St. Johns County Libraries Encouraging Patrons to Help Put Meals on Tables this Holiday Season with “Food for Fines” Program

St. Johns County Public Libraries are offering patrons the opportunity to resolve overdue fines and help those in need this holiday season through the “Food for Fines” program. Library staff will accept non-perishable food items in lieu of overdue library fines through January 5, 2013. All donations will be delivered to the St. Johns County Food Closet and will be distributed locally to help meet increased need for meals during the holiday season. Up to $1 in overdue fines will be resolved for each sealed, non-expired, non-perishable food item donated. The donation waivers are for library fines only and cannot be applied to fees for printing, lost items, or for credit against future fines. Interested parties who do not owe fines are also encouraged to participate by dropping off canned foods at any library branch or bookmobile stop. Together, all residents can help top last year’s collection of more than 18,000 donations. For more information, visit www.sjcpls.org or call 904.827.6925.

St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners Offers Workshop on County Government Ethics, Function, and Transparency

The St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) invites the community to a special educational workshop at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, November 20 in the County Administration Auditorium, 500 San Sebastian View. The workshop is designed to educate interested persons about some of the most common laws that affect elected officials and volunteers who serve on local government advisory committees and boards, and citizens who wish to take an active role in County government. Virginia Delegal, General Counsel for the Florida Association of Counties, will make a presentation covering County Government Form and Function. Additionally, attorneys from the Office of the St. Johns County Attorney will review the Code of Ethics for Public Officers and Employees, laws related to Quasi-Judicial Proceedings, Government in the Sunshine, and Public Records. To learn more about this educational session or regularly scheduled BOCC public meetings, please visit www.clk.co.st-johns.fl.us/minrec/agendas/curr_agenda.html.

St. Johns County and City of St. Augustine Offer Post-Thanksgiving Cooking Oil Recycling Sites

St. Johns County, FL. – Following the great success of last year’s program, St. Johns County and the City of St. Augustine have joined together again to collect used cooking oil and grease after the Thanksgiving holiday. The event will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, November 26 at two recycling drop points, 25 W. Castillo Drive (Francis Event Field) and 840 West 16th Street on Anastasia Island.

The program allows residents to properly dispose of used cooking oil to be recycled into usable products such as biodiesel fuel. When cooking oil is disposed of improperly, it can clog sewer pipes and create public health hazards by causing raw sewage to back into homes, businesses, and the environment. Participants are asked to allow used cooking grease to cool prior to delivering it in a safe container that will not melt or shatter. Those who donate will receive free funnels for future recycling efforts. For more information or to learn where to donate cooking oil throughout the year please contact Glabra Skipp, City of St. Augustine, at 904.209.4284 or Stacy Kowlsen, St. Johns County, at 904.209.2662.

Vilano Beach Town Center Invites Residents to Get Creative and Celebrate the Holidays with “The Dressing of the Palms”

Vilano Beach Main Street and the North Shores Improvement Association invite residents to participate in “The Dressing of the Palms,” an inaugural celebration of the holidays and coastal living. For a $25 entry fee, residents can adopt and decorate palms through November to promote and showcase their schools, businesses, and holiday cheer. Judging will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 10 at the Vilano Beach Town Center. First place will receive $300, second place $150, and third $75. Palms will remain decorated through January 31. Don’t miss out on your opportunity to make the Vilano Beach Town Center a holiday destination. To reserve a palm and learn more about design rules, visit www.vilanobeachfl.com or contact Linda Arnold at lindabarnold@mac.com or 904.910.8386.

Annual Adoption Day Celebration Honoring St. Johns County Foster and Adoptive Families

The St. Johns County Family Integrity Program invites the community to the 10th Annual Adoption Day Celebration from 6 – 8 p.m. on Friday, November 2 at the Solomon Calhoun Center, 1300 Duval Street. Held in conjunction with National Adoption Month in November, the celebration will honor the foster and adoptive parents and families who currently serve the children of St. Johns County. Activities will include free food, a bounce house, games, and arts and crafts. Despite the efforts of these wonderful caregivers, an ongoing need continues to exist for additional foster and adoptive homes to care for children in our community who cannot safely remain with their families. Information will be available at the event for anyone interested in becoming a foster or adoptive parent. For more information, please visit sjcfl.us/fip or adoptflorida.com, or call Kim Kelly with the St. Johns County Family Integrity Program at 904.209.6107.

Source: St. John’s County