Plus, Lakeland's 50 top-paying jobs
 
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📣 Publix Giveback Giveaway: Nominate a local nonprofit to win free advertising in LALtoday

Publix Giveback Giveaway: Nominate a local nonprofit to win free advertising in LALtoday
Presented by a LALtoday Partner
male volunteer carrying a box of food
Publix has a heart for the Florida community, supporting organizations that focus on youth, education, reducing hunger, and alleviating homelessness. | Photo via Pexels
Have a favorite nonprofit that gives back to our local community? This month, Publix is doing their part in giving back to Lakeland by sponsoring a Publix Giveback Giveaway, awarding a free LALtoday advertising package to two lucky local charities that are most-nominated by our readers (aka you).

Prizes total nearly $9,000 in value, and will be used to help the nonprofits spread the word about their mission and impact on Lakeland.

Here’s how to nominate a nonprofit:
  1. Open our nomination form.
  2. Enter your name, email address, the name of the Polk County nonprofit or charity you’re nominating, and why you believe they should be selected to win. Please use the full proper name of the organization (“Boys & Girls Club of Polk County,” vs. “Boys & Girls Club” or “BGCA”).
  3. The organizations with the most nominations will win the first and second prizes — so be sure to share our giveaway on social media (Instagram, Facebook + more). Pro tip: Tag the local organization you’re supporting so they help spread the word, too.
Enter now through Wednesday, Aug. 16, at 11:59 p.m. (one entry per person allowed). New to LALtoday? Subscribe to our newsletter to learn which organizations will take home the prizes in an announcement on Monday, Aug. 21.
Nominate a nonprofit
Orlando International Airport
 
Events
Monday, Aug. 7
  • Yoga for Beginners | Monday, Aug. 7 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Simpson Park Community Center, 1725 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Lakeland | $5 | Bring your mat and water to this class for all levels of yogis 16 or older.
Tuesday, Aug. 8
  • B-I-N-G-O | Tuesday, Aug. 8 | 6:30-8 p.m. | The Joinery, 640 E. Main St., Lakeland | Free entry | Join this weekly game to play for prizes while sipping on drinks from the bar at happy hour prices.
Wednesday, Aug. 9
  • Line Dancing & Karaoke | Wednesday, Aug. 9 | 5 p.m. | Union Hall, 1023 S. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | Boot scoot boogie on down to Union Hall for free line dancing lessons followed by karaoke at 8 p.m.
Thursday, Aug. 10
  • Storytime at the Jackson Branch Library | Thursday, Aug. 10 | 10-10:30 a.m. | Lakeland Public Library, Larry R. Jackson Branch, 1700 N. Florida Ave., Lakeland | Free | Kids aged 2-5 are invited to this storytime featuring songs, rhymes, crafts, and more to promote verbal and listening skills.
Friday, Aug. 11
  • Mimosas for Mom | Friday, Aug. 11 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Scout & Tag, 244 N. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland | Free entry | It’s time for the parents to celebrate after dropping the kids off at school — visit for glitter mimosas, doughnut holes, and shopping.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Payne Air Conditioning & Heating Inc. c/o McQueen Marketing
 
Home

5 reasons to invest in regular AC maintenance
Girl lays on couch with small white dog.
With seasonal maintenance, Payne Heating & Air makes sure all makes + models of air conditioners are prepared for the workload, operating at peak capacity, and maximizing the value of your investment. | Photo provided by Payne Heating & Air
Preventative AC maintenance is quick, convenient, and cost-effective — which results in money-saving energy optimization.

By scheduling regular maintenance, you can:
  1. Save money on your energy bill.
  2. Help your system stay at optimal performance for the life of the unit.
  3. Extend the life of the system.
  4. Catch small repairs before they become big ones.
  5. Protect air quality.
Pro tip: Save 10% on any parts + labor charges on repairs, enjoy no overtime rates, and get top priority for service calls with the Payne Protection Program.
Stay sweat free, Swan City
News Notes
Arts
  • City commissioners will vote today on a new citrus industry-focused exhibit at the Lakeland History and Culture Center. If approved, H2 Design will create and install the $100,000 exhibition by September 2024. (The Ledger)
Development
  • Publix Super Markets has acquired another building for its new technology campus in downtown Lakeland. The campus will have room for 1,200+ IT employees, who will earn an average salary of $130,000 — 250% higher than Polk’s average wage. (LkldNow)
Ranked
  • Stacker ranked Lakeland’s top 50 highest-paying jobs using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Commercial pilots, financial risk specialists, and computer programmers took spots number 50, 49, and 48, respectively. Can you guess what professions are in the seven-way tie for number one? (WFLA)
Edu
  • Florida Polytechnic University ranked No. 2 on EdSmart’s list of US schools with the most students enrolled in STEM programs. Over 96% of Florida Poly’s students are seeking degrees in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Number
  • $36,000. That’s how much SPCA Florida will receive in grant funding from Petco Love, a national nonprofit, according to a recent press release. The SPCA will use funds for its Pitties & Kitties Spay/Neuter event next month.
Stat
  • 97.8% of Florida Southern College graduates from the class of 2022 achieved positive outcomes (read: Secured employment or continued to graduate or professional schools) within six months of tossing their caps. Among the graduates’ top employers were local names like Publix, PCPS, and Summit Insurance.
Development
  • Future residents of Mulberry’s new affordable apartment complex, Eddie Woodard Apartments, are facing move-in delays. The complex hoped to welcome tenants this spring, but an unfinished Mulberry sewer lift station pushed move-ins back. Depending on when sewer projects are finished, residents could move in this fall. (The Ledger)
Biz
  • Calling all small business owners — applications are open for the September Dixieland Night Market. Send the team an email or direct message to inquire about participating in the vendor market.
Finance
  • A Banksy got everyday investors 32% returns? You read that right. Thousands of investors are smiling all the way to the bank thanks to the fine-art investing platform Masterworks. Investors have benefited from 14 sales with returns including 17.8%, 21.5%, and 35%. LALtoday readers can skip the waitlist and join.†*
† See important Masterworks disclosures.
 
Try This

🧠 Show what you know

A guide to trivia nights in Lakeland
Screen Shot 2019-10-14 at 2.32.05 PM
Trivia Night at The Brass Tap | Photo by @btlakeland
Have an encyclopedic knowledge of sports details, pop culture references, and geographical facts? Flex at one of Lakeland’s weekly trivia nights.

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Did we miss your favorite recurring trivia night? Let us know and we may add it to the list.
 
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The Wrap
 
Rilee-Delgado-Headshot-LAL

Today’s edition by:
Rilee
From the editor
Last week, we asked our Facebook followers which Lakeland spots they’d add a drive-thru window to, if they could. Popular responses included LoveBird, Ole Tampa Cubans, and even Publix.
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