March April 2018 by On the Coast Magazine

it happened to me

Biggest Mistakes When Starting an Exercise Program

Life is Good! even when it's bad.

THE PRESSURES OF AN UPPERCLASSMAN

A doctor who will see you quickly? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a great reason to smile.

Publisherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Page

Contributor's Page

Measurements Beyond Weight

Uniquely You

Pecans, Presents, Cookies & Goofy Sweaters

Our fantastic editors who you've come to know and love! Tune up now before years end.

Making your soul print on the world.

Now, we make it even easier to seethose a doctor with online scheduling. Embracing wonderful family traditions. North Okaloosa Physician Group has primary care doctors, pediatricians and OB/GYNs dedicated to serving

Sick during the holidays?

this community. For your convenience, our physicians will see you quickly and now offer online scheduling. Determining the best course of treatment. insurance plansofareGiving accepted, including TRICARE. 18 MostThe Season 5 ways to help those in need.

No need to wait! Online scheduling is now available at

ONLINE SCHEDULING

NorthOkaloosaPhysicianGroup.com.

Or, call 800-347-1733 for an appointment.

IS NOW AVAILABLE. NorthOkaloosaPhysicianGroup.com North Okaloosa Medical Center is owned in part by physicians.

CONTENTS CONTENTS

March/April 2018

VOLUME 16 NUMBER 2

Community Love Shout Outs

Our fantastic editors who you've come to know and love!

Celebrate Seafood All Lent Long

Big Mistakes

Yes...it's a Real Living Animal

Under Pressure

Making a Difference

It Happened To Me

Life is Good

The Ties that Bind

Publisher's Page

Contributor's Page

6 Things to Avoid

ACT's, SAT's, GPA's Oh My! Our friend shares her personal story.

What in the world do I have to complain about! Young entrepreneurs

Kudos to a job well done! Nutritious and flavorful.

The beautiful, amazing world of Coral.

Children's Advocacy Center Spring Fam Jam Color Run

Event Calendar

Spring is here and we have over 200 events for you!

On the Cover: Spring is here and it's time to hit the beaches again! We welcome Spring with all it's warmth, freshness, new life and glory! Summer is right around the corner - enjoy this time now. Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;˘ 3

LEARN HOW TO SAVE A LIFE. WE COME TO YOU. CPR/AED and Basic First Aid Certification

DID YOU KNOW WE OFFER

REDUCED RATES FOR GROUPS OF 15 OR MORE?

Step outside the box and experience science firsthand in our

INTERACTIVE MUSEUM

including a STEM Makerspace, new exhibits, and more! We can include a science lesson and an animal encounter with your trip.

www.beachsidecertifications.com  850.502.3284  patrick@beachsidecert.com  BeachsideCertifications

Call today to schedule your group visit. 850-664-1261 or visit www.ecscience.org.

2018 has really kicked off in full speed and I feel like I have my running shoes on, trying to keep up but consistently staying a half mile behind! I have been busy with store openings and client events throughout the community and putting together a beautiful and – I hope! – meaningful package ofideas, words and images that our readers love to see in each and every issue. All in all, it’s been a great few months, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year has in store. I know I’ve written about my kids many times, but for my readers out there with children, I think you can relate… they are my world. As this issue is being designed and finalized, my daughter is competing for a scholarship with Distinguished Young Women. You see your kids every day but when you see how they handle themselves under pressure, it makes a momma proud not only that you did your job but of what they’ve become. My son Kobe is my sports man – an athlete among athletes. He’s captured two school records this year and has three seated in pole vaulting with a recent record of 14’6”! I couldn’t be more proud of them. The warmer weather is rolling in and I can feel the spring air.

Our plants are coming back from the cold season, beach traffic is picking up already and I’m looking forward to trips very soon to see the water and white sands myself. While you’re out and about enjoying our amazing resort town, please take a moment to stop and visit our advertisers. We wouldn’t be able to produce On the Coast without them! We are so appreciative of them! We hope you’ve enjoyed our Win Wednesday Facebook contests. Tell your friends to like us on Facebook and enter every Wednesday for fabulous prizes from our sponsors – we’ve had a lot of fun with this. And as always, please submit your feedback. We are always looking for ideas and ways to improve this publication! I want to give Rhonda Schaefer of Rhonda Schaefer Photography a huge thank you for my updated picture in this issue. It’s been years (dare I say at least 10 since its update) as I’m not one to like to have my picture taken. Rhonda made me feel at ease and she’s so excellent at her craft. Thank you, Rhonda and my friend Donna Ennis, for making this happen! As our readers tell us, people enjoy having something tangible to read in their hands and not have to rely on technology all the time. In today’s world, while technology delivers news stories to our desktops, laptops and mobile devices, magazines are all about content—how ideas and images are presented in relation to one another and within a larger point of view. Magazines are about trust and partnership; we strive to always to keep you engaged. Stay with us—and expect more.

2004 Gold ADDY Award

2008 Silver ADDY Award

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine • 5

CONTRIBUTORS Lauren Kelly Emlyn MacKenzie

Laura Lucy Paul Hunter Paul Hunter, B.S., C.S.C.S, lives On the Coast with his wife and three teenagers infusing science with his playful style yielding astonishing results at Grayton Beach Fitness, voted Best Place to Work Out on 30-A.

Laura Lucy owns Beachside Certifications, a CPR and first aid training company based in Destin. She also works virtually for Harbor House of Central Florida as a grant writer and marketing coordinator. When she's not working, you can find Laura and her husband Patrick trying to wrangle their crazy fiveyear-old redhead, Vivi.

Emlyn is a Senior Aquarist at the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. She spends her days playing with fish, training sharks, and growing coral. Graduating with a degree in Marine Biology from Florida Institute of Technology, her career as an Aquarist has taken her from Florida to the South Pacific, a brief stint in Nebraska, and finally back to Florida. She has worked at the Gulfarium for three years now and her favorite parts of her job are diving in the main aquarium exhibit “The Living Sea” and also teaching others about coral.

Lauren Kelly is a junior at Niceville High School. She has been on the swim team for three years, and is currently an extern for the high school’s NaGISA program. She enjoys drawing and writing in her free time.

Chrissy Wainwright Chrissy Wainwright was born and raised in Franklin MA. She moved to Florida's East Coast in 1995 and has lived in Destin for the last 16 years. She is happily married to GW for the past 18 years, and is the mother of 2 boys, Trey and Wyatt. She volunteers at U.S. Gold Gymnastics and various activities in Destin. She's always busy busy busy and loves every minute.

Crystal Tingle Crystal, along with her husband of 19 years and 3 boys, has been living in the Destin area since 2005. She is Founder of TheFitandHealthyLife. com which is a resource website created to teach and empower women to become the best version of themselves at any age through healthy food and fitness. Her passion to help women grew from her own transformation from frumpy mom to fit mom when she finally learned to stop comparing herself to others and focus on being the best that she could be… competing only with herself and all of this happened after 40!

PUBLISHER/EDITOR NANCY BABIN PHOTO EDITOR / CREATIVE DIRECTOR SHANE BABIN GRAPHIC DESIGN TRINITY GRAPHICS AND DESIGNS

ON THE COAST is published six times a year and is available free of charge at more than 200 strategically placed locations. ON THE COAST encourages your comments, suggestions and submissions, and we reserve the right to edit for tone, grammar, style or length. The Magazine will not be held responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork or photography. Editorials articulated in this publication do not necessarily reflect that of ON THE COAST MAGAZINE. ON THE COAST is a division of KIDZ ON THE COAST ® Publishing, INC. All materials are copyrighted and may not be reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. Kidz on the coast Publishing Inc., does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial content, nor does Kidz on the Coast Publishing Inc., or its staff assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial content appear in any publication.

6 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

(850) 642-5439 E-mail OTC@OntheCoastMag.com SALES (850) 642-5439 FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK WWW.FACEBOOK. COM/ONTHECOASTMAGAZINE www.OnTheCoastMag.com

TIS THE SEASON TO FLY

K AYAK & SUP RENTALS SALES

L ARGEST SELECTION OF KITES & TOYS ON THE BEACH

$5 OFF

$30 RETAIL PURCHASE AT ANY KITTY HAWK KITES

Must present coupon at time of purchase. One coupon per person. Cannot be combined with any other offer. Some exceptions apply. Excludes recreation activities.

DESTIN • 850.837.2800 • HARBORWALK VILLAGE

KITT YHAWK.COM/FLORIDA 10402928

FT. WALTON BEACH • 850.796.0102 • THE BOARDWALK ON OKALOOSA ISLAND Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine • 7

6 Biggest Mistakes When Starting an Exercise Program

by Paul Hunter

t is warming up, people are sending their thicker clothes and you have decided now is the time to make a change in your self and your body. You may have heard, “If you always do what you have always done, then you will always get what you have always gotten.” True however I’d like to add a little caveat: “If you always do what you always done, you will get less results than if you had begun to do more sooner.” Why, because as time passes we get farther from our goals both physically and mentally. We add an extra pound here, pick up an unhealthy habit there. All things that can take us away from our intended goals. When we venture to make a change in our lives, we need to make a change in our lives and quite often it is more than one. Activity, nutrition, rest, thoughts, they all play a key role in our success, whatever we do. Quite often we find ourselves way out of balance and thus not looking, performing or feeling the way we’d like. Let’s take a look at 6 things that can keep us from achieving all that we hope we can be. Not setting attainable goals: Here people set out to accomplish the impossible. I hear, “I need to lose 30 lbs. this week because my sister is getting married.” or “My 20 year high school reunion is in 2 weeks and I want

8 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

sculpted arms.” Even the American College of Sports Medicine has a standard set that our bodies can healthily lose 1-2 lbs per week. More than that and research has shown it’s mostly water if not muscle mass. Frequently I’ll measure someone’s body composition and explain the difference between lean mass and fat weight. Simply, lean mass is you, bones, muscle and organs. Now why would you want to lose any of THAT?! Take it easy and keep reading.

Starting too fast going too hard: It’s, “An apple a day that keeps the doctor away”, not, “Seven apples on Saturday”. You’ve now set your realistic goals, right? You plan to continue this “healthy new you” program for a long time, right? If your body has been dormant for some time, you need to remember your brain may be strong but the tissue connecting your muscles, bones and joints together may not be so strong. It takes time for your tendons and ligaments to gain strength and with a safe and effective program it will happen. Rome was NOT built in a day but it continues to stand. continued on page 10

6 Biggest Mistakes

continued from page 8

Not Fueling the Body while starting a “Diet.” “I need to go on a diet,” may be one of the most often uttered phrases in the English language. Something happens when someone begins a diet. They eat nothing but what the book or magazine says thus they cut out all snacks, extra food, et cetera. All sounds great until the body is not receiving what it needs to function at its optimum and the dieter commonly “snaps” and fills in with very familiar snacks. Remember we are looking to “be changed” 2 years from now and not have sprung back to our original shape. Make consistent changes in the right direction and your chance of success will improve.

Not getting some expert instruction. If you study the people at the top of their game you’ll find there is a coach or trainer working with them to guide them along the finer points for better results. No time? No money? It’s an investment in yourself and the knowledge goes a long way. A trainer should actually be a time manager for you; The shortest distance between 2 points is a straight line.

Giving up too soon. It may feel like only yesterday that you were in shape or had the shape you wanted but you didn’t actually get here overnight. If you have set the right goals, not started out too fast and received some expert instruction, your goals will be closer than you think. Do not grow weary in doing the right things.

Not Starting at all because you see the hill and not the view from the top. The view from the top is rewarding and you’ll find that the majority would rather complain or make excuses about the trip, “They want to take or could have taken if only...”. The daily changes, the effort, the discipline, the view. It’s all worth it and so are you. You’ll be surprised at what you can become if only you stop trying to steer the “parked car” and get moving.

MAKE IT A GREAT DAY!

by Lauren Kelly

THE PRESSURES OF AN UPPERCLASSMAN

onestly, there’s a whole lot of pressure that comes with high school. While adults go on about high school being the “best time of their lives,” today’s high schoolers are becoming extremely overwhelmed with stress. Sadly, this stress originates from several factors that are often very common among the majority of the high school population, particularly with upperclassmen. For juniors and seniors, there is a tremendous addition of pressure, as we are trying to decide what colleges to apply for, and attempting to achieve the guidelines necessary to even have a chance at getting in. Those who aspire to have high GPAs find themselves taking several AP or AICE classes in order to increase their chances of getting into the school they prefer. Speaking as omeone who is in this situation, these courses often demand a large amount of work in and out of the classroom. Additionally, I, along with several friends, involve ourselves in multiple clubs and sports in order to bulk up our resumes. These organizations often take time that could be sed for finishing homework and projects, especially those that require a certain number of volunteer hours to be

12 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

completed per semester. On top of this, many juniors and seniors work obs after school as well, which definitely has the potential to take even more time from the day. Therefore, the combination of workloads often leaves us students having to stay up late on many nights, just to finish everything before the next day. It’s constant for a lot of us. There is indeed a lot of work and pressure that goes into being an upperclassman today. It’s more difficult now to balance everything than it was twenty or even ten years ago. Colleges have become a whole lot more competitive in their admissions. Nowadays, it feels like a student has to give up their right arm just to have even a chance at getting into their dream college, and the pressure seems to be multiplied tenfold during the last two years of high school. For example, this year a lot of my senior friends were applying to go to UF. Several of them had high GPAs, high ACT and SAT scores, and were involved in many clubs, such as National Honor Society. However, an email was sent out to continued on page 14

THE PRESSURES OF AN UPPERCLASSMAN continued from on page page 3212

applicants this year. The message explained that this meant everyone, explaining that there was a recordbreaking number of volunteer hours to be completed per semester. On top of this, many juniors and seniors work jobs after school as well, which definitely has the potential to take even more time from the day. Therefore, the combination of workloads often leaves us students having to stay up late on many nights, just to finish everything before the next day. It’s constant for a lot of us. Additionally, there are also a lot of social aspects to think about as an upperclassman too. A lot of times, people already know that at least a few of their friendships just aren’t going to last past high school. At this point, we’re a bit more grown up now, and so we attempt to think realistically about these things. But that still doesn’t stop us from making the best out of our friendships while we’ve got them. It’s all about living in the moment, and not worrying too much about the future of a friendship, when it comes down to it. Even so, it is still sad to think about parting ways with friends eventually. Many of them I’ve known for several years, or even practically grew up with, and so it is difficult to think about separating from the people I’ve grown accustomed to seeing every day. Of course, there is bound to be at least a few that will last beyond high school. I know there are people I will keep in touch with once we go our separate ways. But it’s still a bit difficult to think about sometimes, and so we stay content with thinking about what we have in front of us right now, and making the absolute most out of it while we can. However, there is also a sense of bittersweetness that can be felt in these final two years as well. One moment you’re just a kid, looking up at all those big upperclassmen, and thinking “That’s a long way away, I’ve got time,” and the next moment, you ARE that big upperclassman, and all the deadlines

are staring you in the face. It’s an odd feeling, to realize how much time has passed in the blink of an eye. That being said, time really does fly away in high school. Freshman year didn’t seem that long ago to me. But now we’re all more grown up, with life choices to make and opportunities to seize, and it’s all as daunting as it is exciting. Sure, there’s a lot of pressure that goes into it all. For the moment, we have to worry about grades, ACT/SAT scores, clubs, and other factors that will help us get into our dream college. However, seeing the end of the tunnel, and knowing that college is almost there, is always a huge push factor, for not only myself, but for many other high schoolers my age. For me personally, it serves as a reminder of how much progress I have made so far, and how much more I need to finish my high school career on a strong note. Although it does have its ups and downs, the final years of high school only make me more embracing of the idea of going to college, and beginning the next chapter of my life.

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ 15

happened to me

hen I was a kid, we would take a weekly trip to K-Mart. My mom is an expert discount shopper who needed to shop the sales on the regular. It was the 1980s, the glory days of K-Mart, when you could still get an Icee and popcorn and wait with great anticipation for the manager to announce a blue light special. My older brother went with us unless he had football practice. My grandmother never learned to drive, so we usually picked her up to tag along too. On one particular shopping trip when I was in third grade, one of the outings my brother missed, I stayed behind on the book aisle while my mom and grandmother went two aisles over to look at something else. This wasn’t common practice, but we lived in a fairly small, quiet town, it was a slow night at the store and they could hear me if I called out. The Mr. Men and Little Miss books were my obsession at the time, and I needed another minute or two to check out the latest titles. As I perused such classics as Mr. Happy and Little Miss Tiny, a man came down the aisle. He had a cart with a two-year-old little girl in it. Just a dad looking at books with his daughter, nothing to worry about. He reached in front of me, I thought for a book, but then grabbed my vagina. It wasn’t a violent attack, but it was very confusing to me. I froze for just a moment before calmly replacing the book I was holding and walking away to find my mom and grandmother. In short, what I’m trying to say is…#MeToo.

16 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

by Laura Lucy I told my mom what had just happened. She immediately went to the front of the store, found the manager and told him what happened. He was young and had no idea how to handle the situation. Just then we saw our former neighbors walking in. I had pointed out the man who touched me. By this time his wife was with him; she had been in another part of the store when I first saw him. My mom dispatched the neighbors to follow them to the parking lot and get his license plate. We reported to the police. I had to tell my story in the district attorney’s office but not in court. When the man was confronted, he confessed and ended up serving two years in prison. In my kid’s mind, I thought that was the end of it. It wasn’t until recently, some thirtysomething years later, that I realized the impact it had on me at the time and even now. Looking back, from third through fifth grade, I recall going home early from school often because I had a stomachache. I was a good student and no one ever accused me of faking it to get out of work. I was quiet and teachers always loved me, but I remember my third grade teacher being especially solicitous, even buying me gifts when my classmates got nothing. Now I realize that my parents had told her what happened and she was going out of her way to let me know I was in a safe place where I was loved when I was at school. Thank you, Mrs. Taylor. continued on page 18

Our primary care team is here for you.

it happened to me continued on page 16

As far as sexual assaults go, mine was minor. I’m allowed to say that because it’s mine. No one else can make that determination for a survivor. Even so, it still had lasting effects. I cannot begin to imagine the emotional scars survivors who know their abuser have, and those account for the vast majority of abuse. Over the last several months, we have seen a dramatic Young Lauren change in how sexual assault and harassment are viewed and talked about in public. Longhidden secrets are being revealed by Hollywood actresses and Olympic gold medal gymnasts are speaking out. What started as a handful of women exposing the bad behavior of one powerful movie producer turned into the #MeToo and #TimesUp movement, empowering thousands of survivors to share their stories. It didn’t take long for #MenToo to gain momentum as people began to realize that men and boys can be victims of sexual violence too. Seeing this topic all over the media dredged up memories of my own incident, but some things were fuzzy. I sat down with my mom over the holidays to get some clarity on what happened. My memory of what he did to me in the store is completely clear, but I couldn’t remember what came next. I knew he had been convicted, but I didn’t remember testifying. At times over the years, I even worried about him, knowing that the accusation of an eight-year-old girl had sent a man away for two years. I hadn’t recalled that he admitted doing it. That gave me some peace. I even asked my mom if she remembered his name. She did. Of course she did. I googled him and found he is a registered sex offender living eight miles from that same K-Mart. Seeing his photo was hard, and I cried for the third grade version of myself. But you know what? She was way tougher than anyone could have imagined. Way to go, me! As the mother of a five-year-old girl, I want to protect her from the Harvey Weinsteins and Larry Nassers of the world. I want to slay every dragon and chase away the boogeyman. As a survivor, I know the strength of #MeToo and the power of #TimesUp and #MeStronger. It is my job to equip my daughter with the knowledge and confidence to stand up to any would-be abuser and to be a safe haven for her if anything bad does happen. I’ll wrap her in my arms and say, “I understand, Sweetpea. Me too.”

18 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. There are no guaranteed safeguards that will protect every child from predators, but these tips can improve the odds:

Tell it like it is. Cute names for private parts seem like a good idea when kids are little but can actually confuse the matter if they need to disclose abuse. One family’s cha-cha could be another family’s hoo-ha. A teacher hearing these terms might not even realize a child is attempting to tell her about abuse. It can be uncomfortable for adults to hear a preschooler say “vagina” or “penis,” but no one is confused about their meaning.

Hugging is not required. Empower your kids to take control of their own bodies. That means hugging relatives is not mandatory. You can intercede, particularly with older relatives, to let them know your child is not being rude with a handshake, high-five or fist bump.

3 4

Identify trusted adults. Talk to your kids about which adults they can turn to if someone hurts them or makes them uncomfortable. Teachers and school counselors are required to report suspected abuse.

Be a safe place. Maintain a good relationship with open communication so if something does happen, your child knows you will believe them and love them no matter what happened and no matter who harmed them.

Crystal

Clear

It seems like these days, I am in the grocery store at least once a day…and by the way, this has nothing to do with this article yet and it has EVERYTHING to do with it. It’s important for me to ramble a bit for background, so just hang with me on the rabbit trail. I remember a time when I had a weekly grocery and meal plan and did once-a-week shopping. Once, I even did a monthly meal plan and bought items that I could in bulk and spent the entire day separating, storing, freezing, etc. Notice I said ONCE! That wore me slap out. And on top of that I still had to go back to the dreaded store to pick up perishables that I couldn’t buy for the month like vegetables and fruit. That never happened again. But even recently, I can’t even get a weekly plan wrapped around my brain. It seems that I am living dayby-day dousing the flames of the biggest fire of the hour which usually puts scrambling for dinner ideas for that night and school lunches for the next day in the afternoon flames. I mean, as a mom, there is ALWAYS something when you have three kids, a husband, a dog, a household to run, work, laundry…. LAUNDRY… Child #2 forgot something at home that he needs for school while Child #3 mentions last-minute school project needs…the list goes on and on. I need about four more daylight hours to get things done! It’s at times mentally, physically and emotionally exhausting! Often, deep sighs resonate from my mouth that I’m often not even aware are happening until my husband asks, “What’s wrong?” Me: “What do you mean?” Him: “You just sighed really hard.” Me: “I did?” But on this particular day dragging my fire hose, I entered the

20 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

line to check out before running home and throwing a meal together and ran into a friend that I haven’t seen in a long while. We exchanged cordials: Her: “How are you?” Me: “I’m great but just been super busy.” Her: “I know, right? Same here.” That’s not verbatim, but it went similar. Then we spoke of our kids briefly as the sweet checkout lady scanned my friend’s groceries. We continued to chat in terms of the kids’ schedules and keeping up with them and how overwhelming it is at times, and then we said our goodbyes and good seeing you. At that point, the checkout lady engaged in conversation with me and spoke of (all with a positive and sympathetic tone) how she raised her children as a single mom and understands how stressful it can be, as well as overwhelming, when you find yourself needing to be in two places at the same time, like being at work and needing to bring the kids to school activities, with no help. When she finished and I paid, she said to me with genuine sincerity and empathy, “Have a good day and I really hope things get better for you soon.” And… it hit me! Did I make my life sound that bad? Do I really feel that way? Are things that overwhelming? It stopped me dead in my tracks and I looked back at her and all I could say was, “Thank you. Life is good!” I am not sure why those are the words I choose to reply with. Quiet honestly, a barrage of thoughts and emotions flooded my mind and heart all at once, and I truly felt that I spoke what I should be feeling, but I realized in that moment they were not the same. Why had I projected such discontent and frustration?

I found myself at a loss for words. I am married with a husband who helps out and works hard to provide for us, three healthy and beautiful children who need a mom to do what moms are supposed to do, a roof over my head, clothes on my back, great friends and the luxury to be a stay-at-home mom. What in the world do I have to complain about and why should I feel so overwhelmed? Are my feelings unjustified? Here is this sweet lady working as a cashier in a grocery store, a single mom who has had her share of heartache and trials with no one to share the burden with, and yet offers me words of condolence and encouragement. I had never felt more ashamed. I actually cried when I got in my car. Because you know what …Life IS good! I am not saying this based on material comparisons to her. I don’t know really anything beyond what she said in that five-minute conversation. I just know that she was the richer one! The precious jewels that she had amassed were from her attitude and gratitude and in her humility, the trinity for joy! She probably could have shut me down quick and said, “Oh, suck it up sister and quit complaining!” But she didn’t. Full of compassion, she expressed her heartfelt sentiments.

You see, my epiphany in that moment before walking out the door was that truly Life is good! No matter what! Life, breath and the freedom we have to allow circumstances or trials to define us OR NOT is still a choice we own. And I was reminded while I was sitting in my car afterward of what my pastor recently said… that often our circumstances DO warrant or justify a bad day or season…but more times than not it’s our attitude about it that changes us…even when it can’t change our circumstances. We can be the victim or be the victor over our attitude despite our circumstances! This lady on this day at that moment was walking in victory despite anything that was happening or had happened to her or around her. She chose that day to be grateful and to fly higher than her circumstances. She was the victor and truly because of her attitude she impacted me! That’s where and when you see the fruit, joy and victory you can walk in despite the craziness… when you can say, “Don’t look at all of this surrounding us, just look at me. Hear what I am saying. It’s going to be okay…LIFE IS GOOD!”

So am I just a spoiled brat and never satisfied? My circumstances are real. My challenges are tangible. I have a child or two with special needs, and that requires a bit more at times which is why I actually do not work. I have a couple of newer health issues that hold me back occasionally from being as productive as I would like, BUT…. when I count the things I have to be grateful for…it FAR outweighs the overwhelming components. This is where the trail ends…

by Crystal Tingle

Even When It's Bad! Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine • 21

TIES

THE

THAT

BIND

by Chrissy Wainwright

addox Hayles and Wyatt Wainwright have recently discovered that their love of fishing could eventually turn into a reallife business. These two were both born and raised fishing right here in Destin and now the 11-year- old Destin Middle School boys are the President and Vice President of the Fishing Club! Maddox and Wyatt met in kindergarten and have been inseparable ever since. Their interests in sports and outdoor activities are so much alike that they have spent most of their free time together either on the baseball and football fields or out hunting and fishing. Maddox’s father Eric and Wyatt’s father G.W. are both avid fishermen and have had a pole in their sons’ hands ever since they have been able to hold one.

These two young men have taken their fishing skills up a notch this year by teaching themselves how to fly fish. They got fly kits and taught themselves how to make their own flies. They spent so much time this past month honing their craft that their mothers suggested setting up shop at the Destin Community Center Craft Show. So that’s just what they did and they ended continued on page 26

22 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

FUN. ELEVATED.

THE

FUNATTHETRACK.COM

$10 Off Purchase Of $50 Or More!

DESTIN

Use Code GOKARTS12 to redeem online! FUNATTHETRACK.COM *Must present coupon. Does not include arcade token purchases. Restrictions may apply.

5 Go-Kart Tracks • Kids Country • Blaster Boats • Bumper Cars • Jam-Packed Arcade 2 Miniature Golf Courses • The SkyFlyer • Hurricane 360 DESTIN 1125 Highway 98 East Destin, FL 32541 | 850.654.4668

Games • Prizes • Fun • Parties

Redeem for $2 in Fat Daddyʻs Bucks! *Limit One Coupon Per Person Per Day. Value is 8 E-tokens. CODE: OCT2018 DESTIN 20009 Emerald Coast Parkway Destin, FL 32541 | 850.424.6021

FATDADDYSARCADEDESTIN.COM

SHOUT OUT

Community

Shout Outs!

ast s-Emerald Co Coast Aquatic heastern ut So at t as e Gulf Co ntsville. represented th Hu ampionships in Swimming Ch

d t sharing an k was all abou ol. o h Sc ry Literacy wee ta tin Elemen caring at Des

Congratulations to Skylar Bab in. She represented Okaloosa Cou nty in Distinguished Young Wome n and was 2nd Runner up for DYW Stat e, received the Spirit Award, Fitness Runner Up and Self Expression Runner Up. Congra tulations Skylar! We are very proud of you!

336 family members came in for lunch on Tigress Tuesday at Edge Elem entary School this year!

at Sandestin staff Baytowne Wharf ast eck to Emerald Co ch 0 presented a $3,00 g's rin Sp k nia Fu De cy at Children's Advoca t. Beer Festival even location from their Kim d an x Fo elsea L-R Julie Hurst, Ch ckey, CAC with Julie Stu EC m fro on ers nd He m fro rs ye Me d Alan Leighann Elliott an e. wn Bayto

ler Ms. Page's class at Van R. But ted the 101st bra cele ool Sch ary ent Elem like a group day of school by dressing up of famous dogs!

We want to hear from you! Send your shout outs to OTC@OntheCoastMag.com

and Meril rd, 8th grade, Kegley Hubba ide ade, from Seas Lagasse, 7th gr cted le se e er w d School Neighborhoo ing Shake az am e th at em to represent th bruary at tition held in Fe National Compe emy (RCA) in Atlanta, Acad the Ron Clark . Ga in February

alth Science School He h ig ard H n o lt ived Lifegu South Wa Kisner, rece uth Walton in st u A t, studen om the So the Year fr Rookie of istrict. D re Fi

Mrs. Messick's and Ms . Rowleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s VE class celebrated Fat Tue sday by making Mardi Gras masks and thr owing beads to the office staff at Rivers ide Elementary School!

Distinguis hed Young Women of competed Flori in a state co mpetition in da February fo r scholarsh la ip s. Congratu te to all of thes lations e wonderfu l and talente d young wom en!

Kadance Fredericks en from Baker School won Petite Mi ss Southern States Woodlands and Peyto n Owens from Pensacola Christian Academy won Jr. Miss United States Woodlands in a scholarship pageant held in Ozark, AL in February.

ECCAC rece ives $500 don atio Sunset Sho es anniversar n from L-R ECCACâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s y event. Kim Hender son with Su Shoes owne nset r Eddy Hard y and emplo yee Danny Kleine r.

TIES

THE

THAT

BIND

continued from 22

up with a full crowd for most of the sixhour day as they not only sold flies but made them right there at the booth. The two explained to anyone who wanted to know how the flies were made, with what materials, and what type of fly would be best to catch different types of fish. In the end, these chatty best friends not only made themselves money to purchase more supplies but also put a big smile on a lot of faces as people watched two very young craftsmen working, educating and making sales. After such a big success, the boys have decided to take the generous offers given to them to keep their little shop going! Look for Maddox and Wyatt this spring and summer as they set up their table at local restaurants in the Destin Harbor area.

Hairstylists • Color Specilist • Lash & Brow Bar • Makeup Bar • Blowout Bar 850.424.3935 | www.pureandcouture.com 36150 Emerald Coast Parkway. Ste. 104 Destin, FL. 32541 (Located in City Market Beachside) 26 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

Fami l y Feat u res

e t a b e l e C

D O O F A LONG

SE ALL LENT

ith people across the country observing Lent, a religious tradition observed during the 40 days before Easter, it's time to rethink the standard family meal

menu.

This nearly eight-week period typically calls for a special diet. Specifically, red meat is cut out on Fridays for some and for the entirety of Lent for others. According to Datassential, 26 percent of consumers observe lent and of those, 41 percent said they eat fish on Fridays instead of meat. Eating two servings of seafood per week - as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans - is one way to make a positive commitment to you and your family's health during Lent and throughout the year. According to a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association, research shows eating seafood 2-3 times per week reduces the risk of death from any health-related cause. Seafood also provides unique health benefits as a lean protein and is a quality source for omega-3 fatty acids, which are healthy fats essential to human health and development. With so many seafood options available, including grouper, snapper, salmon and more, it can be easy to incorporate this nutritious lean protein into your diet. 28 â&#x20AC;˘ Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

This simple recipe for Blackened Fish with Quinoa and Citrus Vinaigrette can help you on your way to a more nutritious meal plan that includes consuming seafood twice per week. Any white fish such as grouper, mahi mahi or flounder will work. continued on page 30

Celebate SEAFOOD

continued from page 28

For more seafood recipes and Lenten meal inspiration, visit seafoodnutrition.org or follow #Seafood2xWk on social media. Blackened Fish with Quinoa and Citrus Vinaigrette Recipe courtesy of chef Tim Hughes on behalf of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership Servings: 4 Blackening Seasoning: 1 tablespoon salt 1 tablespoon pepper 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon thyme

To make Blackening Seasoning: Combine salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and thyme.

Quinoa Salad: 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 cup corn, canned and drained or frozen and thawed to room temperature salt, to taste pepper, to taste 1/2 cup edamame, shelled and thawed to room temperature 3 cups quinoa, cooked

To make Blackened Fish: Heat cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon peanut oil added. Coat both sides of fish fillets with Blackening Seasoning. Add fish to skillet and cook 5-6 minutes per side, or until well done.

Blackened Fish: 1 tablespoon peanut oil 1 pound fish, cut into four fillets 5 tablespoons Blackening Seasoning Citrus Vinaigrette: 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1 tablespoon honey 1/2 teaspoon thyme 2 tablespoons olive oil

30 â&#x20AC;˘ Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

To make Quinoa Salad: Heat and oil skillet. Add corn; salt and pepper, to taste, and saute until golden brown. Add edamame and sauteed corn to quinoa and set aside.

To make Citrus Vinaigrette: Whisk together lemon juice, lemon zest, honey and thyme. Slowly add olive oil, whisking until dressing is formed. Serve Blackened Fish on top of Quinoa Salad and drizzle with Citrus Vinaigrette.

DANCE. DREAM. DISCOVER Grow up WITH DANCE!

DSHI

FRIEN

BALLET | CONTEMPORARY | JAZZ | MODERN | TAP

FITNESS

ADULT BALLET | TINY DANCERS

Check out our Themed Summer Workshops Summer Classes Begin June 4th!

CONFID ENCE

Dance adds so much to your child’s life...

FUN

Confidence, Perseverance, Fun, Fitness & Friendships!

Destin School of Music & Dance 850-837-1133 | Ballet Conservatory Bluewater Bay 850-897-2933

www.floridaballetconservatory.com

! F

FOR A LIMITED TIME, GET $5 WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR eSTATEMENTS.

Visit a branch for details.

PREMIUM CHECKING

• FREE BILL PAYER • NO MONTHLY SERVICE FEE • FREE DEBIT CARD WITH 3 MONTHLY TRANSACTIONS • NO MINIMUM BALANCE FEE • FREE CARDVALET® APP • NO EFCU POINT-OF-SALE FEE • NO PER-CHECK CHARGE • FREE EGLIN FCU MOBILE APP • FREE DIRECT DEPOSIT

Plus EARNS DIVIDENDS

ON BALANCES OF $500 OR MORE.

Where Members Matter Most Some Qualifications Apply • Federally Insured by NCUA

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine • 31

WHAT IS

coral?

by Emlyn Mackenzie

“

What is a coral?” is a question I often get asked while guests are staring at our main aquarium, a 40,000-gallon Indo-Pacific reef ecosystem called the “Living Sea.” They are often shocked when I tell them that coral is actually an animal! Although they may look just like colorful rocks, corals are invertebrates: animals without a backbone. If you look closely at a piece of coral you will notice hundreds or even thousands of small soft-bodied polyps that look like little upside-down jellyfish. All of these individual polyps form a coral head, or colony. These colonies form reef structures because of the polyps’ ability to absorb calcium and carbon from the seawater, making a “limestone” skeleton. These skeletons house the tiny animals and connect them all together. These skeletons also make excellent platforms for new corals to settle and grow on top of. This process eventually leads to the building of coral reefs, such as the Great Barrier Reef, found in Australia. The building of reef structures like this can take hundreds of years, however. Coral grows very slowly and depending on the type of coral, some only grow between 1/8th of an inch up to 6 inches every year. If you think of coral, the first thing that might come into mind is how colorful and bright they are. Ranging anywhere in color from yellow to pink to orange to green, and sometimes blue, corals always look picturesque! This color is made continued on page 34

continued on page 46

Childcare Network #39 412 Government Street Valparaiso, FL 32580 C01OK0019 Childcare Network #40 644-A Anchors Street Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548 C01OK0021

Join in on the fun at our Spring Break Camp! Register Now! Camp Starts March 19!

Childcare Network #41 800 Falcon Place Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548 C01OK0022 Childcare Network #105 502 Benning Drive Destin, FL 32541 C01OK0020 Childcare Network #132 1040 Farmer Street Crestview, FL 32539 C01OK0088 Childcare Network #142 108 Jet Drive Ft. Walton Beach, FL 32548 C01OK0091 Childcare Network #151 1883 Granada Street Navarre, FL 32566 C01SR0049 Childcare Network #183 405 Brookmeade Drive Crestview, FL 32539 C01OK0115

www.childcarenetwork.com (866) 521-KIDS

Childcare Network #268 4798 Live Oak Church Road Crestview, FL 32539 C01OK0056

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ 33

WHAT IS coral?

continued from page 32

possible by a symbiotic relationship with a type of algae that lives inside the coral tissue. This algae is called zooxanthellae and they play an important role in building reefs by providing coral with food. Through the process of photosynthesis, zooxanthellae use the sunlight, much like plants, to convert carbon dioxide into food, which gets passed along to the coral. The hard coral skeleton provides the algae a safe place to live within its tissue in exchange for this food, creating one of the most important symbiotic relationships in the ocean. This is also the main reason why many corals are found in tropical waters - they need a lot of sunlight to keep their algae happy! Many people also do not know that these beautiful animals have some very important jobs in the ocean. Coral reefs are known as “rainforests of the sea” due to the wide diversity of animals that call them home. Making up less than 0.1% of the ocean’s surface area, it is estimated that coral reefs give shelter to at least 25% of all marine life in the ocean. This is more than any other type of habitat! Coral reefs also serve as a source of food for people all over the world. Many of the types of fish and other seafood items we like to eat came from a coral reef habitat. These coral reefs are also vital to helping build and protect our beaches. Incoming storms and waves are very damaging to coastlines, but reefs act as natural buffers, slowing down waves before they erode parts of the beach. White sand found on tropical beaches and here on the Emerald coast is actually tiny pieces of coral skeletons that broke off from reefs or was crushed by parrotfish and eventually ended up on the ocean floor. Coral is definitely my favorite animal in the whole world due to their important role in ocean ecosystems and their complex but beautiful nature. 34 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ 35

EMERALD COAST CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER IS THERE FOR THE KIDS With National Child Abuse Prevention Month in April, it brings to light the fact that many do not realize the peril our children can experience and have to deal with right here in Northwest Florida. Enter the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center (ECCAC). They provide services for young child abuse victims and their families in a child-friendly environment. All support services and personnel are under one roof. There are two centers, one in Niceville in Okaloosa County, and the Pierce Family Children’s Advocacy Center in DeFuniak Springs in Walton County. Neither location provides housing for children.

Niceville

How ECCAC Works: Providing services and emotional support to child victims experiencing abuse, abandonment or neglect and their families is the 24/7 job of the multi-disciplinary team of staff and volunteers at the ECCAC centers. There are extensive play therapy set-ups and lovable therapy dogs on hand to work with the kids, too. ECCAC is a part of the National Children’s Advocacy Center non-profit organization. The single most important hallmark of the ECCAC process is the fact that the impacted child, dealing with the immediate trauma and stress of their situation, can tell their story in one room, just one time. They do not have to repeat it numerous times at different places to different people. In other words, all pertinent parties that can help the child victim are there at the same time. Once the child tells their story, action is immediately taken as required for that particular case. In ECCAC’s 17-year history, right at 11,000 children have received more than 43,000 services at no cost to include mental health therapy, crisis intervention, referrals to other community providers, interviews and medicals.

Pierce Family Advocacy Center

For more information about donating, volunteering, or the Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Centers, visit www.eccac.org or call (850) 833-9237, Ext. 283.

The Autism Spectrum on the Emerald Coast, Inc. would like to invite your family to join us at our 2nd Annual SPRING FAM JAM. This family & music festival will be held on Saturday, April 21, at the NWFSC in Niceville. The gates opens at 9 a.m. with the music and fun continuing until 4 p.m. Spring Fam Jam, with more than 40 booth participants, includes live entertainment, arts and crafts merchants, food and beverage vendors, various demonstrations, local therapy providers, and a large Children’s Area. The Children’s Area includes: bounce houses, inflatable slides, an inflatable obstacle course, face painting by Enchanted Parties, Home Depot building kits, Army Ranger’s Reptile Team, 501st. Legion, live entertainment, and many more children’s activities. Children’s Area armbands are $10. Armbands grant access to all the previous listed activities in the children’s area. Be sure to register for the 5K Color Run! This year we are running a Road & Trail Course with 8 color stations. Participants will be covered in colored powder as they make their way around the course. Walkers, wagons, and strollers are all welcome to participate on the Road sections of the course. The Road sections of the course has 4 Color Stations and is approximately 2 miles in length. You do not have to be a conditioned athlete to enjoy this run! The run starts at 11:00. Early Bird Pricing, which is just $25 for participants 13 years of age and older, ends April 6. Day of pricing is $35. For participants ages 6 to 12 years old, the registration fee is $20. Children 5 years old and under are free. Spring Fam Jam is ASEC’s premier fundraising and community awareness event. This event allows us to continue to provide services to our local autism community that we serve. For Color Run registration visit our website: SpringFamJam.com Event Coordinator: Brad Burnette (850)496-3062 or Brad@ASECFL.com On the Coast Magazine is a proud media sponsor of local charitable events. For sponsorship information, e-mail OTC@OntheCoastMag.com

36 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ 37

MARCH 2-4 Destin Executive Airport Wings of Freedom Tour WWII Airplanes on display 2-4:30pm Friday 9:30-4:30pm Sat & Sun 800-568-8924 PCB Aaron Bessant Park EC Boat & Lifestyle Show 10-6pm $10 under 12 Free $5 Locals Friday Only 850-348-1498 MARCH 3 - APRIL 30 Destin HarborWalk Cobia Tournament 12am-12pm Monday -Sunday 850-837-6241 MARCH 3-4 Mattie Kelly Arts Centre Peter Pan Saturday 7:30pm Sunday 2:30pm $38 Adult $18 12 and under 850-729-6000 MARCH 4 Rosemary Beach South Barrett Square Farmers Market 9 -1pm Free 850-231-0102 Seaside Half Marathon and 5Km 7am $125-$95 runseasidefl.com/ MARCH 5 Rosemary Beach Concert Series Fais Do-Do band 6:30pm-8:30 FREE 866-348-8952 Seaside Amphitheater Children's Theatre Performance 6pm FREE 850-231-6107

Topsail Hill State Park Ranger's Choice Program MARCH 5-10 3pm Seaside Amphitheater FREE Stories By The Sea 850-267-8330 3:30 FREE MARCH 8-9 850-231-6107 Inlet Beach Concerts on The Green MARCH 6 In Business-The Moon Lagoons Alys Beach Amphitheater 6-9pm Summer Reels FREE Finding Dory 850-231-0102 7:30pm-9:30pm FREE MARCH 9 850-213-5521 Sandestin Hilton Kieran May Memorial Gala Seaside Amphitheater 5:30pm Huck & Lilly Concert Couple $250 6pm 850-833-9237 ext 256 FREE 850-231-6107 Seaside Amphitheater Central Square Cinema MARCH 7-10 7pm PCB Aaron Bessant Park FREE Emerald Coast Cruizin’ Car 850-231-6107 Show 8am - 6:30pm MARCH 10 $10 Destin Commons 850-233-5070 Emerald Coast Kings of the Court MARCH 8 Tickets Available Destin Library 11-5pm Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime Team reg.$100. 9:30am 850-337-8700 FREE 850-837-8572 Destin HarborWalk Village Tequila & Taco Festival Destin Community Center 1-4pm Open Dodgeball FREE Ages 8-14 480-322-7227 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents Grand Boulevard Farmers 850-654-5184 Market 9 - 1pm Niceville Library FREE Storytime 850-499-4697 9:30am FREE Niceville Mattie Kelly Arts Ctr 850-279-6436 NW Florida Symphony Orchestra La Traviata Rosemary Beach Western Green 7:30pm Moonlight Movies & Face $23 Painting 850-729-6000 Despicable Me Face Painting starts at 4:30 Panama City Mall 7:30pm-9pm Parade and Egg Hunt FREE 9am 850-231-0102 FREE 850-785-9587

38 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

Seaside Farmers Market 9am-1pm FREE 850-231-6107 SRB Helen McCall Park Egg Drop 10am FREE 850- 892-8700 Topsail Hill State Park Butterflies and Craft Day 10:30am 850-267-8330 MARCH 10-11 Ok Island EC Conf. Ctr. Holistic Health Expo 10-4pm Saturday 11-4pm Sunday FREE 850-687-0826 PCB West Indies Market 9 - 4pm FREE 850-951-2148 MARCH 11 Destin Kelly Plantation Golf Club Kieran May Golf Tournament 11:30am-3pm $250 Single, $1000 Team of Four 850-833-9237 Rosemary Beach South Barrett Square Farmers Market 9 - 1pm FREE 850-231-0102 MARCH 12 Destin LuLu's Spirit Night for DMS Fund Raiser 5-8pm 850-710-5858 Rosemary Beach Concert Series The California Beach Boys Tribute 6:30pm-8:30 FREE 850-687-0568 Seaside Amphitheater Children's Theatre Performance 6pm FREE 850-231-6107 continued on page 40

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ 39

continued from page 38 MARCH 13 Alys Beach Amphitheater Summer Reels Dr. Suess “The Lorax” 7:30pm-9:30pm FREE 850-213-5500 Okaloosa Island EC Conf Ctr Multi Chamber Expo 4-7pm FREE 850-244-8191 Seaside Amphitheater Huck & Lilly Concert 6pm FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 12-17 Seaside Repertory Theatre Stories By The Sea Monday-Friday 3:30 FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 14 Niceville Mattie Kelly Arts Centre Catapult 7:30pm $35 Tickets Available 850-729-6000 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Boukou Groove 7pm-9pm FREE 850-267-8186 MARCH 15 Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184 Niceville Library Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-279-6436

Rosemary Beach Western Green Moonlight Movies 7:30pm-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 Sandestin Baytowne Warf Bubble Baytowne 5-7pm FREE 850-267-8180 Topsail Hill State Park Ranger's Choice Program 3pm FREE 850-267-8330 MARCH 15-16 Inlet Beach Concerts Series I’magen-Boukou Groove 6-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 MARCH 16 FWB Municipal Golf Course Charity Golf Tournament 11am $100-$400 850-833-9500 SeasideAmphitheater Central Square Cinema 7:00 pm FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 16-17 Pensacola Seanger Theatre Man Of La Mancha 7:30pm $27-$112 850-433-6737 MARCH 17 Destin Harbowalk Village Irish Grogg March 6pm-11:55pm $10 Donation to Charity 480-322-7227 Destin McGuires St. Patricks Extravaganza 10am 850-650-000 FWB Elks Lodge Elks Club Draw Down Party 6:30pm 850-585-4477 FWB Gulfarium WSRE PBS KIDS & Family Day 10-2pm FREE 850-484-1211

40 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

Okaloosa Island EC Conference Ctr Copa Destin Jiu Jitsu Tournament 9am $10 850-609-3800 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf St Patty’s Day Delight 6pm 850-267-8186 Sandestin Grand Boulevard Farmers Market 9-1pm FREE 850-499-4697 Seaside Farmers Market 9-1pm FREE 850-267-0683 SRB St. Patricks Parade & Fest 2pm $10-$5 850-267-2064 Water Color Town Center Art in the Park 9-5pm FREE 850-267-1216 MARCH 17-31 FWB Santa Rosa mall Easter Bunny 11-6pm FREE 850-244-2172 MARCH 18 Rosemary Beach Farmers Market 9-1pm FREE 850-231-0102 Sandestin Baytowne Warf Sunday Cinema 7:15pm-9:pm Finding Nemo FREE 850-267-8186 SRB The Hub Retro Movie Night Ferris Bulers Day Off 6pm FREE 850-213-0782 MARCH 19 Rosemary Beach Concert Series Rock and Soul Revue 6:30pm-8:30 FREE 850-687-0568

Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Hydroflight 6:30pm-8:30pm FREE 850-267-8186 Seaside Amphitheater Children's Theatre Performance 6pm FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 19-24 Seaside Repertory Theatre Stories By The Sea 3:30 FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 20 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Boomin’ 6pm-8:30 FREE 850-267-8186 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Baytown Live 7pm-10pm FREE 850-267-8186 Seaside Amphitheater REP children performance 6pm FREE 850-231-6107 Alys Beach Amphitheater Summer Reels The LEGO Batman 7:30pm-9:30pm FREE 850-213-0683 MARCH 21 Panama City Marina Civic Center Chanticleer $50-$35 7:30pm 850-763-4696 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Luke Langford & The 331 Band 7-9pm FREE 850-267-8186 SRB The Hub Family Movie Night Beauty & the Beast 6pm FREE 850-213-0782 continued on page 42

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine â&#x20AC;¢ 41

continued from page 41 MARCH 22 Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184 Niceville Library Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-279-6436 Rosemary Beach Western Green Moonlight Movies 7:30pm-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Magical Thursday 7pm-9pm FREE 850-267-8186 Topsail Hill State Park Ranger's Choice Program 3:00pm FREE 850-267-8330 MARCH 22-23 Inlet Beach 30 Avenue Concert Series on The Green The Graytones-The Scratchtones 6-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 MARCH 22-24 Grand Boulevard Purses with a Purpose 5:30-7:30pm Thurs & Fri 10-2pm Saturday $15-$20 850-243-1201 MARCH 23 Okaloosa Island EC Conf Ctr Snake Day with Reno’s Reptile 10am-2:00pm $6-$9 850-664-1261

Seaside Amphitheater Central Square Cinema 7:00 pm FREE 850-231-6107

Rosemary Beach South Barrett Square Farmers Market 9am-1pm 850-231-010

MARCH 23-24 Freeport Sports Complex Westonwood Ranch Rodeo 7:30-10:30 $10-$5 850-835-2822

Sandestin Baytowne Warf Sunday Cinema 7:15pm-9:pm Paddington 850-267-8186

MARCH 24 Crestview Old Spanish Trail Triple B BBQ 10-6pm FREE 850-682-3212 Emerald Bay Golf Club A round For Kids 8am-2pm $100-$400 850-344-7722 FWB AJ’s Oyster Shanty Run for the Health of it 5k&8 Start time 9am $10-$25 850-863-8112 Sandestin Grand Boulevard Farmers Market 9-1pm FREE 850-499-4697 Seaside Farmers Market 9am-1pm FREE 850-267-0683 SRB Driftwood Estates Park Egg Drop Palooza 11 - 1pm FREE 850-267-0322 MARCH 24-25 Santa Rosa Ranch Spring Fling 10am till Dark $10, 3 and up 850-781-8868 MARCH 24-31 Destin Commons Bass Pro Easter Events Hours Varies by Day FREE 850-269-6200 MARCH 25 Destin HarborWalk Village Roll for Hope at the Destin Harbor 11-4pm FREE 850-424-0600

42 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

MARCH 26 Defuniak Springs EC Childrens Advo Center Tech Know How for Parents FREE Register by March 23 850-833-9237 ext 233 Rosemary Beach Concert Series Oceans 9 6:30pm-8:30 FREE 850-231-0180 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Hydroflight Mondays 6:30pm-8:30pm FREE 850-267-8186 Seaside Amphitheater Children's Theatre Performance Monday 6pm FREE 850-231-6107 March 26-31 Seaside Amphitheater Stories By The Sea 3:30 FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 27 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Baytown Live FREE 850-267-8186 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Boomin’ 6:00pm-8:30pm FREE 850-267-8186 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Luau at Baytown Marina 6pm-8:30pm $21-$44 850-267-8186

MARCH 27 Alys Beach Amphitheater Summer Reels SING 7:30pm-9:30pm FREE 850-213-5521 Seaside Amphitheater Huck & Lilly Concert 6pm FREE 850-231-6107 MARCH 28 Destin Public Library Easter Egg Hunt 9am FREE 850-837-8572 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Forrest Williams Band 7-9pm FREE 850-267-8186 MARCH 29 Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184 Niceville Library Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-279-6436 Miramar Beach Dog Harmony Eggstravaganza 5:30 - 7:30pm $15 850-376-4190 Niceville MK Arts Center Hotel California 7:30pm $35 850-729-6000 Rosemary Beach Western Green Moonlight Movies Thursday 7:30pm-9pm FREE 850-231-0102

Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Magical Thursday 7-9pm FREE 850-267-8186

Seaside Amphitheater Central Square Cinema 7:00 pm FREE 850-231-6107

Destiny Worship Center Easter Eggstravaganza 4:30pm FREE 850-650-6800

Sandestin Grand Blvd Eggstavaganza 5:30pm FREE 800-862-1038

MARCH 31 Destin The Henderson Ice Cream Social w/the Easter Bunny Noon FREE 855-741-2777

Niceville Bluewater Tennis Club Egg Hunt 9:30 - 11am FREE 850-897-8010

Topsail Hill State Park Ranger's Choice Program 3:00pm FREE 850-267-8330 MARCH 29-30 Inlet Beach 30 Avenue Concert Series on The Green Grape Drink-The Good Lookings 6-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 MARCH 30 Okaloosa Island EC Conv Ctr Sinfonia Gala Event: Rodgers&Hammerstein 7:30pm $45-$150 850-460-8800

Destin Morgans Sports Centre Easter Egg Hunt 9am FREE 850-650-1241 Freeport Regional Sports Complex Spring Art and Crafts Festival 9am 850-835-1737 Grand Boulevard Farmers Market 9-1pm FREE 850-499-4697 Lynn Haven Sports Complex Easter Egg Hunt 10-2pm FREE 850-271-5547 Miramar Beach

Niceville 1st Baptist Church Run for Joy & Easter Fest 8:30am 850-678-4621 PCB Frank Brown Park Egg Hunt Call for time FREE 850-233-5045 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Easter Explosion Noon -3 FREE 850-267-8186 Shalimar UMC Easter Fest 10 - Noon FREE 850-651-0721

MARCH 31- APRIL 1 Okaloosa Island Kitty Hawk Kite Festival 10am FREE 850-796-0102 Sandestin Grand Boulevard Farmers Market 9 - 1pm FREE 850-499-4697 APRIL 1 Destin LuLu”s Easter Egg DASH Noon 850-710-LuLu Destin The Henderson Helicopter Drop Egg Hunt 12:30pm FREE 855-741-2777 Seaside Amphitheater Easter Celebration Noon - 2pm FREE 850-231-6107

continued on page 44

Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine • 43

continued from page 43 APRIL 2 Rosemary Beach Concert Series Instant Karma 6:30 - 8:30pm FREE 866-348-8952 Seaside Amphitheater Children's Theatre Performance 6pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 2-7 Seaside Amphitheater Stories By The Sea 3:30 FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 3 Alys Beach Amphitheater Summer Reels Moana 7:30 - 9:30pm FREE 850-213-5500 FWB Salvation Army Baby Beats 10am $2 850-243-4531 Rosemary Beach Pittman Magic 6-6:45pm FREE Rosemarybeach.com Seaside Amphitheater Huck & Lilly Concert 6pm FREE 850-267-0683 Seaside REP Improv Boot Camp 2pm $25 850-231-0733 APRIL 4 Rosemary Beach North Barrett Square Beauty and the Beast 6pm FREE 850-231-0733

Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Blues Brothers 7 - 9pm FREE 850-267-8186

APRIL 6 Defuniak Springs Marvel of Flight Expo 3pm FREE 850-892-2000

PCB Camp Helen State park History Tour 10am FREE 850-233-5059

Sandestin Topsail State Park Geocaching around Topsail 9-2pm FREE 850-267-8330

Seaside Amphitheater Central Square Cinema 7:00pm FREE 850-267-0683

SRB Coastal Library Tail Wagging Tutors 2:30pm FREE 850-267-2809

Seaside Center Art Walk 5 - 7pm FREE 850-267-0683

Pensacola Cordova Mall Chocolate Fest Noon - 3pm $15-$20 850-477-7562 Seaside Farmers Market 9 - 1pm FREE 850-267-0683

SRB The Bay Night Bonfires 6-9pm FREE 850-622-2291

Topsail Hill State Park Dirty Friday 8 - 10am FREE 850-267-8330

APRIL 5 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184

WaterColorBoathouse RUN/SUP Race Series 7am $30 850-419-6188

Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572 Niceville Library Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-279-6436 Destin Harbor Walk Easter Bunny Brunch 10 - 4pm Reservations 850-422-0622 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Hydroflight Mondays 6:30 - 8:30pm FREE 850-267-8186 Seaside Lawn Easter Egg-Stravaganza Noon - 2pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 5-6 Inlet Beach 30 Avenue Concert Series on The Green I’magene-In Buisness 6 - 9pm FREE 850-231-0102

44 • Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

APRIL 7 Bluewater Bay Fitness Ctr Hunger Run $25-$5 8am 850-279-6767 Crestview Library Reading with Dozer 10am FREE 850-682-4432 Defuniak Springs Airport Marvel of Flight 8:30am-4pm FREE 850-892-2000 FWB Okaloosa RevFest Art and Music Festival KC’s Sandbar and grill $15-$10 Noon-12am 850-244-1087 Grand Boulevard Farmers Market 9am-1pm FREE 850-267-0683 PCB Edgewater Conf Ctr Arts Alive $125 6pm 850-767-4111

APRIL 9 Seaside Amphitheater Children's Theatre Performance 6pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 9-14 Seaside Amphitheater Stories By The Sea 3:30 FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 10 Alys Beach Amphitheater Summer Reels Coco 7:30pm-9:30pm FREE 850-213-5521 Seaside Amphitheater Huck & Lilly Concert 6pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 11 Crestview Commerce Dr Lullibies & Mudpies resale $10 6-8pm eventbrite.com Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Fleetwood Max 7pm-9pm FREE 850-267-8186 APRIL 12 Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572

continued on page 46

Tickets $100

Tables $900

We WantTo Know About YourEvents! Please Share them with us on our website! www.OntheCoastMag.com

continued from page 43 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184 APRIL 12-13 Inlet Beach 30 Avenue Concerts on the Green The Moon Lagoons The Scratchtones 6pm-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 APRIL 12-15 Sandestin Baytowne Warf 32nd Annual Sandestin Wine Festival Friday 5-8pm Saturday 1-5pm $55-$85 800-622-1038 APRIL 13 Sandestin Topsail Hill State Park Ranger's Choice Program 3pm FREE 850-267-8330 Seaside Amphitheater Central Square Cinema 7:00 pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 14 Grand Boulevard Farmers Market 9am-1pm 850-499-4697 Niceville Mattie Kelly Arts Centre Cinderella 2:00pm $45 850-729-6000 Seaside Farmers Market 9am-1pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 14-15 PCB West Indies Market 9am - 4pm FREE 850-951-2148

APRIL 15 Freeport Spring Art and Crafts Festival 9am 850-835-1737

Grand Boulevard Farmers Market Saturday 9am FREE 850-499-4697

APRIL 18 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Beatles vs Stones 7pm - 9pm FREE 850-267-8186

Niceville NWFL State College Color Run & Spring Jam 9am $25-$20 850-496-3062

APRIL 18-22 PCB Aaron Bessant Park Seabreeze Jazz Festival $100-$250 877-987-6487 APRIL 19 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184 Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572 Gulf Place 30A Wine Walkabout 5pm-7pm $20 850-267-8458 Pensacola Bay Center Chris Toomlin 7pm $33-$26 800-854-2196 Sandestin Topsail Hill State Park Ranger's Choice Program 3pm FREE 850-267-8330 APRIL 19-20 Inlet Beach 30 Avenue Concerts on The Green In Business- Boukou Grove 6pm-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 APRIL 21 FWB Uptown Station Crime Watchers Crawfish Boil 5K and Mudbug Run 8am $20-$10 706-327-4413

46 â&#x20AC;¢ Tell them you saw it in ON THE COAST Magazine

Pensacola Plaza De Luna Hot Wheels Food Truck Fest 11am-6pm Price varies on food choice 850-434-5464 Sandestin Baytowne Vetts at the Village Saturday 10am-4pm FREE 850-267-8117 Seaside Farmers Market 9am-1pm FREE 850-267-0683 APRIL 22 FWB Water Vue Hope Matters Prom Event 4pm-7pm $45-$350 850-582-3496 APRIL 21-22 Okaloosa Island EC Conf Center Victory Athletic Spirit All Stars Nationals $20-$162 850-609-3800 APRIL 25 Rosemary Beach Western Green Moonlight Movies 7:30pm-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 Sandestin Baytowne Wharf Wednesday Night Concert Dream Police 7 - 9pm FREE 850-267-8186 APRIL 26 Destin Community Center Open Dodgeball Ages 8-14 6-8pm $3 non residents - $2 residents 850-654-5184 Destin Library Cuddlers & Toddlers Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-837-8572

Niceville Library Storytime 9:30am FREE 850-279-6436 Sandestin Baytowne Bubbly Baytowne 5pm-7pm FREE 850-267-8186 APRIL 26-27 Inlet Beach 30 Avenue Concerts on The Green The Graytones -The Good Lookings 6-9pm FREE 850-231-0102 APRIL 26-28 Okaloosa Island Boardwalk Emerald Coast Motorcycle Challenge 8am - 5pm $65 850-7961782 APRIL 26-29 Grand Boulevard Wine & Food Festival Thursday 5-7pm Friday 6-9pm Saturday 1-5pm Sunday 1-5pm $45-$325 850-267-8186 APRIL 27 Panama City Marina Civic Ctr A Chorus Line $45-$55 7:30pm 850-763-4696 APRIL 28 FWB Landing Farmers Market 8am-1pm FREE 850-218-0812 Navarre Beach Marine Science Station Autism OdysSea 9am $10 850-261-2141 APRIL 29 Panama City Marina Civic Ctr Celtic Women 7pm $10-$29 850-763-4696

2001 98 PALMS BLVD STE 5 | DESTIN, FLORIDA 32541 (BEHIND TARGET & HOBBY LOBBY) (850) 837-0526 | ROCKOUTCLIMBING.COM

@ROCKOUTCLI MB I NG

Since 1988, the Florida Lottery has contributed over $32 billion and counting to our public education system and has sent over 775,000 students to college and beyond on Bright Futures Scholarships. Every time you play, you grant Florida’s brightest the opportunity to achieve their dreams and ultimately boost the state’s economy, all while funding the next generation of students. Your ticket is their ticket to a brighter future. Follow @floridalottery on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.