Earth Day Wrap-up at 1U – EV’s, The Garden, and Goodfills

April 30, 2024April 30, 2024 / Martha H / Leave a comment

1U’s Electric Vehicle Show – Sun, April 28, 2024 and Helping our Planet

To wrap up Earth Month 2024, the Green Team hosted an electric vehicle (EV) show with eight owners/vehicles and Goodfills, a refillery store, during coffee hour after worship in 1U’s garden.

The 1U Hospitality Team provided refreshments and the Garden Team provided garden tours and fresh vegetables to take home.

To learn more about the owners and their EVs, read their comments below.

To learn more about Goodfills, go to https://goodfills.co/ See their portable store that came to 1U to share their vision and offer their products.

Electric Vehicles at 1U-Hearing from the Owners

1..Why did you decide to buy or lease an EV? For environmental reasons.

2. Why did you buy/lease this particular model? Good size and excellent reviews.

Debbie Reinhart, Owner of Hyundai Ionic 5

3.Did you buy or lease – which one did you choose and why? We bought because we never lease cars.4. What is your EV’s range? 330 miles
5. EV charging – where do you do it? How long does it take? Level 2 takes about 7 hours to go from 20 to 80 %, level 3 takes 18 minutes.6.What challenges have you faced? None so far, but we’ve only had it a month.

7. What are the benefits of your EV? Charge at home, no gas stations. Smooth ride. Nice car. Great for in town driving.8.Will your next car be an EV? I think so. So far, so good. What else? Thanks!

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Celebrating the Sacred Web with Food and Information – Sunday, April 14

April 15, 2024April 15, 2024 / Martha H / Leave a comment

The Green Mini-Fair after The Sacred Web service was bountiful. Tables sharing information: Go Solar, Gardener’s Corner, GO Energy Efficient, Zero Waste Lifestyle,Mystic Grove Corner and the Right Place, Right Plant table (with plants to take home). Furthering the message of green, no paper products and vegetarian foods. Thank you Green Team. And, remember Earth Day at Lake Eola on April 20.

Save the Date for June 12 Blood Drive!

April 2, 2024 / Cat / Leave a comment

Lives can be saved through your blood donation! All blood types are needed!

Next donation date:

June 12, 2024

Appointments are available from 8:30 am-1:30 pm. Make an appointment to reserve your spot at oneblood.org. First Unitarian is the sponsor of this event when you make your appointment.

Be sure to be well hydrated and eat well before you donate. This is particularly important when daily temperatures are high.

First Unitarian Church of Orlando is located at 1901 E. Robinson Street Orlando 32803.

PLAN AHEAD

We have the new dates for 2024-2025 scheduled!

June 12, 2024
August 7, 2024
October 2, 2024
November 27, 2024
January 22, 2025

Contact blooddrive@orlandouu.org with questions. Thank you for giving!

Share the Bounty with JoyMCC Food Bank

March 30, 2024March 30, 2024 / Cat / Leave a comment

Share your bounty with our neighboring church Joy MCC! Bring nonperishable food items to church on Sundays March 24 and 31, 2024 and beyond! Collection boxes will be outside the sanctuary and in Gore Hall. We also collect food donations all year!

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Spring Sharing

March 1, 2024 / Martha H / Leave a comment

Screenshot

Share your bounty with our neighboring church Joy MCC! Bring nonperishable food items to church on Sundays March 24 and 31, 2024. Collection boxes will be outside the sanctuary and in Gore Hall. Click here for specific requests. (Donation box located in Gore Hall. Bring items anytime! Click the link above for specific requests.)

Orlando County MLK Day of Service Volunteer Opportunity with US Hunger-Jan 15, Monday

January 9, 2024January 9, 2024 / Martha H / Leave a comment

MLK Day of Service – Sign Up Today

Monday, January 15 | 9am-11am, 12pm-2pm, 3pm-5pm
Orange County Convention Center – West Concourse 9800 International Drive
The Orlando Mayor’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission is hosting its’ annual MLK Day of Service volunteer opportunity on Monday, January 15, 2024. This year, we are collaborating with U.S. Hunger and the Orange County MLK Initiative to package 1 million healthy meals at the Orange County Convention Center.

Meal packs are high-energy, family-friendly volunteer events that benefit the local community and engage thousands of volunteers. All meals will be distributed in Central Florida. There are multiple 2-hour shifts available throughout the day. Community and corporate groups are encouraged to volunteer together for this impactful activity.

U.S. Hunger’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Million Meal Pack is a testament to the power of communities coming together in the spirit of service and volunteerism to make a difference through community service. In collaboration with The Orlando Mayor’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commission and the Orange County MLK Initiative, Volunteers will pack and distribute 1 million healthy meals of food relief throughout the Central Florida region; and provide a high-energy, family-friendly volunteer event for up to 5,000 Central Florida volunteers.

Our community events are family-friendly! We invite all ages to participate, but we ask that those under 18 years and under be accompanied by an adult who is also volunteering.

RSVP here.

For more information, contact Orlando Cares Coordinator, Bailey Clark at bailey.clark@orlando.gov or (407)246-3507.

Orlando Landfill Field Trip scenic and overwhelming

January 9, 2024January 15, 2024 / Martha H / Leave a comment

As we looked out over the Landfill’s huge hills, now covered with grass, it really brought it home to us how much we need to recycle. Our planet should support as few as possible of these enormous trash dumps. It was helpful to me to have the information on recycling provided by our guide, as I am even more motivated to use products that can be recycled.

17 people attended and all seemed to enjoy themselves. Two facts that stuck with Shana were:

A large area of their property is dedicated to conservation land which provides habitat for numerous wildlife species including bald eagles, wood storks, sandhill cranes, gators (see picture!), tortoises, and wild boars.
The landfill will be filled to capacity in only 20 years.

All attending, including the children, left the Landfill understanding the huge need to reduce waste, recycle and reduce our forever wastes. Thank you Gaye and Shana for photos and comments.

The Community Garden- Raised Beds are Ready

November 20, 2023November 27, 2023 / Martha H / 1 Comment

The Community Garden Team is celebrating: The wooden raised bed in the 1U Garden, the one that was literally falling apart at the seams, is repaired! A big shout-out to Mike M. and Paul K., 1U Board president, for giving up half of their Saturday to get the work done. A thank you, too, to their power tools, including a table saw.

Thanks, also, to Andy for helping flip that bed back onto its feet, weeding and chopping banana trunks into mulch.

Our veggies are growing. Come pick roselles, kale and Asian leafy veggies, including tat soi. They’re good for you. From Wendy and Rene.

Little Free Library Update

October 14, 2023October 15, 2023 / Martha H / Leave a comment

What do these two books have in common? Both of them have been on the banned book list. And now they are both going to be in the 1U Little Free Library. UUs value literacy, open minds and hearts, and free choice. We believe that everyone has the right to choose what they want to read. And so we welcome bannned books into the little free library.
The library is located on the west side of the campus and includes books for adults and children. Stop by anytime. Take one, leave one. Or donate multiple books in Gore Hall on Sundays.

Donate Blood on Dec 7th!

October 11, 2023 / Cat / Leave a comment