Northview Senior, Ernest Ward Student Hit The High Seas
April 23, 2008
These days Northview senior Ethan Cole and his cousin Zac Cole, a seventh grader at Ernest Ward Middle school, are settled in for the duration of the 2008 school year.
But during spring break, they became world travelers. Departing on March 29, the boys traveled with Zac’s parents, Mark and Peggy Cole to Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico aboard the Carnival cruise ship Holiday.
Enjoying twp days at sea, the boys spent their time playing putt-putt golf, touring the ship, watching sail fish, playing games in the arcade and eating the many wonderful meals prepared by the staff.
The boys especially enjoyed the endless supply of pizza and ice cream served 24-7 on board the ship. Once in Progreso it was a six mile ride on a shuttle bus to get from the pier to the mainland. The pier there is one of the world’s longest piers.
In Progreso they toured the town on a double decker bus, shopped in the local flea market and haggled with vendors over prices. Briefly the visited the local supermarket, fascinated by the differences in the products on the shelves there. Back on the ship by 3:30 it was off to Cozumel for the next day.
In Cozumel a short cab ride took everyone to the main part of town for shopping and exploring the town. All of the store fronts are open to the streets with the salespeople beckoning you to enter their establishment. The streets were lined with people selling different craft items. You can buy most anything including hand carved conch shells or have your hair braided on the street. The boys were fascinated by the different vehicles on the streets, especially the small delivery trucks. It was a wonderful experience and both Ethan and Zac would love to take another cruise in the future.
Photos and information submitted by Peggy Cole. Scroll down for more photos, click to enlarge.
Lights! Camera! Action! Bratt Fourth Graders Take To The Stage
April 23, 2008
The fourth grade classes at Bratt Elementary School presented “Lights! Camera! Action!” for a packed house Tuesday night at the school.
The lively musical included such favorite characters as SpongeBob Squarepants, Cinderalla, John Travolta, Mary Poppins, Forrest Gump, Little Red Riding Hood, Jed Clampett of Beverly Hillbilly fame, Mae West, Clark Gable and Shirley Temple.
During the PTA meeting just prior to the program, PTA officers for the upcoming school year were elected. The new officers are Amanda Rice, president; Sandy Presley, vice-president and Stephanie Booth, treasurer. It was reported that the PTA has a balance of $14,519.
For a complete photo gallery from the Bratt Elementary School fourth grade play, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Several North Escambia Students Win Big At Annual 4-H Livestock Show
April 21, 2008
Amber Estes, a home-schooled 4-H member from McDavid, won the Grand Champion Market Steer award in this weekend’s GCA and NRA Spring Livestock Show. She was awarded the Northwest Florida Cattleman’s Association Trophy.
Awards went to several other North Escambia students as they joined students from across Escambia and Santa Rosa county areas at the annual livestock show at the Langley Bell 4-H Center this weekend.
Allie Vidak (pictured bottom of page) of Molino won Grand Champion and Senior Showmanship awards with her goats.
T.J. Gardner (pictured above) , a senior FFA member at Northview High School, won Best of Show with his chickens.
Kellie Gindl (pictured above), daughter of Bobby Gindl who teaches at Ernest Ward Middle School, won Grand Champion with her hog ‘Rocky’ in the market hog show. Her hog weighed in at 305 pounds and sold to Butler Auto Recyclers. Kellie is president of the Barrineau Park 4-H Club and attends Tate High School as a junior.
(article continues below photos, scroll down the entire page)
Pictured above: Ashley Cunningham, a student at Ernest Ward Middle School, and Donald Cunningham, a student at Pensacola Christian, placed in their respective divisions.
Tyler Hester (pictured above), Ernest Ward Middle School FFA member, placed second with his steer.
Another photo of Amber Estes (pictured above), who was awarded the Northwest Florida Cattleman’s Association Trophy.
Brook Schlobohm (pictured above) from Northview High School with her goat.
Maigan Brown (pictured above), Tate High School senior, was awarded blue ribbons as Overall Supreme Champion and for Senior Showmanship.
The show was sponsored by the Gulf Coast Agricultural and Natural Resources Association.
Pictured below: Allie Vidak of Molino won Grand Champion and Senior Showmanship awards with her goats.. Scroll down for more photos. Most photos on this page can be clicked to enlarge. Submitted photos by Rikki Vidak and Tess Estes.
Former Poarch Creek Indian Chief Appears At Century Library
April 18, 2008
Billy Smith, the former chief of the Poarch Creek Indians, delighted children and adults alike Thursday afternoon at the Century Branch Library.
Appearing in traditional dress, Smith (pictured above) spoke to the children about safety with strangers while explaining traditional Indian customs.
“They are young, and we want to set the right example for them,” Smith said of the children.
Along with Douglas Daughtry (pictured left), Smith led the children in a “friendship dance” around the library by playing his traditional antelope skin drum. Smith was in a traditional Western Plains dance costume that he handmade. While his dance at the library lasted just a few moments, he said that competition dances at pow wows can last up to ten minutes.
Smith presented the children with copies of a photograph of him on a horse named Buckshot. He said he has distributed about 800,000 of the postcard photos to children around the country during the last several years.
Smith is the general manager of the Magnolia Branch Wildlife Reserve, a business enterprise of the Poarch Band Creek Indians. He served 18 years on the Tribal Council and serves on the PCI Gaming Board that is responsible for the new Windcreek Casino development north of Atmore.
“Windcreek” was Smith’s idea for the casino complex name, he said. It is derived from “wind” in the Wind Clan in Atmore and “creek” in Poarch Creek Indians. He was also responsible for the very first Poarch Creek Indian Pow Wow, an event that started on July 4 but was later moved to Thanksgiving weekend.
Pictured below: Children at the library are reflected in a mirror on Daughtry’s traditional Indian dress.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Ms. Century Care Center Competes In Regional Senior’s Pageant
April 17, 2008
Mrs. Century Care Center, Jimmie (Mozelle) Roberts recently competed in the 8th Annual Ms. Northwest Florida Senior Pageant.
Mrs. Roberts was born in Wedowee, Alabama, on October 28, 1917, to W.L. Smith, a farmer, and Maude Wilson, a homemaker.
The family moved to Florida when Mrs. Roberts was only about six years old. She married Ortho Roberts one day before her seventeenth birthday. He later became a Santa Rosa County Deputy Sheriff, an electrician and a farmer. They were married 52 years before he passed away.
Mrs. Roberts was a Merle Norman representative for 16 years, until her husband became ill.
She has six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
Mrs. Roberts did not win the pageant, “but she put a scare into the competition,” Century Care Center Activities Director Mae Hildreth said.
The pageant was sponsored by the Florida Health Care Association.
Carver/Century Students Learn Safety From Pensacola Pilot Club
April 16, 2008
The Pensacola Pilot Club recently visited the kindergarten and second grade classes at Carver/Century K-8 School, and they brought along some animated friends to talk about safety.
Hero Horse, Brave Bob Beagle,Toolip Pig, Danny Deep the Pilot Fish and Captain Kitty talked safety with the students. The taught them about helmet safety ,gun safety, crossing the street safely, swimming and water safety, wearing a seat belt and calling 911. The students also received BrainMinder Buddies coloring books and other great information to take home.
Submitted photos, click to enlarge.
Molino Man’s Land Is Named As Florida Stewardship Forest
April 15, 2008
About 65 acres near Molino has been named a Stewardship Forest by the Florida Division Forestry.
Richard Freisinger (pictured above left) was presented the Stewardship Forest designation Monday morning by Escambia County’s Senior Forester Adam Parden (pictured above right).
The Division of Forestry helped Freisinger develop a stewardship plan for his forest land located about a mile north of Barrineau Park Road on County Road 95A. That stewardship plan outlines how he should provide for timber, wildlife and soil management on the land.
“Mr. Freisinger’s property is an ideal property,” Parden said. “It is an ideal property for other land owners to follow his example.”
The Forest Stewardship Program was founded in 1990 by Congress to encourage and help private forestland owners with at least 20 acres to actively manage their forest resources for multiple benefits including wood products, habitat for fish and wildlife, clean air and water, recreational opportunities, and aesthetic beauty.
A difference between Forest Stewardship and more common Tree Farm designation is that the stewardship program’s emphasis on management for multiple benefits. Stewardship landowners choose a primary objective and at least one other secondary objective. Many landowners in the program manage for some combination of timber and wildlife.
“”The program helped me to managed my land better,” Freisinger said. “And more than the program called for, I’ve always tried to keep everything neat and nice to look at.”
He said hurricanes Ivan and Dennis were a major setback, one that he has not yet completely been able to clean up after. “I used to go down the rows with a grub hoe and clean up. Then I would bush hog. But since the mess made by the hurricanes, I have not been able to bush hog down all of the rows.”
Pictured below: Richard Freisinger points out some young pine seedlings in an area of his Florida Stewardship Forest. Additional pictures below (scroll down): Several views of Freisinger’s Stewardship Forest in Molino. NorthEscambia.com exclusive photos, click to enlarge.
T-ball Field To Be Named In Memory Of Drew Marlow
April 15, 2008
Cyndi Marlow stood alone in the middle of a simple, unfinished dirt t-ball field Monday afternoon. A cold wind blew across the nearby wheat field as she stood holding a small, child-size Florida Gator bat.
It was Drew’s bat. A brightly colored little bat, with scuff marks on its fat end where Drew played hard with it.
It was Drew’s dream to play t-ball. And Drew’s dad dreamed of the day he would see his son give that ball a good strong whack off a tee at the ballpark. It does not matter if a little fellow gets to first base in that first game. Dads will cheer; dads will smile with pride anyway for their sons. It’s just what dads do. Danny Marlow looked forward to that day with great anticipation.
But Monday afternoon, Cyndi Marlow stood alone on that field at the back of Walnut Hill’s Bradberry Park. She did not hold the bat dangling from her hand or just in the middle like most people hold a bat. She held the bat close to her heart with both hands before posing for a picture with Drew’s bat. On Drew’s Field.
(story continues below photo)
Drew and Danny will never see that field. Two year old Drew Marlow and his dad Danny Marlow died January 28 in an accident on Highway 97.
The Northwest Escambia Little League has voted to name the new t-ball field at the back of Bradberry Park “Drew’s Field” in honor of Drew’s dream.
“We were going to go play t-ball,” Cyndi said with a smile. “That’s all Drew talked about. “
“He would play and play with this bat, his very own Gator bat,” she said of her son, gently rubbing a finger along the handle where Drew would hold the bat.
She laughed a little. “Well, it was more like golf when he played with it. He could not really hit the ball unless it was on the floor, or unless Danny held it is his hand and let him hit it.”
Drew and Danny spent hours playing with that blue and orange bat. Dreaming of that big t-ball opening day they both just knew would come when that little boy with a big number “3” on his jersey stepped to the plate.
Danny had it all planned out, down to the jersey number. Drew was Cyndi and Danny’s “miracle baby”…he was their third attempt at in vitro conception.
“We were just so excited. But then we went to the doctor. They rate the chances of the embryo surviving on a scale of one to five. A four or below has a small chance of surviving.”
“The doctor rated the embryo as a three that was Drew. A three out of five. We knew it was all in God’s hands.”
And God blessed the Marlows with a healthy sandy blonde baby boy they named Drew.
“That’s where the jersey number ‘3’ came from. Danny always said ‘could you imagine if he was a five’,” Cyndi said. “He always wanted Drew to wear ‘3’ in his first t-ball game.”
“I kept thinking that I wanted to do something so that they would be remembered. My family was always at almost every ballgame. I wondered if they (NWE) would let me make a field and call it ‘Drew’s Field’.” When she approached the NWE Board, they agreed to make her dream a reality.
Now the rush is on…the plans call for Drew’s Field to be ready for dedication on closing day, June 6. The biggest expense, Cyndi said, will be the memorial marker for the field.
“We have quite a few volunteers ready to help us on making this happen,” she said. “I’m so excited. I have mixed emotions. I’m still sad, but I’m really excited about it. It is quite an honor for it to be named after him.”
“I still cry every day,” she said. Up this point, she has fought back the tears during our interview. Now she wipes the tears from her eyes. “It’s been hard.”
“I was overwhelmed with your printed comments,” Cyndi said, referring to a Memorial Message Board and a blog that was published here on NorthEscambia.com. Dozens and dozens of people from the community posted their thoughts and comments about the tragedy.
“I’m really sad. But it makes me feel good that he touched so many lives,” she said.
“There was this family that told me they started going to church. There was this lady that bought Bibles for her children. Drew’s story has changed so many lives.”
“Everything is for His glory,” Cyndi said. “I’ve been asked why I am not mad at God.”
“But I am not mad at God. I don’t understand it,” she said, fighting back her emotions. “I know God has a purpose. And I try to think about the good losing my husband and my child has done for others. To bring glory to God.”
“I was blessed to have him two and a half years,” she said of Drew. She paused and took a deep breath to get the words out. “I love him. I really miss him.”
A fund will soon be established at an area bank if you would like to contribute to Drew’s Field. NorthEscambia.com will post information on how you can help as soon as the fund is established.
To read the NorthEscambia.com blog from February 3 entitled “Go Home Truck”, click here.
To read the “Tragedy In Walnut Hill: A Memorial Message Board”, click here.
Pictured top of page: Drew Marlow’s bat on first base at Drew’s Field. Pictured middle of page: Cyndi Marlow holds Drew’s bat in the middle of what will become Drew’s Field. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
McDavid VFD Honored At Church Appreciation Day
April 14, 2008
The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department was honored Sunday for over 25 years of service to McDavid and surrounding communities.
Most of the department’s 18 members were on hand Sunday morning at Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church in Bogia as the church devoted much of their morning worship service to recognizing “Station 9″. The event was Ray’s Chapel’s first ever service honoring the local volunteer fire department.
Prior to the formation of the McDavid VFD, calls in the McDavid area were answered by the Century Volunteer Fire Department.
“This started out with an idea to give more to the folks in McDavid,” Elton Gilmore (pictured left) of the McDavid VFD told the packed church. “Many of you and many of the volunteers gave of their time, themselves and sometimes gave by risking their lives for this department.”
“It’s a real pleasure to work with these guys,” Escambia County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. David Preston said during the service.
“When I’m called to duty God, wherever flames may rage, give me strength to save a life,” Preston read from The FireFighter’s Creed. “I want to fill my calling and to give the best in me to guard my neighbor and protect his property. And if according to Your will I have to lose my life bless with Your protecting hand my children and my wife.”
“I appreciate them, and I appreciate them being there,” he said of the working relationship in North Escambia between the volunteer fire departments and the sheriff’s department. Often the job is hard, but the McDavid VFD is always there, he said.
“When there’s a fire, a death, a MVA (motor vehicle accident), a family that has just lost everything in a fire, there’s rarely emotion right then,” Preston (pictured left) said. “You are trained to react, and you do it.”
“Sometimes it’s really personal when something happens,” he said. “They have to work it; they have to clean it up. Then they have to go home and think about it.”
“We are gratefull to help out community out where we can,” McDavid VFD chief Eric Gilmore told the church during. “We have been to a lot of these recognition ceremonies, but it really means much more coming from our community.”
Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church’s RA (Royal Ambassadors) children’s group presented the firemen with handmade cards of appreciation.
“When my mom had a seizure, you were there,” one young man said in his card. “Thank you for helping.”
The children in the church also present small gifts to each fire department member that was present.
“Lord, we thank You for the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department. We thank You for the service they provide for the community ” recently retired Ray’s Chapel Pastor Fil Enfinger prayed at the close of the service. “Lord, we pray that You would keep them safe. Lord we pray that You would keep them secure.”
The McDavid Volunteer Fire Department was incorporated in 1982 with a 1962 firetruck on loan from the Florida Division of Forestry. They purchased a1948 Ford firetruck in 1983. The station was constructed on land purchased from what was then St. Regis Paper Company in 1984. Many more modern trucks and pieces of equipment were purchased over the years.
The department has nine certified firefighters, with one in training. The department has seven certified first responders and one EMT.
The McDavid VFD answered 237 calls last year, ranging from fires, to motor vehicle accidents to one call for an activated fire alarm.
Pictured above: Mark Digmon from Ray’s Chapel Baptist Church presents a certificate of appreciation to McDavid Volunteer Fire Department Chief Eric Gilmore Sunday morning.
The members of the McDavid Volunteer Fire Department are: Eric Gilmore, Elton Gilmore, Kenny Malone, Phyllis Malone, Ben Gilmore, Chris Kinley, Michelle Kinley, Larry Kinley, Matt Carter, Matt Gilmore, William Sheffield, Wayne Godwin, Galen Goetter, Morgan Goetter, Eddie Gunter, Chris Hawkins, Dorothy Gunter, Alec Estes and Adam Estes.
The Renaissance Fair Held Saturday At Northview High School
April 13, 2008
The English Department at Northview High School held “The Renaissance Fair” at the school on Saturday afternoon.
“The fair featured many activities, including jousting at the dreaded Barbarian Pit, trips to the daunting gallows, music and more.
The senior class also performed William Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew” during the event.
For a complete photo gallery from the event, click here.
NorthEscambia.com photos, with additional submitted photos by Perry Byars.
