Tour Description: The Magnolia Grill is located in downtown Fort Walton Beach and is equal parts museum and restaurant. The home was ordered from a 1910 Sears Catalog. It is filled with pieces of local and military history. Tom and Peggy Rice, the owners, have deep family roots. Tom Rice will lead you through the entire restaurant explaining the significance of many items. He will also walk you around the outside to explain unique construction.

Tour Host Bio: Tom Rice is not only a restaurant owner, but a pillar of the Fort Walton Beach community having won many awards for his civic contributions. To name just a few, he received the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award by establishing the Fisher House of the Emerald Coast for veterans and their families and serves on the Board of Directors of Veterans Florida raising funds to construct the Veterans Tribute Tower at Beal Memorial Cemetery.

Notes: We will meet at Magnolia Grill at 9:30-11:00, 157 Brooks Street SE, Fort Walton Beach. Following the tour, you are invited and encouraged to stay for lunch (at your expense) and enjoy this unique restaurant and its vast and varied menu.

Tour Description: During this tour participants will see and receive information about the full process of the recycle stream, from where the trucks dump their material on the top floor, down to the final bales and where it is shipped out to local mills. Information will be shared and shown about specific pieces of technology and equipment along the system stream used at the facility to separate out the different recyclable material.

Tour Host Bio: Sam Peterson is the manager of the recycling center. He runs the facility and logistics part of the company while growing volume with the sales team.

Notes: This tour meets on Tuesday September 9 at 9:00AM. Location is the WM FWB Material Recovery Facility, 109 Ready Avenue, Fort Walton Beach. Wear closed toe shoes. There are some stairs to climb during the tour.

Tour Description: The 3rd Planet Brewing Co. was founded by two Air Force veterans in 2015 and now produces around 2,000 barrels annually. The brewery has received many awards, including the Finest Craft Brewery in NW Florida. During the tour on September 10 at 4:00, the head brewer will explain the brewing process and the types of beer produced.

Tour Host Bio: Brian Detweiler is the Head Brewer and a co-owner of the brewery.

Notes: We will meet Thursday, September 10 at 4:00PM, at the 3rd Planet Brewery Co., 1400 John Sims Parkway, Niceville, FL. The brewery garage door will be lifted upon arrival and we will meet at the entrance to begin the tour. After the tour, feel free to choose from the many selections of beer in the taproom (at your own expense).

Tour Description: PAWS is a safe haven for thousands of animals each year - providing food, medical care, and a chance at a loving home.

Tour Host Bio: Trina Stockstill is the Foster and Volunteer Program Manager.

Notes: We will meet at PAWS, 752 Lovejoy Road, Fort Walton Beach. Lovejoy Road is accessed from Mary Esther Cutoff, and the PAWS building is at the dead end of the road.

Tour Description: Students will build a charcuterie board to take home with ingredients provided by The Board Chef. To build your board you will be provided with eight cheeses, three types of salami and accoutrements such as dried fruits, olives, sweetie peppers, etc. You will learn to shape your salami slices into roses. A fee of $25 (payable in cash or credit card) will be collected at the door to cover the cost of the ingredients.

Tour Host Bio: Annmarie has been in the food industry since her first job at the age of 14 in a Southern California pie shop.  She has worked on every side of this amazing industry, not only as a brands manager for a national broadcaster liner as a center of the plate specialist, but as a successful entrepreneur.  She took a leap during Covid, took out every tool, called on every business relationship she had, made a plan, moved to Fort Walton Beach and started The Board Chef.

Notes: The class location is 322 Harbor Place SW, Fort Walton Beach.  This is a residence with plenty of on-street parking available. A $25 fee payable by cash or credit card will be collected at the door to cover the cost of the ingredients provided.  The class will last approximately 1.5 hours (90 minutes).  If you register for the tour and need to cancel, please email smcnairLTC@gmail.com as soon as possible to allow someone on the wait list to take your place.

Tour Description: During this tour participants will see and receive information about the full process of the recycle stream, from where the trucks dump their material on the top floor, down to the final bales and where it is shipped out to local mills. Information will be shared and shown about specific pieces of technology and equipment along the system stream used at the facility to separate out the different recyclable material.

Tour Host Bio: Sam Peterson is the manager of the recycling center. He runs the facility and logistics part of the company while growing volume with the sales team.

Notes: This tour meets on Tuesday September 16 at 9:00AM. Location is the WM FWB Material Recovery Facility, 109 Ready Avenue, Fort Walton Beach. Wear closed toe shoes. There are some stairs to climb during the tour.

Tour Description: At Traditions Workshop, the goal is to keep memories alive and restoring family heirlooms. Traditions Workshop is a hybrid shop. Power tools can be found onsite, but you can also find can adze, hand planes, saws, scrapers, needle and thread. Our tour will consist of providing an overview of the Traditions Workshop crafts and classes offered such as blacksmithing, stain glass, drop spindle and more. This one-time tour, geared to the introduction of restorations skills and availability, will meet on Thursday, September 17, from 10:00 to 12:00, at Traditions Workshop.

Tour Host Bio: When Lt. Col. David Sandlin retired from the Air Force after a 22-year career as an A-10 and F-16 fighter pilot and 13 years as a software contractor, it didn't take long before he was ready for something new. As it turned out, something new was actually something old, after forming his Traditions Workshop furniture repair and restoration business. David believes that "Part of restoration is doing the blacksmithing work, because some of the pieces we get in are antique and you can't find the hardware anymore, so we have to make it".

Notes: We will meet at Traditions Workshop, 418 Green Acres Rd, Unit 4, Fort Walton Beach

Tour Description: The Heritage Museum Colonial-Independence Tea on Thursday, September 17, from 1:00 to 3:00, will be a tour of the Celebrate America 250 Exhibit with the Revolution Exhibit curated by Dr. Marie Hallion and organized as an exhibit by Dr. Barbara Palmgren. There will be appropriate afternoon tea appetizers and tea itself.  Dr. Hallion will explain the history of the tea, as well as the Boston Tea Party.  Cost is $10 to cover food and beverage served for the tea party. Please bring exact change.

Tour Host Bio(s):  Dr. Marie Hallion is an Adjunct Professor at the Graduate School and the School of Undergraduate Studies of the University of Maryland Global Campus.  She worked inside the White House from 1972 to 1978 during the Nixon, Ford, and Carter Administrations.  Marie specializes in organizational theory and a wide range of courses in government and politics.  Dr. Barbara Palmgren is a retired educator and author who currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Heritage Museum of Northwest Florida.

Notes: There will be an additional cost is $10 to cover food and beverage served for the tea party. Please bring exact change.