News and New Additions! - The monthly newsletter of the City of Mexico Beach

NEWS AND NEW ADDITIONS! This month, we give a tip of the firefighter's helmet to our Mexico Beach Fire Department and Public Safety services. Chief Sandy Walker secured a state grant that allowed the department to purchase a new pumper truck for its firefighting arsenal. This latest addition to the department brings the number of fire and safety vehicles to three, providing enhanced capability for our community's needs. Congratulations, Chief Walker, and thank you to all those who help protect our residents and visitors in times of need.   GIVEAWAY NEWS... Last month's giveaway was a gift bag with goodies from Vacation Prep Squad, and the lucky winner is Kayla F. from Farner, Tennessee. Congrats, Kayla! MAY GIVEAWAY Up for grabs this month are a T-shirt, koozie, and decal stickers from the Shell Shack. Serving some of the best local seafood in Mexico Beach since 1965, the Shell Shack offers a fresh seafood market, a large variety of seashells, T-shirts, novelty gifts, and more. They will also pack seafood for travel. To place your name in the hat, send an email to Kathy at kathy@mexicobeach.com. MEET MEXICO BEACH This month, we're delighted to introduce Local Beach Pizza, formerly known as Crazy Beach. If your tastebuds are in the mood for Italian food, they are here to help satisfy your craving. They specialize in pizzas, calzones, salads, and sandwiches and are conveniently located at 3701 Highway 98. Stop by, say hello, and be ready to fill your belly with amazing food! For more information on weddings or vow renewal ceremonies on the beach, visit mexicobeach.com. 2024 MEXICO BEACH VOW RENEWAL CEREMONY Last month, we had our annual Unforgettable Vow Renewal ceremony, and it was inspiring. Over 35 couples participated in this lovely, unique celebration. Couples came from all over, including Ohio, Illinois, Maryland, Georgia, Alabama, and, of course, Florida. The beachfront ceremony allowed couples to reaffirm their commitment to one another, plus live music, a memorial sand dollar token for each couple, and a cupcake and champagne reception. We were delighted to celebrate love along our beaches. To enjoy highlights from the event, check out the video above or click here to visit our YouTube channel.   FARMERS & CRAFT MARKET May 11 & 25 Come spend the morning at the Mexico Beach Farmers & Craft Market at Parker Park, located at 2500 Highway 98. Vendors will include produce, fresh jellies, one-of-a-kind crafts, and much more. Each market is sure to have new vendors, so be sure to come every time. If you'd like to be a vendor, sign up now. This market is put on by the Special Events for Mexico Beach, Inc.   ANNUAL PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST April 1-July 31 Get ready to print those pictures and try your hand at our annual photography contest. The Mexico Beach 24th Annual Photography Contest is now open for submissions and runs until July 31. We welcome all photographs taken in Mexico Beach, past or present. We hope you will capture Mexico Beach through your "eyes" and enter our photography contest.   GOLLYWHOPPER CLASSIC June 21-22 Get ready to cast your line and reel in the big ones at the GollyWhopper Classic! This one-day fishing tournament promises thrilling competition, fantastic fishing, and the chance to win cash prizes. Whether you're a seasoned angler or just starting out, this tournament is for you. There is also a youth division, so be sure to register the kids! A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Mexico Beach is a Leave No Trace community, and we appreciate your assistance in helping us keep our beaches clean. Any items left on the beach unattended from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. will be removed and disposed of by the City of Mexico Beach. Items include, but are not limited to, tents and tent frames, beach chairs, coolers, umbrellas, toys, etc. Also, please fill in any holes before you leave and please remain off the sand dunes and out of the sea oats to ensure their continued nourishment. There are boardwalks and walking paths that can be accessed to reach the beach. Your assistance with these requests will keep our beaches beautiful and pristine. For full details on this ordinance or questions, click here or contact City Hall at (850) 648-5700.

SHRIMP SALAD

We publish it with the compliments of the Mexico Beach Artificial Reef Association cookbook (mbara.org).

INGREDIENTS

15 boiled shrimp 1 cup finely chopped lettuce 1 boiled egg, chopped 2 Tbsp mayonnaise 1/4 tsp. mustard 1 Tbsp sweet pickle relish

DIRECTIONS

Combine lettuce, shrimp, mustard, mayo, relish, and egg. Pack into a small bowl to mold. Refrigerate. To serve, line a plate with a bed of lettuce and turn the chilled shrimp mixture over onto the lettuce. Serve with cocktail sauce and enjoy!

WEDDING VOWS

Because it's almost wedding season, we thought you'd enjoy some unusual vows.

I promise to love and honor you, but not obey because that's a little creepy. I vow to love you even as you scan through all those movies without picking one to actually watch. I promise to listen when you talk to me about sports, beer, or whatever you talk about, and not just look at my phone and say, "Hmm, yes, dear." I vow to nearly always notice when you've had your hair cut. I promise to laugh at all your jokes, even when I'm the only one. I vow to open jars for you and pretend that you loosened it, even though we both know it was my manly muscles that opened that thing. This ring is a symbol of how you've got me wrapped around your finger. Just one thing to tell you-I am totally worth it. I promise to buy you takeout for dinner every night because I love you too much to allow you to fall victim to my cooking. I promise to comfort you when your football team loses-again.

DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH.

This saying means to be careful about what you expect in the future. The saying has been around for a very long time and goes back to the Greek philosopher Aesop. He once wrote about a woman carrying a basket of eggs and figuring out how much profit she would earn. She ultimately dropped the basket, and all the eggs were broken. Thus, the phrase was coined.

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