Impact Update for Thursday, March 31 |
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“Being at the World Cup as a player is one of most special things you can do. You think of the world stage and the games and the impact the games have, and how the nation’s behind you, it’s really a beautiful thing.”
-Gregg Berhalter, USMNT Head Coach
See USMNT Qualifying story below...
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Quote of the Day.
“It's hard to beat somebody who never gives up.”
- Megan Rapinoe
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Around The Horn.
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The United States men are returning to the World Cup, clinching a berth for this year’s championship in Qatar on Wednesday despite a 2-0 loss to Costa Rica on the final night of qualifying.
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The Orlando Magic's signature fundraising event, the Orlando Wine Festival & Auction held on March 19 at the Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes, raised nearly $700,000 for the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF), benefiting at-risk children in Central Florida.
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Spring has arrived and with it comes the 2022 Sunshine Classic Girls Qualifier on April 1-3 at the Orange County Convention Center. This year, 1,239 teams with athletes ages 11-18 are registered. Approximately 55,000 athletes and supporters are expected to attend over the three days.
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UCF held its first scrimmage of spring camp Tuesday, and there’s already clarity with the crowded quarterback room. Sophomore Mikey Keene and Ole Miss transfer John Rhys Plumlee are beginning to separate themselves.
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Tiger Woods has sparked speculation that he could make a shocking return to golf at next week's Masters after it was widely reported that he played a practice round at Augusta National this week.
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Lake Brantley and Windermere High are the top-ranked softball teams in their respective Class 7A regions, according to the first FHSAA playoff power rankings of the season.
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Tampa Bay Bucs Coach Bruce Arians announced that he was retiring to take a front-office role effective immediately. Veteran defensive coordinator Todd Bowles will replace him as part of a succession plan that Arians said had been in the works a few weeks.
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The NFL is requiring all of its teams to hire a minority or female offensive assistant coach for the 2022 season, and also says its Rooney Rule, requiring every team to interview at least two external minority candidates for open head coaching positions, will expand to provide more opportunities for women to secure front office roles.
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NCAA March Madness: Get to know the Final Four teams.
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Orlando's most popular bars and eateries will take over the Camping World Stadium clubs and suites on Friday, April 29, at 7 pm, with the return of Florida Citrus Sports' annual Sideline Wine and Dine fundraiser presented by OAI. Sample fine wines, craft beers and delectable dishes from dozens of local favorites, with proceeds benefiting the Florida Citrus Sports Foundation's continued K-8 educational efforts in The Communities of West Lakes near Camping World Stadium.
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The 2022 MexTour, one of the top sports properties in North America, will kick off on Wednesday, April 27 at 8:00pm, when the Mexican National Team battles Guatemala at Camping World Stadium in Orlando – a candidate city and venue to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
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In The News.
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Orlando Business Journal announced 14 winners in their 2022 Diversity in Business Awards, an annual awards program that honors Central Florida companies, organizations and business leaders who have gone above and beyond in embracing inclusion and equality across all areas of diversity. Congratulations to GO Sports Board Member Justin Williams, as well as partners Orlando Health and UCF for being recognized.
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The City of Orlando is partnering with One Orlando Alliance and the Downtown Arts District to install a number of picnic tables around downtown that will be decorated by local creatives. 25 tables will be “strategically located” throughout the city and the City of Orlando is looking for artists who are interested in painting them in exchange for a $350 stipend to do so.
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Mayor Demings presented Dr. Pinilla-Alonso with a Distinguished Resident Award for her significant accomplishments in astrophysics and planetary sciences. Dr. Pinilla-Alonso is an Associate Scientist at the Florida Space Institute with the University of Central Florida, and she was selected to study the solar system via NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope – the largest and most advanced telescope in history from a pool of over 1,100 proposals from 44 different countries.
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Dr. Phillips Charities, which is spearheading the construction of Orlando’s new Packing District, announced that Chef Akhtar Nawab and his company Hospitality HQ will operate the planned 17,300 sq. foot food hall, which is set to be built inside the Southern Box building near the corner of Orange Blossom Trail and Princeton Street.
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Federal funding for ten community projects in Central Florida has now been signed into law. Over $6 million is coming to Central Florida for Orlando police body cameras, youth homelessness prevention, clean water infrastructure, emergency power generators for senior housing, and more. These projects were specifically designated by Representative Val Demings for federal funding.
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Universal Orlando is raising starting wages for culinary positions across its resort. Culinary employees will see starting wages that range from $16.50 to $20 an hour depending on the position, the resort announced Wednesday.
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Disney revealed their Guardians of the Galaxy ride queue. It is described as a planetarium-style space that showcases planets and stars that "connect residents of Earth and the planet Xandar." The photo shows a giant circular area in the ceiling where those images of planets and stars will be shown.
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The onset of the pandemic in 2020 saw the postponement of a variety of public projects and initiatives, including one of the most-anticipated, the Transportation Tax Initiative. Relaunched in 2022, Mayor Demings’ transportation penny sales tax aims to raise the necessary funds to “reduce congestion, increase safety for all transportation users, and to offer more and better options for commuters.”
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Melinda French Gates and MacKenzie Scott are among philanthropists donating money to the Gender Fund, which seeks to raise $1 billion to advance equality and women’s leadership in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
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Stay Engaged.
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The Great Hire Event is being hosted by Career Source Central Florida on April 29. Connect with your “higher-calling” by allowing an opportunity to meet with on-site hiring managers and decision makers excited to meet you.
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Dance Club 921 is hosting an April Fools Dance Party at Harriett’s Orlando Ballet Center. 100% of the first $500 in ticket sales go directly back to benefit Orlando Ballet, and 25% of sales thereafter. See you on the dance floor!
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The 33rd Annual Spring Fiesta in the Park is this Saturday & Sunday, April 2-3! Enjoy more than 200 artists and crafters, live entertainment, food, vendors and kid's zone at Lake Eola Park.
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Head over to the College Park Spring Fest on Saturday, April 2 for a celebration along Edgewater Drive, including live music, art, activities, food trucks, and more.
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The Florida Film Festival has just announced the program lineup for its 31st Annual Festival, running April 8-17, 2022, which will be hosted in Maitland and Winter Park. This year's festival will screen 167 films representing 37 countries.
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Do you have what it takes to lift Thor’s hammer? Can you pinpoint Krypton through a telescope? Have you heard the buzz about super powered insects? Head to the Orlando Science Center for Science Night Live, their signature after-hours event just for grown-ups on April 9. Meet a real-life food hero, power up at our fuel-stocked food and drink stations and explore floors of science fun and discovery (without the kids).
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Join the City District Main Street on April 10 for their quarterly clean-up in the heart of downtown Orlando as they partner with the City of Orlando’s Keep Orlando Beautiful to pick up litter and fill planters alongside Gertrude’s Walk with new fresh plants with a new irrigation system.
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Camping World Stadium is hosting its first Orlando Tacos and Margaritas Festival where it will shell out tons of tantalizing tacos and myriad flavors of margaritas to festival-goers on Saturday, April 16. Tickets are on sale now!
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Summer Camp registration is now open for the Orlando Science Center! Keep learning all summer long with exciting STEM camps for Preschool* through Grade 9, featuring topics like chemistry, engineering, nature, and many more.
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Florida residents can save big while visiting Walt Disney World Resort theme parks. Click here to view the current list of special offers.
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Universal Orlando's Florida resident specials include discounts on vacation packages.
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There was a lot of activity in our community for the USMNT v Panama World Cup Qualifier match, including a Fan Fest on Church Street
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The GO Sports team participated in Jersey Mike's Day of Giving, a day when all sales were donated to support the upcoming 2022 Special Olympics USA Games in Orlando
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Our Monster Jam World Finals street team was out at the Garth Brooks concert this weekend to promote the event coming to Camping World Stadium on May 20-21
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GO Sports is a proud sponsor of the Lake Nona Tour de Cure race, which took place over the weekend
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Congratulations to GO Sports board member Justin Williams on being honored in Orlando Business Journal's 2022 Diversity in Business Awards
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GO Sports President & CEO Jason Siegel and Executive Vice President Jennifer Lastik attended the USMNT match at Exploria Stadium along with many board members, and visited with US Soccer executives Cindy Parlow Cone and Will Wilson
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Local Resources.
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Visit these pages for the most critical local health and government updates:
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City of Orlando: COVID-19 Homepage | Testing Sites | Vaccine Sites
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Orange County: COVID-19 Homepage | Testing Sites | Vaccine Sites
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Osceola County: COVID-19 Homepage | Testing Sites | Vaccine Sites
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Seminole County: COVID-19 Homepage | Testing Sites | Vaccine Sites
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Lake County: Homepage
- City of Orlando:
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The Downtown Development Board (DDB) and Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) created a webpage to assist with identifying grants and incentives that may be available to downtown businesses.
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Orlando's City Council approved the Safety Awareness for Everyone (S.A.F.E) Program, creating an incentive for businesses and properties to purchase and install security measures that are intended to help deter crime and provide a safer environment for business owners, employees, and visitors. Entertainment businesses including, but not limited to, bars, nightclubs, and entertainment venues located within the City of Orlando’s Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) footprint shall be eligible for funding to purchase and install security measures which include identification scanners, security cameras, and metal detection systems. Other properties located within the CRA shall be eligible for funding to purchase and install security cameras only. Applicants are eligible to receive up to $10,000 or 50% of the total cost of eligible products, whichever is less. Click here for more info and to apply now.
- Orange County:
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The #IGotMyShot mobile vaccination trailer continues to visit neighborhoods and businesses throughout Orange County. For next week’s schedule, or for more information about the #IGotMyShot campaign, visit ocfl.net/IGotMyShot.
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Orange County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program remains open for individuals who are behind on rent or at risk of being evicted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To date, more than $15.3 million have been approved to keep 2,635 families in their homes. Recently, the City of Orlando announced it has depleted its current federal funds dedicated to its Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Orange County is stepping in to bridge the gap and will temporarily offer assistance to Orlando residents, effective now until further notice. Eligible residents include those living in unincorporated Orange County, Apopka, Bay Lake, Belle Isle, Eatonville, Edgewood, Lake Buena Vista, Maitland, Oakland, Ocoee, Orlando, Windermere, Winter Garden and Winter Park. Residents can visit ocfl.net/RentalAssistance to review program details and to check if their address is eligible.
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CareerSource Central Florida is helping career seekers and displaced workers apply for the Reemployment Assistance program through the Department of Economic Opportunity.
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Osceola County:
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Osceola County is currently accepting applications for emergency utility assistance for households impacted by COVID19. Funding is available for electric, gas, and water utilities only. If you reside in Osceola County and your household is impacted, please click here to complete the application.
- Lake County:
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For Lake County residents, United Way of Lake and Sumter Counties is able to assist with CARES/ERA/SHIP Federal funds for rent and utilities. For more information on eligibility and documents needed, or to make an appointment, please visit their Family Stability Services page.
- Seminole County:
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If you have been impacted by the COVID-19 crisis and live in Seminole County, The Sharing Center is currently accepting applications for rent/mortgage and utilities assistance. Click here for program criteria and to learn how to apply.
- Additional Resources:
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The US Small Business Association has compiled a database of private funding options to help small businesses. Browse the options available nationally, or input a zip code to explore location-specific funding.
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