Community Partner Spotlight | | |
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| | Upcoming Committee Meetings: Are you seeking opportunities for professional development and personal growth. Come to one or all eleven of our chamber committees to see what the buzz is about! | | June New Member Luncheon: Lisa Jackson, Vicky Pope & Danielle King, Sage Counsel Realty | Brandon Bishop & Dawn Davezac, Cross Environmental Services, Inc. (CES)| Cameron Johnson, ADT Security | Nik Smirnov, Boogies Watersports | Leah Robertson, Optimize U | Ashley Richmond, Beach Weekend Coffee | Jordon Eberle, Emerald Coast Autism Center | Seth Ewing, Operation Tabletop | Robert Hull & Joe Ringheisen, ResponseForce1 | Amaralus Addarich, The Island Resort | Tolliesha Watts, Vision 2 Venture | Ashley Marsh, Panhandle Cleaners | Koby Welker & Cornelius Albert, TMS of Emerald Coast | Jesus Miranda & Robert Bonham, First Onsite Property Restoration | | Check out these short tutorial videos that provide a step-by-step guide on how to navigate through the online Member Information Center (MIC). These instructional videos will show you how to update your profile, add keywords, add job postings, register for chamber events/add your benefit discount, add events to chamber community calendar, pay invoices and much more! | | |
In an effort to address the housing needs of Okaloosa County, Okaloosa County community stakeholders across all nine municipalities are working to improve workforce housing availability for the County’s growing population. Education is a key component to achieve a greater awareness of the County’s housing needs and create quality, workforce housing. What do you really know about the housing situation in Okaloosa County?
Housing issues affect everyone, not just low-income households.
If you were to try to buy your current home in today’s housing market, would you still be able to afford it? Knowing what your home is currently worth and what the current interest rates are, use this calculator to see where you stand in today’s current market. >> https://www.calculator.net/mortgage-calculator.html
Learn more about the Keys to Unlock Housing in Okaloosa County at OkaloosaHousing.com
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Okaloosa County is thankful for all of the attendees to this year’s Women Veterans Day event. Two new statues were unveiled and Col. Kristen Wood, Commander 1st Special Operations Mission Support Group gave an inspiring speech as the keynote speaker.
The two new statues recognize:
• Captain Linda Bray
Linda Bray, a Captain in the U.S. Army, led her company during a firefight in Panama in 1989 and was recently awarded the Bronze Star with V Device for her actions. At the time, it was illegal for women to engage in combat, but Bray acted when the situation deteriorated.
• Florence Ebersole Smith Finch
Florence Ebersole Smith Finch, who was half Filipino, worked with the Philippine underground to smuggle supplies to POWs during World War II. After being imprisoned and tortured by the Japanese, she joined the Coast Guard in 1945 and was awarded the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Ribbon and the Medal of Freedom.
In 2021 Okaloosa County unveiled the Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park where this year’s wreath laying will take place. A total of eight women who served in combat, during various U.S. military conflicts, are honored at Veterans Park with life-sized bronze statues strategically placed along a quarter-mile path. It is surrounded by native wildlife that includes a nearby great blue heron rookery.
Learn more about the women honored at the park at https://myokaloosa.com/bcc/women-veterans-memorial.
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Fort Walton Beach Recreation Center floors get new surface, new look
The wood floors of the Fort Walton Beach Recreation Center’s gymnasium, dance room, and two racquetball courts were recently resurfaced as part of regular ongoing maintenance.
The project involved sanding the gymnasium’s 9,100-square-foot floor down to bare maple wood, which is the first time that has been done since the facility opened 10 years ago. We took that opportunity to replace the old City of Fort Walton Beach seal at center court with our new FWB365 Live, Work, Play logo.
We hope you like it, and we hope you visit us soon!
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City’s downtown museums are open and free during construction of new addition
Although the Indian Temple Mound Museum is closed during the construction of a new 4,800-square-foot addition, we’d like to remind everyone that the three Historic buildings in the Heritage Park and Cultural Center are still open to the public.
The Camp Walton Schoolhouse Museum, the Garnier Post Office Museum, and the Civil War Exhibit Building are open 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and we’re waiving admission fees during the construction period.
The Fort Walton Beach Heritage Park and Cultural Center is located in downtown Fort Walton Beach at 139 Miracle Strip Parkway SE. For more information, call 850-833-9595 or visit fwb.org/museum.
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Downtown Design Guidelines project presented to City Council
A representative with consultant firm Kimley-Horn presented a draft of the City’s Downtown Design Guidelines (DDG) project to the City Council during a special meeting last week.
The DDG project looks to create a set of cohesive design principles using architectural details, streetscaping, and the use of open spaces and public amenities that will:
- help emphasize and preserve the history of Downtown Fort Walton Beach
- Maintain existing businesses and attract new ones
- Improve the visitor experience and better connect residents to the Downtown District
The project began last summer with a series of public meetings, online surveys, and one-on-one meetings with stakeholders in the Downtown District. Last week’s presentation was a final draft, which council members will then review and provide their input at a future meeting. Learn more about the Downtown Design Guidelines project here: fwb.org/DDG.
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Okaloosa County Students Raise Over $9,600 in Change for Children Campaign
On May 27, 2025, the Okaloosa County School Board recognized students, staff, and administrators from across the district for their outstanding efforts in the 2024-2025 Change for Children Campaign, a student-led fundraiser supporting Children in Crisis, Inc. The campaign—held annually from September through May—raises essential funds to support The Children's Neighborhood, a safe and nurturing emergency shelter for children who have been removed from unstable or unsafe home environments. Okaloosa schools collectively raised more than $9,600 to help provide food, clothing, shelter, and stability to local children in need. Read more...
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Fort Walton Beach High School Senior William Kiker Makes History with Second National Debate Championship Win
Fort Walton Beach High School is proud to announce that 2025 graduate William Kiker has made history by becoming the first student ever to win the Incubate Debate National Championship twice. Kiker secured his second victory at the 2025 Incubate Debate National Championship, held in Sarasota, Florida, after two intense final rounds debating the future of the Department of Education and the Department of Government Efficiency.
The prestigious championship brought together top student debaters from 10 states, including Florida, California, Washington, Georgia, and South Carolina, to discuss five key topics, ranging from immigration policy and NATO involvement to the structure of federal agencies. Read more...
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Empowering Educators with Innovation: Okaloosa Teachers Complete FSU InSPIRE Certification Program
Last week, eighteen outstanding Okaloosa County educators recently completed the FSU InSPIRE teacher certification program—an immersive, week-long professional learning experience focused on artificial intelligence (AI) prompt engineering and robotics integration in the classroom. Hosted by Florida State University’s InSPIRE (Institute for Strategic Partnerships, Innovation, Research & Education), this transformative opportunity equips teachers with the tools and knowledge to create future-ready learning environments. Participants earned industry-recognized certifications and gained hands-on experience with cutting-edge instructional technologies thanks to FSU’s dynamic partnerships with Microsoft, MantisEdu, and Sciberus. Read more...
| | Calling all small business owners in and around Okaloosa County! 📣 Join the Florida APEX Accelerator at UWF this June for a special event to connect with local government agencies. You'll foster relationships, unlock potential projects, and get your questions answered by purchasing officials in a panel moderated by our Florida APEX Accelerator expert, Chip Wells. Stick around for networking opportunities after the panel! Don’t miss out, register now: tinyurl.com/biz-okaloosa | | | | |
