An Orlando Village Gives Kids The World
Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) is a 70-acre, nonprofit resort in Florida that provides a special vacation home for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW provides accommodations at its resort, donated attractions tickets, meals and more for a weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacation. With the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, GKTW has welcomed more than 107,000 families from all 50 states and more than 70 countries
With its neatly manicured lawns, colorful duplexes and playful, whimsical buildings, it looks more like a make-believe suburban development than an all-inclusive resort. Give Kids The World Village is both… and neither; it’s a non-profit Village where children, whose last Wish is to visit central Florida’s theme parks, stay with their families for the time of their lives.
Give Kids The World Village features handicap-accessible homes and supervised on-site activities designed to make travel easy for families with children with a variety of disabilities. Once these children have been identified by a wish-granting organization that provides airfare, Give Kids The World Village fulfills the Wish of a lifetime.
GKTW works magic on its visitors
GKTW celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2011 with a carnival celebration and ribbon-cutting ceremony to unveil its new Star Tower and Gallery of Hope. This place is a fantasy land for children and it has helped to fulfill the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses from across the country and around the world.
“The past 25 years have truly been a journey of love for Give Kids The World, “ says GKTW President Pam Landwirth. “Through the boundless generosity of countless volunteers, sponsors and donors, we have been able to offer cost-free vacations filled with happiness, hope and inspiration for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.”
Sophie Young, a 4-year-old from Prince Edward Island, Canada is one of these children. She suffers from a congenital heart defect that has required three open heart surgeries to date. Her mother appreciated the temporary escape this haven has given her family. “We would never have been able to do anything like this on our own,”said Andrea Young. “To come here and let Sophie be normal... And for [her siblings] Christopher and Katyln too…This place truly is magical.”
One of the magical moments enjoyed by children visiting GKTW is walking through the enchanted castle where every wish child writes their name on a gold star that is placed in the Castle Sky by the Star Fairy. With more than 80,000 stars on the Castle Sky already, available space had dwindled, causing the need for expansion. Sophie Young became the first wish child to have her star placed inside the StarTower ceiling.
During the commemoration of this milestone anniversary, the new 3,100-square-foot Gallery of Hope was unveiled in tribute to the founder; corporate sponsors like Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld, Walmart, Hasbro;and individual donors whose role has been critical to the continued success of GKTW. The visitor center now provides guests with heartfelt stories from volunteers, families and wish children.
Volunteers at Give Kids the World
Volunteers greet arriving families at the airport, gather their luggage and pick up their rental car. Upon arrival to the Village, volunteers also check-in the families, help them settle into one of the 138 onsite, two-bedroom, two-bath villas, serve meals, and provide evening entertainment and activities.
Volunteer opportunities have expanded too, so that visiting conventioneers and vacationing families can schedule a day to help out and give back. In fact, Give Kids The World Village welcome more than twenty colleges each year for Alternative Spring Break, a week of volunteer activities, instead of the traditional spring break experience.
Contact Give Kids the World for More Info
The Give Kids The World Village is located in central Florida at 210 South Bass Road, Kissimmee, FL 34746. For more information about making a contribution and the many ways in which your family can become volunteers, call their offices at 800/995-KIDS or visit the website at www.gktw.org.
Comments
This is a very good
This is a very good initiative. One that I've hardly seen in ages. what a great move -Thomas Banks @baby bath tub
valuable and excellent
valuable and excellent design, as share good stuff with good ideas and concepts, lots of great information and inspiration. Thanks for the great information
Impressive place
This article is impressive,I hope that you will continue doing nice article like this.
SO EXCITED!!!
I just turned 16 and am a make-a-wish kid. I am SO excited!!! I have dealt with a primary immune deficiancy my whole life, been a "lab rat", been on Death's doorstep so many times that I know he hates it when you ring the doorbell and run, and (because of missing so much school when I was young) have a harder time getting along with kids my own age than those younger/older than me. I get to leave on August 3rd, and will be staying at GKTW in FL whilst going to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and Seaworld. It feels like a dream, and if it is, DO NOT WAKE ME UP!!!!! I am thanking God daily for all the blessings he has given me; my new sister and her continued health, my fudge-like family (awesome, sweet, and full of nuts, and so much more. B>)
Thanks for posting this Info on GKTW. I haven't found anything like this anywhere else!
The blog is really
The blog is really informative. The idea of having such wish granting resort for children is appreciating.Those who have children with life threating illness can make their children happy by visiting this. The services the resort provides seems to be very good.
Interesting
It's best to give kids the best experience they could have in their lives. Great page iNdeed. thanks for sharing.
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That's a great creativity and
That's a great creativity and fun living place for children. I think Henri Landwirth has done a real great job for children knowing the ancient time and with that enjoying the world village of fairy tales and lot more.
Wow amazing resort I really
Wow amazing resort I really like it. I am planning a big family travelling, maybe it is a great help to me. I will bookmark your blog for future updates.
I was very happy that I found
I was very happy that I found this website. I needed to thank you for this great information!! I definitely loved every bit of it and I have bookmarked your site to look at the new stuff you post later on.
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It is so much exciting to visit your blog and the articles are really awesome considering the way of writing.
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Give Kids The World Village
Give Kids The World Village provides week-long vacations in handicap-accessible homes, with all meals, on-site actions and attraction tickets to families with children with serious illnesses.
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If I have an idea, can I put
If I have an idea, can I put it here? Apparently this website is the home of thousands of brilliant ideas. Probably I also have a little talent to spawn some new ideas that creative.
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We got the shaft at Give Kids the World.
Our family had been so excited to go on our make a wish trip.My daughter was diagnosed with a terminal cancer at age 2,and we waited till this month to go,so we knew she would be healthy enough to enjoy herself.When we got there we were very tired and it was around 5 in the afternoon.I first noticed the strange odor when we walked in the room,it was like they were trying to cover up something.Then later that night I started seeing little bugs everywhere.I am not native to Florida,so I thought it might be just some outdoor bugs.Then as the days went by,i kept seeing more and more.Knowing this trip was free,I didn't want to complain to much,but by the 3 rd night I was horrified.I got up to check on my daughter and there were bugs all over the kitchen counter.I was so disgusted,I slept in the car that night.My husband complained the next morning,and they sent a technician in.They were water bugs.That is so nasty.We did get moved,but the next room wasn't that clean either.This is a place for sick kids,and the rooms aren't clean.Come on.Then as we were walking to the restaurant,and man was spraying chemicals around the side walk,and he had a respirator mask on.So whatever he was spraying must have been really poisonous.And here he is spraying it around sick kids!!! I'm glad others had a good time,and loved this place,but I was not impressed.
nice
The place where kids are getting enough of place and to play and rides to play it would be definately great place for them.I would like to visit here along with my children.cheap catering equipment
It's pretty much an amazing
It's pretty much an amazing page. thanks!
MY FAMILY AND I STAYED AT THIS VILLAGE IN NOVEMBER OF 2007 AND WE LOVED IT. WE DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE.
Give Kids the world
Dreams for some, Nightmears for others
Everyone that visits Give Kids the World comes out very please, that's because of the great treatment and better yet for its facilities, well thats what people see from the outside what goes on inside is a different story. The worse this that could ever happend to any one trying to provide for their home, I am a ex-employee and I want the world to know while you may see all of us with a smile in our face, thats not what we truly feel. In this company there is what's called competition for power, also hatred between employees and most of all ethnic racism there is no such thing as employee relationship due to the bad administration that depends on what people can say there for approving of those they like and getting rid of those that they don't that many not occure with all hispanics only with those thats are not liked.The sad part about all of this is that every conversation White American has with their Group is no simpler then how they are going to get rid of the next guy without even investigate anything about that person as has happend in the past few months all put together but a group whos leader is Richard Bortula (profecional racist) and has use people like Jhon Bushko to put together stories about all the hispanic which get carried out to the person in charge of executing their employees no matter how profecional or respectful they are whith out any respect the person I am talking about is Neal McCord Acompanied by the person in charge of human resorces Taberi Scott(another racist). She is in charge of dismising inocent hispanic for no operant reason yet the other American who have been know for several offences and untocheble for these two people. The last thing is when Richard Bortula uses two other latins to accuse another latin of racism that leading to his dissmisal and not giving him any explanation not even the benefit of the doubt. Ladies and Gentelments unfortunately this is an institute were the main goal is to provide well being and happy relationships but all of this happenings is due to the administration once again. All I have to say is, what kind of dreams is a kiss going to have when his or her dad cant buy them a chritsmas present, This is not a dream this is a Nightmear.
So sad to see the "Dreams for some..nightmare for others" post. You know real life is hard..
especially if you are fighting a life-long..life-threatening battle as a child. We live in a sin cursed fallen world where bad things happen to good people..to the person who endured hard times while working at GKTW...may you be blessed for putting on that smile during times of adversity...but the village is ultimately about the kids who may never see the light of another day! Sorry your behind closed doors experience was bad..but that's because you are dealing with humans who are imperfect. (which isn't an excuse..but unfortunately true). That's what makes GKTW such an awesome place for those it was created for. To be able to put a smile on kids faces who endure harder times than any of should have to is something to be proud of and a miracle. My daughter was there in the spring and our family will always have a special place in our hearts for every person who has spent time making miracles happen there. May God bless you for your valiant efforts and I pray you will find a job that will supply all your needs and provide more than enough for your family this Christmas.
My granddaughter and I have not yet been, but have heard nothing but good stories about Give Kid's The World Village. We cannot wait to go there we are so looking forward for our visit. I can't remember ever seeing my granddaughter this happy and excited.
We as a family were so fortunate for our little boy Corey to have his wish come true by going to Disney World. But I believe what made his wish wonderful was the stay at GKTW. We were treated like kings and queens every day. Corey and his siblings talk everyday about GKTW. I can only hope that you are able to continue your kindness and generosity that was showed to my family.You and the staff made us forget about what we were going through for a week and for that we thank you so very much. It is wonderful to have a place like this for families to forget about the everyday life that they face when fighting childhood cancer. You are the best. The Daniels-Green family.
We are going here in September our family is very excited & Want to thank you all in advance for letting us spend this week together & not have to think of our sons medical condition
Have a wonderful time there. It's great that this facility exists to bring pleasure to the families of those who suffer these illnesses, and also wonderful that the volunteers are so generous with their time.
Safe there, safe home!
Kyle
We are so looking forward to our trip to the village this summer. The post by Adans Smith on November 11, 2009 should be deleted...when someone cannot write or speak any better than that they do not deserve a job anyplace, much less at a place as wonderful as this village.
my family enjoyed there selves when we visited your village,we hope to come visit there again.Unfortunately it wont be with our son Aakiyr Burton,he passed away on April 05,2008.He was the child the wish was for.We visited your village on June 17-23 2006.
well im been there 8/13/10 and my princess was so happy..the (gktwv)the village was so great,so clean,no complaint..i would like to come back again..no complaint at all
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I'd love to go on such a trip with my family!
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