By Joe Rossi, F350619
September 2019
In 2014, my wife, Bonnie, and I hosted a rally for the Country Coach Heartlanders chapter at Tropical Palms Resort in Kissimmee, Florida. Seeking places the group could tour, we thought of nearby Give Kids The World Village. We had seen its signs, but didn’t know what it was.
We arranged a tour of the 84-acre nonprofit resort, which provides free weeklong vacations to children with critical illnesses and their families. They are housed in fully furnished villas and receive transportation, meals, tickets to Walt Disney World and other central Florida entertainment venues, and more.
Following the rally, Bonnie and I decided to start volunteering at Give Kids The World. After a year, we asked if others wintering at Tropical Palms Resort would like to join us. We now have 32 friends who volunteer more than 1,100 hours during January, February, and March.
The volunteers fill an array of roles. Some serve dinner, clear tables, and assist families at Café Clayton. Others work the nightly parties; every evening has a different theme. For example, the Christmas-themed night includes a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, a visit with Santa during which children choose a toy, and a Christmas parade. Other themed nights include Halloween and “Village Idol.”
Some of our friends greet families at the airport, operate wheelchair-accessible rides, serve breakfast, deliver pizza, or work any of the 1,700 shifts that must be filled each week.
People in the Tropical Palms Resort group have met volunteers from across the United States, including college students who serve on spring break, grandparents whose grandchildren had their wishes granted, and locals who volunteer every day.
Give Kids The World was founded by a Holocaust survivor named Henri Landwirth, who became a successful hotelier in Florida. He was asked to provide a complimentary stay for a little girl named Amy, who had leukemia and wished to visit Orlando’s theme parks. Landwirth gladly offered accommodations for the girl and her family, but the remainder of the family’s travel plans took too long to arrange, and Amy died before her wish was granted.
Landwirth then vowed that no child in need would ever miss out again. He enlisted the support of colleagues in the hospitality and tourism industries to assist him in bringing families to central Florida — within 24 hours if necessary. Today, Give Kids The World Village works with more than 250 wish-granting organizations and foundations. Since 1986, it has fulfilled wishes for more than 167,000 children and their families from all 50 states and 76 countries.
To volunteer, email volunteer@gktw.org. To donate, visit www.givekidstheworld.org.