Deb’s Notes

Ebenezer Baptist Church will celebrate it 191st Anniversary with a homecoming event on Sunday, Oct. 6. Sunday school will begin at 10 a.m., the Sunday morning worship will begin at 11 a.m. and a potluck dinner on the grounds will be served immediately after the service. Rick Knowles will share his musical talents after the meal. The Church is located at 446 Hatchett Rd., in Lamont (off Highway 19 about one mile south of Interstate 10). For more information call (850) 566-2731, (850) 997- 4124 or garnett1863@msn.com. Rev. Andy Creel, pastor.
Several artists, including selections from a local Jefferson County artist, will be spotlighted within the evoX Art Gala that will be held in Tallahassee on Friday, Oct. 11. The gala will be held at TheStudio, located at 2957 Capital Park Dr., in Tallahassee, from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Tickets for the gala are $30 each and may be purchased by calling (850) 242-8010 or ssjrafiel@gmail.com.
The Jefferson County Lions Club will be hosting the club's second annual Car Show on Saturday, Oct. 12. The show will take place in the CarQuest parking area, located at the south end of the Winn-Dixie plaza. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is open to the public. Registration will be from 9 to 11 a.m., and the fee to enter your vehicle into the show is $10. There will also be door prizes and a 50/50 raffle. Donations will be accepted. For questions or concerns, contact Coordinator Shanna Boutwell at (850) 694-3509 or sboutwell68@yahoo.com. The Jefferson County Lions Club meets on Mondays at 6 p.m. at the health department annex. Contact Lion Gary at (850) 766-1164 for more information.
As Healthy Aging Month is underway this September, Florida State University researchers have found the companionship of a pet after the loss of a spouse can help reduce feelings of depression and loneliness in older adults. The study, funded by The Gerontological Society of America and the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition and published in The Gerontologist, examined depressive symptoms and loneliness among people age 50 and older who experienced the loss of a spouse through death or divorce. There is evidence that our social support networks are really beneficial for maintaining our mental health following stressful events, despite the devastation we experience in later life when we experience major social losses.
The Florida Museum of Natural History is hosting “A Celebration of the Life of Alexander von Humboldt” on Oct. 6 from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Curtis M. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in honor of the naturalist’s 250th birthday. This free event features a special performance by the Gainesville Master Chorale and a talk by best-selling author Andrea Wulf followed by Q&A and a book signing. Wulf wrote The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World, which has won 15 international awards and is a New York Times Bestseller. Humboldt is heralded as the first scientist to note the effects of human-caused climate change and is called the “father of environmentalism.” The Gainesville Master Chorale will perform “This Finely Woven Earth” under the direction of Will Kesling. The concert celebrates Humboldt’s global perspective and the present-day significance for the conservation and ecology of the planet. Wulf’s books The Invention of Nature and The Adventures of Alexander von Humboldt are available for purchase at the Florida Museum gift shop. During September and October, the museum will display both books, a map of Humboldt’s travels to the Americas, and an abridged version of his journey in the Americas and Asiatic Russia. The event is sponsored by the Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida Performing Arts, the UF Center for Latin American Studies, UF College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, UF George A. Smathers Libraries, UF Biodiversity Institute, UF CLAS Rothman Family Chair in the Humanities and the Gainesville Civic Chorus. For more information, visit floridamuseum.ufl.edu/event/humboldt or call (352) 846-2000.
As kids are heading back to school, the CHP Champions Program is excited to announce its largest enrollment year-to-date - helping more than 18,000 students K-8 in Jefferson, Leon, Wakulla, Gadsden, Calhoun and Liberty County School Districts stay active. The CHP Champions program is a voluntary fitness program provided in local schools that is designed to encourage children to develop healthy habits and promote lifelong wellness. For more information, contact Suzi Hansen, with Sachs Media Group, at (850) 222-1996 or sachsmedia.com. To enroll your child, visit mychampions.com.