Commissioner Stuart’s Message

by Rick · June 2, 2021

Commissioner Robert Stuart

Happy summer! I’m excited to enjoy a healthy and safe summer around Orlando. Our city and county continue to offer convenient locations to get the COVID-19 vaccination, including the Lake Eola Farmers Market every Sunday; at Publix (which is now accepting walk-ins), and many other pop-ups across the city. It is reasonable for people to have reservations about the getting a new vaccine, but I encourage all residents to get more information about it at orlando.gov/COVID-19 Here you will be able to:

Dispel myths and identify facts about the vaccine
Find locations administering the vaccine
Find testing sites, in case you need to be tested
Search opportunities for relief or assistance

Also, remember that senior citizens and those with extenuating health circumstances can request a free Lynx ride to a vaccination site nearby. The closer we can move toward herd immunity, the more healthy our city and county will be.

Safety is also important this summer as people are going out to enjoy seasonal activities that we were unable to do last year, like cashing in on those extra SkyMiles or re-planning summer vacations that were cancelled last year. This means that residents are likely going away for long periods of time. Here are three tips for keeping the home front safe while you travel:

Know your neighbors: talk to your neighbors, let them know that you’re looking out for them and ask that they look out for you too! Neighbors can help pinpoint suspicious people or vehicles quickly.
Keep unoccupied property tidy: burglars look for abandoned houses they can use to observe the neighborhood and hide in after committing the crime. Be sure to remove advertisements, newspapers, and other trash so it doesn’t accumulate and tip off criminals that the house is unoccupied.
Find a trusted house sitter: you might not need someone to just stay in your house during the entire time that you are gone but have someone who can help you give the appearance of an occupied home to help ward off burglars. Things they can do to help are:

Park their car in your driveway periodically.
Gather your mail and newspaper.
Turn different lights on and off so the same lights are not coming on at the same time every night.

Of course, there are also residents who may not be traveling for the summer. After all, we’ve got more than enough creature comforts here in Orlando. While you are home- here are a few other activities and learning sessions to consider.

June 10 at 5:30 p.m.- You can learn about rain harvesting through a virtual workshop and receive a free rain barrel as an addition to your lawns and gardens that can be used for ornamental and landscaping plants for pollinator gardens.
June 16, 6 p.m.-The City of Orlando is offering an online information session to learn about using solar energy for homes and more sustainable communities. It’s part of a partnership with Solar United Neighbors (SUN) to offer an easy and affordable opportunity for residents to go solar by joining a solar co-op.
June 5 through September 5- Leu Gardens is offering their popular Fairy Doors adventure again this summer. This exhibit features twenty, one-of-a-kind, whimsical fairy doors, which offer a glimpse into the imaginative world of enchanted forests, secret gardens, and the magic of fairies.

The City of Orlando keeps an updated website of events; visit orlando.gov/events for a great list of happenings. There’s always something to do in our area. We’ve just got to know where to find it!

Congratulations to all the new high school and college graduates! I am hopeful that they will enjoy the strong job market that’s going to be opening up as companies start doing all the hiring that they’ve been holding off on during this past year. As always, thanks for your support of our shared community.

Robert