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Katrina Stories: Celebration Rallies to Wed Survivors

Celebration, FL is the town the Disney built. One of the guiding principles of the town was to be a giant technology enabled community spirit. Well, Disney may be gone, but that spirit is still alive. Barb has a wonderful story about a resident hosting 30 survivors of Hurricane Katrina, a pair of those survivors ready to go on with their marraige despite losing everything, and a town that comes to their aid.

Within less than half an hour, the first resident stepped forward with
a donation (a talented local photographer who offered to do the wedding
photos). Soon, there were offers of babysitting for the couple’s son, a
"limo" ride (in an electric vehicle), music, cake, food, drinks, a
honeymoon room at Disney World, videotaping, hair styling, manicure,
pedicure, a dress, a wedding arch, a horse-drawn carriage, gifts from
local businesses…the list goes on and on. Even though we’re eight
miles from the front gates of the Magic Kingdom, a real-life fairy tale
is definitely unfolding.

This is the sort of spirit of pulling together that I think Walt Disney envisioned with his experimental prototype city of tomorrow (EPCOT). Sadly, Celebration is in danger of losing that spirit through uncontrolled expansion right now. I hope that the residents fight back and it never happens.

But for now, let’s wish this couple the very best. With this marraige they’re on a path that will help give them strength through the rough times that are still ahead. Thank you to the folks of celebration for making this possible.

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