Orange Park Mall hosting Hero Expo on Saturday

ORANGE PARK – The Orange Park Mall invites neighbors to its Hero Expo for a family-focused celebration on Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. where superhero fun meets real-life heroes who serve the community. This signature summer event is designed to bring families together for a high-energy experience filled with imagination and all-American pride.

Guests will enjoy a variety of engaging activities, including an outdoor Touch-a-Truck experience for kids to get up close with community vehicles from fire rescue, law enforcement and more. Beat the heat indoors with Hero Headquarters, featuring meet-a-hero moments and a dedicated craft station where children can create a hero-themed keepsake to take home.

Families can also visit the Thank a Hero station to create heartfelt thank-you cards and messages for first responders, military members, healthcare workers, educators and other everyday heroes who make a difference in Clay County.

For more information, visit orangeparkmall.com/events.

Whitey’s Fish Camp, Salvation Army hosting food drive on July 29

FLEMING ISLAND – Whitey’s Fish Camp will join with the Salvation Army on Wednesday, July 29, for a food drive at the iconic restaurant from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

One of Whitey’s vendors will donate food to the Army’s Food Pantry, and a portion of the sales that day will be donated to the nonprofit that provides essential emergency services, including food assistance, utility bill help, a clothes closet and School of Performing Arts.

For more information, call (904) 276-6677.

BCC’s John Sgromolo earns Certified County Commissioner status

ORANGE COUNTY – Clay County Commissioner John Sgromolo was presented with the Certified County Commissioner designation from the Institute for County Government during a graduation ceremony held at the Florida Association of Counties Annual Conference and Educational Exhibition.

The CCC designation is a voluntary program of study designed for county commissioners to learn information and enhance skills relevant to their duties and responsibilities as an elected official. 

“I am incredibly grateful to have earned the designation of Certified County Commissioner through the University of Florida’s IFAS Extension Institute for County Government,” Sgromolo said, “It is truly an honor to continue learning and growing to better serve the people of Clay County. I want to sincerely thank the University of Florida, the IFAS Extension Institute for County Government, my fellow commissioners, our outstanding county staff, and my family for their encouragement and support throughout this journey.

“Public service is both a privilege and a responsibility, and I believe we should never stop learning. I am thankful for the knowledge, relationships, and perspective this program has provided, and I look forward to using what I’ve learned to help ensure Clay County remains a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.”

The CCC educational program is an initiative comprising of 45 hours of coursework. This program's curriculum encompasses a diverse range of courses, such as growth management, financial management and ethics, as well as elective courses such as affordable housing, emergency management, and resiliency.

Reel in Learning: School Fishing Program registration opens Aug. 20

CLAY COUNTY – Schools across Florida are invited to help the next generation of anglers discover a lifelong connection to fishing and conservation through the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's (FWC) School Fishing Program.

The School Fishing Program provides every registered school with a ready-to-use curriculum filled with engaging lessons and hands-on activities that can be taught throughout the school year by a club sponsor. Students learn about ethical angling, fish habitats, aquatic conservation, fishing equipment, casting skills and other foundational fishing concepts applicable to both freshwater and saltwater fishing.

In addition, a select number of schools can receive educational materials and fishing equipment to help start or expand their fishing club. Registration will start on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 8 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis.

The program is open to brick-and-mortar public, private and charter schools throughout the state. Before registering, schools should review the updated program Rules and Guidelines to ensure eligibility and understand program requirements.

Contact Brandon Stys at Brandon.Stys@MyFWC.com or call (850) 354-4798 for more information.

County artists invited to submit Art the Card library entries

CLAY COUNTY – The Public Library System is inviting residents of all ages to showcase their creativity in the 2026 Art the Card Contest.

Through July 18, county residents can submit original artwork for a chance to have their design featured on a limited-edition Clay County library card and other promotional materials during Library Card Sign-Up Month in September.

This year's theme, "America 250," celebrates the semi-quincentennial anniversary of the founding of the United States.

The contest is open to amateur artists in four age categories: 5 and under, 6-11, 12-18 and 19 and older, as well as professional artists. First-place winners in each category may have their artwork featured on limited-edition library cards and library promotional materials.

Artwork submissions will be accepted at any Clay County Public Library branch or can be sent via email at ptlibrary@claycountygov.com by 5 p.m. on July 18. Winners will be announced on July 31.

For contest rules, submission requirements, entry forms and examples of past winning designs, visit bit.lv/ArtTheCard.

Clay County 4-H offering series of summer camps

CLAY COUNTY – Attending camp is often a significant milestone in a youth’s life. Camps allow youth to participate in hands-on activities, learn new things, meet new friends and meet caring adult mentors. Camps can help youth find community and light a spark for future engagement in 4-H or the community.

Clay County 4-H offers summer day camp programming to help youth explore sparks, engage in hands-on learning activities such as field trips, speakers, and more and meet youth with similar interests. All 4-H camps are led by Extension Staff and trained Extension volunteers who want to give back to the next generation.

Camp offerings:

Clay County 4-H is delighted to share its 2026 summer day camp offerings. Thanks to a generous gift from Waste Management and the Clay County Board of County Commissioners, many camps are free or at a reduced cost. If you see a camp that interests your youth, you can find more information about the camp and register at the link in the camp description.

If your child is new to 4-H and you need to set up a 4-H online profile, you can set up an account at sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/clay/e. Camp ages are based off the youths’ age as of Sept. 1, 2025.

Camps are:

Level Up: The Game of Real Life Day Camp

ClayCoLevelUpCamp2026.4honline.com

Camp focus: money management and financial literacy

Dates: July 27-29

Ages: 13-18

Cost: free

Honey Harvesting Honeybee Camp

ClayCoHoneyHarvestingCamp2026.4honline.com

Camp focus: honey extraction and beekeeping

Date: July 31

Ages: 6-16

Cost: free

UF/IFAS Extension Clay County offering free online gardening classes

GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The UF/IFAS Extension Clay County Master Gardener Training program will offer a series of online classes this summer, including general interest meetings at 5 p.m. on July 23, Growing Peace: mindfulness in the garden at 11:30 a.m. on July 27, rain gardens and run-off at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 24, Florida’s forgotten plants at 11:30 a.m. on Sept. 28, pruning for health, beauty and bloom at 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 26, rethinking turf in Florida landscapes at 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 23 and designing with Florida natives at 11:30 a.m. on Dec. 14.

The free online training is open only to Clay County residents and is taught by Master Gardener volunteers. If you have any questions, please email whhobbs@ufl.edu or call (904) 284-6355.

To watch replays of the events, visit UF/IFAS Extension Clay County.com.

It’s time to register new students for 2026-27 school year

CLAY COUNTY – Parents and guardians are encouraged to register new students, incoming kindergarteners, for the 2026-27 school year in advance. Students who will be 5 years old on or before Sept. 1, should register for kindergarten.

The first step is to locate which school the student will attend. To do that, visit oneclay.net and click on the registration tab.

All students are required to have immunization documents, a birth certificate, a completed religious exemption form for school entry shots, a Florida physical and proof of residency, which includes a government-issued identification card, a copy of the property deed and settlement statement and one of the following: current utility, water, electric, cable gas, internet, cellphone or landline bill.

Renters must provide a signed lease agreement. Families that live with someone who rents or owns a home must provide a government-issued identification and a District-provided signed and notarized verification of residency.

Parents and guardians of new students also must complete a new student registration form found at oneclay.net/registration-and-enrollment.

Finally, all information should be emailed to the students’ new school. For a list of email addresses, visit oneclay.net/registration-and-enrollment.