This past week The Kissimmee Is Me Ambassador Program held their classroom training at Bohemian Hotel Celebration. The classroom facilitator, Michelle Finnegan, Curator for the Osceola County Historical Society, spoke on the History of Kissimmee. The participants also evaluated some interesting artifacts and guessed their description, place of origin and the date and time period the artifacts were used.
The hands-on experience was held at Celebration Bike Rental. The group participated in a bicycle scavenger hunt featuring team cooperation, communications, problem solving and strategic thinking while having fun in the beautiful surroundings in the town of Celebration.
Kissimmee Is Me Ambassador Program is a free initiative, for local hospitality employees, that offers both classroom training and personal hands-on experiences. These classes, sponsored by Experience Kissimmee and the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce, reminds us all that we are the face of Kissimmee or “Kissimmee Is Me” when it comes to serving our guests.
Through this effort, we are creating a team of Kissimmee Is Me Ambassadors by educating front-line service providers and their leaders about:
* Cross Cultural Guest Interactions
* The History of Kissimmee
* Raising the Bar on Customer Service
* The Must Sees and Dos in OsceolaCounty
This summer, the YMCA is celebrating its 175th Anniversary worldwide. What started as a bible study with a handful of young men in London, England in1844, has grown to become one of the largest global non-profit organizations serving more than 45 million people across 119 countries through a focus on youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.
Similarly, our own Osceola County YMCA Family Center started with humble beginnings in the early 1970s. Back then, the Y was not much more than a small meeting room and swimming pool. Since that time, our community has changed dramatically and so has the Osceola County Y. In order to meet the evolving needs of residents, they added a host of new amenities, programs and services such as Youth and Adult Swim lessons, Youth and Adult Sports programs, Personal Training, and Group Exercise classes; including Zumba, Kickboxing and Spinning! This was all thanks to the donations and support of our business and government leaders, members, volunteers, donors and staff.
Today, the Osceola County Y serves over 1,250 residents per year across all ages and abilities, both inside the facility and throughout the community. As the Y has grown, the one thing that has remained constant is the Y’s commitment to its mission – to improve the lives of all in Central Florida by connecting individuals, families and communities with opportunities based on Christian values to strengthen spirt, mind and body.
Here are just some of the ways the Osceola County Y is currently advancing its mission and helping strengthen our community:
- Teaching over400 kids to swim
- Providing a safe place to learn and grow in after school programs at 5 Osceola County Middle Schools
- Offering onsite child development so parents can work out and enjoy the Y without worry
- Helping seniors stay active and healthy with special Silver Sneakers classes and activities
- Packing approximately 55 meals inside the Y’s food pantry each week to help feed local children in transition
- Hosting the Renovation Life Church for services on Sunday, as well as additional spiritual activities and services for youth and adults throughout the week
- Youth sports programs; including Basketball, Soccer, Tumbling and Volleyball
- Hosting community events for all residents so families and participants can congregate and enjoy fellowship
- Provide financial assistance for Membership for people in need
- Teen programs
With so many different services and offerings, there is something for every resident and every interest. What’s most important is that the Y is a place of belonging, where all are welcome.
As we look forward to the next 175 years, the YMCA and the Osceola Y are excited to continue meeting the needs of our neighbors and building strong families, strong kids and a strong community for generations to come.
To learn moreabout the Osceola County YMCA, including ways to get involved, please visitymcacf.org or contact the Executive Director, Sergio Salazar, at ssalazar@cfymca.org.
My experience here as my first job was definitely a one of a kind experience. From printing papers, and making copies, to meeting new people and helping out around the office, I could definitely say this was a GREAT experience for my first job. Two months ago I didn`t even know how to pick up the phone, let alone intern for Kissimmee Chamber of Commerce. All I can say is “thank you for this opportunity to grow and learn.” It’s only been a month and a half and I feel like it’s been just a week. Time flies by when you enjoy something, but I feel like I’ve known you all for years. I’m sad to say my internship will be coming to an end, but I won`t forget the opportunities nor the memories and experiences I`ve made during my internship.
The Kissimmee Chamber are all like family - ones that comes together no matter what. I have always admired that. I also always wanted to be a part of an office family and have office birthday parties and be a part of meetings to discuss business. It’s the only time I ever felt like I was a part of something and it meant the world to me that they welcomed me in with open arms. I can also say I learned a lot for my first job: how to answer phones, communicate, provide service, do media logs, and help organize events. I learned about leadership, how to work hard, and much more. I’ve meet a lot of people who were kind and ambitious and very inspiring and learned what they loved to do. It just gave me a few options on what to think about for my future. For instance recently my co-workers and I had the opportunity to tour around a kitchen facility by a professional chef who’s been in the industry for years. He told us many stories and gave me inspiration on what to do next in my life and where to start. So thank you Kissimmee Chamber Of Commerce for letting me stay, grow, and learn from you all.
This blog post was written by Keyla Cabrera, an intern at the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber for the summer of 2019 through CareerSource’s Summer Youth Program. Keyla is a junior at Osceola High School, where she is in the culinary program. She is also a very active volunteer at her church. She would like to attend the US Air Force Academy.
