South Waltoners opened their homes during the holidays
Brenda and Lane Rees hosted their fifth annual countdown to Walton County's 200th birthday Dec. 29 at their home at Eastern Lake. The county's 200th birthday will be Dec. 29, 2024. Brenda gave her traditional reading of Edgar Alan Poe's poem to Octavia Walton followed by a sunset toast and responded to some questions from the crowd about the county's history.
Lynn Dugas opened her lovely new home off 30A on Dec. 20 for a Christmas party for friends and employees.
Didon Comer and Hank White hosted a New Year's celebration at their home at Alligator Cove, and Tom and Dana Saffel hosted their annual New Year's Adam party on Dec. 30.
I ran into Terry King during New Year's Eve, who I had not seen in a while, and Rick Benson.
Richard and Shellie Arriaga met Brooke Hogan on a recent trip to south Florida. Brooke now owns a piece of Richard's original jewelry.
Jane and Greg Bahr traveled to New Orleans to welcome the New Year with friends from Birmingham and New Orleans.
Montee Posey visited Jupiter, Fla.
Lori Ceier is back home from the Conch Republic.
Mary Katherine Wells stopped in Destin on her way to Georgia last week.
Alys Beach's Kelli Arnold headed to Huntington Beach, Calif., to visit family and friends.
Bett and Paul Appel's daughter, Kristin, has been visiting through the holidays. She managed to fly out of Chicago on the same day all the bad winter storms were canceling flights.
Emeril Lagasse and Bob Cabral, wine maker for Williams Selyem winery, and their families lunched at The Smiling Fish last week, along with a few locals. The Fish also hosted Olympic skater Michelle Kwan a couple of weeks ago.
Eileen West Gallery hosts the art collections of Reginald Mitchell "Mercedes," the foremost collectors of "Outsider Art" in America, and Micky Beth Stiller, who has been an authority on the art form of naive artists since the mid 1970s, who holds the work of Howard Finster, MoseT, Sibil Gibson, Bernice Sims, Jimmy Sudduth, R A Miller, Reverend Perkins, Reginal Mitchell, Willie White, and Clementine Hunter. The show runs through January.
Twelve pieces of artwork are featured in the Cultural Arts Association's 2009 Calendar of Art. The calendars are available at the CAA office in Blue Mountain Beach and at Sundog Books in Seaside for $15. All proceeds benefit CAA's ongoing workshops, events and Educational Giving program.
Ten teachers were awarded a total of $2,062.75 in teacher mini grants to promote art in the classroom. Given quarterly to teachers whose applications meet the CAA guidelines, these grants make enrichment in the arts possible for many students. Teachers and the schools they represent are: Cathy Wilder and Sammy Watson, Paxton High School; Kelly Derry, Butler; Crystal Murray, Heather Hester, and Jenny Brannon, Maude Saunders; Rhonda Lyle and Laurie Hudson, Freeport Elementary; Donald Goodrum, South Walton High School; and Kim Hydle, Walton County. $995 was also awarded for need-based students to have after-school and Saturday art classes. Programs like these are made possible by contributions to CAA.
Reed Waddle began the year by completing his fourth album "Piece by Piece" in the mountains of Aspen, Colo. To order go to www.reedwaddle.com. Reed is booking a March tour throughout the Southeast and parts of Texas.
Lucky Adam Shiland was the recent winner of a free pet portrait by Teresa Cline.
South Walton Fire District Senior Life Guards Adam Boyer, Justin Cook, Brandon Polkowski and Joe Serrato were sent to a United States Lifeguard Association Advanced Training program in Palm Beach, Fla. early in December. These veterans of the program now have higher skill levels and an enhanced ability to train and certify new guards.
Dave and Nan Ream celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary in St. Augustine and enjoyed a little golf.
Chris and Julie Ogle, of Santa Rosa Beach recently celebrated their 10th wedding anniversary.
Belated happy birthday wishes go out to Bill Schultz who celebrated Dec. 23; Kate Johnson, who celebrated on Dec. 26; and The Walton Sun's new reporter Mary Brady, who celebrated Dec. 31.
Happy birthday today to Susan Livingston.
Monday to Madra McDonald.
Tuesday to Fusion's Russ Gilbert and Hugh Marse.
Wednesday to Albert F's Holly Speight and Johnnie Riley White.
Thursday to Seagrove's Margaret Aderholt.
Friday to Annie Mangrum and Didon Comer.
Party Line Talk appears weekly in The Walton Sun. Deborah Wheeler is the arts and entertainment reporter for The Sun. She may be reached at (850) 267-4555 or e-mail debbie_wheeler@link.freedom.com. Contributions are encouraged.
