Elemental Encounters – Meet-up Events in Spring 2025: St. Johns Rivership Lunch Cruise (March 15)

The Orlando Section announces a series of casual gatherings for members to connect at locations with a little scientific flair.  We plan to meet at a different venue each month now through the summer. Most will be free, drop-in, and family friendly.

St. Johns Rivership Lunch Cruise
Saturday March 15, 2025. (11:00 am – 2:00pm)
Cost: $71 for adults ($35.50 for children 4-13)
Location: 433 N. Palmetto Ave. Sanford, Florida 32771
More information: https://www.stjohnsrivershipco.com/cruises-fares/lunch-cruise/?date=02/16/2025&timeId=14274331&departure=0&destination=0

Book your tour online or call: RivershipTix.com or 321-204-0274. Send your RSVP number to lsessions@valenciacollege.edu to be seated at the tables with your chemistry friends.

Embark on an unforgettable luncheon with your fellow Orlando Section members aboard the rivership, the Barbara Lee, departing from Historic Sanford, FL. Choose from seven different entrees, showcasing culinary excellence with options to suit every taste. Tickets include food, entertainment, and cruise. Coffee, tea, and water are provided. Soda and alcoholic beverages as well as gratuities are not included.

As you savor your meal, live entertainment will serenade you with music, creating a festive atmosphere as you cruise along the scenic waters of the St. Johns River. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy watching the local wildlife, which includes birds, manatees and alligators at various times throughout the year. During the lunch tours, our cruise guide will point out wildlife, areas of interest and share the history of steamships that sailed the St. Johns River.

Elemental Encounters – Meet-up Events in Spring 2025

The Orlando Section announces a series of casual gatherings for members to connect at locations with a little scientific flair.  We plan to meet at a different venue each month now through the summer. Most will be free, drop-in, and family friendly.

Pictures from the last ACS event at the Orlando Wetlands in 2018. From Jen Archer and Emily Heider.

Orlando Wetlands
Saturday February 15, 2025. (9:45 am – 12:30pm)
Cost: Free Admission 
Location: 25155 Wheeler Road, Christmas, FL 32709
More information: https://www.orlando.gov/Our-Government/Departments-Offices/Public-Works/Water-Reclamation-Division/Orlando-Wetlands

Drop by and chat with some of your fellow Orlando Section members, take a self-guided walking tour, or drop in for the 10am or 11am tram tour. Stay as long as you wish. Look for us in the pavilion to the right of the welcome trailer

The Orlando Wetlands offers public tram tours to highlight the creation, operation, management, and wildlife of the facility. The volunteer program runs tram cart tours for groups of less than 10 people on Saturdays, lasting 45 – 60 minutes. Since reservations are not taken, we recommend getting there 15 minutes before the hour to reserve a seat. Bring your picnic lunch too. In Christmas, FL.

Tentative next event will be March 16 on St. Johns Rivership Co. for a Lunch Cruise.  More information and a full spring schedule coming soon!

2023 Summer Social Invitation

The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society is pleased to honor our 50-, 60-, and 70-year ACS members and present the Salutes to Excellence award to our partner, the Orlando Science Center. Additionally, Patrick Walsh and Chris Spence from Covanta will give a short talk on a Sustainable Systems Solution for Solid Waste.

Saturday July 8th, 2023
11:30AM to 2:00PM
Macaroni Grill (12148 S Apopka Vineland Rd, Orlando, FL 32836)

MENU
Appetizers
Bruschetta Calamari, Caesar Salad
Entrée choice of
Fettuccine Alfredo w/Chicken, Spaghetti w/Meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, Pasta Milano, or Truffle Mac & Cheese
Dessert
Vanilla Ice Cream
Beverages
Soda, Iced Tea, Lemonade
Cash bar is available

The cost will be $25/person. Since the Orlando Section covers part of the meal, tax, and gratuity, the Section will pay the bill with a single check. Please be prepared to pay at the door by check or cash—unfortunately, we cannot accept credit cards. Reservation can be made by July 6, 2023 – online at https://forms.gle/THwRVyRT9gTaBnV7A.

Sustainable Systems Solution for Solid Waste
Patrick Walsh, Area Asset Manager, and Chris Spence, Facility Manager
Covanta
Waste-to-energy (WTE) is the conversion of non-recyclable waste to electricity. It has been touted as both good and bad for the environment – good for decreasing waste levels and bad for the creation of pollutants in the incineration process. According to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, WTE has grown from one plant in 1982 to 11 facilities in 2022, giving Florida one of the highest levels of WTE processing nationwide. Last year, Florida Senate Bill 1764 was passed to encourage more.

Come learn more about WTE from the experts at Covanta and enjoy a luncheon with fellow chemists.
We look forward to seeing you all there!

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Summer Social Event

We hope you have had a healthy and productive year so far and are ready for the official start of summer. In this bulletin we would like to bring to your attention an exciting summer social events that our section is organizing. To honor our 50th, 60th and 70th year ACS members and celebrate the 95th anniversary of The ACS Women Chemists Committee, the ACS Orlando Local Section is organizing a Summer Social Event

on Saturday, June 25th, 2022 
(stating at 11:30 AM)
at the Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant
529 N Alafaya Trail, Orlando, FL 32828

Apart from socializing, the award ceremony to recognize our senior members, we are very pleased to announce that Dr. Christina Drake of Kismet Technologies will give a short talk about the bacterial and viral transmissions in hospitals, a topic that is so important in the current COVID era.  

Also, this time the ACS Orlando section will subsidize part of the meal cost, so our members will have to pay only $25 out-of-pocket for a three-course meal. The location can accommodate only 42 people, so early registration is highly encouraged. Please follow the link below to register for the event. The registration deadline is June 15th.

Registration link: https://forms.gle/MJ2Z5ysTydFhwWqr8

Please don’t forget to subscribe to our community page, follow our facebook pageand check out our website for updated news, and activities of our local section.

We look forward to seeing you all there!

Best wishes,|
Dr. Denisia Popolan-Vaida
Chair of ACS Orlando Section
On behalf of the ACS Orlando Local Section executive committee