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Good morning!
Gathering Church is getting ready to provide Thanksgiving meals to 500 families in Fort Walton Beach, while The Island Resort prepares to transform into a ‘Winter WonderIsland’ holiday destination. HCA Fort Walton-Destin Hospital earns a top national heart surgery rating for the fifth consecutive time, Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center launches its Christmas toy drive at Niceville and DeFuniak Springs locations, and airport road milling and paving work is scheduled this week in Destin.
- Plus, try today’s WordroW puzzle.
HAPPENING TODAY: Okaloosa County will pay tribute to our service members this Veterans Day with a veteran appreciation event and unveiling ceremony for two new life-sized women veteran statues that will be added to Women Veterans Monuments at Veterans Park. The event will take place on Nov. 11, 2025, at 1 p.m. at the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center on Okaloosa Island.
THINGS TO DO
The Island Resort to transform into a ‘Winter WonderIsland’ holiday destination
The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach is launching Winter WonderIsland, a holiday experience that will run from November 28, 2025, through January 5, 2026, bringing coastal winter festivities to the Emerald Coast.
- The resort will feature Coastal Winter Chalets available for private rental, with each chalet accommodating up to eight guests. Every chalet includes a tabletop fire pit with s’mores, hot cocoa kits and dedicated cocktail service. Each reservation also includes one hour of access to the resort’s curling rink.
“The holidays are a special time along the Emerald Coast, and we wanted to create something that truly captures the coastal magic,” said Ken Trumbell, general manager of The Island Resort at Fort Walton Beach. “Winter WonderIsland brings together everything we love about the season — community, connection and celebration — all with the beauty of the Gulf as the backdrop.
The curling rink will provide entertainment for guests, while the resort will offer signature cocktails including the Island Exclusive Old Fashioned, Bah Humbug, Spiced Holly and Mistletoe Margarita. Local food trucks and live entertainment will be available throughout the season. Families can drop letters to Santa in a red mailbox located in the resort lobby.
Weekly activities in December will include holiday movie nights, gingerbread house decorating and hot chocolate Fridays. Special events are also scheduled throughout the season.
SPONSORED
Spread some holiday cheer!
This holiday season, it’s not just the lights that sparkle – it’s the moments you create together.
- With an Eglin Federal Credit Union Mastercard®, you can spread some holiday cheer. With rates as low as 7.9% APR and no annual fee, enjoy this season with the ones you love!
Apply in person or online at eglinfcu.org/mastercard.
Must be 18 or older to apply online.
GAMES
WordroW: November 11, 2025
Can you guess today’s 5-letter word in six tries?
WordroW is Get The Coast’s daily word puzzle featuring local words, places, and phrases from our community. You have six guesses to find the mystery word – green letters are correct and in the right spot, yellow letters are in the word but wrong position, and gray letters aren’t in the word at all.
BUSINESS
HCA Fort Walton-Destin Hospital earns top national heart surgery rating for fifth time
HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital has achieved a three-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for the fifth consecutive time for its performance in isolated Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting procedures.
- The three-star rating is the highest accolade bestowed by STS and places the hospital among the top performers of the facilities analyzed for the period ending June 25, 2025. Within the STS database, only 22% of those providing isolated CABG procedures achieved the coveted three-star rating out of nearly 1,000 facilities evaluated.
“Our team earning the prestigious three-star STS rating for the fifth consecutive time is a monumental achievement that speaks volumes about the quality care that they provide,” said KC Donahey, CEO of HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital. “For our community, this means one thing — they do not have to travel far for the highest quality of care. They can get it right here at home.”
STS bases its ratings on quality process measures and outcomes measures. The hospital’s Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery program has exhibited steady and continuous improvement in various key metrics, reinforcing its standing as a leader in the field.
“To achieve this rating five times in a row is proof of our team’s unparalleled level of talent, procedural discipline, and coordinated teamwork,” said Dr. Jean-Luc Delafontaine, cardiothoracic surgeon at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital. “This sustained level of excellence means we are continually delivering superior outcomes for our patients and giving our community the absolute best chance at a long and healthy life.”
HCA Florida Healthcare is the state’s largest cardiovascular network and connects patients to a full spectrum of heart, lung and vascular treatments and services.
SHOP
ENDLESS SUMMER: Now Restocked + New Youth Sizes
Fall on the coast doesn’t mean summer’s over. Our Endless Summer collection is back in stock with everything from lightweight tees to UPF performance hoodies—plus new youth sizes so the whole family can match the vibe.
- The vintage coastal design with weathered palm tree, wave, and gulls works on every style. Regular tees in classic cotton, women’s heavyweight crop tees, and sun hoodies that actually perform. Now available in youth sizes with fresh colorways including Dusty Rose and Light Blue.
Whether you’re layering up for cooler mornings or need sun protection for those fall afternoons, there’s a style that fits how you live on the coast.
GIVING BACK
ECCAC launches Christmas toy drive at Niceville and DeFuniak Springs locations
The Emerald Coast Children’s Advocacy Center is collecting toy donations at its Niceville and DeFuniak Springs locations to stock toy rooms where families and agency partners can shop for children this holiday season.
- ECCAC has outlined specific wish lists organized by age groups, ranging from infants to teenagers, to help donors select appropriate gifts.
Children’s Advocacy Center at 401 McEwen in Niceville and the Pierce Family ECCAC at 336 College Ave. in DeFuniak Springs.
Those interested in donating can contact Sabrina@eccac.org to schedule a drop-off at either location.
TRAFFIC
Airport Road milling, paving work scheduled this week in Destin
The City of Destin’s Airport Road construction project continues this week, with paving operations scheduled to begin Thursday.
- H&T will resume construction work Tuesday, Nov. 11, to complete milling of one remaining lane, according to a news release from the city.
On Wednesday, Nov. 12, crews will conduct detailed milling work around existing manholes and water valves to ensure a level surface for the new asphalt.
Paving is expected to take approximately two to three days to complete, weather permitting. Motorists may experience temporary delays during this time and are encouraged to reduce speed in the work zone.
Once paving is complete, temporary striping will be placed on the roadway at the earliest opportunity, according to the release.
GIVING BACK
Gathering Church to provide Thanksgiving meals to 500 families in Fort Walton Beach
Gathering Church will host its fifth annual Turkey Outreach on November 22, providing 500 local households with free turkeys, fresh produce and dry goods to help families prepare Thanksgiving meals.
- The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 151 Eglin Parkway NE, behind the Dollar General building.
“This is one of our favorite events because we get the opportunity to not just provide much-needed food, but we also get to connect with our community, hear their stories, pray with them, and love on them the way that Jesus loves us,” said Nicci Meng, director of outreach at Gathering Church.
The Turkey Outreach is open to the public and completely free. No pre-registration is required. Participants need to present a valid ID and drive through the distribution line to receive their Thanksgiving package.
Supplies will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis while quantities last.
For more information, contact Nicci Meng at nicci.meng@comegather.com.
OK, that’s all I have for you this morning! I hope you have a great Tuesday! Help us shape the future of local news and make a meaningful impact on your community. Click here to learn how you can support us!
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Jared
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124 Eglin Parkway SE Fort Walton Beach, FL 32548