ORLANDO, Fla. - eTradeWire -- The I-Drive Chamber of Commerce has awarded this year's I-Drive Chamber "Harris Rosen Philanthropic Award" to ICON Park for demonstrating exceptional philanthropic work that has made our community and world a better place. Previous recipients of the annual award include the Orange County Convention Center and Universal Orlando Resort.

The award was presented at this month's Chamber meeting and award ceremony, with hundreds of local tourism leaders, to ICON Park President and CEO Chris Jaskiewicz.

"Each year, this award is presented to a business that strives to do more for their community and enrich the lives of as many people as possible," said president of the I-Drive Chamber Maria Triscari. "ICON Park has partnered with hundreds of worthy organizations that help Orlando thrive, from those that help provide food and shelter to keep our community safe to organizations that help children and families get the resources they need. ICON Park has become an influential pillar of the greater Orlando community."

When Jaskiewicz set out to transform ICON Park five years ago, he saw the potential to create a communal gathering place, with free admission, where locals and guests alike could celebrate the Orlando community and the spirit of the city and its residents.

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"As an Orlando native, I understood the meaning of tourism and the power it held to make the world a better place from an early age," said Jaskiewicz on the inspiration for ICON Park's philanthropic efforts. "When I returned to the city, I knew I wanted to have an impact beyond ICON Park and act as a partner to my colleagues, businesses, government leaders and community organizations in both good times and challenging ones."

ICON Park has been dedicated to community support through a variety of philanthropic efforts. The park serves as a community gathering spot and shares its unique resources in creative ways such as:

• lighting The Wheel in custom colors to raise awareness for special causes;
• inviting fire rescue teams to regularly use The Orlando Eye for safety training exercises;
• letting conservation groups use the 400-ft. views from the Orlando Eye to observe critical waterways;
• allowing local charities to host on-site events and fundraisers for free or greatly discounted cost;
• creating the "ICON Park Hospitality Scholarship" for the University of Central Florida's Rosen College of Hospitality
• and creating our County's first "Community Celebration Day" last year, where more than 35 charity and local organizations came on-site to encourage local volunteerism.  

Within the past year alone, ICON PARK has donated a quarter of a million dollars to organizations that help residents and hosted over 80 events on-site.