and action photos, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Farm Family Of The Year Has Long History In Agricultural
August 25, 2013
The Keith Campbell family of Chumuckla was recognized as Santa Rosa County’s “Outstanding Farm Family of the Year” during the 47th Annual Santa Rosa County Farm Tour.
Keith and his wife Robynn, along with daughters Brittney, Ashleigh and son-in-law Adam Bondurant, accepted the award from County Commissioners Don Salter and Jim Melvin. Sheilah Bowman, Florida District Director for Congressman Jeff Miller, also presented the family with a Congressional Record proclamation honoring them for their accomplishments.
The Campbell’s have a rich agricultural heritage. Keith Campbell is a sixth generation farmer on his father’s side and a fourth generation farmer on his mother’s side of the family. The Campbell family of farmers emigrated from Scotland to South Carolina and finally settled in the Chumuckla area in the early 1800’s.
After two years of college, Keith began farming with his grandfather, W.T. Stewart, on five hundred acres in 1983. He eventually took over complete operation of the farm which has grown to more than 1,300 acres today. The family’s major crops are cotton, peanuts, and wheat. They also raise beef cattle with a herd of around 60 cows and calves. In addition, the past few years they have maintained an apiary for honey production and crop pollination.
Family members and neighbors help sustain the farm. Robynn is a homemaker supporting the family with her full-time efforts. Ashleigh’s husband Adam, a senior at UWF, works part-time on the farm and nephew Dale Campbell helps out after school. A key component of Keith’s approach to farming involves sharing work with neighboring farmers with whom he performs custom planting and harvesting to pool equipment and labor.
Keith is a progressive farmer who always looks for better ways to improve the efficiency of his operation. He says one of the biggest changes he has seen in farming was the introduction of herbicide resistant crops in the late 90’s. This allowed him to implement conservation tillage with benefits of reduced tillage, soil erosion, fuel, machinery, labor costs, and the overall amount of herbicides used.
Keith has also been an early adopter of precision agriculture technologies such as variable-rate lime and fertilizer application, field mapping, and GPS equipment guidance for field operations.
Laura Ann Wiggins Graduates From Rhodes College
August 25, 2013
Laura Ann Wiggins of Walnut Hill graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Sociology and a double minor in Archaeology and French at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN.
While at Rhodes, Wiggins received three funded fellowships to volunteer with the non-profit Urban Farms Memphis to increase local, fresh produce consumption in below-poverty neighborhoods; to excavate Mayan household archaeological sites in Chiapas, Mexico; and to complete a comparative ethnographic study of identity through food choice within Memphis, TN and Dakar, Senegal.
She was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa National Leadership Honor Society and Kappa Delta Sorority, serving as both Ritual Chair and Recruitment Philanthropy Chair.
She also served as Chair of the Rhodes Event Management Committee, advocating alcohol awareness at campus events through responsible event planning.
Beginning this fall, she will teach English at the bilingual school Ecole Actuelle Bilingue in Dakar, Senegal.
Wiggins is a 2009 graduate of the International Baccalaureate program at Pensacola High School. She is the daughter of Glen and Jean Wiggins of Walnut Hill.
Birth: Myles Levi Sellers
August 25, 2013
Ray and Leslie (Respress) Sellers of Atmore are proud to announce the birth of their son, Myles Levi Sellers. Myles was born July 22, 2013, at 7:49 a.m., at Mobile Infirmary. He weighed 8-pounds 13-ounces and was 21½ inches.
Grandparents are Benny and Bobbie Respress and Joyce Sellers of Atmore. Great grandparents are Alvis and Bernice Respress of Atmore and Robert and Jo Grigsby of Trussville, AL. Myles was welcomed home by his big brother, three-year old Jackson, and his big sister, Queenie, a 10-year old Boston Terrier.
Solari Wins Escambia County Youth Farm Bureau Speech Contest
August 23, 2013
Northview High School senior Courtney Solari won the 2013 Escambia County Youth Farm Bureau Speech contest Thursday afternoon in Molino.
She will present her speech at a Farm Bureau county meeting on September 19 and then move on to the district and state competitions.
Students between 14-18 years old were invited to take part in the contest, delivering a speech about five minutes long on the topic ““Over the past 500 years, how has technology influenced Florida agriculture?”
“Changes in…technology here in Florida have been occurring since the first European settlers introduced Native Americans to new practices and livestock. The Native Americans quickly adapted to these practices, and Florida agriculture has been changing ever since,” Solari said in her speech.
“Technology has helped increase production of many crops, while also diminishing the production of others. These advancements in agriculture are all in an effort for Florida farmers to produce more food while utilizing less land and protecting the environment. No matter how many changes occur though, one thing will remain consistent. Florida agriculture will continue to grow and thrive throughout the future as it has for the last 500 years,” she said.
The 2013 Escambia County Youth Farm Bureau Speech contest was sponsored by the Escambia County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, in collaboration with Escambia County Extension, EscaRosa Young Farmers and Ranchers and the Escambia County Women’s Committee.
School Board Honors Northview FFA’s Best In State Program
August 22, 2013
The Northview High School FFA was honored by the Escambia County School Board for having the top Fresh From Florida Food Advocacy Program, formerly known as the Food for America Program, in the entire state.
The Fresh From Florida Advocacy Program is an educational program focusing on agricultural literacy in elementary schools and communities. It is a program developed to assist FFA members and all agricultural education students in leadership skill development as they reach out to youth, peers and their entire communities by sharing the world of agriculture.
Planning began in the fall of 2012 with FFA members setting goals and establishing working committees for the spring 2013 event. Through the efforts of 100 FFA members and community support, approximately 1,000 mostly elementary level students participated in agriculture awareness through hands-on exhibits and activities. Exhibitors included the
Florida Department of Agriculture, Escambia County Extension Agency, Florida Forestry Service and many other outside agencies.
In addition, members of the Northview High School FFA officer team visited several area elementary schools to read agriculture-related books to students.
The Florida FFA Organization has honored Northview High School FFA Food for America program at the state level multiple years.
Pictured: The Northview High School FFA was honored by the Escambia County School Board Tuesday night for having the top “Fresh from Florida” program in the state. Pictured top: Northview FFA President Courtney Solari, 2nd Vice President Haylee Weaver, Vice President Courtney Weekley, Parliamentarian Mitchell Singleton, past-present Jessica Baldwin; Supertindent Malcolm Thomas, NHS FFA sponsor Perry Byars, board member Linda Moultrie, board member Bill Slayton, (back row) board member Jeff Bergosh, board member Gerald Boone and board member Patty Hightower. Submitted photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
