On Saturday, July 23, 2016, USA Football hosted a free, one day football camp at the Yulee Sports Complex. This program was one of many USA Football Protection Tours offered throughout the country. While many of the clinics are hosted at NFL footballs stadiums, this event was hosted at the Yulee Sports Complex in celebration of the Jacksonville Jaguars Foundation's partnership with the Nassau County Board of County Commissioners for construction of a new football field.

Master Trainers from the USA Football Head's Up Program led player safety clinics with local coaches and footballs players. In this program,coaches were trained on the 4 pillars of safe football: Equipment Fitting; Concussion Awareness; Heat & Hydration; and Head's Up Tackling. The event also featured appearances by former Jacksonville Jaguar players who now serve as Head's Up Ambassadors, members of Roar, the Jacksonville Jaguars Cheerleaders, and Jaxson de Ville, the Jaguars beloved Mascot.

Statistics have shown that players who learn the Head's Up Tackling technique have less injuries because they know how to safely block and tackle. Following the clinics, Master Trainers will continue to work with league coaches throughout the season to insure they are practicing the four pillars and applying the techniques they learned to each game. This joint effort serves as reassurance to parents that their children are being coached by individuals who can teach them the safety techniques they need to play the game safely.

To learn more about the Head's Up Program, please visit USA Football's website.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

Did you know that the Nassau County Extension Office offers 4-H Summer Camps? Below are the exciting camps being offered for the Summer of 2016:

Love a Horse Day Camp
Learn about the types of horses and everything you need to know about horse care. Participants will also go on a trail ride.
When: May 31-June 2, 2016
Location: To be determined
Ages: 8 and up
Cost: $60

Old McDonald Had a Farm Day Camp
We all know that Old MacDonald had a farm, but what else do we know about farms? Check out the farm animal day camp to learn about how farms work and the types of animals you find on a farm. There will also be special animal visitors!
When: June 7-10, 2016
Location: Nassau County Extension Office, 543350 US Highway 1, Callahan, FL
Ages: 5-9
Cost: $40

Where the Wild Things Are Day Camp
Do you love the outdoors? If so, join us as we explore various aspects of nature: forestry, wildlife, and aquatics. Participants will make crafts, play games and go on daily field trips including a nature hike, the Jacksonville Zoo, and kayaking. Sunscreen and insect repellant are required each day, in addition to a bag lunch and water bottle.
When: June 14-16, 2016
Location: To be determined
Ages: 10-13
Cost: $60

Discovering 4-H Day Camp
What is 4-H? What types of activities do 4-Hers participate in? Come to our Discovering 4-H Day Camp to learn the answers to these questions while having a blast. We will cover a range of topics including agriculture, science, the environment, and community service.
When: July 19-22, 2016
Location: Nassau County Extension Office, 543350 US Highway 1, Callahan, FL
Ages: 7-11
Cost: $40

Camp Cherry Lake 4-H Residential Camp
Join us for a week at the beautiful Camp Cherry Lake. Activities include singing songs, kayaking, archery, swimming and much, much more!
When: July 5-8, 2016
Location: Madison, FL
Cost: $225 for 4-H members; $250 for non-members

For more information regarding Nassau County Extension's Summer Camps for 2016, please call (904) 530-6353.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

The North Florida Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) is conducting the Amelia Island Pedestrian and Bicycle Focus Area Study to develop a network of walking and bicycling routes and they need your help identifying popular destinations, preferred routes, and any existing obstructions to bicyclists, runners, and pedestrians. The insights of those who already participate in these types of activities on Amelia Island are critical to understanding how a comprehensive bicycle and pedestrian network can best serve the community.

To share your thoughts, please join the TPO on Saturday, February 27, 2016 from 9am-1pm at the Fernandina Beach Market Place located on North 7th Street. If you are unable to attend the event, you can submit comments online at www.ameliapedbikestudy.com by Friday, March 4, 2016.

If you have any questions, please contact Marci Larson of the TPO at (904) 306-7513 or via e-mail at mlarson@northfloridatpo.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

In celebration of Black History Month, the Nassau County Library System will host a series of free events. Below are two events that have already been scheduled. Other events may be announced at a future date and stories will be published accordingly.  

National African American Read-Ins
This national event was established in 1990 by the Black Caucus of the National Council of Teachers of English in an effort to make literacy a significant part of Black History Month and is the nation's first and oldest event dedicated to diversity in literature.

Join the other 5.5 million participants around the world on Monday, February, 1, 2016 from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. in the Fernandina Beach Library Community Room. You can choose to listen or if you would like, you can participate by bringing a 1-2 reading from any material written by an African American including poetry, speeches, books, etc.  This event is sponsored by The Friends of the Fernandina Beach Library, The Association for the Study and Preservation of African American History in Nassau County, and the Nassau County Public Library System.

A second National African American Read-In will also take place at the Hilliard Branch Library on Thursday, February 18, 2016 from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. and will include a special performance by the West Nassau Mass Choir. This event is sponsored by the Nassau County Public Library System, The Friends of the Hilliard Library, and The Concerned Citizens of Hilliard.

Showing of the Rosenwald Film by Aviva Kempner
Rosenwald is the incredible story of Julius Rosenwald, who never finished high school, but rose to become the President of Sears. Influenced by the writings of Booker T. Washington, this Jewish philanthropist joined forces with African-American communities during the Jim Crow South to build over 5,300 schools during the early part of the 20th Century, including Peck High School in Fernandina Beach. The film will be shown on Monday, February 22, 2016 at 6:00 p.m. in the Fernandina Beach Library Community Room.

This film screening is funded by the City's Historic Preservation Trust Fund, the Nassau County Library System, and local citizens. 

For information or questions concerning these events, please contact the Fernandina Beach Library at (904) 277-7365.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office





 

Did you know that the Nassau County Extension offers free educational plant clinics in which you can learn about proper plant care, disease management, and insect control? You can also bring samples of your diseased or insect infested plants with you and speak with experts that can diagnose your problem and provide you advice on how to correct the issue.

The 2016 schedule has been posted to the County Extension website. January's classes include the following:

Plant Clinics

Date: Monday, January 4, 2016
Time: 10:00 am-2:00 pm
Location: Yulee County Building, 86026 Pages Dairy Road, Yulee, FL 32097

Date: Monday, January 11, 2016
Time: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Yulee County Building, 86026 Pages Dairy Road, Yulee, FL 32097 


The County Extension also offers free educational classes regarding landscape maintenance. These classes include a variety of topics such as how to prune trees, how to grow roses, and attracting wildlife to your yard. January's classes are as follows:

Landscape Maintenance Classes:

Topic: Citrus, Citrus for the Home, Citrus Pest Control 
Date: Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Time: 10:00 am-11:00 am
Location: Yulee County Building, 86026 Pages Dairy Road, Yulee, FL 32097

Topic: Prunning Fruit Trees
Date: Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Yulee County Building, 86026 Pages Dairy Road, Yulee, FL 32097

If you have any questions, please contact the Nassau County Extension Office at (904) 530-6350.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

As part of their United Way campaign, the Board of County Commissioners occasionally organizes Community Volunteer Projects. The most recent Community Volunteer Project was a Food Drive organized to benefit Barnabas. Employees were notified of the food drive on October 13, 2015, and over the next two weeks, various items were collected including cereal, canned vegetables, soup, pasta, fruit cups, and peanut butter. We are happy to report that today, 237 pounds of food was delivered to Barnabas to help families in need right here in Nassau County.

A big thank you to each person who made a donation for this Community Volunteer Project! We are so fortunate to live in a county with so many caring individuals.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

Representatives from Nassau County attended this morning's United Way Kick-Off Event at Barnabas. After a brief presentation, participants were split into three groups for community projects which focused on education, financial stability, and health.

Included are some pictures of various County Reps filling grocery bags with Thanksgiving foods such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, corn, and cranberry sauce. Over 650 bags are filled and ready for families in need this holiday season. Great job by everyone involved!

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

Sudden cardiac arrest is currently the leading cause of death in the United States and a study released by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revealed that many sudden cardiac arrests occur while the victims are at work. It is believed that placement of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in the workplace, along with proper training on how to use the devices, can mean the difference between life and death because more than 90% of cardiac deaths occur before the patient reaches the hospital. It has also been noted that when a patient is treated with an AED prior to paramedics arriving at the scene, survival rates are improved significantly.

In the Spring of 2015, the County was notified that the Florida League of Cities was accepting safety grant applications to assist local government entities with the costs to purchase AEDs for their facilities. The County applied for the grant and was notified in May 2015 that their grant application had been approved and that Nassau County would be awarded $2,634, with a 50% match required. The County subsequently ordered 7 AEDs and 7 wall cabinets to be placed in various County facilities.

The AEDs were received in July and Nassau County Fire/Rescue began conducting individual departmental trainings to teach staff how to use them. Training curriculum included:

• An overall working knowledge of CPR
  
• Safety for both victims and rescuers
• How to turn on the AED
• Where to place the electrodes
• How to deliver the shocks
• Hands-on practice for each staff member

Brief sessions of about 30-60 minutes are an effective way to provide employees with initial training on how to operate AEDs, and is helpful in keeping their skills fresh.

Nassau County Fire Rescue offers FREE hands-on CPR training to businesses and community organizations including civic groups, sports associations, and churches. Please note that this type of free training does not include official CPR Certifications. To schedule a training, please contact Nassau County Fire/Rescue Headquarters at (904) 491-7525.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

At the Monday, October 12, 2015 Board of County Commissioner's meeting, the Board will adopt a Resolution proclaiming the week of October 18-October 24, 2015 as "Breast Cancer Awareness Week" in Nassau County. If you or a loved one has been affected by breast cancer, we encourage you to attend the meeting to hear the reading of this Resolution.

The Resolution will also designate Wednesday, October 21st as "Pink Day". All citizens are encouraged to wear pink clothing or a pink ribbon in support of the cause and as a reminder of the importance of early detection. Submit pictures of yourself or employees within your organization wearing pink and we will share some of them here on our webpage. Please e-mail your pictures to insider@nassaucountyfl.com.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office

National Fire Prevention Week is being observed the week of October 4-October 10, 2015 and this year's theme is "Hear the Beep Where You Sleep: Every Bedroom Needs a Working Smoke Alarm".

According to the National Fire Protection Association, half of all home fires occur during the hours of 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., during the time when most people are asleep. If you have working smoke alarms in your home, your chances of dying in a fire are cut in half.  Be sure to install smoke alarms in every bedroom, outside of each separate sleeping area, and on every level of your home, including the basement. People who are hearing impaired should install special alarms with strobe lights and bed shakers. And don't forget to change your alarm batteries twice a year. A good rule of thumb is to change them in the fall and spring when the time changes.

If you are in need of smoke alarms but can't afford to purchase them, and you live in the unincorporated area of the County, you may qualify for Nassau County Fires Rescue's Free Smoke Alarm Program. Simply fill out the attached application and return it to Nassau County Fire/Rescue Headquarters located at 96161 Nassau Place, Yulee, FL 32097. If accepted, Fire Inspector Jerry Marrison will contact you to schedule a date and time for installation. For questions, you may contact Mr. Marrison at (904) 491-7525 or via e-mail at jmarrison@nassaucountyfl.com.

Last but not least, be sure that each member of your household understands the meaning of the alarm and how to evacuate safety. The National Fire Prevention Week's website provides a variety of facts about fire prevention, tips on how to make learning about fire prevention fun for your children, and quizzes to test your knowledge.

-Sabrina Robertson
 County Manager's Office