Photos: Fun And Wacky Science, Dr. Zap At The Library
June 16, 2010
“Dr. Zap” presented his fun and wacky view on science Tuesday as the summer reading program series continued at the Century Branch Library.
From toilet paper arches, to children floating on air to the amazement of a young girl that learned she could effortless lift 200 pounds — Dr. Zap taught children about scientific theory in a fun and imaginable way.
(The young lady, by the way, used a level and fulcrum to lift three boys — including her astonished brother — into the air.)
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
The summer read series at the Century Branch Library will continue each Tuesday at noon as follows:
- June 22 – John Jaramillo, storyteller and dancer
- June 29 – David Stephens, puppetry
- July 6, Ross Mudge, singing patriotic songs
- July 13, Beau Broomall, magician
For more information, contact the Century Branch Library at (850) 256-6217.
Pictured top: Children enjoy learning about science from Dr. Zap Tuesday afternoon at the Century Branch Library. Pictured inset: Dr. Zap. Pictured below: A young lady (right) lifts three boys weighing a combined 200 pounds using a lever and fulcrum. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Part Of History: Barrineau Park 4-H Club
June 15, 2010
The Barrineau Park 4-H Club has been honored as being the oldest continuing 4-H Club in Florida, and the club has made a special presentation to ensure its history will be preserved.
During Saturday’s Blueberry Jamboree, club members presented a commemorative gavel, book, certificate and other items to the Barrineau Park Historical Society. The historical society will preserve the items in their museum located in the Barrineau Park Community Center.
The Barrineau Park 4-H Club was founded as an agricultural club in 1914 and organized as a 4-H Club in 1917. The club started with a small group of boys under the supervision of the local agricultural agent with about a dozen members. Lewis Floyd of Barrineau Park was one of the early members, remaining in the club until he turned 18 in 1922; he then became one of the club leaders.
Dorothy Gindl Casey remembers her early days in the club. “When I joined, it was a boys’ club and a (separate) girls’ club in the 1930’s,” she said.
Longtime member Francis Gindl has been a member or involved with the leadership of the Barrineau Park club for 47 years.
“They were all good 4-H’ers,” he said of his memories of the club’s early days. “They didn’t get in trouble being in 4-H.”
Gindl’s son Bobby Gindl serves as the modern-day leader of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club, following in the footsteps of his father.
“It has made a huge impact on my life,” the younger Gindl said. “I ended up becoming an agricultural teacher.”
The Barrineau Park 4-H Club meets at 2 p.m. on the third Sunday of the each month at St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Church at 3015 St. Elizabeth Street, near the intersection of Barrineau Park Road and Jacks Branch Road.
The 4-H Club is a community of six million young people across America learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills.
Pictured top: Former 4-H Leader Francis Gindl, Barrineau Park 4-H Club Leader Francis Gindl, and former member Dorothy Gindl Casey. Pictured below: Current Barrineau Park 4-H Club President Austin Dodd, 13, and Inspirational Leader Emily Boutwell, 8. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Food Bank Provides Help In North Escambia, Santa Rosa
June 14, 2010
North Escambia and Santa Rosa residents that need assistance putting food on the table can find the help they need close to home.
Manna Pantries provides a short-term emergency food source for those in need in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. Food is distributed at seven locations in the two counties, including Century, Molino and Jay.
Nearly 75% of people served in the Emergency Food Program are persons referred to Manna from another program or agency, the majority of whom are in the process of applying for and being certified to receive food stamps. To qualify for food from Manna, people should bring:
- a written referral from the referring agency
- a contact phone number for the worker making the referral
- identification for every member of their household that establishes them in the residence
People who are not receiving or applying for food stamps may also be eligible for Manna’s Emergency Food Program. A person may seek food from Manna by providing proof(paid bills, notice of lay off or termination, decrease in income) of the claimed situation. Identification such as a Social Security card, birth certificate, or report card is required for all claimed members of the household.
For more information about Manna, visit www.mannafoodpantries.org.
MANNA Pantry Locations and Hours of Operation
Molino Pantry (Mobile Pantry Site)
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
6915 N. Hwy. 29
Mondays 10:00 – 12:00 p.m.
Jay Pantry
First Baptist Church
214 South Alabama Street
Tuesdays 9:30 – 11:30 a.m.
Century Pantry
7470 N. Century Blvd.
Intersection of Hwy 29 and Hwy 4W
Thurs – Sat. 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Gonzalez Pantry
Gonzalez Baptist Church
1590 Pauline Street
850.377.0792
Tuesdays 12:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Pensacola Main Pantry
116 E. Gonzalez Street 32501
850.432.2053
Monday – Friday 2 – 4:30 p.m.
Myrtle Grove/West Pantry
904 North 57th Avenue 32506
(inside Felix Miga Senior Center)
850.377.3970
M/W/F 10 a.m. – noon
Ensley Pantry
St. Peter’s Baptist Church
7761 Kershaw St. 32534
850.477.0118
Thursday 9 – 11:30 a.m.
Milton Pantry
Community of Christ Church
110 Raymond Hobbs Road 32570
Mon & Wed. 9 a.m. – noon
Friday noon – 3 p.m.
Thousands Enjoy Second Blueberry Jamboree (With Photos)
June 13, 2010
Over 4,000 people braved the sweltering heat to attend the second annual Blueberry Jamboree Saturday at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
The free event featured locally grown blueberries, live bluegrass music, dozens of arts and crafts vendors, bingo and even pie eating and blueberry spitting contests. The Kids’ Zone included bounce houses, face painting and educational games.
For a NorthEscambia.com photo gallery from the event, click here.
The Escambia County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee sponsored a Blueberry Jamboree Bake-Off. Click here for photos and results.
Despite the heat and humidity, well over 100 runners completed the 5K Race for the Blueberries. Click here for photos and results.
The second annual Blueberry Jamboree was sponsored in part by NorthEscambia.com, Escambia County Farm Bureau, International Paper, Wind Creek Casino, Faith Chapel Funeral Homes, Navy Federal Credit Union, BagelHeads, Fran’s Diner and Winn Dixie.
Pictured top: A couple dances to bluegrass music Saturday at the second annual Blueberry Jamboree in Barrineau Park. Pictured inset: A giant blueberry. Pictured below: Thousands attended the event. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Mmmm…Second Annual Blueberry Bake-Off Winners Named
June 13, 2010
It was a blueberry lover’s dream Saturday at the second annual Blueberry Jamboree Bake-Off at the Barrineau Park Community Center.
Dozens of cooks entered their tasty pies, cobblers, cakes and other blueberry goodies in hopes of winning cash prizes in the contest sponsored by the Escambia County Farm Bureau Women’s Committee. There was one basic rule — the homemade dessert must have included blueberries as an ingredient.
After the tempting treats were judged and the winners were announced, the public had the opportunity to sample the entries.
The winners of the second annual Blueberry Jamboree Bake-Off were:
Cake Division
1st place Melissa Collier – White Chocolate Cheesecake
2nd place Lukas Snelson – Blueberry Sour Cream Coffee Cake
3rd place Cathy Vanderpol – Vlueberry Sour Cream Pound Cake
Bread, Puddings and Other division
1st place Shelly Olsousky – Blueberry Yum Yum
2nd place Sharon Meharg – Blueberry Pizza
3rd place – Paul Schwartz – Zucchini Blueberry Nut Bread
Pies and Cobbler division
1st place Sabrena Padgett – Double Bottom Blueberry Lemon Supreme Pie
2nd place Cathy Vanderpol – Blueberry Cherry Pie
3rd place Cathy King – Bursting Berries & Orchard Fruit Pie
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Roberts, Maddox To Wed
June 13, 2010
Don and Laura Smith of Atmore, Ala., and Mike Roberts of Aiea, Hawaii, announce the engagement of their daughter, Stephanie Nicole Roberts, to Walter Thomas Maddox, son of Bob and Diane Maddox of Tuscaloosa, Ala.
The bride-elect is the granddaughter of James and Jackie Presley of Atmore and Malcolm and the late Willie Mae Roberts of Bay Minette, Ala.
The prospective groom is the grandson of the late Robert Maddox and Winnie Maddox of Fayette, Ala., and the late Tommy and the late Ruby Maddox of Jackson, Ala.
Stephanie is a graduate of Escambia County High School and a graduate of the University of Alabama. She earned a bachelor’s of art degree in public relations and is currently the director of sports marketing and public relations at the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Walt is a graduate of Central High School and a graduate of the University of Alabama-Birmingham. He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science and his graduate degree in public administration. Walt is currently serving his second term as Mayor of Tuscaloosa.
The wedding will take place June 26 at 4 o’clock in the afternoon at First Baptist Church in Atmore, Ala.
All friends and family are invited to attend the joyous occasion.
Head Graduates From Basic Training
June 12, 2010
Air Force Airman Derek J. Head graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.
The airman completed an intensive, eight-week program that included training in military discipline and studies, Air Force core values, physical fitness, and basic warfare principles and skills.
Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied science degree through the Community College of the Air Force.
He is the son of Nicki Qualls of Highway 4, Jay. Head is a 2008 graduate of Jay High School.
North Escambia, Santa Rosa Produce To Be Sold At Area Food World Stores
June 10, 2010
Beginning next week, shoppers will be able to purchase local produce grown in North Escambia and Santa Rosa County at their local Food World.
Produce grown locally and marketed by the Panhandle Fresh Marketing Association will be available in 20 Food World and Bruno’s supermarkets in Northwest Florida and South Alabama, including stores in Pensacola and Atmore.
Panhandle Fresh already handles the marketing, the insurance and logistics of getting produce like sweet corn from Walnut Hill to Wal-Mart. Panhandle Fresh secures the orders from Wal-Mart and works with local farmers to coordinate the produce delivery. And beginning Tuesday, June 15, the produce will be available in the Food World and Bruno’s stores.
Panhandle Fresh sits between the farmer and the chain stores, providing the $3 million in liability insurance, for instance, that Wal-Mart requires. The group also provides the marketing, works to secure shelf space for the products, takes care of most paperwork and bills the chain store for the produce. The farmer delivers his goods, bills Panhandle Fresh and receives a check for the fresh goods.
“We’re excited about partnering with Panhandle Fresh to promote our local farmers and their products in our stores,” said Tony Albano, a representative from Southern Family Markets, which owns the Food World and Bruno’s stores in the area. “From harvest to our stores, in some cases within a day, you just can’t beat the quality of fresh and local produce.”
The big grocery stores get the freshest product possible from local farms, and the local farmers that participate get a much needed financial boost.
Pictured top: Panhandle fresh product in an area Wal-mart. Pictured inset: Steve’s Sweet Corn from Walnut Hill was just one of the products that Panhandle Fresh worked to get from area fields into retail giant Wal-Mart. Pictured bottom middle: Panhandle Fresh greens being sold in an area Wal-Mart. Submitted and NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Continuing Series: Century Resident’s Journal As She Hikes Across Spain
June 10, 2010
Century resident Terri Sanders is on a 500 mile hike across Spain this summer, and she is taking NorthEscambia.com readers along.
Terri, former owner of the Country Bumpkin and current purveyor of fudge at festivals and events across the area, calls it the “trip of a lifetime”.
As Terri hikes from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, she will file dispatches from her journal and send pictures when possible for NorthEscambia.com as she hikes the Camino de Santiago — the Way of St. James — to the Atlantic Ocean. here is no Internet access between towns, but she will send us her journal entries as she arrives in towns along the way that do have Internet access — so Terri’s journal entries on NorthEscambia.com may be delayed by a few days.
For her first entry, click here.
In today’s journal entry from Spain, it’s May 31. Terri is making her way to the starting point for her hike, running into lots of language barriers as she tries to make her way to southern France.
May 31, 2010
Surprisingly I slept pretty well. The first thing I noticed when I got up was that the window in the room actually opened up. After swinging it open the fresh air rushed in and filled the room with the scent of spring. I leaned out the window amazed that there was no screen no were there any signs warning me that I might fall out of the window!
I went downstairs to see if the day clerk at the desk spoke better English than the clerk last night. I was in luck she did speak English well enough to tell me that there was no way to get to St. Jean Pied A port from here unless I took a taxi which would cost several hundred dollars went back upstairs and told Ronnie. She is planning on getting on the Camino here rather than go to St. Jean.
She is afraid she will not be able to finish the Camino by her deadline. There was a continental breakfast here and I actually was able to order hot green tea to go with me meal. I only recognized a few of the items on the table. There were trays with a selection of thinly sliced meats. At least I assumed they were meats.
I got a croissant, picked up some sliced pineapple, a kiwi and a pack of honey along with a glass of orange juice. I made myself a nice little sandwich only to find that the slice of pineapple was a slice of cheese. It was a good breakfast anyway.
There was another family eating and when they heard us say hello they came over to talk to us. The older gentleman is walking the Camino with his wife and granddaughters slacking him every day. His Spanish conversation with the clerk got me the information to catch a bus outside the hotel into Pamplona, where I could catch a bus to Zubiri and from there catch a cab to St .Jean where I am to meet up with Africa. Plan A is for us to meet at the bus station in St. Jean today. Plan B is for us to meet at the bus station in St.Jean today. If plan A or BB fails, plan C is to call the authorities and report the other as missing!
As hard as I tried I could not get the family to give me a ride to St. Jean after they dropped the grandpa off. So much for the art of yoging in Spain. We were almost out of the hotel door when the clerk caught us asking us if we were leaving now to which we replied yes. She said we needed to pay for our room. We thought we had paid for it last night when we checked in, but apparently here you pay in the morning when you leave.
I bid Ronnie goodbye and sat my pack down at the bus stop. Across the road I kept noticing people walking into this obtuse little door, then come out a few minutes later with a loaf of bread wrapped partially in wax paper. No advertising, no signs except for one above the door that said Alimentcion. I grabbed my camera and decided to go across and take a picture of someone coming out with a loaf of bread.
I can’t even go into Wal-Mart and come out with just a loaf of bread! The next person that came out was a guy and as best I could I tried to explain to him that I just wanted to take his picture with the bread in his hand. Obviously he thought I was trying to take or beg his bread from him and rattled off lots of words and lots of finger pointing at the door. When he finally calmed down enough and saw the camera in my hand, he leaned against his car and gave me a smile. I snapped the camera and walked away.
As I waited for the bus I noticed all of the houses had window boxes in them and they were all filled with petunias. I guess it is spring over here. The sky is overcast and a light drizzle started. An older lady came up and smiled at me as I moved my pack off of the bench so she could sit down. The bus came and she motioned for me to follow her. I showed the driver the note that the hotel clerk had wrote out for me and he assured me I was on the right bus.
The buses here are worse than the taxis in New York. I was sure we were going to crash before we ever got to downtown Pamplona. I was intrigued to find that people really do hang their laundry out of the windows to dry. I thought that was staged for the benefit of a film crew. The laundry hanging out the high windows was almost as colorful as the window boxes on the lower windows.
Gradually one by one we picked up and dropped off passengers until the bus pulled over, the driver got his coat and got off the bus. Not a word to me until just at the last minute he said this was the end of the route. I asked him where the bus station was and he motioned down the road with his hand and walked off. I guess the courtesy ends with the shift change.
All I could do was begin walking in the general direction he sent me and hoped I would not end up walking to St.Jean today. After a few blocks, I stopped a young man and got the point across I was looking for the bus station. I got the same response from him, a way of his hand, a couple of sentences and he was off. I kept walking.
Finally after a few blocks I stopped a man in a three piece suit I managed to get across to him I was looking for the bus station spoke French with only a few words of English, but he recognized the words bus station. Rather than give me a general wave of his hand, he turned around and motioned me to follow him down the street all the while trying to find words to tell me where I needed to go.
He finally said black and motioned with his hands tall and round and pointed me down the street, smiled and turned and walked away. I started walking again and lo and behold a few blocks away I could see tall black columns along the road. It took me some back tracking to find out how to get across the roads. There are barriers all along the sidewalks so there is no jay walking.
I had walked completely by the building looking for a door to the inside but all I found were stairs and some signs that I could not read. I smelled diesel fuel though so I knew I was close to some buses somewhere!
After going down a few flights of stairs I walked out onto the lot where buses park. No sign of a ticket booth or anything but I knew I had to be close .Twists and turns and finally I saw the terminal. There were a couple ticket windows to choose from; of course I got into the wrong line. The clerk looked at my paper and sent me around the corner to an information window where I finally met someone who spoke pretty good English.
She read my note, and sent me back around the corner to the window next to where I had just come.
I got my ticket and figured out I had 3 hours to wait for the bus. Everything here is military time. I walked around the station looking for the bathrooms. It took two trips around before I found them. The doors going into them looked like office doors. The station here is similar to the airports back home. Small stores selling a variety of wares. A couple small cafes, and a beer stand.
I saw a store front that was familiar to me…Kentucky Fried Chicken with a Pizza Hut right next door. The thought of a cold drink got me headed in the direction of the store, but when I got there I realized it was too early in the morning for them to be open. I went back to the terminal and opened my net book up since the signs said Wi Fi. Every connection I tried required a password. I noticed that my battery was almost completely gone and set out looking for a place to plug it in to charge it. I had no luck.
I sat and watched the news in Spanish picking up the name Clint Eastwood but could not read the rest of the ticker along the bottom of the TV. I also was able to see that there were blue skies called for the next few days. I wondered if the weatherman had looked outside.
Out in the parking garage I noticed two Pepsi machines side by side. Bingo! I walked over to them and sure enough there was an electrical outlet. I dug my laptop out squeezed in between both drink machines and plugged my computer in. I got my little rubber pad out of my pack, put it on the floor and sat down. I figured all anyone could do would be to come over and make me unplug and leave. I sat there until close to the time my bus would leave.
I tried to get on one bus, but after looking at my paper, he sent me to another bus. A much smaller bus. I was the only passenger. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was on my way to St. Jean and I was in one piece. The driver let me know where to get off, and showed me a pub where she said I could find help. There is something about hiking trails and pubs. I always seem to end up in a pub where ever I am hiking.
I showed the note to the bartender, he showed me the payphone. Of course I could not read a thing. I held out a handful of coins, he showed me which ones I needed to make a call, and with an exasperated sign gave me the number. In Spanish of course! The look on my face must have been disappointing, because his girlfriend rattled off something to him and he called the taxi for me.
An hour later I was still waiting for the taxi. The bartender pick up his cell phone and calls the taxi. He tells me another ten minutes. I smile and say thank you.
Finally my taxi arrives and wants to drink a cup of coffee before taking off. Not a problem to me, I have spent hours waiting. We finally get going and try to communicate as best we can. I showed him my paper (thank God for that piece of paper) he nods yes and off we go.
The roads remind me of the ones in Tennessee where you meet yourself coming around the corner. As time goes on I begin to think, this is not a short cab ride. Then I start to fret about having enough to pay him. I have some Euros but mostly American dollars. We pull into St. Jean and he looks at my paper again. ”No bus station here” he says.
I wonder then, well why did you bring me here if you knew there was not a bus station here?? Panic begins to set in, and I guess he could see that I was on the brink of having a nervous breakdown right there in his taxi. He pulls over and says we find English speaker. I am thinking we need more than an English speaker now. We need a divine intervention and a bank loan to pay his bill.
He is smiling broadly as he come out of the store and climb into the car, which he had left sitting in the middle of the road. A few more blocks and we pull up into the bus parking lot. He grabs my pack, shaking his head and helps me into it. I pull out my wallet and watch him figure in his head how much I owed him. He says seventy Euros. I have a fifty euro and two five dollar bills and a ten. I offer than to him, but I can see it is not enough. I ask him about an ATM but I guess he was afraid to let me back in his car, because he took what I offered him, kissed both my cheeks and sped away.
I was supposed to meet Lou here today. It never occurred to me that he might not be there. My first stop was at the clerk’s window saying Banyo or bathroom. I took a quick look around but I was in too big of a hurry to take in the fact that there was not another person in the station.
Once I got back inside the station (the bathroom was outside), I looked around and did not see Lou. I knew I was a day short getting here. I was supposed to be here yesterday, but we were meeting here today. Of course the clerks spoke no English or Spanish but now it seemed everyone spoke French.
My Spanish/English dictionary was no help at all. Well it hadn’t really helped me much up to this point anyway. I waited an hour for the next bus from Bayonne which I knew was where Lou was coming from. He was not on the bus and my ability to keep panic from taking over was becoming weaker and weaker.
The station closed at 6:30 and they were adamant that I could not stay inside over night. Sign language does work in a lot of languages! With nothing else to do I walked up the road to a little produce stand and a bar. Now this was a new one on me. Buy produce and beer in the same place! It was pretty close to an open air market.
By this time I was starved and picked up some fresh fruit and yogurt. Putting them on the counter I pulled out my credit card. It seemed you had to spend 15 Euros to use plastic. The young clerk pointed me in the direction of the ATM and off I went. I am carrying 3 cards with money on each one. None of them worked. Then I remembered a bank debit card I had and low and behold it worked. I know there are some of you who cannot believe this but I have never used a debit card in my life.
Now was not a great time to learn. I managed to get some Euros and went back to buy my groceries. I would not allow myself to think any further than a few minutes ahead. I sat down inside and asked if I could charge my laptop. Yes and would I like the password for internet access? Well something good was finally happening to me.
I downloaded my email and the first thing I saw was a Facebook message from my oldest daughter. Lou had been to the bus station that morning and I was not there. In fact he had been there several times looking for me. My daughter is pretty level headed but I not used to getting a phone call at 3:00 am asking her where her mother is. She went into a panic mode.
I had several messages from her telling me to call her or call Lou.I guess she forgot that I did not bring my phone with me. She ended up calling Lou (thank God for caller ID) and after about 30 minute of emails and phone calls from her, she sent me a message saying hold on, stay put, do not move, Lou is on his way!
I was never so glad to see anyone in my life. I am glad he recognized me because I don’t think I would have recognized him. It had been 5 years since I have seen him on the Appalachian Trail. He had been on the trail 6 months and had a full beard and looked pretty rough. We hugged like long lost friends and headed up to the hostel where he was staying. I got a room and we went in search of supper.
Two North Escambia Teachers Receive Top Reading Awards
June 10, 2010
Two North Escambia area teachers were honored at the recent Second Annual Every Child a Reader in Escambia Apple Seeds program.
“It was a real blessing to see these childcare providers and teachers have an evening devoted specifically to them and be publicly recognized for what they do for our youngest children in regards to early learning and emergent literacy,” said ECARE Executive Director Clairen Reese.
Misty Lambeth (pictured right) of Camp Fire USA Century Learning Youth Center was honored as the second runner-up for Teacher of the Year. Carolyn Butler (pictured left) of Camp Fire USA Century Learning Youth Center was a finalist in the top 11 “Best of the Best”.
Teacher of the Year: Stephanie Collins of Montclair Elementary
First Runner Up: Michelle Smith of Wee Children’s Center / West Pensacola Baptist Church
Second Runner Up: Misty Lambeth of Camp Fire USA Century Learning Youth Center
Third Runner Up: Rachel Leavitt of Malena’s Mini School – Pine Forest
Fourth Runner Up – Corrine Vaughn of Vaughn Family Child Care Home
Finalists:
Christy Stevens of Malena’s Mini School One – Pensacola Blvd.
Tammy Smoot of Childcare Network
Carol Jones of Community Action Program Head Start Pensacola
Jennifer Huffaker of Childcare Network
Lucinda Cresap of Wee Children’s Center / West Pensacola Baptist Church
Carolyn Butler of Camp Fire USA Century Learning Youth Center
The Early Learning Coalition recognized the following individuals:
Outstanding Reading Pals tutor / volunteers Barbara Kelly, Leona Bailey, Judi Patrick and Dottie Patrick.
Parents who have gone above and beyond at their child’s early education and care programs:
Tamara Garrett, Martiza Woodfaulk, Pamela McGhee, Marion Skalicky, Stephanie Coleman, Jennifer LaBorde, Erin Dolan, Lillian Riverre, Terry and Richard Soble (foster parents) and Delores Redmond (foster grandparents).
Childcare providers who have gone above and beyond in helping a child create a more effective learning environment
Ashley Benjamin – Alice Williams Child Care
Sabrina Hunter – Alice Williams Child Care
La Margie Allen – Childcare Netowrk (Michigan Ave.)
Teresa Baker – Malean’s Mini School (Pine Forest)
Lillie Thomas – Malena’s Mini School – (Pine Forest)
Dan Mendoza – Jubilee Christian
Cynthia Cash – Malena’s Mini School (Pensacola Blvd.)
Debra Presley – Cokesbury Untied Methodist Preschool
Lasonia Hale – Childcare Netowrk (MIchigan Ave.)
Euwanna Brown – Little Whispers Preschool
Brenda Watkins – Blue Angel Early Learning
Jessica Antoine – Blessed Star
and Jennet Zaborny – Carden Christian Academy
Honorees in the early education field for:
15 years or more:
Judi Schultz – Blessed Star
Annie Mack – First Presbyterian
Pat Crosby – First Presbyterian
17 years or more:
Karen Radford – Blue Angel Early Learning
20 years or more:
Olivia Chen – Blessed Star (20 years)
Cathy Odom – Jubilee Christian (20 years)
Cynthia McPherson – Little Whispers Preschool (21 years)
Margie Anderson – First Presbyterian (22 years)
Georgia Robbins – First Presbyterian (23 years)
Dorothy Kitt – First Presbyterian (23 years)
Yolander Williams – First Presbyterian (24 years)
Merri Jo Owen – Cokesbury (25 years)
Wanda Lett – Alice Williams Day Care (29 years)
Emma Jean Brantley – First Presbyterian (32 years)
Both ECARE and ELCE also honored a wide range of community partners. Both organizations have a mission to help prepare children to enter school ready to learn.
Community Partners recognized by ECARE:
Gulf Power; Regions Bank; Downtown Rotary; International Paper; Barnes and Noble; Leadership Penacola; United Way of Escambia; Wal-Mart,;Baptist Heatlh Care; E.W. Bullock Associates; Avalex Technologies; Landrum Human Resources,;Clark, Partington, Hart, Larry, Bond, and Stackhouse; Kerrigan, Estess, Rankin, McLeod; and McDonald’s.
Community Partners recognized by ELCE:
Michael Johnson State Farm, Joe Leonard State Farm, Downtown Rotary, Kohl’s, Stanley Walker – Postmaster; Gulf Breeze Rotary; International Paper; Escambia County Landfill and Recycle; Wal-Mart Navy Boulevard; and Roxanne Baker – Escambia County School District.
ECARE partnered with The Early Learning Coalition of Escambia for this year’s ceremony at the Crowne Plaza in Pensacola. The theme was “Bee READy to Learn!” . Guest speaker was Pamela Broughton of Malena’s Mini School Pensacola Blvd., the 2009 Apple Seeds Teacher of the Year.