Beeman Mansion in Orlando + Snow White Lost an Arm

Reading time: 4 minutes

Good morning, Orlando! The whiplash between hot and cold is killing me.

You share, we listen. Click 👆 the poll at the bottom of this issue and tell us how we did today!

🌟 In today’s issue: 🌟

• Beeman Mansion

• Soldiers to Scholars

• Snow White Amputated

• + much more

Let’s start the week off right!

- Philip

ORLANDO REWIND ⏪
Behind the Walls of Beeman's Mansion on Lake Sue

Last week, we brought you a story about the Beeman Ginger Ale Spring. Let's expand on that and talk about the Beeman Bubble Gum House.

Long before becoming chewing gum royalty, Beeman was just a small-town pharmacist experimenting with digestive remedies in LaGrange, Ohio. When he added pepsin, an extract from pig stomachs, to his handmade chewing gum, Beeman struck gold. Practically overnight, his pepsin gum skyrocketed from his tiny pharmacy to every corner of booming America, raking in over $400,000 a year by 1898.

After cashing out big to American Chicle Co., Beeman's son constructed a grand, three-story, 24-room shingle-style mansion on the shores of Lake Sue in 1890. But why build such an immense private estate?

Link to Google Maps street view.

Whispers swirled that during the early 1900s, the lavish "Bubblegum House" secretly operated as an exclusive, underground hotspot for Orlando's most affluent figures to indulge their deepest vices without judgement. The wealthy and influential would flock there to fulfill their desires inside its secreted walls.

Of course, whether or not these rumors hold truth is hard to confirm. Like bubbles stretched too thin, the details have become obscured over time. What we do know is that, by the 1930s, the lavish Beeman estate had been converted into the prim and proper Ann Lisbeth Seese School for Girls - quite a pivot!

Today, the Bubblegum House remains nestled on its secluded lot, now called Beeman Park. With a past as rich as the Gilded Age tycoons who once walked its halls, one wonders what stories those walls would tell if they could talk.

THE SQUEEZE 🍊
Mapping the Puzzle of the Aging Brain at Advent Health

What keeps our minds sharp into old age? That is the riddle Dr. Kirk Erickson seeks to unravel. As a leading dementia researcher at AdventHealth’s Neuroscience Institute, Dr. Erickson leads a major new study called FLAME.

FLAME re-examines over 600 seniors who participated in an earlier trial called IGNITE back in 2017. That study explored whether physical activity protects the aging brain against Alzheimer’s disease. But before clear conclusions emerged, the COVID-19 pandemic stalled progress.

Now, with a $11 million NIH grant, Dr. Erickson resumes the research early next year. His team will extensively reevaluate IGNITE volunteers across three cities, scanning their brains, assessing memory and fitness over 5 years. The goal: understand how customized exercise regimens may help seniors fortify cognitive ability, much like a tailored prescription.

Dr. Erickson explains that he wants to plot the trajectory of change in the aging brain and determine whether decline can be predicted. With support from AdventHealth and other partners, this neuroscience detective hopes to uncover clues embedded in the lives of 600 seniors - secrets that may illuminate why activity keeps our faculties intact, even as we age.

The Pedestrian Perils of Orange County

Orange County residents, watch your step! A shocking new study reveals that our sunny streets are unexpectedly treacherous, ranking as the third most dangerous county for pedestrians.

According to data analysis from 2019-2021 by the valiant personal injury attorneys at Schiller Kessler Law Group, Orange County's pedestrian fatality rate hits an alarming 30% - just 5% shy of perilous Pinellas County's 35% rate which seized the infamous top spot. With pedestrian collisions claiming over 2,200 lives statewide, Orange County alarmingly edged out heavily populated Miami-Dade for our humble bronze medal in this morbid competition.

So what gives? Why is pedestrian life so precarious in Central Florida's iconic tourist destination? Experts point to our sprawling urban design, lack of sidewalks, dangerous road crossings near theme parks, and distracted drivers and visitors focused more on Mouse caps than crosswalks.

The numbers don't lie. When ambling around Orange County, heads up and phones down! Make eye contact with drivers, use crosswalks, and dress brightly.

Soldiers to Scholars

Every school day before dawn, Gabriella Isaza wakes up to serve her country again. As a Navy veteran and University of Central Florida student, she's part of the Soldiers to Scholars program. She and fellow veterans escort kids on their two-mile walk to Eagle's Nest Elementary, helping keep them safe on busy roads.

It begins at the Soldiers to Scholars center where vets make the rushing flood of kids breakfast, fuel for the long walk ahead. Bellies full, they line up to recite the Pledge of Allegiance, a thanks to the watching veterans. Tiny frames then disappear under reflective jackets almost too large to manage before marching forth.

Established in 1994, Soldiers to Scholars aims to help veterans afford degrees while giving back. Isaza owes over $11,000 in college loans but through the program can graduate debt-free. That service matters most to her now.

The road to education is perilous for many veterans. Just 27% can independently afford a bachelor’s degree, leaving hundreds of thousands stuck on the long road to opportunity. As a safety patrol vet, Isaza's goal is making sure the next generation stays on course to a brighter future.

Turning Tiny Bars into Big Change: Inside Orlando's Soap Recycling Crusade

In hotel rooms around the world, small discarded bars of soap and tiny shampoo bottles pile up by the thousands, destined for landfills. These would-be trash items fuel an inspiring recycling operation on a massive global scale called Clean the World headquartered in Orlando.

Founded in 2009 by entrepreneur Shawn Seipler, the nonprofit intercepts leftover hygiene items before they hit the dump. To date, the organization has given new life to an astonishing 80 million bars of hotel soap, distributing them to impoverished communities in over 127 countries.

Soap bars by the bin-load arrive daily, donated by over 8,000 partner hotels worldwide. Dedicated volunteers sort the bars and prepare them for deep cleaning. That’s where Carlos Anderson comes in.

For 15 years, Carlos has personally scrubbed, sanitized and re-shaped each and every bar, saving lives through the simple act of soap recycling. In addition to soap, Clean the World repurposes over 123,000 plastic toiletry bottles annually into new products.

Schools and youth groups visit to learn about the recycling process and lend their helping hands. Shawn says the fulfillment he gets from seeing their team grow is amazing.

Nonprofit Backs Culinary Careers for the Differently Abled

When Arlene Rhodenbeck couldn't find the right culinary arts program for her autistic daughter, she launched her own nonprofit to fill the void. Home Of Bright Choices holds monthly cooking clubs and assists members in starting small "cottage" food businesses, like her daughter Shanon's successful cookie company.

Rhodenbeck has structured a low-sensory baking environment where special needs students feel comfortable honing skills from measuring ingredients to clean-up routines. She hopes to provide an avenue into culinary arts for those unable to access such programs otherwise.

Beyond cooking clubs, Rhodenbeck is focused on cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit and path to independence. By achieving early success as micro-business owners, these young adults gain confidence to pursue full-time food industry careers. There are also plans underway to partner with Valencia College's School of Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management on a specialized certificate program.

The School's Dean, Alex Erdmann, says Rhodenbeck's work is "amazing," adding that he sees it becoming much bigger. Through tailored training and real-world business experience, this ambitious founder is helping young people with cognitive disabilities achieve their dreams—one tasty recipe at a time.

ORLANDO ODDITIES 🧐
A Magical Mishap: Snow White's Hilarious Missing Arm at Walt Disney World

Laughing spread across the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride as guests encountered an unusual sight - Snow White dancing without her arm!

Kira Haas, an enthusiastic 28-year-old park goer, captured the silly scene on video during a recent Walt Disney World trip. As the ride climbed through diamond caverns, riders anticipated Snow White twirling with Dopey. But when the dwarfs began their jig to "The Silly Song," Snow White waved a detached arm while Dopey himself clutched her missing limb, shocking and delighting onlooking guests.

Haas stated she pulled out her phone to take a selfie with her friend Evan for his birthday when they noticed the glitch. The video has since amused over 300,000 viewers on TikTok who find the mishap more funny than concerning. While surprises occur with older animatronics, Haas maintains no hard feelings, stating Disney quickly closed the ride for repairs.

No matter the magic mishaps, Haas and guests worldwide still consider Walt Disney World the Happiest Place on Earth - where fantasy and laughter thrive even when attractions encounter trouble.

@dovelybell

Rip Snow White’s arm💀 #fyp #disneyworld #wdw #waltdisneyworld

#ORLANDOSIGNAL 📸

Peace 💕

📷 via @orlandosignal |📍Laureate Park Playground

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FOODIE FIND, FORK YEAH! 🤩
Sushi Saint

📍400 Pittman St, Orlando, FL 32801, or map to this location, right here.

⏱️ Wed - Mon: 5pm - 10pm, Sat 12pm - 10pm, Sun 12pm - 8pm

Step into the vibrant culinary landscape of Orlando, FL, where a gastronomic marvel awaits all sushi aficionados: Sushi Saint.

Helmed by the culinary virtuoso, and Michelin Star’d Chef, Michael Collantes, this new establishment is a veritable powerhouse in the realm of sushi.

What sets Sushi Saint apart? It's the meticulous attention to detail, starting with the crispiest, most ethereal nori for their handcrafted rolls. Each creation is a testament to passion and precision, crafted with an abundance of care and purpose.

But the real star? The tuna platter. Picture this: succulent, buttery fish that transcends taste, an experience so divine it lingers in your dreams. Such was its allure that contemplating a second order became a serious temptation.

In essence, Sushi Saint isn't just a dining experience; it's a culinary odyssey.

ORLANDO WEATHER 🌤️

Monday

79🌡️ 57 | 🌤️ | Intervals of clouds and sunshine

Tuesday

73🌡️ 56 | ⛅️ | Pleasant and less humid with intervals of clouds and sunshine

Wednesday

70 🌡️ 48 | ☁️ | Increasing amounts of sunshine

THANKS! 🙏

If you found something useful or interesting, please share this issue with someone you know! We’ll see you on Thursday with some fun weekend recs.

My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal