Ted congratulates our friends from FWB Life on their 2 Year Business Anniversary! | | |
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Bit- Wizards Compels Businesses to Review BCDR Plans as Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
Fort Walton Beach, FL – June 3, 2024 – With the arrival of this year’s hurricane season, Managed IT Services (MITS) provider Bit-Wizards underlines the necessity for companies to review their business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) plans. Even though peak storm activity typically occurs in September, experts predict an 85% chance of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season with an anticipated 17 to 25 named storms in 2024.
Preparation is key to ensuring your BDCR plan gives your business the best chance of survival. By developing an IT disaster recovery plan, you can protect your company’s operations from significant threats. Even if you haven’t created a plan yet, it’s not too late to assess your business’s IT and prevent physical and financial hurricane damage.
“Leveraging the cloud for hurricane preparedness and recovery is essential for businesses who want a simple, easy-to-implement BCDR plan,” explains Brian Schlechter, Director of IT at Bit-Wizards. “With the cloud, you can significantly reduce the risk of data loss and downtime while safeguarding the technology that’s vital to your employees and customers.” Read more...
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Click on event below to register NOW for our Upcoming Chamber Events.
Don't forget to apply your discount, Click here
(Discount only applies to First Friday Coffee, Nothing But Networking, & Business After Hours)
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Upcoming Committee Meetings: Are you seeking opportunities for professional development and personal growth. Come to one or all nine of our chamber committees to see what the buzz is about! | |
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! | |
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Okaloosa County is inviting the public to attend the 2nd Annual Women Veterans’ Day ceremony on June 12, 2024, at 8 a.m. to celebrate the service of women who have served our nation. The event will include an indoor ceremony at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the nearby Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park. Women Veterans Day was recognized by the State of Florida by proclamation from Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021.
Learn more about the heroes depicted at Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans’ Park at http://myokaloosa.com/bcc/women-veterans-memorial
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Since sea turtle nesting season has officially begun, here are some things you can do to help keep our beaches safe for our nesting sea turtles.
- Remove all of your belongings from the beach at the end of the day - this includes your chairs, umbrellas, toys, and trash.
- Flatten your sandcastles - these act as obstacles for turtles crawling on the beach.
- Fill in your holes.
- Use ONLY a RED turtle-friendly flashlight on the beach at night - white lights are very harmful for our nesting sea turtles. If you're staying in a beach facing condo, make sure you turn off your outside lights and close your curtains.
Stop in to the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Welcome Center on Okaloosa Island to get a turtle-friendly flashlight
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FWB Police Chief Robert Bage speaks to chamber committee about opioid crisis
Chief Bage recently gave a presentation on the opioid epidemic and the use of Narcan to the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce Healthcare Committee. In 2023 there were 109,940 overdose-related deaths nationwide. 72% of those involved an opioid. The FWB Police Department is working with various community partners to stop the overdose deaths in our local community. For more information, please go to the Okaloosa County Health Improvement Plan (OCHIP) www.healthyokaloosa.com/ochip.
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City, FWB Police take part in Memorial Day ceremony
The City of Fort Walton Beach and the Fort Walton Beach Police Department were proud to be a part of the 2024 Memorial Day observance at Beal Memorial Cemetery. The annual event, hosted by the Veterans Tribute Tower Committee, drew hundreds of people to honor military service members who have passed during the past year. This year’s guest speaker was Col. Griffin Merrill, Deputy Commander of the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne).
“For these men and women, who gave the ultimate sacrifice, it was one they willingly accepted and a burden that they bore for all of us here,” said Merrill, “So let’s not lament their sacrifice. Let’s be thankful for it, and let’s live by their example.”
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Concerts at the Landing spring series wraps up
The Concerts at the Landing spring series was a huge success, with bands performing every Friday night in May from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fort Walton Beach Landing. Pictured here is guitarist Talon Wood with the Navarre-based band Thin Ice, who performed on May 24. Concerts at the Landing will take the month of June off, and return on Thursday, July 4, with a performance by the band Scratch 2020 and a fireworks show over Santa Rosa Sound.
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Fort Walton Beach Police Department to hold evening Community Bike Ride on June 12
The Fort Walton Beach Police Department’s monthly Community Bike Ride will be an evening ride in June. The ride is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, June 12, and will start and end at the Oakland Heights Athletic Fields, located at 413 Sullivan Street NW (behind Home Depot).
Our community police officers will be fitting riders for free bicycle helmets beginning at 4:30 p.m. with the ride kicking off at 5 p.m. Bicyclists will have a police vehicle escort for the 2-mile leisurely ride through neighborhoods around the Fort Walton Beach Tennis Center, Silver Sands School, and Bruner Middle School.
So, dust off your bicycle, fill up those tires and come join our officers for a pleasant evening ride!
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Okaloosa County Schools Participate in Summer Food Service Program
Okaloosa County Schools will be participating in the Summer Food Service Program this summer. Summer Break Spot offers balanced breakfasts and lunches at no cost for kids 18 and under. Meals will be served on site, at no cost. A list of sites and service times is available on the District’s website at the following link: https://www2.okaloosaschools.com/article/1616150. Read more...
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Okaloosa Technical College Ranks 55th in the 2024 National Cyber League Cyber Power Ranking
The National Cyber League (NCL) concluded the Spring 2024 NCL Competition with participation from all over the United States, representing all 50 states. Each season, the NCL publishes its Cyber Power Rankings of the top 100 schools in the competition. These rankings measure students' abilities to work individually and as a team in performing a wide range of cybersecurity tasks. Okaloosa Technical College (OTC) ranked 55th in the nation, with 29 students competing in this competition amongst 7,412 other college-level students. Read more...
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Okaloosa County School District Highlights Graduates of Okaloosa Up
On Tuesday, May 21, the Okaloosa County School District, families, and friends celebrated the achievements of three remarkable individuals - Reid Soria, Bailey Lamonte, and Diana Dowart, for completing the Okaloosa Unique Professionals program, also known as “Okaloosa UP.” Through Okaloosa UP, they have gained invaluable training and support, enabling them to develop essential career skills and earn occupational completion points, career certificates, and even industry certifications or licensure. Read more...
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Okaloosa County School District Students with Disabilities Graduate from Project Search High School Transition Program for the Second Year
The Project SEARCH program, in collaboration with the Okaloosa County School District (OCSD), has been incredibly successful in providing valuable opportunities for students with disabilities to gain essential job skills and transition into the workforce. For the second year, six students with disabilities from the Okaloosa County School District successfully graduated from the Project SEARCH High School Transition Program on Tuesday, May 21, at the Hilton Garden Inn on Okaloosa Island. Read more...
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Explore how to craft a compelling Elevator Pitch to captivate your audience, and master the art of using it to secure crucial funding for your business endeavors. Reserve your place at this powerful workshop in partnership with Veterans Florida and Beachworx in Fort Walton Beach the evening of June 12 (a Wednesday): tinyurl.com/elevator-pitch-sbdc | |
Take the first leg towards securing the financial foundation your business needs with key lending options available. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your trek, this webinar will provide insights that will equip you for the next phase. Sign up to tune in Thursday, June 20 at 9 a.m. for an hour — and get those questions answered: tinyurl.com/roadmap-620 | | | | |
