Community Archive

Ahead of Mother’s Day, Ignite Church is holding a car wash to raise funds for Pregnancy Resource Center of Navarre. “Clean Cars, Safe Starts” will take place Saturday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., at Ignite Church (8173 East Bay Blvd. Unit B) in Navarre. The fundraiser is being done through donations.

CareerSource EscaRosa, a regional nonprofit employment services agency, has been assisting both employers and people seeking employment for well over a decade. Among the agency’s top focuses is veterans affairs. In 2024, veteran unemployment in the U.S. was lower than (3%) nonveteran unemployment (3.9%). While the unemployment rate for veterans is lower, agencies like CareerSource EscaRosa say it just shows the kind of impact employment services can have.

In an unexpected turn during routine training exercises at Midway Station 37, members of Midway Fire District sprang into action to save four stray kittens trapped beneath a training prop roof.

Navarre Park was the place to be Saturday, April 26, as Santa Rosa Kids House and other organizations came together for the annual Norm Crowder Kids Fest. 

Santa Rosa County Animal Services is hosting a Community Cats Day for Santa Rosa County residents on Tuesday, April 29 at the Santa Rosa County Animal Shelter, 4451 Pine Forest Road in Milton. 30 stray/feral cats will be accepted for free spaying and neutering.

The popular saying “you can’t understand someone until you’ve walked a mile in their shoes” encourages empathy and understanding. For the family of Lilliana Boczar, an 11-year-old Navarre resident with two rare genetic disorders, they found out just how empathetic their community can be when a child is in need. Over the past few weeks Lilliana’s church, Ignite – A free Methodist Community, organized a shoe and donation drive to get Lilliana a new bed. At a cost of roughly $16,000, the Cubby Bed is designed for people with special needs and includes a protective mesh and a seizure monitoring system. Mari, Lilliana’s mom, said the bed will ensure that Lilliana is safe and secure throughout the night.

Plans have been submitted to Santa Rosa County for a new church building at 7484 Autumn Trace Blvd., near Harvest Village in Navarre. The church, Bethel Community Worship Center, has been around in its current form since 2018, meeting at Betty J. Pullum YMCA for services. The 0.674-acre Autumn Trace property has been in the church’s possession since 2020, but it is currently vacant.

Here is a list of Easter services and events this weekend in Navarre. For more specific information on each service or event, please reach out to the churches organizing them.

If you were on the Navarre Beach Fishing Pier April 5, then you caught a whale of a sight.

Two North Atlantic right whales, dubbed “Koala” and “Curlew,” were spotted just off the pier and have been seen numerous times along the Gulf Coast, with sightings from Southwest Florida to Alabama. Most sightings have taken place since January.

Quail Roost Drive in Navarre will be closed between Panhandle Trail and Ranch Drive Tuesday, April 15 starting at 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.. The closure will be for drainage work.