By Staff
A Bratt, Fla., family is slowly putting the pieces back together after their home was destroyed by fire Monday morning.
Emergency dispatchers received a call for the house fire located at 6810 North Pine Barren Road at 9:39 a.m.
Firefighters from Walnut Hill, Century, McDavid and Molino fire departments responded to the scene to find the flames engulfing the rear of the house and quickly spreading to the front.
Homeowners Randall and Cindy Peebles were not at home when the fire started. Randall, who works at Escambia Lawn and Garden in Atmore, was at work and his wife, Cindy, had just left to carry her mother-in-law to the doctor in Century, Fla.
"I was at the doctor's office in Century with my mother-in-law when I got the phone call from my husband," Cindy Peebles said. "I had gotten up that morning to take a bath and remember turning on the space heater in the bathroom. I thought that I turned it off, but apparently didn't. We have a central unit but use that little space heater sometimes."
According to the state Fire Marshall, the space heater could have had a short in it or either the thermostat was not working properly causing the heater to run continuously without cutting off.
The structure of the home that the Peebles lived in for the past 24 years was still standing after the fire was extinguished, but the inside was declared a total loss.
"They believe that the fire started in the bathroom," Peebles said. " The back of the house is destroyed, but the fire spread through the front as well ruining everything. We were able to get some pictures and a few other things out."
An Evening with Santa in the park
Join the Chamber of Commerce for an exciting evening with Santa.
The event, sponsored by Gulf Winds Federal Credit Union, will include free hot chocolate, train rides and chili provided by the PCI Sail Program.
Santa will arrive at 5 p.m. by fire truck and will be available inside Watson Cabin for children to visit and have a photo made by Captured Moments Photography if they choose.
Two packages are available for purchase: 1 – 5×7 and 4 wallets for $10 or 2 – 5×7's and 8 wallets for $18.
County commission to meet Dec. 11
Please take notice that the Escambia County Commission will conduct a regular session on Monday, Dec. 11, 2006 at 9a.m. in the County Commission Chambers, Room 201, at the Escambia County Courthouse in Brewton.
The Administrative Workshop will be held on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006 at 9 a.m.
Christmas dance at Sail Center Dec. 22
A senior night out Christmas dance will be held Friday, December 22 6:30 pm til 10:30 pm. at the Atmore Sail Center located at 300 East Ridgeley.
Admission is $5 per person. No acoholic beverages allowed. Entertainment will be provided by THE GOOD TIMES BAND. Ages 55 and over are welcome to attend.
Trinity announces Christmas services
Trinity Episcopal Church will hold a Lessons and Carols service on December 19 at 7 p.m.
The centuries old celebrates Christmas story through familiar hymns and scripture readings.
Trinity is located at 202 S. Carney Street.
The public is invited.
FUMC present Christmas program
The Chancel Choir and Children's Choir of First United Methodist Church will present "Emmanuel, God with us," a service of lessons and carols, at 11 a.m. Sunday morning, Dec. 17.
The music by Lloyd Larson combines contemporary with traditional, but the scriptural message is a statement of love and devotion, God's gift to the world, His Son. The choirs, Rev. Dan Rhodes, Pastor, and Francis Dunn, minister of music, invite you to share in this worship service this holiday season.
NWE football banquet scheduled for Dec. 9
The NWE football banquet will be Dec. 9 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the Ernest Ward cafeteria.
Election of board members will follow meeting.
Bethel to host Walk through Bethlehem
Bethel Baptist Church of Robertsdale invites you to Walk through Bethlehem Dec. 8-10 from 6 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Admission is free and groups of twenty or more are asked to contact the church at 251-947-5145.
St. Roberts Catholic
Christmas services
St. Robert Bellarmine Catholic Church's Christmas weekend schedule is as follows: Vigil Mass: Saturday, Dec. 23 at 5:30 p.m.; Sunday Mass: Sunday, Dec. 24 at 9 a.m.; Christmas Eve Service: Dec.24 at 8 p.m.; Christmas Day service Monday, Dec. 25 at 9 a.m.
The Rev. Gordon Milsted, Pastor, can be reached at 368-1801. St. Robert Bellarmine is located at 600 S. Main St., across from Heritage Park.
Trinity announces Christmas services
Open doors! Open minds! Open hearts!
Services at Trinity on Sunday Dec. 24 will be as follows: Holy Eucharist Service at 11 a.m.; Christmas Eve Service at 6 p.m. Considered to be the oldest public building in continuous use in Atmore, Trinity was founded in 1900 as The Church of the Heavenly Rest. The church is located in the 200 block of S. Carney Street, directly behind Bondurant Hardware.
For further information the Rev. Sandra Mayer, Rector, can be reached at 368-5933.
Combined choirs hold Lessons/Carols
The Combined Choirs of First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First United Methodist Church, Trinity Episcopal Church, and other individual participants invite you to a service of Lessons and Carols on Sunday, Dec. 17, at 5:30 p.m., in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church. In the celebration of Christmas, we all enjoy meaningful family traditions, inspiring programs, beloved carols, and all the sights, sounds, and smells of the season. But in the midst of it all there is one basic and central message, our own personal gift from God, truly the greatest gift of all for Christmas, His Son, "Emmanuel, God With Us."
"Emmanuel , God with Us," by Lloyd Larson combines contemporary with timeless scripture and songs of the season, both new and old. The combined choirs are conducted by Dennis Bilbo, Frances Dunn, and Glenn Jernigan.
Cajun Christmas at Atmore Apostolic
Atmore Apostolic Church is having an evening of great food, warm fellowship, and hilarious entertainment on Dec. 16 at 6 p.m in the church dining hall. This year's theme will be "A Cajun Christmas."
The menu will consist of green salad, crab cakes, shrimp fettuccine, jambalaya, chicken strips, green beans, corn, cheesecake with strawberry topping, mini chocolate /clairs and sweet or unsweet tea or water.
Entertainment will be provided by the hilarious duo of "Boudreaux and Thibodeaux" from DeQuincy, La.
Admission will be $10 per person.
Tickets MUST be purchased in advance, and can be obtained by calling Sharla Morgan at 368-8338 or by emailing FamilyandFaith@frontiernet.net.
Tickets should be purchased by Dec. 3.
Southern Family Market food drive
Southern Family Markets launches its Second Annual "Family to Family" Food Drive to benefit local food banks.
Southern Family Markets announced that they will launch their "Family to Family" holiday food drive campaign. The "Family to Family" food drive focuses local attention on the severe problems of domestic hunger and its impact on families and children. It also helps build up depleted reserves at local food banks immediately after the holidays.
We know that our customers are living a busy lifestyle balancing family and work, time and money. Thanks to the simplicity of the "Family to Family" campaign, during the holidays, it will be easy for customers to stop by their local Southern Family Markets supermarket, purchase a $5 grocery bag full of food and drop the bag in the bin located at the front of the store. Local food banks will then pick them up and deliver your donations to local families in the community.
This program is a holiday program that began Nov. 12 and continues through Dec. 30. Customers can make a difference this holiday season by giving from their family to a family in need.
Based in Birmingham, Southern Family Markets currently operates 56 supermarkets in Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Faith Tabernacle to host musical Dec. 16
Faith Tabernacle Holiness Church will host a musical program Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. All groups, choirs, soloist are invited to come and be a part of this great program. The Gospel Travelers will be the host group. Dr. Van McPherson pastor.
Twelve Judges of Israel Dec. 13 – 17
The Faith Tabernacle Holiness Church will present the Twelve Judges of Israel on Dec. 13-15 and climaxing Dec. 17 at 3:30 p.m. with nightly service at 7:30 p.m. Come and learn why God chose judges at this time instead of kings to lead Israel. Dr. Van McPherson pastor.
Christmas ornaments are still available
Due to popular request from Christmas ornament collectors, the Atmore Historical Society has recently reordered a limited number of the 2005 ornament, which featured an etching of the local train depot decorated with wreath and garland. Of course this year's ornament, which features the 1926 YMCA Building is also still available. It is crafted in design and metal work compatible with the 2005 issue as described above. To purchase either last year's or this year's ornament, please contact Hattie Maxwell at 368-4608. The cost per ornament is $10 for either year.
Ornaments will also be on sale downtown on the evening of Dec. 8 from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Sales tables will be set up on the sidewalks along Main Street in the vicinity of Atmore News, south of the railroad tracks and near Annie's Community Cup.
Temple Christian to present musical
The student body of Temple Christian Academy will present The Little Bell that Wouldn't Stop Ringing, a Christmas musical by Barbara Davoll and Christine Wyrtzen, Thursday, Dec. 14, at 7p.m. in the auditorium of Atmore Baptist Temple.
The play focuses on Little Bell, a bell that once hung around the neck of one of the little lambs that was present the night of Christ's birth. The audience is allowed to listen in as Little Bell, now one of the choir bells at the old stone church, shares a first hand account of the Christmas story with the other bells.
The faculty and student body would like to extend a cordial invitation to the public to join us as we celebrate the true meaning of Christmas. The church is located at 1707 S. Main St. across from the new David's Catfish House. Admission is free, however; seating is limited. For more information call (251) 368-8282.
Animal Shelter hosts animal Christmas
Christmas for the Animals at the Atmore Animals Shelter, sponsored by Spayd with Heart, Dec. 15 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Dec. 16 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
Christmas pictures of owner and pet will be $5 for 5x7s. Discount adoptions and free gift bags will be part of the Christmas celebration. Donations are also needed for the animal shelter:
Blankets (no electric), large towels, dog/cat toys, collars, leashes and dog bones.
All donations will be given to the animals at the Atmore Animal Shelter.
Money donations will go to Spayd with Heart to help pay for the costs of spaying and neutering.
For more information call 368-0859.