Cam’s Wish – Give Kids The World March 23, 2011
Posted by Tweet4Cams in Cam's Wish, GKTW, Make-A-Wish.trackback
Give Kids the World: Where Happiness Inspires Hope
In 1989, a village called Give Kids the World (GKTW) opened it’s doors to children with life threatening illnesses. Inspired by a young girl who had passed away from cancer, Henri Landwirth created a place for children and their families to go and experience a cost-free, memorable experience.
GKTW is a 70-acre, nonprofit village, home to over 140 villas designed to host families from all over the world. Over 100,000 families have experienced the magic of the village.
All villas have a Welcome Home sign with the family's name to welcome them when they arrive and return 'home'
These families have traveled from all 50 states, as well as over 70 countries.In
2009, GKTW granted over 6,200 wishes for children from the United States, and 668 from countries outside of the United States. The village operates based on five core
values: compassion, dedication, credibility, integrity, and teamwork. All of these values help to make the experience unforgettable for each family.
All wish-granting organizations can partner with Give Kids the World to help create a magical wish for a child and their family. Several organizations that GKTW currently works with are the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Children’s Wish Fund, Magic Moments, Special Wishes, Cool Kids Campaign, and many more.
Volunteers help make every experience memorable at the village. From check in to dinner time, volunteers are everywhere to pick you up, take you on a train ride, get you some ice cream, or help you pick out a souvenir GKTW t-shirt. The village has over 1,400 different volunteer opportunities each week.
A view from the street - some of the villas at Give Kids the World
In addition to the 148 villas located inside of GKTW, there are several other fun buildings to visit. The House of Hearts is your starting point. When you walk through the doors of the House of Hearts for the first time, you are greeted by a GKTW representative with a gift for the wish child, as well as their siblings! The family is given a basic overview of what the village provides, as well as explain what is in the villa. This is also where you are given your theme park tickets.
The Gingerbread House is where families enjoy breakfast and dinner in the village. All around the ceilings of the building are dolls and toys from around the world. All of the tables and chairs are easily accessible to accommodate for any individual’s needs. Volunteers serve the food as well as clean up the dishes from the Gingerbread House.
Ice Cream Palace where families can grab a scoop or two before deciding what to do next!
Other facilities in the village include the Castle of Miracles, Ice Cream Palace, Enchanted Carousel, Julie’s Safari Theatre, and Matthew’s Boundless Playground.
“Give Kids the World exists only to fulfill the wishes of all children with life-threatening illnesses and their families from around the world to experience a memorable, joyful, cost-free visit to the Central Florida attractions, and to enjoy the magic of Give Kids the World Village as long as there is a need” (from the Give Kids the World Statement of Values and Code of Ethics)
Additional information on Give Kids the World can be found online at their website, www.gktw.org
[...] for wish kids from different wish-granting organizations (read about general GKTW information here) who want to provide a cost-free fun and memorable experience for the family. They have welcomed [...]