IT'S HERE: YOUR WEEKLY Coastlines!!

FEBRUARY 10, 2021

For your quick, weekly nugget of chamber knowledge from

President/CEO Ted Corcoran

Click the video/photo below.

Did you miss February's First Friday Coffee sponsored by Warren Averett CPA's & Advisors?!?

If so you missed a great event! Besides the normal fun activities and announcements, we learned Stephen Perkins with Warren Averett has a "walk-on song", Heather Ruiz, Chamber Chair, showed her allegiance to KC, Bernard Johnson with Gulf Power Company announced changes coming soon to the power company and we learned how to pronounce the owner of JVC Media (Formerly Community Broadcasters) name, John Caracciolo.

If you missed out or would like to relive the event you have options!

For more photos CLICK HERE!

For a quick Highlight Reel CLICK BELOW:

Don't forget - TOMORROW!!

MEMBER APPLAUSE!!

Congratulations

to the following

Chamber Members

voted Best in Destin

by VIP Destin Magazine!

DESTIN COMMONS

Shopping Lifestyle Center

AJ'S SEAFOOD & OYSTER BAR

Place for "Girl's Night Out"

EMERALD COAST SCIENCE CTR

Place to Take the Kids

HARBORWALK VILLAGE

Place to People Watch

HARBORWALK VILLAGE

Place to Watch a Sunset

SANDESTIN GOLF & BEACH RESORT

Resort

THE ISLAND FT. WALTON DESTIN BY HOTEL RL

Place for a Weekend Getaway

COASTAL SKIN SURGERY & DERMATOLOGY

Dermatology Practice

DR. RICHARD RENO

WHITE-WILSON MEDICAL CTR

Pediatrician

FORT WALTON BEACH MEDICAL CTR

Medical Center

HAND & STONE MASSAGE

& FACIAL SPA

Place for a Massage

MICHAEL STICKLER, MD

DERMATOLOGY SPECIALISTS

OF FLORIDA

Doctor

THE CENTER FOR COSMETIC & FAMILY DENTISTRY

Cosmetic Dentist

THE MANOR AT BLUE WATER BAY

Senior Living Center

WHITE-WILSON MEDICAL CTR

Medical Practice

HILTON SANDESTIN BEACH

GOLF RESORT & SPA

Reception Venue

ALAQUA ANIMAL REFUGE

Charity/Non-Profit

CENTURY 21 BLUE MARLIN PELICAN

Real Estate Team

CRC DATE TECHNOLOGIES

IT Firm/ Website Design

EGLIN FEDERAL CREDIT UNION

Bank/ Financial Institution

JACQUI LUBERTO

REALTY ONE GROUP

Real Estate Professional- Female

JDF ARCHITECTURE

Architecture

REALJOY PROPERTIES

Real Estate- Residential

RANDY WISE HOMES

Homebuilder

SANDESTIN GOLF & BEACH RESORT

Event Venue

SIMPLEHR

Payroll Firm/Human Resources

STEP ONE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Automobile Dealership - New

STEP ONE AUTOMOTIVE GROUP

Automobile Repair/Service

VOLKSWAGEN SUBARU

Automobile Dealership - Pre-owned

CLEMENZA'S AT UPTOWN

Italian Restaurant

PAZZO ITALIANO RISTORNATE & BAR

Appetizer

For more information and the entire list CLICK HERE!

The Emerald Coast Foundation

Awarded $5,247 Check

The Emerald Coast Foundation (ECF) received a check for $5,247.00, collected from The Boardwalk-Okaloosa Island's 2021 Polar Plunge. Congratulations Emerald Coast Foundation!

FRLA Award Nominations

Do you know someone in the hospitality business that goes above and beyond or is the epitome of GREAT Hospitality? If so nominate them for the NWFL Hospitality Hero Award. Nominations must be received by February 14, 2021.

NOMINATION FORM

The Emerald Coast Foundation

Receives Additional Donation

ECF President, Peggy King, also received an on-the-spot donation from Jerry Williams with Eglin Federal Credit Union, who won the Chamber Ambassador's 50/50 drawing. As soon as Tricia Marks, Ambassador Chair, gave the winning bounty to Jerry he promptly turned around and gave it to The Emerald Coast Foundation. Further proof our Members are the BEST!

Do you have GOOD NEWS?

An accomplishment? Award? Promotion? Donation?

Or even a great story about something your company or a team member did?

SHARE IT WITH US!!

Send your news and stories to [email protected].

Member Spotlight: Mary Tinsley, Edward Jones

This week's Member Spotlight is Financial Advisor, Mary Tinsley with Edward Jones.

Click on the video to the left to see why Mary was chosen for a Member Spotlight. If you attended December's First Friday Coffee you may remember...

COMMUNITY NEWS

Okaloosa County News

Okaloosa County Transit Survey

Okaloosa county Transit is seeking feedback to help shape the future of EC Rider’s Public Transportation offering in the County. If you use Okaloosa County Transit, have thought about using it or know someone who uses it, please take a couple of minutes to complete the survey and learn more about EC Rider:

www.ecrider.org/10yearplan/

Corrections Officer Anna Suggs Receives H.E.R.O. Award

Okaloosa County Administrator, John Hofstad presented the H.E.R.O. award to Corrections Officer Anna Suggs at the Board of County Commissioners Meeting on Tuesday, February 2, 2021.

Officer Suggs was nominated by The Corrections Department Director for her humanitarian efforts while off duty in another state.

Her quick life-saving actions after witnessing two individuals in an altercation, followed by one of the individuals suffering a medical emergency are believed to have saved a life on October 2, 2020. Officer Suggs is most definitely a hero and we're proud of her selfless acts in this moment!

The County has established the H.E.R.O. (Humanitarian Efforts Recognized by Okaloosa County) Award to recognize employees who not only go above and beyond the scope of their job description, but who do something that is considered to be of a humanitarian or heroic nature.

Vaccine Resources

As vaccine distribution updates are shared with our Public Safety team from the government and public health agencies leading vaccine protocol and distribution efforts, we want to be sure to share the news.

Here are a few resources, which are also linked at http://www.myokaloosa.com/bcc/covid-19

️* Publix vaccine registration portal Publix COVID Vaccine - Florida 

️* Florida Health Okaloosa (Watch this page for local Health Department appointment availability): www.healthyokaloosa.com

️ * Florida Health vaccine distribution report: Vaccine_Report

️ * Florida Health vaccine protocol page: COVID-19 Vaccines in Florida

️ * CDC’s United States Vaccination Tracker: COVID Data Tracker - Vaccinations

STATE OF THE SCHOOLS

From Superintendent of School Marcus Chambers

To say the last 11 months have been a challenge for the Okaloosa County School District would be an understatement. When March of 2020 arrived, we were preparing for a smooth end to the school year and planning for the upcoming year. Little did we know at the time that our world and way of normalcy was about to change in ways we never imagined. As educators, we find meaning in the time we spend with students, colleagues, and families and the relationships we foster in an effort to influence and shape the future of our most precious resource… our students. Never could we have known the resiliency we would all need in order to do the hard work necessary to keep our schools running during a pandemic.