South Walton county, Florida & Scenic Hwy 30A - SouthWaltonScene.com™

From the VOLUNTEER Scene. Lend a helping hand in South Walton.

Cultural Arts Association (CAA)
Cultural Arts Association
For information or to volunteer, call 850-622-5970 or email CulturalArts@embarqmail.com

Hundreds of volunteers are needed annually to help the CAA accomplish their mission.  Following are some opportunities for you to get involved in supporting the arts in Walton County:

• 30-A Songwriters Festival (January)
• Valentine Tour of Homes (fundraiser in February)
• ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival (May)
• Designer Showhouse for the Arts (fundraiser in July)
• Flutterby Arts Festival (November)
• Grit & Grace (TBA)
• Fundraising
• Administrative duties
• Publicity
• Workshops

Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast - Miramar Beach
For information or to volunteer, contact Sharon Abele, Volunteer Manager, at (850) 278-3081 or by email at sabele@shhpens.org.

• "Our volunteers share a sense of pride in the service they provide to the families who enter our doors. Some volunteers work a few hours a week, while others serve a few days a week. Special skills are nice, but not required to be a volunteer -- just a willing heart and a warm smile!  The rewards of volunteering are as individual as each volunteer, with all of our volunteers enjoying the special benefits of: A free meal in the hospital cafeteria on the days they volunteer; Free CPR classes; Free flu vaccines; and an open invitation to participate in Sacred Heart's special events and activities."

Walton County Habitat for Humanity
www.waltoncountyhabitat.org.
For information or to volunteer, call 850-685-5683 or email tbaum@waltoncountyhabitat.org

• Habitat for Humanity in Walton County has been building houses since 1996 for families in need. We rely on the dedication of the volunteers to build our houses and assist with the committee work involved in selecting and supporting families, developing church partnerships, recruiting volunteers and assisting through our various fund-raising events.

Seaside Repertory Theatre 
Seaside Repertory Theatre
For information or to volunteer, call 850-231-3033 or email jdarg@embarqmail.com

• It takes a village to make great theatre and it takes a number of dedicated volunteers donating their time and skill to bring the arts alive in our area. Opportunities include set painting, professional services, ushering, and much more.

Alaqua Animal Refuge
www.aarflorida.com
"Alaqua Animal Refuge is on 10-acres of farmland located in Freeport, Florida and is home to over 250 animals. We rescue, rehabilitate and adopt a wide variety of animals in need.  To continue to care for the animals, we are asking for your help.  We are in need of dedicated volunteers who are willing to be placed on a schedule to help us care for the animals and operate the refuge."

Daily assistance is needed in many many areas, from the care and walking of the dogs, cats, horses and livestock to administration as well as the following:

• Adoptions
• Dishes and laundry
• Grounds upkeep
• Repairs, building and maintenance
• Foster homes for nursing mothers & babies and special needs pets
• Volunteers at our Harbor Walk location
• Fundraising

If you are interested in walking the dogs, please contact: Lorraine Sloan at moneypenny@ sloanventures.net; for care of the cats: Trish Smith at trishsmith1@cox.net; for care of the horses, Samantha Graves at samanthagraves@embarqmail.com; and for all other projects, call 850-880-6399 or email info@aarflorida.com.

Surfrider Emerald Coast Chapter
www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org
To volunteer, show up at the beach at 9AM

• Second Sunday Beach Clean Up: at 9AM on the beach behind Pompano Joe's in Miramar Beach >> Map - Take 30 minutes and give a little love to our beautiful beaches. Bags, gloves & water will be provided. Look for them down at the beach flying the Surfrider flag.
  

Walton County Sheriff’s Volunteer Program
www.waltonso.org
For information or to volunteer, call 850-951-4949

The Walton County Sheriff’s Office is looking for men and women interested in becoming a part of their volunteer programs offered by Sheriff Adkinson. The WCSO volunteer programs are designed to supplement and enhance the current and envisioned functions of the Walton County Sheriff’s Office employees. Three different volunteer programs are available.

• The Reserve Posse is a program designed for people who are Law Enforcement Certified and are interested in working part-time as a Reserve Deputy.
• The civilian volunteer program is open to anyone interested and serves as a basic volunteer program. Citizen volunteers will receive training specific to their area of interest. Opportunities include: administrative support, search and rescue support, school crossing guards, scrap booking, helping with Sheriff’s Office related events, finger printing children for ID cards, etc…
• The Posse is for people interested in participating in the required 320 hours of LEO training to become Posse members working with full-time Deputy Sheriff’s. The Armed Posse members will be able to conduct the activity of a Sheriff’s Deputy while under the supervision of a certified LEO. Posse members will provide support in areas such as traffic control, special events, security, escorts, and other law enforcement activities.

From the VOLUNTEER Scene - lend a helping hand in South Walton

Volunteer Opportunities and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

COAST WATCHER Volunteer Program Individuals who live along or are visiting coastal communities can watch for oiled wildlife, vegetation, and beaches by becoming a Coast Watch volunteer. Similar to the Crime Watch program, Coast Watch volunteers are community members who know the daily wildlife and plants that exist on their local beach. The “Coast Watchers” will assist BP and their partnering organizations in identifying beaches that need attention.

Coast Watchers will work within the coastal communities where they live or visit and commit to do the following:

• Report injured or oiled animals to the Wildlife Distress Hotline: 1-866-557-1401
• Report oiled shoreline in Florida to the State Warning Point: 1-877-2-SAVE-FL (1-877-272-8335) or #DEP from a cell phone.

Download the guidelines on what to look for when reporting impacts to Florida’s shoreline. (.pdf, 196KB)

Download the Oil Spill Reporting Guide (.pdf, 1.2MB)

Coast Watchers are not permitted to enter off-limit areas to obtain observations and must not make contact with oiled wildlife, vegetation, and beaches due the health concerns associated with contact.

Citizens wanting to become a Coast Watcher do not require any special training or registration. However, they should be conscious of the coastal environment in their community. If a Coast Watcher observes contaminated wildlife, vegetation, or shoreline, it should be reported immediately to the numbers above.

For more information, contact Laurie Von Kaenel, AmeriCorps Director, NWFSC, at 850-729-6037 or 850-729-4946.

Be sure to become a fan of the Facebook Group we set up for concerned citizens, The Oil Spill and South Walton/Scenic Hwy 30A - CONNECT.

Cultural Arts Association (CAA)
Cultural Arts Association
For information or to volunteer, call 850-622-5970 or email CulturalArts@embarqmail.com

• Designer Showhouse for the Arts: May 29 - July 4th weekend 2010 - The 2010 Designer Showhouse for the Arts will be located in home of Daryl and Robert Davis this year at 115 Seaside Avenue in the famed beach town of Seaside, FL. This annual creatively fun event raises funds for the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County.  Volunteers will be needed to work in the home to sell tickets and furnishings, greet guests and inform them about the furnishings, the home and the CAA. Volunteers will receive one free ticket per shift to tour the home at any time (to be used by you or given away).

Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast
Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast - Miramar Beach
For information or to volunteer, contact Sharon Abele, Volunteer Manager, at (850) 278-3081 or by email at sabele@shhpens.org.

• "Our volunteers share a sense of pride in the service they provide to the families who enter our doors. Some volunteers work a few hours a week, while others serve a few days a week. Special skills are nice, but not required to be a volunteer -- just a willing heart and a warm smile!  The rewards of volunteering are as individual as each volunteer, with all of our volunteers enjoying the special benefits of: A free meal in the hospital cafeteria on the days they volunteer; Free CPR classes; Free flu vaccines; and an open invitation to participate in Sacred Heart's special events and activities."

Announcements in regards to the Gulf Oil Spill and South Walton county, Florida

Volunteer - Become a COAST WATCHER Individuals who live along or are visiting coastal communities can watch for oiled wildlife, vegetation, and beaches by becoming a Coast Watch volunteer. Similar to the Crime Watch program, Coast Watch volunteers are community members who know the daily wildlife and plants that exist on their local beach. The “Coast Watchers” will assist BP and their partnering organizations in identifying beaches that need attention.

Coast Watchers will work within the coastal communities where they live or visit and commit to do the following:

• Report injured or oiled animals to the Wildlife Distress Hotline: 1-866-557-1401
• Report oiled shoreline in Florida to the State Warning Point: 1-877-2-SAVE-FL (1-877-272-8335) or #DEP from a cell phone.

Download the guidelines on what to look for when reporting impacts to Florida’s shoreline. (.pdf, 196KB)

Download the Oil Spill Reporting Guide (.pdf, 1.2MB)

Coast Watchers are not permitted to enter off-limit areas to obtain observations and must not make contact with oiled wildlife, vegetation, and beaches due the health concerns associated with contact.

Citizens wanting to become a Coast Watcher do not require any special training or registration. However, they should be conscious of the coastal environment in their community. If a Coast Watcher observes contaminated wildlife, vegetation, or shoreline, it should be reported immediately to the numbers above.

For more information, contact Laurie Von Kaenel, AmeriCorps Director, NWFSC, at 850-729-6037 or 850-729-4946.

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Get informed - Walton County Town meeting about the Gulf Recovery tonight! WHEN: Friday, June 18, 2010 5:00pm - 6:00pm WHERE:  Coastal Branch Library [MAP] WHAT: "Gulf Recovery Team will be flying in from Miami/Ft Lauderdale to present a proposal for an Oil Recovery System to treat the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. This is a group of scientists and engineers that have organized a team whose principals, products and services provide the ability and basis for a rapid deployment and execution of a multi-task plan that offers a "cradle to grave", technically sound, environmentally safe and economically competitive program for oil spill recovery and reclamation from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 using mechanical extraction and separation. Our local officials have been invited to attend this presentation in hopes of using some or all of these components in our area."

Support - Gulf Coast Wildlife Cleanup Benefit Saturday Join the "Young Professionals @ the beach" Saturday, June 19th at 9PM for a benefit at Bluz Bar & Grill to raise funds for the Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge, the area's designated primary animal stabilization unit.  $10 entry fee which will be donated to the cause.  Additionally, $1 from all Abita Beer and Sailor Jerry sales will be donated.  Live entertainment by COPE will be on stage at 10 PM.  Be sure to bring a bottle of Dawn soap & get a free beer courtesy of Abita Beer! (limit one per person)

From the VOLUNTEER Scene - Lend a helping hand in South Walton county, Florida

Volunteer Opportunities and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Be sure to become a fan of the Facebook Group we set up for concerned citizens, The Oil Spill and South Walton/Scenic Hwy 30A - CONNECT.

Surfrider Emerald Coast Chapter
www.surfrideremeraldcoast.org
To volunteer, show up at the beach at 9AM

• Second Sunday Beach Clean Up: June 13 at 9AM on the beach behind Pompano Joe's in Miramar Beach >> Map - Take 30 minutes and give a little love to our beautiful beaches. Bags, gloves & water will be provided. Look for them down at the beach flying the Surfrider flag.
  

Cultural Arts Association (CAA)
Cultural Arts Association
For information or to volunteer, call 850-622-5970 or email CulturalArts@embarqmail.com

• Designer Showhouse for the Arts: May 29 - month June 2010 - The 2010 Designer Showhouse for the Arts will be located in home of Daryl and Robert Davis this year at 115 Seaside Avenue in the famed beach town of Seaside, FL. This annual creatively fun event raises funds for the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County.  Volunteers will be needed to work in the home to sell tickets and furnishings, greet guests and inform them about the furnishings, the home and the CAA. Volunteers will receive one free ticket per shift to tour the home at any time (to be used by you or given away).

Walton County Habitat for Humanity

From the VOLUNTEER Scene - Lend a helping hand in South Walton

**NEW** Volunteer Opportunities and the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill Be sure to become a fan of the Facebook Group we set up for concerned citizens, The Oil Spill and South Walton/Scenic Hwy 30A - CONNECT.

• Volunteer Training through the WCSO: The Walton County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operation Center working closely with representatives from British Petroleum (BP), Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) are proud to announce that Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill response volunteer training has been secured for Walton County.  Full information at http://www.waltonso.org.
• If you find a suspected oiled animal on beaches anywhere along the Emerald Coast of Florida, you can call Emerald Coast Wildlife Refuge at 850-650-1880.  They will be providing IMMEDIATE rescue and supportive care until the animal is ready for transport.  If you would like to volunteer with them, please email info@ecwildliferefuge.com with your contact info and availability.
• Volunteer Florida Organization >> VolunteerFloridaDiaster.org.

Cultural Arts Association (CAA)
Cultural Arts Association
For information or to volunteer, call 850-622-5970 or email CulturalArts@embarqmail.com

• Designer Showhouse for the Arts: May 29 - month June 2010 - The 2010 Designer Showhouse for the Arts will be located in home of Daryl and Robert Davis this year at 115 Seaside Avenue in the famed beach town of Seaside, FL. This annual creatively fun event raises funds for the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County.  Volunteers will be needed to work in the home to sell tickets and furnishings, greet guests and inform them about the furnishings, the home and the CAA. Volunteers will receive one free ticket per shift to tour the home at any time (to be used by you or given away).

Walton County Habitat for Humanity

Saturday, May 1 signals the start of the Sea Turtle nesting season in South Walton. Let's do our part!

Did You Know?
Did you know that the Loggerhead, Kemps Ridley and Green Sea Turtle nest on South Walton and surrounding county beaches every year, from around May 1 to October 31?  We are incredibly fortunate to be witness to this. 

Did you also know that all three are considered "endangered" or "threatened species"?  It is our duty to act as responsible stewards - to protect and advocate for these ancient and beautiful creatures. 

Here are some more interesting facts about these sea creatures from from TurtleWatch.org (Panama City Beach's Turtle Watch Group) and SeaTurtleWatch.com (South Walton's Turtle Watch Group):

• A full-grown loggerhead is about 3 ft long and weighs between 200 and 350 lb.
• The females come ashore at night to bury about 100 leathery-skinned eggs, each the size of a ping-pong ball.
• The first nests are laid near the end of May and the last in mid-August.  Hatchlings first emerge in late July, and hatching usually continues through October unless storms wash the nests away.
• Female Sea Turtles that were born on the white sandy beaches always come back to nest on white sandy beaches. The sea turtles’ tracks on this sand show up differently than on other darker sand beaches. The number of days it takes for the eggs to hatch are longer than on darker beaches and because the temperature of the sand effects the sex of the hatchlings, this means that these white sandy beaches produce more male sea turtle hatchlings.
• The Loggerhead sea turtle that has hatched on these white sandy beaches is a sub population of the worlds Loggerheads and there are not many left. 
• Sea turtles as a group have been on our earth since Dinosaur time. (CONTINUED AFTER JUMP)

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The main danger for turtles and hatchings is from artificial lighting.  Hatchlings instinctively move in the brightest direction which normally would be the open night sky reflected by the ocean. But on a developed beach, artificial lights attract the hatchlings, causing them to crawl in the wrong direction. Other dangers include obstructions on the beach, such as beach chairs, holes, or tire tracks, all of which can block the path into and out of the water.  So: 

Did You Know?
Did you know that the Loggerhead, Kemps Ridley and Green Sea Turtle nest on South Walton and surrounding county beaches every year, from around May 1 to October 31?  We are incredibly fortunate to be witness to this. 

Did you also know that all three are considered "endangered" or "threatened species"?  It is our duty to act as responsible stewards - to protect and advocate for these ancient and beautiful creatures. 

Here are some more interesting facts about these sea creatures from from TurtleWatch.org (Panama City Beach's Turtle Watch Group) and SeaTurtleWatch.com (South Walton's Turtle Watch Group):

• A full-grown loggerhead is about 3 ft long and weighs between 200 and 350 lb.
• The females come ashore at night to bury about 100 leathery-skinned eggs, each the size of a ping-pong ball.
• The first nests are laid near the end of May and the last in mid-August.  Hatchlings first emerge in late July, and hatching usually continues through October unless storms wash the nests away.
• Female Sea Turtles that were born on the white sandy beaches always come back to nest on white sandy beaches. The sea turtles’ tracks on this sand show up differently than on other darker sand beaches. The number of days it takes for the eggs to hatch are longer than on darker beaches and because the temperature of the sand effects the sex of the hatchlings, this means that these white sandy beaches produce more male sea turtle hatchlings.
• The Loggerhead sea turtle that has hatched on these white sandy beaches is a sub population of the worlds Loggerheads and there are not many left. 
• Sea turtles as a group have been on our earth since Dinosaur time. (CONTINUED AFTER JUMP)

..........................................................................................................................................................................

Support our advertisers!

        

..........................................................................................................................................................................

How You Can Help

This week from the VOLUNTEER Scene - lend a helping hand around South Walton

Cultural Arts Association (CAA)
CulturalArtsAssociation.com
For information or to volunteer, call 850-622-5970 or email CulturalArts@embarqmail.com

• **COMING SOON! 22nd Annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival: May 7- 9, 2010 - The Cultural Arts Association of Walton County needs you!  Volunteer at the 22nd annual ArtsQuest Fine Arts Festival. Over 120 national artists will be featured, along with live music on two stages throughout this Mother's Day weekend art festival.  Volunteer opportunities include Artist Set-up, Shuttle Hosts, Souvenir Sales, Benefit Drawing Ticket Sales, Artist Relief, and a number of other areas.

• Designer Showhouse for the Arts: May 29 - month June 2010 - The 2010 Designer Showhouse for the Arts will be located in home of Daryl and Robert Davis this year at 115 Seaside Avenue in the famed beach town of Seaside, FL. This annual creatively fun event raises funds for the Cultural Arts Association of Walton County.  Volunteers will be needed to work in the home to sell tickets and furnishings, greet guests and inform them about the furnishings, the home and the CAA. Volunteers will receive one free ticket per shift to tour the home at any time (to be used by you or given away).

..........................................................................................................................................................................

Support our advertisers!

        

..........................................................................................................................................................................

**NEW THIS WEEK: Alaqua Animal Refuge
www.aarflorida.com
"Alaqua Animal Refuge is on 10-acres of farmland located in Freeport, Florida and is home to over 250 animals. We rescue, rehabilitate and adopt a wide variety of animals in need.  To continue to care for the animals, we are asking for your help.  We are in need of dedicated volunteers who are willing to be placed on a schedule to help us care for the animals and operate the refuge."

Daily assistance is needed in many many areas, from the care and walking of the dogs, cats, horses and livestock to administration as well as the following:

• Adoptions
• Dishes and laundry
• Grounds upkeep
• Repairs, building and maintenance
• Foster homes for nursing mothers & babies and special needs pets
• Volunteers at our Harbor Walk location
• Fundraising

If you are interested in walking the dogs, please contact: Lorraine Sloan at moneypenny@sloanventures.net; for care of the cats: Trish Smith at trishsmith1@cox.net; for care of the horses, Samantha Graves at samanthagraves@embarqmail.com; and for all other projects, call 850-880-6399 or email info@aarflorida.com.

Walton County Habitat for Humanity