City of Orlando

Become a volunteer football coach! We are currently seeking coaches for the Fall 2024 season. The league offers weekly practices and games that are designed to promote self-confidence, life skills and improve players' fundamentals of football. Thanks to local heroes, like Coach Bird, kids in our neighborhoods have great role models and positive experiences in their after-school programs. For more information and registration, visit orlando.gov/volunteer . Registration is due July 31, 2024.

EA SPORTS College Football 25 - one of the most anticipated video games in years - is being released this week. Even if you aren't a fan of gaming or college football, you'll be interested to know that the game was designed right here in Orlando. The Electronic Arts (EA) studio is located in downtown Orlando's Creative Village. There around 1,000 employees converge on the cutting edge of digital interactive entertainment. With the new college football game, which is being released for the first time in more than a decade, EA has created a game that captures the atmosphere, energy and excitement of college football. It brings the sights, sounds and action of college football to life and includes real schools and players, including the hometown UCF Knights, who visited EA's studio for a preview this week along with Mayor Dyer. The game is a wonderful showcase of Orlando's always growing technology scene and the innovation being developed right here in our city.

Members of the public are invited to attend the first meetings of the Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee and Open House. All meetings will be available for the public to participate in their preferred language of Spanish or English. Location: Kia Center, 400 West Church Street ➡ Pulse Memorial Advisory Committee Meetings  Wednesday, July 24, 2024, 4 – 8 p.m.  Thursday, July 25, 2024, 4 – 6 p.m.    ➡ Open House  Thursday, July 25, 2024, 6 – 8 p.m.    Participate Virtually  Those wishing to join the committee meetings or open house virtually may visit our website at https://lnkd.in/e8ruy34d.

Providing Relief During Extreme Heat Yesterday we opened a cooling center to provide relief and a safe environment for vulnerable individuals on days that the heat index is expected to exceed 103 degrees. In partnership with First United Methodist Church Orlando, those without shelter can find a cool place to rest and hydrate during extreme heat conditions. Downtown Orlando Ambassadors will also provide water and information to those needing shelter about the location of the cooling center and how to protect themselves from extreme heat conditions. Learn more about the program, hours of operation and more at orlando.gov/coolingcenter .

Bret Thomas, 2023 McNamara Employee of the Year Winner, is a Creative Genius! Anyone who knows Bret Thomas and has had the privilege of working with him in some way knows that he takes "above and beyond" to a whole new level. He is committed to service and teamwork and pushes the boundaries of creativity in the city's communication. Sewing elf costumes, constructing eight-foot-tall wooden letters and transforming into "Gus the Grass Man" are just a few examples of the creativity and dedication Bret brings to communicating ideas with the public. Bret's biggest accomplishment of 2023 has been updating and expanding The Orlando Information LOOP, the City of Orlando’s network of 64, soon to be 141, television displays used to digitally communicate with residents and employees immediately through customized channels specific to audience and location. Throughout this project, Bret served as a subject matter expert, working closely with IT, Facilities, and Procurement, including testing to ensure the software and television locations would meet the city's technology and communication needs. Outside of his duties as Graphics Supervisor, Bret has volunteered for numerous projects and activities, including the Juneteenth Committee and the Mayor's MLK Commission's 1 Million Meals Day of Service. Bret is often the first to volunteer, the last to leave, and always gives his all. He has a true servant's heart, offering his raincoat to strangers, taking on leadership roles, and staying past his shift. Thank you, Bret, for your service to our team, our organization and the community! We are all so proud of you and grateful for all that you do in service to our city each day.

A Shining Success Thanks to Our Amazing Team! A huge thank you to all the City of Orlando staff who contributed to making this year's Fireworks at the Fountain at Lake Eola Park a successful event. Putting together an event of this scale takes months of meticulous planning and coordination. We couldn’t have done it without the hard work and dedication of our fantastic teams from: Office of Communications and Neighborhood Relations Families, Parks and Recreation Orlando Police Department Orlando Fire Department Transportation Department Solid Waste Division Streets and Stormwater Division Procurement and Contracts Division Here’s to many more successful events together! orlando.gov/Events

An advisory committee that includes family members of the victims, survivors and community leaders will help lead the efforts to ensure a permanent memorial is developed to honor the 49 lives taken on June 12, 2016.

Solid Waste Team Thanks Their Biggest Fans! Our Solid Waste Division wanted to do something special for its biggest fans, kids. So, we created a kids' kit—a goodie bag that includes a Solid Waste T-shirt, a small garbage truck toy and a garbage cart pencil holder. While on their routes, our drivers can grab these kids' kits and surprise them as a thank-you for their waves and enthusiasm when the truck goes by, rain or shine. One of our Sanitation Equipment Operators, Roberto Baez, took some time to meet with his fans and surprised them with a kids' kit. We're proud to foster these special connections, as the kids smile every time they receive their goodies from their heroes, bringing joy to our community.

Ollie Rives Retires After 32 Years of Dedicated Service At last week's council meeting, Ollie Rives, Orlando Venues Facilities Manager, was honored for his remarkable 32 years of service with the City of Orlando. In recognition of his dedication, Mayor Dyer presented him with a retirement proclamation.   Over the last three decades, Ollie has been instrumental in the day-to-day operations and maintenance support of numerous city venues, including Kia Center, Camping World Stadium, Leu Gardens, Mennello Museum, the old Amway Arena, the Expo Center and Ben White Raceway.   Throughout his tenure with the city, he has always been a true team player with an ability to find a solution to every problem. His patience, perseverance and outstanding temperament have benefited Orlando Venues beyond measure.   Thank you, Ollie, for all that you did for our city! We wish you well and hope you enjoy your well-deserved retirement!

Exciting Developments in Affordable Housing We continue to work to expand our housing inventory for residents of all income levels, providing safe, accessible and affordable housing options for our senior residents. Last week Orlando City Council approved funding support for Wendover Housing Partners toward the development of new affordable housing in the Clear Lake Neighborhood. This support will aid the developer in their application to the Florida Housing Finance Corporation for Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Wendover is proposing a garden-style community with a minimum of 84 one-and two-bedroom affordable units for seniors, ages 55 and up, with amenities such as a pool, fitness center and clubhouse, and free on-site programming for residents. We’re proud to support initiatives that enhance our community and improve the quality of life for our residents. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to make Orlando a better place for everyone!