Volunteers Step up to Assist Honor HER Foundation

This past week, a group of volunteers from the Marine Corps League of Pensacola teamed up with other volunteers, to include D1 Field Representative Jesse Casey, to assist the Honor HER Foundation.

Honor HER (Honor, Empower, Rebuild) is a local nonprofit that assists women veterans of the armed forces with housing and other support services.

Of an estimated 1.7 million female veterans who have served--approximately 35,000 are homeless around the country.

That is unacceptable.

Locally, the Honor HER Foundation operates a transitional shelter 100% supported by volunteers and community donations.  The goal is to provide temporary, safe living arrangements while simultaneously providing assistance to the local homeless female veterans they serve by providing social services, computer, and job skills training. The aim is to have these ladies become self-sufficient within 12 months.

The idea was the brainchild of founder and veteran Nancy Bullock-Prevot, who tragically died in a traffic accident in 2022.

Others have carried her vision forward and have continued to serve local homeless ladies in a shelter they run on Fairfield Drive in the west side of Escambia County.

Recently, a number of storage facilities that were generously donated to the shelter experienced issues when the wooden foundations upon which these storage sheds were rested began to rot.

In conjunction with the Marine Corps League--a group of citizens and ladies from the shelter constructed a concrete pad upon which all the storage sheds will be placed to prevent the degredation issues encountered with wooden foundations.

The concrete was generously donated by American Concrete founder Billy Campbell.  Jesse Casey, D1 Field Rep, along with multiple community volunteers, completed the work to build out the form and finish the concrete work.

It is truly great to see so many assist with this worthwhile effort---and our area is better for the generous citizens who step up in multiple ways to support our local nonprofits like Honor HER.

Thanks to everyone who participated--and thanks to everyone who supports this worthwhile, effective cause!

New District 1 Office Staff is Here to Serve!

The District 1 County Commissioner Office staff has changed.

Long time aide Debbie Kenney has retired.

Office Intern Raeleigh Woodfin has gone back to school.

We appreciate all the hard work both of those former staff members put in for our district.  And we wish them both well--Raeleigh in her school work and Debbie in retirement.

So we now have a new D1 team.

I'm your commissioner, here to serve D1 constituents and all county residents. Call me any time on my cell phone at 850-293-1459.

We now have a field representative, Mr. Jesse Casey-- a citizen most in Escambia know, a tireless volunteer who has served this community for decades.  Reach Jesse at 

jecasey@myescambia.com or at 850-595-4910.

And we also have D1 Constituent Services Representative Kevin Harmon--a 2023 graduate of Florida State University and soon to be Law School Student.

Reach Kevin at 850-595-4910 or kmharmon@myescambia.com.

We are here to serve you!

Changes Coming to the D1 Office: Debbie Kenney Retiring, Jesse Casey Arriving

Over the next several weeks there will be a significant level of turnover in the District 1 Commissioner's Office that constituents need to know about.

First, my long-term assistant who has been a great friend to many and is like family to me, Ms. Debbie King Kenney, is retiring at the end of this month.  She has been a great asset to my office over the last seven years and she will be missed.  But I understand the reasons for her retirement and I wish her and Mike all the best in retirement.

As we staff the office going forward, though, we are restructuring a bit.  

I will be bringing aboard a person who, like Debbie,  is a tremendous "people person."  This individual knows the district's people, knows the county, knows practically every square inch of district 1, and is well-familiar with the issues of greatest importance to our constituents.  This person is Jesse Casey.  He will be my field representative for district 1 and will be working all over district 1 speaking with constituents, responding to constituent issues in the field, and being my eyes and ears out in the district.  He started this week, and will be working over the next week and a half with Debbie as the office transitions.

THE 70% SOLUTION:  Jeff Bergosh and Jesse Casey

So several of my friends in the district have raised their eyebrows at this move.  And according to Jesse, many of his friends in the district have also raised their eyebrows over this move.  The common question is--how the heck did this come about--as Jesse Casey and Jeff Bergosh have been opponents in the last several elections??

It came about after the last election, the night of the primary in August of 2020 when Jesse and I spoke, at length, at the conclusion of that election.  He and I both expressed an intention, if possible, to work together at some point down the line if an opportunity arose, for the betterment of the district as a whole.  As he put it on that call at that time "Jeff, you and I, between us, got 70% of the votes--wouldn't it be good if we could take that 70% and do something great for district 1?"  To which  I agreed and I expressed to him at that time and during that call  that  the concept of working together would be a great idea I would support.   Jesse's thoughts were even captured in the PNJ at that time.   From the article:  "Maybe we can figure out how District 1 can can reap those benefits by taking that 39% and that 31%, pull them together and make things happen," Casey said. "It doesn't matter who does it or who takes credit, as long as the people in the district reap the benefits."

Well, it looks like the day has come, where we can put that idea into action and work together for the citizens of this district--because I'd much rather work with someone collaboratively than work against that person.  Especially if it is a person like Jesse who, like me, shares a passion for serving.  We've spoken about what a collaboration could look like, we've kicked around the idea over lunch, and we have now put the plan in motion.

So look for Jesse out in the field working for the citizens of our district.  And look for the office to bring in some part time interns for administrative tasks and additional support of the work we are doing for our constituents.  

We will be working together, Jesse and I, for you--the citizens of Escambia County.  There may be some minor hiccups as we adjust to the new structure--but I have every confidence this new look D1 office staff arrangement will produce unparalleled service for citizens in the years ahead.

Contact the office:

district1@myescambia.com 

jecasey@myescambia.com

850-595-4910