Following the governor’s announcement that the state would move into "Full Phase I," the state's amusement parks were permitted to open following submission of a re-opening plan to the County and State governments. In an effort to make the process easier to navigate, County Manager Don Fisher and the Chamber hosted a Zoom call with our local attractions owners last Friday. Participants heard recommendations from Mr. Fisher, Department of Emergency Management Director Bill Litton, consultant Sarah Matthews, and Brett Smith with the Osceola County Department of Health.
Here are some important takeaways from that call that attractions will want to keep in mind as they open, and that guests will want to keep in mind as they choose which attractions to visit.
Tips from Osceola County Economic Development
David Rodriguez with the County’s Department of Economic Development, recommended that attractions owners and operators check out the new WeveOpenedSafely.org site for a list of guidelines issued by a variety of industries, as well as the CDC. The CDC’s guidelines include ones specific to amusement parks. There is now a tab on the WeveOpenedSafely.org site where attractions may fill out a form and submit their plan directly. The review process will move as quickly as possible, but will depend on thoroughness of the plan submitted.
Tips from the Department of Health
Bret Smith with the Department of Health added that he is specifically looking for park capacity, signage, social distancing, and PPE requirements for guests and staff. He also offered a great tip to attractions that have been dormant for the last three months: flush your water line!. Additional guidelines attractions should provide in their plans include how they will handle sick employees, a screening process for employees, and plans for tracking cross-contamination in the case of a sick employee. The Health Department can send a consultant out to an attraction if requested.
Advice from the County Consultant
Sarah Matthews, a consultant hired by Osceola County to review attractions’ reopening plans, said that she will look at all possibilities when reviewing plans, and will help the attraction to be covered as best as possible going into the future and accounting for future possibilities.
Tips from Osceola County Emergency Management
Emergency Management Director Bill Litton advised creating a step-by-step reopening plan with a neat cover letter. Specifics are important, such as hand sanitizer and the potency of the sanitizer. Hand sanitizer should content 60%-95% isopropyl alcohol and surface sanitizers should contain 60%-80%. Disinfectants should be EPA approved. He also recommends showing research and providing a chain of supply for the PPE that will be required for guests and staff. It is necessary to show that PPE is obtainable.
Updates on our Member Attractions
That was great advice, and many of our member attractions have taken it to heart, as they have either reopened or plan to reopen soon. Please see the list below, with links, of which of our member attractions have either reopened or will open soon!
Experience Kissimmee
Experience Kissimmee, Osceola’s tourism gurus, have coloring pages and other fun activities available on their Facebook Page, and you can take a Virtual Kissimmee Vacation on their website.
Fun Spot Kissimmee
Fun Spot is OPEN from noon to 10:00 pm.
GATORLAND
Gatorland is OPEN!
Gay Days
Gay Days has moved from June 2020 to October 27 -November 2, 2020 and will be known as Gay Days Halloween. Learn more at their website.
Island Grove Wine Company at Formosa Gardens
Island Grove Wine Company is open and also offering curbside pickup.
Island H2O Live!
Island H2O Live! is OPEN!
Maxflight Helicopter Tours
Maxflight Helicopter Tours is OPEN!
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament
Medieval Times is currently closed, but you can find fun interactive videos on their YouTube page.
Museum of Military History
The Museum of Military History is OPEN!
Old Town
Old Town is OPEN!
Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park
Orlando Tree Trek Adventure Park is OPEN!
Osceola Arts
Osceola Arts’ 2019-2020 season will resume on July 17 with Once on this Island.
Osceola County Welcome Center and Museum
The Welcome Center and Museum are OPEN!
Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek
The Pioneer Village is OPEN!
Revolution – The Off Road Experience
Revolution Off-Road reopens May 29.
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
Some shopping and dining locations at Disney Springs are open.
Walt Disney World has proposed that Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom will open on July 11 and EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15, pending approval from the governor.
Wild Florida
Wild Florida will resume full operations on June 1.
For this month's Breakfast for a Cause, presented by Osceola Regional Medical Center, we would have loved to host a captive audience at the Chamber, serve you a breakfast catered by one of our member restaurants, and take some time to network. Of course, as with everything these days, a change of plan was required. So, for the first time, we took our bi-monthly Breakfast for a Cause series to the virtual platform of Zoom. Dr. Peter Marzano, MD, whose practice is affiliated with Osceola Regional Medical Center, gave us a crash course on positive life skills for managing your blood sugar. We even found a way to have a breakfast partner! Susan's Courtside Cafe offered a special deal just for our attendees: a free coffee with your meal if you mentioned attending the Friday event!
If you missed the event, read some highlights below, or checkout the video at the bottom of the page!
About Our Speaker
Peter M. Marzano, MD is a board certified internal medicine specialist caring for patients at his practice, Osceola Care Specialist located on West Oak Street in Kissimmee in affiliation with Osceola Regional Medical Center. Dr. Marzano received his medical degree from the American University Of The Caribbean School Of Medicine in 1997 and his internship and residency at Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, Georgia. Dr. Marzano has been practicing for over 20 years and his philosophy is to always put the patient first.
Presentation Highlights
The focus of Dr. Marzano's presentation was Type II Diabetes, which is most common in adults, as opposed to Type I, which is commonly found in children. Surprisingly, there are 3 million new diagnoses of Type II diabetes in the US every year and 9.4% of the population has it. For reference, in 1960 less than 1 percent of the population had Type II Diabetes, and it is projected that by 2030 18%-20% of the population will have it.
So what positive life choices can we make to keep from becoming a statistic? While genetics can play a role, dietary choices have a big impact on the development of diabetes. Low levels of activity, which we may be facing even more now during the COVID-19 pandemic, can also factor. Consuming only the amount of sugar needed to function (less than 9 grams per serving) and maintaining a healthy body weight can help.
Interesting Takeaways
Tips for Diabetics
Q&A Highlights
Q: Why is diabetes considered a top risk factor for mortality from coronavirus?
A: Elevated sugar levels can impair your immune system, making you more susceptible to infections like coronavirus.
Q: Is there a point of no return with diabetes?
A: There doesn't have to be. Watch your caloric intake and burn what you take in. Once you're on insulin, it becomes more difficult to reverse it.
Q: How do you curb sugar and carb cravings?
A: Look for complex carbohydrates rather than simple, eat whole grain bread, and bulk up on protein that will make you feel full.
We want to thank Dr. Marzano and Osceola Regional Medical Center for making Breakfast for a Cause a success, and Susan's Courtside Cafe for helping us deliver on the "breakfast" portion of the title. Finally, we want to thank those who attended and spent part of their virtual day with us.
The Chamber has been going live every Wednesday morning since April 1 on the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber Facebook page with insights on topics important to businesses and our community as we navigate COVID-19. Video of the livestreams will remain available on Facebook and on our YouTube channel thereafter. We will also be cataloging them here. Find all of our April livestreams below.
June 24: Consumer Confidence and the Economy with UCF's Sean Snaith
Sean Snaith, Ph.D. of the University of Central Florida's Institute of Competitiveness joined us for a conversation on consumer confidence and the economy.
June 17: Connecting Central Floridians to Careers
Ray Villegas and Yaralise Colon from CareerSource Central Florida discuss connecting Central Floridians to careers and developing skilled talent for businesses.
June 10: Business Tax Incentives Through the CARES Act
We were joined by Amy Fondo, principal at CliftonLarsonAllen LLP, to discuss business tax incentives found within the federal CARES Act. Don't forget that Tax Day 2020 is July 15!
June 3: Rethink and Reimagine Your Business - Reframing Reality
Larry Klimek of JKL Associates joined us to discuss creating opportunity for your business out of our new reality.
May 27: The Intersection of COVID-19 and Bankruptcy: The Impact on Your Business
Roy S. Kobert, shareholder at GrayRobinson, P.A., joined us to discuss "The Intersection of COVID-19 and Bankruptcy: The Impact on Your Business." He covered major bankruptcy filings due to COVID-19 and the impact the virus could have on businesses in Central Florida and beyond.
May 20: We've Opened Safely Campaign
To boost consumer confidence amid the Coronavirus (COVID-19) health crisis, the Osceola Back 2 Work Taskforce has launched the “We’ve Opened Safely Campaign” to ensure Osceola County and its cities reopen businesses at their best. Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber President John Newstreet and Dirk Webb, his counterpart at the St. Cloud Chamber, are tell you more.
May 13: Business Interruption Insurance
We were joined by Alex De Jorge with Brightway Insurance, the De Jorge Agency to discuss business interruption insurance policies. What is business interruption insurance? How do you know if you have it? Are your pandemic-related losses covered? View to find out and reach out to us with questions.
May 6: Healthcare Update with Our Hospitals
Ken Peach with Community Vision's Health Leadership Council gave us a rundown of best practices for businesses looking to reopen and explains what we can expect as we return to our hospitals for non-COVID procedures and treatments. We were also joined by Orlando Health Senior Vice President Thibaut van Marcke, AdventHealth Kissimmee CEO Sheila Rankin, Osceola Regional Medical Center President/CEO Davide Carbone, and St Cloud Regional Medical Center CEO Brent Burish for an update on Osceola's hospital systems.
April 29: Immigration and Visa Update with Attorney Demian Serianni
With President Trump's recent Executive Order and other concerns created by COVID-19, immigration is a hot topic. On April 29, we hosted a discussion on the Executive Order, and how it and other immigration issues, such as E2 visas, could affect your business or employees. We were joined by Demian Serianni, an immigration attorney with Widerman Malek, and Steve Silcock an E2 visa holder and owner of Bardell Real Estate.
April 22: Tourism Update with Experience Kissimmee President & CEO D.T. Minich
Tourism plays a major role in our business community. Experience Kissimmee CEO D.T. Minich gave an update on the tourism industry and EK's phased response to help tourism recover once it is safe. While our tourism industry will face particular challenges, this phased recovery plan will provide insight to businesses of any industry. See Experience Kissimmee's...
April 15: Staying Mentally Healthy During COVID-19
Chamber president John Newstreet spoke with Claudia Swonger, Director of Physical & Provider Relations Behavioral Health at Osceola Regional Medical Center, and Kristine Zwick representing Wraparond Osceola's the Check-In Project. Find more about their programs and other resources for those experiencing a difficult time on our Mental Health Resources During COVID-19 blog post.
April 8: Community Resources and Assistance, featuring Mary Downey of the Community Hope Center.
Our mission at the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber is to be "champions for business and community," and we had the privilege to host the Rev. Mary Lee Downey with the Community Hope Center of Osceola County. Mary explained what the Hope Center does and how our non-profit community can be of service at this time. She also outlined some of the basics of the CARES Act stimulus package and clarified current questions about unemployment assistance.
April 1: CARES Act Loan Opportunities for small businesses.
Franklin Coley and Joe Kefauver with Align Public Strategies joined us to help our members navigate the loans available through the CARES Act and answer questions in real time. We were also joined by Rafael Pratts of the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to discuss the Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan. Find the video with comments on Facebook here, or view it below. Find links and additional information about the CARES Act loans through the SBA and other available loans here.
In addition to our Wednesday livestreams, some of our area councils have hosted presentations on topics related to COVID-19, small businesses, and recovery.
PBC: Hurricane Preparedness During COVID-19
June 1, 2020 marked the start of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season, and on June 5 our Parkways Business Council welcomed Osceola County Office of Emergency Management Director Bill Litton for a conversation on preparing for hurricane season, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
SBC: Considerations for Creating a "Virus-Conscious" Workspace
On Friday, May 8 we were joined by Kristin Ahr, a partner at Nelson Mullins Broad and Cassel, who took us through some considerations and plans for reopening your business as a "virus-conscious" workspace. This is important information when considering the safety and protection of your business, your customers, and your employees. The conversation was moderated by Kevin Crain, Chairman of the Small Business Council and small business owner of Osceola Press.
HBC: Wake Up Entrepreneur! - Resources through the SBA
On April 23 Congress passed $484 billion package that will allocate additional funds to the SBA loan programs created by the CARES Act. The same day our Hispanic Business Coalition hosted SBA Senior Area Manager Ed Ramos. They followed his presentation with a panel discussion featuring HBC Chairman Carlos Velez, CenterState Bank branch manager Monica Medina, and small business owner Stella Siracuza (Tomato Express).
Presentation begins at: 1:50
Panel discussion begins at: 34:07
To view this presentation in Spanish click here.
DKAC Coronavirus Prep Panel
The Downtown Kissimmee Area Council hosted a panel discussion on the Kissimmee Chamber Facebook page on Monday, March 16. The video from that livestream, which featured panelists from Osceola Regional Medical Center, Edward Jones, the Florida Small Business Development Center, and Osceola County Office of Emergency Management, can be viewed on Facebook, on our YouTube page, and below.
