Try the Y for free on Fridays this month
Many decide to gear up for the New Year by signing up for a gym membership. For those who have trouble deciding which local gym to commit to, the First Coast YMCA is offering “Try the Y for FREE on Fridays” — and Sundays — throughout the month of December.
Guests can choose from any First Coast Y branch and access amenities such as group fitness classes, state-of-the-art gym equipment and the KidZone. All guests who visit will also be entered to win a six-month First Coast Y membership.
Free Fridays at the Y is a great way to end the year and enter a new one.
For information, go to fcymca.org.
Nease senior wins district Congressional App Challenge
U.S. Rep. John Rutherford recently announced that Thomas Olinger, a senior at Allen D. Nease High School, is the winner of the 2021 Congressional App Challenge for Florida’s 4th Congressional District. This nationwide contest began in 2015 and takes place in each congressional district across the country. Its mission is to “inspire, include and innovate efforts around STEM, coding and computer science education.”
“Congratulations to Thomas on winning the 2021 Congressional App Challenge,” said Rutherford. “His outstanding app is a testament to his hard work and a reflection of the top-notch educators we have here in Northeast Florida.”
Thomas’ application, called Wordy, allows users to learn new words and remember previously learned words. A video displaying Wordy and its functionality can be found at youtube.com/watch?v=j5PxOFxjtL0.
For further information, go to congressionalappchallenge.us.
Distillery hosts sustainable tree-lighting ceremony in partnership with FPL
St. Augustine Distillery hosted a new holiday celebration in partnership with Florida Power & Light Co. on Thursday, Dec. 9: a sustainable tree-lighting ceremony.
Attendees enjoyed spirit samples, learned about solar energy, had photos taken by the 18-foot tree and took part in an exclusive after-hours holiday shopping experience.
The event was sponsored by FPL SolarNow, a program that brings solar energy to local communities to educate and inspire future generations about clean energy.
To date, FPL has installed solar arrays at more than 70 SolarNow locations across 18 counties.
The St. Augustine Distillery’s FPL SolarNow canopy is particularly unique because the distillery’s building was one of the first commercial ice plants built by FPL in the early 1900s. This partnership showcases the building’s historic roots while also working toward a cleaner energy future for St. Augustine residents.
The tree will remain at St. Augustine Distillery through the Night of Lights holiday season as a festive reminder of FPL SolarNow’s mission to provide sustainable energy to the state of Florida.
St. Johns County beach-driving passes on sale now
St. Johns County beach-driving passes are on sale now. St. Johns County resident passes are $50, non-resident passes are $100 and handicap passes are $40.
Passes will be available during normal business hours through March 1 at the Tax Collector’s Ponte Vedra Office, 151 Sawgrass Corners Drive.
Residents must present a valid I.D. with a St. Johns County address or present proof of property tax payments in St. Johns County to purchase a resident pass. A handicap hangtag or proof of qualification must be presented when requesting a handicap pass. Disabled military members are eligible for a free annual pass by showing their military I.D. or a letter from Veterans Affairs verifying disabled status.
Resident, nonresident and handicap passes are also available for purchase through CivicRec. Delivery for passes purchased online may take up to two weeks. Vehicles accessing the beach do not need a beach pass until March 1. After that, beach passes will be available for purchase at the same rate at tollbooth locations and online.
For more information about annual beach driving passes, call the St. Johns County Beach Services Office at 904-209-0331.
