Tracey Jacobs
It Takes a Village to Have a Great Neighborhood
Tracey fell in love with her neighborhood before she ever called it home. Her admiration for Lake Eola Heights began in the 1990s, when both she and her husband worked in the area and would take walks throughout the neighborhood. While she admired the charm of the historical architecture and brick-lined streets, she was drawn to the friendly and welcoming people.
In 2013, when the Jacobs purchased their first historic home in the neighborhood, they were eager to connect with the community. “Immediately, I wanted to get to know our neighbors and be involved," Tracey says. Before the paint could dry on their newly renovated home, she attended her first meeting and joined the Lake Eola Heights Historic Neighborhood Association.
The way Tracey sees it, "it takes a village to have a great neighborhood," and she was determined to be a part of that village. Since day one, she has been an integral part of moving the neighborhood association forward. When the Broadway United Methodist Church in the neighborhood was interested in creating a community garden, but didn’t know where to start, "Tracey immediately stepped in and took charge,” said association president David Martens. She helped the neighborhood association seek out and win a Mayor's Matching Grant in partnership with the City of Orlando to help offset the cost of creating the garden. She helped to organize the build-day for 36 garden beds and continues to serve as the Community Garden Secretary. The garden flourishes to this day, producing a healthy stock of fresh vegetables for all her neighbors.
In 2017, Tracey reactivated the Neighborhood Watch group to make it become one of the most successful programs in the city. She serves as the Committee Chair and coordinates award-winning National Night Out events, LadiEola Self-Defense classes and an Enchanted Fairy Garden Workshop for the KiddiEolas (kids of Lake Eola Heights).
Most recently, Tracey played a key role in bringing the neighborhood association meetings to a virtual forum during COVID-19. This allowed her community to stay connected and aware of current news affecting the neighborhood.
Aside from Tracey’s many successes, she is proud of her Monarch butterfly garden waystation. She invites the KiddiEolas, as she likes to call them, to participate in releasing over 800 butterflies into the neighborhood. Her passion for educating, bringing joy, and improving the community with her Monarch gardens has inspired many of her neighbors to plant their own pollinator-friendly gardens.
Last year, Tracey led a small group of neighbors to help trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return (TNVR) the community cats near her home. She is most excited about this current initiative, as it has increased awareness about the advantages of the TNVR program. It is an effective and humane approach for managing stray and feral cats. TNVR improves the lives of feral cats, their relationships with neighbors who live near them, and decreases the size of colonies over time.
Tracey's long love of her neighborhood shines bright. She now serves as Vice President of the Lake Eola Heights Historic Neighborhood Association. But if you ask her about her successes, she immediately boasts about the "many others who have helped to make each project a success." She is a true leader in her village. It is their collective hard work under her leadership that earns her a spot as a City of Orlando Notable Neighbor.