What Makes New Yorkers Smile? Orlando Wants To Know
Vacation Destination That "Makes You Smile" Launches World Smile Search In New York City On April 23 With Celebrity "Smilers" Joey Fatone and Melissa Rycroft
Orlando, FL — One of the world's premier tourism destinations has decided to prove the axiom, "smile and the whole world smiles with you." On April 23 in New York City's Madison Square Park, the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. (Orlando CVB) kicks off a global search for 67 smiling people who will win a vacation to Orlando for World Smile Day on October 1. Sixty-seven is the number of days determined to experience the more than 100 attractions Orlando offers.
Winners from around the world will be selected based on written or video submissions sharing how Orlando makes them smile. Whether it's a memory of a past experience or a dream of one yet to come, no Orlando smile story is too big or small. From braving the fastest roller coaster or hitting a hole in one to volunteering to help others, celebrating a 50th anniversary or dreaming of hugging a favorite character, all smile stories are welcome.
Known for their electric smiles, Dancing With the Stars celebrities Joey Fatone, a current Orlando resident, and Melissa Rycroft, former "bachelorette" and television personality, will be in the park from Noon – 2p.m. to encourage smile story submissions. Along with Orlando Smile Ambassadors Kyle Post and Stacey Doornbos, best friends from New York City who won last fall's worldwide search to spend 67 days of smiles in Orlando enjoying all that the destination offers, the famous smilers will select three lucky winners from all of the smile stories submitted at the Madison Square Park smile event.
"Orlando just makes people smile. I love watching this happen when people talk about Orlando – whether they have ever been here or not," said Gary C. Sain, president and CEO of the Orlando CVB. "Smiling faces inspired the theme of our worldwide marketing campaign, 'Orlando Makes Me Smile.' We thought it would be fun to see what it is about the destination that brings that smile to their face and then bring people from around the world together to share a real Orlando smile experience."
Following the New York City World Smile Search launch event, Kyle and Stacey plan to visit cities throughout North America, the UK and Europe through Sept. 6 looking for more great smilers and smile stories. The pair also seeks to raise $16,750 for the non-profit organization Smile Train, the amount needed to provide 67 smile surgeries for children with cleft lips and cleft palates. Sixty-seven is the number of days determined to enjoy the more than 100 attractions Orlando offers.
"We are thrilled to be part of such a fun and worthwhile campaign," said DeLois Greenwood, Vice President, Smile Train. "We are so grateful to the Orlando CVB for supporting Smile Train. So many people take for granted the simple act of smiling – something the children that we help are unable to do. For only $250 and in less than 45 minutes, Smile Train truly gives children a second chance at life."
Smile story entries may be submitted now through September 6, 2010 at VisitOrlando.com/smile. In addition to the official rules and prize details, the site also features the submitted smile stories, Kyle and Stacey's smile search activities and links to make a donation to Smile Train.
Fans of Orlando's World Smile Search can follow real time updates on Twitter at Twitter.com/SmileSearch or on Facebook at Facebook.com/VisitOrlando.
ABOUT SMILE TRAIN
The Smile Train is the world's leading cleft charity with thousands of partners and programs in 76 of the world's poorest countries. Our mission is to help the millions of children in developing countries who are suffering with unrepaired clefts. We provide free cleft surgery to children from poor families that give children not just a new smile, but a new life. Now in its tenth year, The Smile Train has helped hundreds of thousands of children.
