09/23/2026
Lake Nona is getting its library. 📚
Steve Powell, Library Director and CEO of the Orange County Library System, joined us with the news a lot of Lake Nona has been waiting on. The Dowden Road branch should open in November. It'll have 58,000 books, a kids' area themed around flight and space, a media lab where you can record a podcast, and a sensory quiet room. Its sister branch in Horizon West opens first, on Saturday, October 10. Good timing, too: September is Rotary's Basic Education and Literacy Month.
We had guests from around Lake Nona, two of them thinking about joining. We also thanked the members who collect leftover baked goods from Publix and drop them off at the Ronald McDonald House and the VA.
Our Youth Exchange student from Germany says school is going great and shared with us that she's already made it to Disney. 🐭
Rick Baines gave us the Duck Derby rundown. It's Saturday, December 5 at Nona Adventure Park, with three races, vendors and games for the kids. Each duck is $20, and you pick a Lake Nona public school or one of the listed charities to get $10 of it. Adopt a duck, sponsor a Big Duck, or grab a vendor spot at rotarycluboflakenona.com/page/duck-derby.
Lunch today came from Zhang Garden Chinese Restaurant, and Blaze Pizza fed us at the business networking evening. Thank you both.
On the calendar:
・3rd Annual Book Drive, Wednesday, September 30, 9 AM to 7 PM, at 10743 Narcoossee Rd. Bring gently used books, games, puzzles, CDs and records.
・Orlando Magic Seats for Soldiers, November 2. We still need 80 service members in uniform, so if you know someone, send them our way.
・Holiday on Ice and Toy Drive, Sunday, December 6, at the Ice Factory in Kissimmee. Bring a toy and you skate free.
We wrapped up with the Four-Way Test and one extra question from our President: will it be fun?