Within hours of there being a need for blood donors, nearly every blood bank & donor center was at capacity with lines going out the door and for those who could not donate they brought water & food for those waiting in line, memorials were immediately created, vigils took place around Lake Eola, and throughout the entire city everyone was on standby trying to help in any way possible. Several of my customers who owned businesses near downtown closed their doors for few days to make sure they’re out helping and responding to the community's needs. Special thanks to Ms. Gina Garcia who is the owner of Tirakoo and a longtime customer that spent hours out on the heat distributing water and food to responders, family and anyone in need. Several of our customers who are counselors, psychologists, and therapists took from their busy schedule to help families and friends of the victims.
Orlando is a very young city; it was not until about 1975 until Orlando really became an area people thought of (thanks to Disney). Within the past 40-or-so years the population has skyrocketed and the city has grown from a smaller-than-average city in the middle of Florida to the #1 tourist destination in the world. Being that type of melting pot, few people are originally “from” Orlando. You have as much of a chance finding someone here that is “from” Orlando as you do finding someone that is from California.
I personally feel that this type of uniqueness that Orlando has is what creates such a sense of community since everyone has that unspoken commonality of growing together not just personally but as a city.
Regardless of what happens in Our city beautiful, it still remains the happiest place in the entire world. It remains my HOME and the home of many other that have chosen to raise their families, build their businesses, or get an education in this magical city.