Undies For Charity

February 15, 2024

Good morning, Orlando! I hope you all had a great Valentine’s Day. Apparently the Strong National Museum of Play put together a history of Valentine’s cards online exhibit. Quite interesting, actually.

In today’s Orlando Signal, Thursday (weekend fun) issue:

  • Year of the Dragon

  • Undies for charity

  • Floyd Nation

  • + a boat load of weekend recs

If you enjoy this issue, please forward it to a friend. If you’re that sexy friend, subscribe here.

Let’s roll!

- Philip

3 QUICK NEWS BITS ⏲️
Fireworks, Feasts & Fortunes: Orlando’s Lunar New Year Festivities

The Lunar New Year elicits joyous revelry at central Florida’s Wah Lum Kung Fu Temple as local Asian Americans celebrate the Chinese zodiac’s Year of the Dragon.

The crashing fireworks and red paper decorations carry symbolic meaning - warding off evil spirits and beckoning luck for the year ahead.

For Mimi Chan, director of Make Us Visible Florida, the rich cultural traditions bear personal significance. Born to the temple’s Chinese immigrant founder, Chan lobbied last year to integrate Asian American history into state curriculum. Passing down Lunar New Year customs helps youth recognize their identity, she says.

The sentiment was shared by 14-year-old Evelyn Lam, who cheered for preserving the culture through its traditions. Families carried on late into the evening by depicting ancient tales through fan dances, calligraphy, and poetry to highlight the occasion’s cultural heritage.

Though originating overseas, such Lunar New Year customs have taken root here as an emblem of Floridian Asian American pride.

Hope Blooms Through Mentorship

Take Stock in Children mentorship program helps promising Seminole County students facing financial hardship thrive. Staffed by volunteers, it provides guidance and more than just scholarships - it offers hope.

Michele Velez embodies that hope fulfilled. Once a shy, first-generation student, the program empowered her to become a registered nurse. Now she pays it forward, mentoring a student on the same journey.

Take Stock’s tremendous impact shows in its 97% high school graduation rate versus 80% statewide. An accountability report also notes 90% college enrollment rates versus 30% of peers. As Executive Director Jean Vansmith states, while scholarships initially draw students, relationships transform them.

For Velez, support bridging information gaps and two years’ tuition enabled a debt-free nursing degree. Her former mentor Vicky Countess observes she has blossomed since 9th grade.

Today, Velez plans further education while guiding her mentee Maria Vazquez toward the same bright future once envisioned for herself - one flowering with possibility nurtured by Take Stock’s seed of promise.

A Mobile Miracle: Dental Unit on Wheels is Giving Seniors Their Smiles Back

Osceola County’s new Senior Smiles mobile denture unit brings affordable dental care and brighter smiles to seniors, starting with its first patient Josue Rivera. The $300,000 state-of-the-art clinic on wheels, funded by a county grant, offers dentures and teeth cleaning to low income and uninsured residents 55 and over.

The unit aims to help around 200 patients in its first phase. 70-year-old Doris Tessier hopes to replace her missing front teeth so she can eat properly. As her living costs soar, dental implants were out of reach. Riveria says new teeth could help his love life.

The clinic was the brainchild of County Commissioner Viviana Janer after hearing seniors couldn’t access dental care not covered by Medicare. With fewer than 18 dentists per 100,000 residents, the county falls far below the state average.

The mobile unit brings the services to patients. Its senior-friendly design accommodates wheelchairs and enhances accessibility. Studies show poor dental health increases risk of dementia, heart disease and stroke.

Beyond physical health, the clinic gives seniors confidence to smile brightly again.

WEEKEND SPOT HIGHLIGHT 🔦
Cupid Comes to Orlando in His Undies, for Charity


📍Elixir. 9 W Washington St Orlando, FL. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, February 17th at 2pm

On Saturday, the annual Cupid's Undie Run charity event comes to downtown Orlando. Participants jog approximately one mile wearing just their undergarments to raise money for neurofibromatosis (NF) research.

NF causes tumors to grow on nerves throughout the body. Money raised at cheeky events like this goes directly to research in hopes of someday finding better treatments or a cure.

Elixir Kitchen and Bar will serve as home base, with drinking and dancing planned before and after the near-naked jog to keep energy and spirits high. Runners can sign up online for $45 ($50 closer to race day).

Organizers encourage creative costumes beyond just underwear, but remind participants to keep it "PG-13." The real motivating factor is raising money for the cause - almost $16,000 has already been collected towards a $37,000 goal according to the event website.

When asked why Orlando in February, Cupid just smiles, grabs his bow and quiver, and sets off to recruit more willing to run for charity and for the thrill.

TOP 3 FUN RECS FOR THE WEEKEND 🍊
The Lonely Dog Immersive Experience

📍4950 International Drive, Orlando, FL 32819 Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday’s, 11 AM – 9 PM

Step into the enchanting world of Lonely Dog, an immersive 360-degree digital experience that will captivate your imagination. Original art, animation, storytelling, music and more come alive to share the heartwarming adventure of one charming canine in search of friendship.

Let acclaimed artist Ivan Clarke guide you through this visually stunning exhibition as you uncover the inspiration behind Lonely Dog's creative origins. Marvel at Clarke's whimsical paintings and sketches up-close in the art gallery before jumping into VR to sit alongside Lonely Dog on a thrilling midnight flight beneath the blue moon.

Young and old alike can unleash their inner artist at the Coloring Fun Art Wall, seeing their Lonely Dog masterpieces digitally projected larger-than-life. Capture the magic at surreal, Instagram-worthy photo ops that transform you into the star of this poignant tale.

Continue the experience by bringing home pawsome Lonely Dog souvenirs from the on-site boutique, memorable keepsakes to share the storytelling spirit with family and friends.


📍Leu Gardens. 1920 North Forest Avenue, Orlando, FL. Map to this location.

🕐 Saturday, February 17th

Be transported into a magical world where larger-than-life insects take flight at a one-of-a-kind outdoor sculpture exhibit. Nationally renowned sculptor, Alex Heveri, has crafted 28 breathtaking works depicting winged creatures in flight, each handmade with illuminated Dalle de Verre glass and gleaming steel.

As sunlight filters through the glass, it radiates in iridescent hues, bringing vibrancy and an illusion of movement to dragonflies, butterflies, and even a giant cicada. Heveri's masterful creations intertwine art and science, capturing distinctive details and the essence of these wondrous flying insects with imagination and wonder.

Children will delight in spotting hidden butterflies scattered playfully throughout the Gardens. Don't miss the chance to experience this award-winning exhibit included with Gardens admission. Let your imagination take flight!

Floyd Nation

📍The Plaza Live. 425 North Bumby Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803. Map to this location.

🕐 Sunday, February 18th, 8pm

Close your eyes as Floyd Nation transports you back in time with haunting guitar and saxophone melodies. More than a cover band, they inhabit the spirit of Pink Floyd, channeling the artistry that captivated millions across iconic albums like The Wall and Dark Side of the Moon.

For over twenty years, these gifted musicians have meticulously resurrected the groundbreaking performances that defined a generation. Augmented by an electrifying light show, their live concerts feel like time travel back to those unforgettable early tours.

Note-for-note, nuance-by-nuance, Floyd Nation doesn't just play these masterpieces — they invite you to experience them anew. Feel the steady rumble of drums in your chest. Let them take your hand, lead you into the laser lights, and take you on a magical musical journey that lingers long after the last notes fade.

Through painstaking sonic detail and artful storytelling, the band brings Pink Floyd's ingenious grandiosity to life once more. Close your eyes, let them transport you through the psychedelic soundscapes, and relive music history in the making.

MORE WEEKEND HAPPENINGS 🎭 🥁 

Friday:

Saturday:

Sunday:

ORLANDO WEATHER 🌤️

Friday

77 🌡️ 60 | 🌥️ | Rather cloudy

Saturday

🌤️71 🌡️ 51 | 🌧️ | Cloudy and increasingly windy; a shower in spots in the morning followed by occasional rain and drizzle in the afternoon

Sunday

61 🌡️ 50 | 🌧️ | Cool with periods of rain

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THANKS! 🙏

We’ll see you on Monday!

My Best,
Philip - Publisher, Orlando Signal