Give the Kids a World
At least 4,000 gallons of paint, 3,000 electrical outlets and light switches, 100,000 sq. ft. of flooring material, along with a little help from Walt Disney World Resort and Wyndham Vacation Ownership will be needed as part of an “Extreme Village Makeover” at Give Kids The World (GKTW).
Within a two-week period, nearly 100 of the Village’s 140 villas as well as the volunteer and administration building will be completely renovated with new appliances, floors, countertops and special creative.
“Our plan was to gradually renovate our villas over several years, so when our friends at Disney and Wyndham offered to help us complete our administration building and the remaining one hundred villas in such a short timeframe, I was in disbelief,” Pam Landwirth, GKTW president said. “Walt Disney World and Wyndham rallied their internal teams and enlisted the support of countless others to make the dream a reality. The Extreme Village Makeover project will make a huge difference in the lives of the precious children we serve, ensuring that they and their families have a beautiful home away from home at the Village.”
As part of the Extreme Village Makeover, GKTW’s administration building will be re-imagined and renamed the Memory Makers’ Building to recognize the volunteers who make the GKTW Village possible. As the new home of the organization’s Volunteers Services operation, the building will feature a heartwarming mural composed of hundreds of photos showing personal moments shared between families and the volunteers. The building will also include an expanded gift shop with GKTW merchandise.
“Our participation in the Extreme Village Makeover is the most recent example of Disney’s ongoing commitment to this very special organization,” said Nancy Gidusko, director of community relations for Walt Disney World Resort. “For the past 25 years, Disney has supported Give Kids The World through in-kind ticket donations for families. In addition, thousands of Disney VoluntEARs have given their time to help fulfill the wishes of families staying at the GKTW Village; last year alone they provided more than 40,000 hours of service.”
“We are honored to support Give Kids The World and the great work they do for these wonderful children and their families who benefit so much from their stays at the Village,” said Sarah King, executive vice president of human resources for Wyndham Vacation Ownership. “We are proud to be a part of the Extreme Village Makeover and thank every partner, contractor, supplier, contributor, volunteer and everyone who is making this wonderful two-week project a reality.”
Part of the Extreme Village Makeover renovations will be revealed live on ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Friday, January 24th. GMA co-anchor Josh Elliott, host and designer Ty Pennington and chef Emeril Lagasse will be in Orlando for the big reveal of the remarkable new Memory Makers’ Building.
The Extreme Village Makeover will conclude with a celebratory event on Sunday, January 26 from noon to 2 p.m. For information about Give Kids The World’s Extreme Village Makeover and how you can help, visit http://support.gktw.org/site/TR?fr_id=1090&pg=entry. Additional details about Give Kids The World can be found at http://www.gktw.org.
Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) is a 70-acre, non-profit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW provides accommodations at its whimsical 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, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 122,000 families from all 50 states and over 74 countries. Visit http://www.gktw.org for more information on GKTW and its mission. For our latest news, visit Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and follow our blog at http://www.givekidstheworld.org/blog.
