Around Hastings: Column comes to an end after 7 years

Nancy Quatrano
·4 min read
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Happy Labor Day!

Over the last seven years I’ve written 182 columns for an estimated total of 127,400 words in hopes of inspiring, educating and celebrating not only the residents in the immediate Hastings area of St. Johns County, but also those living elsewhere.

I’ve heard from people in Germany, Spain, Belgium and the U.K. about some of the agricultural articles, and people all around the county tell me they enjoy learning about our cultural outpost.

A tractor sprays a field early March 31, 2010, in Hastings.
A tractor sprays a field early March 31, 2010, in Hastings.

Around Hastings: Plenty of resources available throughout Hastings

Marine creatures: A day at the library becomes a day at the beach

It's been a privilege to serve this region by introducing people to this historic and diverse area of the county. I’ve learned a lot of things, met a ton of wonderful people, and I’ll miss gathering our bits and pieces to share with others. But I believe in God’s sovereignty and He has a perfect plan for each of us.

Finding help

For future information about food distributions and social services being provided by agencies, organizations and the government to folks in this area, you can always reach out to the Hastings Branch Library on South Main Street, Hastings. Staffer Emily Fox is the community outreach coordinator there and she keeps up with a lot of that information.

And, the Southwoods Elementary School is a great resource for help as well, both for medical needs and community information. Don’t forget you have a food pantry right in town at the W.E. Harris Center at 400 E. Harris St. They have a Facebook page that is updated about distribution changes. They do a drive-thru distribution from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday afternoons unless otherwise noted.

Helping others

Support Friends of the Main Library St. Augustine when you dine at the Columbia Restaurant at 98 St. George St. during the month of September. As part of their 25th annual Community Harvest Program, the Columbia Restaurant will donate 5% of your meal check to the Friends in the form of restaurant gift certificates. Enjoy a delicious lunch or dinner, select “Friends of the Library” on the ballot presented at the end of your meal and support the Friends. For reservations, call the Columbia Restaurant at 904-824-3341.

Hello Fall!

Make plans to join the Rotary Club of Hastings from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 24 for their Hello Fall! Main Street Market at the Al Wilke Field. A family-friendly event, admission, parking, music, and browsing are free! Great food, lots of fun things to buy, and the basketball and corn hole challenges will be perfect for young and old! The December event is planned for Dec. 10 before and after the Hastings Country Christmas Parade. Watch for roadside signs for more information or email the Rotary Club at HastingsFLRX@gmail.com anytime.

Youth Department Reunion

The St. John’s River Baptist Association will be hosting the 2022 Youth Department Reunion at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 in the T.L. Holtz Building at 605 Wilson Road, Hastings. Calling all youth, past and present! Get registered early. For information, call 904-806-3939 or email Malinda Peeples at SeaCommunity@yahoo.com.

Wreaths at the St. Augustine National Cemetery in December.
Wreaths at the St. Augustine National Cemetery in December.

Wreaths Across America

The Veteran’s Council of St. Johns County will once again be participating in the Wreaths Across America program for 2022 and the work starts now! Individual wreaths are $15 and if two wreaths are purchased at $30, the council will receive a third wreath, free of charge. With 1,200 graves to honor in the St. Augustine National Cemetery, support is needed. Checks should be made payable to Wreaths Across America and sent to the Veterans Council of St. Johns County, P.O. Box 2117, St. Augustine, FL 32085-2117.

Remaining strong

In the words of James Cash Penney, founder of the JC Penney corporation, “If we follow the admonition to love God, and our neighbors, as ourselves, it will lead us to understand that, first of all, success is a matter of the Spirit.”

Hastings has everything it takes to be a healthy and successful community no matter what changes are coming her way. Work together. Keep speaking up and speaking out. Vote. Go to the commissioners' meetings when you have something to say. Speak out with respect and accuracy, always.

Don’t give people any reason to invalidate you or your message. History shows us that free speech is the first thing to go when a society collapses in on itself and we won’t see it coming until it’s too late.

Nancy Quatrano
Nancy Quatrano

Contact Nancy Quatrano at nancy@nlquatrano.com by 5 p.m. on Fridays if you have information about Hastings for this column. Put “Hastings” in the subject line.

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Nancy Quatrano's Hastings column ends after 7 years