So if you don’t know already, the fountain that graces Downtown Orlando’s Lake Eola was struck by lightening the other day and is broken. It’s so sad looking…just a rusty dome sitting in the middle of our beautiful city. I can see this fountain practically from my front yard and have been a neighbor of it for almost the entire 3 years of me living in Orlando. I love this fountain.

With that being said….I realize that there is no easy way to repair it. It’s going to cost a lot of money, a lot of money that the City of Orlando just doesn’t have. We are in the hole just like every other city and it feels wrong to put something like this on the front burner of a whole slew of other problems we are having.

Now, I also realize that it is not our (loyal citizens of Orlando) fault that we have no money. It is not our fault that we are in the hole. It is the fault of our elected officials who have done absolutely nothing to try to climb ourselves out of said hole. They have done nothing for us and will continue to do nothing for us. During this “Fountain Crisis” Mayor Buddy Dyer has done nothing but set up a donation fund for the great people of Orlando to donate to help repair this fountain. I believe that Mayor Buddy Dyer and the District Commissioners should be knocking on the doors of every single business in Downtown Orlando asking for a handout, but they won’t. It is those businesses that rely on us to keep their businesses open and it is my love for the fountain that keeps my business in Downtown Orlando.

I love the spirit of Orlando, I love that we can ban together to help a cause and put aside our own issues to help others in need. This was apparent during last weekends Cure for the Run (www.curefortherun.com) put on by SomaCow (www.somacow.com) and Rock for Hunger (www.rockforhunger.com). People do stand up when times are rough.

If you have the money, donate, if you don’t then don’t. (www.orlandotrust.org). I personally wouldn’t give the city a dime until they showed me the proposal for repairs and show me exactly how much money has and is being donated on a daily basis so that we know when we reach our goal. I know that there are wealthy businesses and businessmen and women in and around Orlando who could step up and save our iconic fountain. But will they? I doubt it.

So it is with a heavy heart, that I made this video…..an ode if you will. An ode to our beloved fountain that has been a part of this city for 50+ years. A fountain that was the focal point of “The City Beautiful”. A fountain that might leave this beautiful city and leave an empty hole in the hearts of its citizens….

Love,

Jamie