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Bay Breeze Patio Hires Kevin Louthain
as Commercial Sales Manager
Bay Breeze Patio announces the addition of
Kevin Louthain as commercial sales manager. The
new position will oversee all commercial accounts,
including restaurants, resorts, condominiums, hotels,
community associations, senior/community centers,
golf courses and other businesses with outdoor needs.
With a large selection of commercial grade products
from brands, including Tropitone, Polywood, and
Telescope, among others, Bay Breeze Patio features
the most durable products along with post-sale
support and service.
“The growth along the Emerald Coast has been
signifi cant in the last few years and we are excited to
add a new member to our team to keep up with the
growing demand,” said Susan Kiley, co-owner of Bay
Breeze Patio.
Louthain brings extensive experience in sales and
customer service. Previously, a district sales manager
with AirGas South, he oversaw seven retail locations
from Tallahassee to Pensacola. As a Walton County
resident for more than 10 years, he is especially
familiar with Destin, South Walton and 30A areas.
He is also a grilling enthusiast, and has been an
annual participant in Bay Breeze Patio’s Eggs on the
Beach Big Green Egg Cooking Competition held at
Seascape Resort each September. His knowledge of
the region and passion for outdoor living are a natural
fi t for the new role.
Bay Breeze Patio offers commercial grade outdoor
furniture, fi repits, grills, appliances, fi replaces,
heating elements and more. By understanding the
added demands placed on outdoor furniture and
gas appliances for commercial use, the team at Bay
Breeze Patio offers only the highest quality products
that can withstand high volume use and will stand up
to the area’s harsh coastal conditions.
Bay Breeze Patio is located at 32 Forest Shore
Drive in Miramar Beach, one mile west of Silver
Sands Premium Outlets.
To learn more, visit www.BayBreezePatio.com or
to schedule an appointment, call (850) 269-4666.
Emerald Coast Theatre Company Stages
Two New Children’s Productions as Part
of Its “Theatre for Young Audiences”
Program
Emerald Coast Theatre Company (ECTC), the
non-profi t professional theater company based in
Miramar Beach, Florida, continues to outreach to
youth with its Theatre for Young Audiences program
as part of the company’s 2016-2017 season.
“ECTC” is dedicated to fi nding new and different
ways to serve our community, and especially the
children of our community. Larger cities offer
children cultural educational opportunities that we
do not have many of here on the Emerald Coast. We
at ECTC want to change that and are dedicated to
creating opportunities for our children to be engaged
and inspired through the theatrical arts,” said ECTC
producing artistic director Nathanael Fisher.
Since its inception in 2012, ECTC has offered
Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) through
partnerships with Grand Boulevard at Sandestin, the
Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County, The Village
of Baytowne Wharf, and HarborWalk Village. TYA
is theatre performances specifi cally designed for the
children of our community.
“Our world is one of electronic distraction. Theater
provides our children with an unplugged experience
where they are in the presence of artists creating
relatable, real world art right in front of them,” Fisher
says.
To further make his case, Fisher points to a
study by researchers in the University of Arkansas
Department of Education Reform, which found that
“fi eld trips to live theater enhance literary knowledge,
tolerance and empathy among students.”
This year ECTC will stage two productions as part
of its TYA program. Both productions will be open
to the public and staged at ECTC’s new home theater
space located at 560 Grand Boulevard in Grand
Boulevard at Sandestin in Miramar Beach, Florida.
“CINDERELLA, CINDERELLA”
Feb. 18, 25 and March 4, 9:30 a.m.
As the action begins in this participation theater
version of the old favorite fairy tale, small groups of
children come to the statge to help Cinderella clean the
stepmother’s house before the terrible family returns. The
children then help an absentminded Fairy Godmother
get Cinderella dressed and ready for the ball; create the
wild ride to the castle and provide a distraught King
Ferdinand and a sorrowful prince with a queen; and
ladies and gentlemen to dance with at the ball.
“THE VELVETEEN RABBIT”
April 1 and 8, 9:30 a.m.
This is interactive version of the classic children’s
story of how toys become real. The characters of Old
Horse, Boy, Mother, Jack-in-the-Box, Tin Soldier,
Velveteen Rabbit, Doctor and Fairy all come to life
children in this heartwarming play.
Additional performances will be staged for local
students in Okaloosa, Walton and Bay country
schools as well.
Tickets are $10. Children (2 and under) are free. To
purchase tickets or make a tax-deductible donation
or learn more about becoming a part of Theatre for
Young Audiences, visit emeraldcoasttheatre.org or
call (850) 684-0323.
Educators may book fi eld trip shows by emailing
erin@emeraldcoasttheatre.org. Field trip shows
will be staged at 10 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 17, 24, and
March 3 at 10 for “Cinderella, Cinderella,” and
March 31, April 7 and April 14 for “The Velveteen
Rabbit.”
FWB Chamber
Announces Project
to Move the
Gulfview Hotel
The Greater Fort
Walton Beach Chamber
of Commerce will kick off
fund-raising activities for
relocating the Gulfview
Hotel from its current
location to a new site at the intersection of Miracle
Strip Parkway (Highway 98) and Eglin Parkway (the
former Joe and Eddie’s site). The building will be
restored and updated to serve as a Welcome Center
for the City of Fort Walton Beach.
The history of the Gulfview is really the history of
Fort Walton Beach. It was constructed in 1906, and
almost immediately became the premier hotel in the
area, welcoming guests up until it closed in 1986. At
that time, the Junior League of the Emerald Coast
began a long process of raising funds to preserve and
restore this local treasure, one of two Fort Walton
Beach structures on the National Registry of Historic
Places (the other is the Indian Temple Mound). They
used the revived building as offi ce and event space for
several years. It was eventually sold to Thomas and
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