Fall 2008
| Tell a friend about this newsletter! | Fall 2008 |
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Front Row (left to right) Massiel Aristy, Assereth Peachee & Monica Tornillo Dear Angels, Without a doubt, the past three months have been a whirlwind with so much to learn and many volunteers and families to meet. I knew when I joined Give Kids The World I was accepting a challenge of a lifetime. What I didn’t realize, however, was how quickly I’d love this place. I was fortunate to join a Volunteer Services team with seven remarkable women who have hearts of service and are devoted to our mission. Needless to say, I’ve learned a lot these past few months including a few fascinating facts about each member of the Volunteer Services Team. Think you know them well? I have included a few interesting facts in our “Who knew?” Contest – read below for the details! Calling all Angels…it’s recess time! Mathew’s Boundless Playground is set to open this month and we will be recruiting Angels to assist at the venue. Playground duties include having fun with the families and keeping kids safe on the equipment. This assignment is best with a buddy so we encourage you to grab a friend and join the fun. I’ve been told that we will soon be welcoming back all of our Snow Angels and our family will once again be back together. I look forward to meeting each of you. Every Angel plays an important role in making each Wish family’s vacation special, and you are all missed during the time that you are not a part of our Village activities. If you have been recently returned to the Village, and left property at the completion of your volunteer shift and did not receive a proper thank you, please know your service is always appreciated. Thank you again for all you do for our Wish children and for making this past summer a success. We are humbled by your devotion and tireless dedication. Warmest Regards,
Beth Whitmire
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The Give Kids The World expansion project continues to grow. This July, we celebrated the grand opening of Matthew’s Boundless Playground. The ribbon-cutting of the first two Villas were held in August, sponsored by Burger King and the Have It Your Way Foundation, and the second by Things Remembered. Just last week American Airlines blessed the site of their new Villa.
The first fourteen Villas in the new Fairy Tale Forest will welcome families by the end of October. Each Villa was generously furnished by Rooms To Go. The second phase of Villas are scheduled for completion by early 2009. Each new building is a duplex with two-bedroom, two-bathroom Villas and all of the amenities of home.
Work continues throughout the rest of the Village, as we prepare to welcome more families than ever before. Stay tuned to your Angel Advisor and our Expansion website as our Village continues to grow.
Front row, left to right: Katie Gregory, Martha Hogerson, Mary Ann Giatroudakis, Lynn Lait & Dee Richardson
Back row, left to right: Nancy Luisi, Steve Luisi & Sharon Mefford
David Tornillo & Michael Barnwell.
Becoming a Give Kids The World Angel is simple; all you need to do is attend one of our Volunteer Orientation sessions. This important session provides an overview of the Give Kids The World mission and Core Values, as well as information about the various jobs and experiences that volunteers take part in!
Encourage your co-workers, friends and family to join you at one of our Volunteer Orientation sessions. Together you can become Angels who will make a difference in the lives of our families. If you or someone you know is interested, please call Volunteer Services at 407-396-0770 or email volunteer@gktw.org. We look forward to sharing our Village with more Angel volunteers.
Volunteer Orientation Sessions:
Thursday, October 30 from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Saturday, November 8 from 2 p.m. - 5p.m.
Friday, November 14 from 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Monday, November 24 from 3 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Saturday, December 13 from 2 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Digital Photography Training
Saturday, November 1 from 1 p.m. - 2p.m.
Wednesday, November 12 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday, November 15 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Wednesday, November 26 from 1 p.m. - 2p.m.
Saturday, December 6 from 1 p.m. - 2p.m.
Wednesday, December 10 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Saturday, December 20 from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Wednesday, December 24 from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Character Training Dates:
Sunday, October 26 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, November 6 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, November 9 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, November 20 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, November 23 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, December 4 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, December 14 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Thursday, December 18 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Sunday, December 28 from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Do you want to be a part of the “sweetest” playground in the world? Volunteer at GKTW’s newest attraction, Matthew’s Boundless Playground. We have new volunteer opportunities available at this world’s first and only life-sized version of the beloved children’s game, CANDY LAND.
Matthew’s Boundless Playground is fully accessible for children of all abilities, and starting November 1st will be in need of Angel assistance. Playground duties include interacting with families and keeping our children safe on the equipment. Three hour Matthew's Boundless Playground volunteer shifts are available from 8 a.m to 9 p.m. everyday. Volunteering at this attraction is best with a buddy, so we encourage you to grab a friend and join the fun.
To travel along the Gumdrop Trail through the Lollipop Forest to King Kandy’s Kastle, amidst a world of color and seven-foot tall lollipops, contact Volunteer Services at (407) 396-0770 or email volunteer@gktw.org.
Give Kids The World Village is a place that represents everything good in the world. My daughter Kristi and I were walking past the Castle of Miracles while we were there on her Wish and she said to me that she felt like she was ‘inside one of her dreams’.
GKTW Village has been such an inspiration. Your goodness and desire to serve children has been extremely contagious. Our son Drew, who has also been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, has recently been approved for a “Wish” and we are already counting the days to return to your magical Village in 2010.
GKTW, however, is not going to get rid of us after that. I have made a vow that one day we will return, not as guests, but as volunteers and give back. We are going to do just what Henri Landwirth wrote in The Gift of Life, “Giving to others helps make a person whole. It doesn’t matter what type of help you are capable of giving, what matters is being able and willing to give”.
Thank you again for everything… many, many Angels at GKTW…you make dreams for VERY special children come true.
Kristi’s Family
It’s beginning to look a lot like the holidays! Our magical tradition of decorating the Village Villas is in its planning stages. This year we will have more Villas and families than ever before spending the holiday season at the Village – and we need your help!
We invite you to spread holiday cheer to our special families by participating in this year’s Decorate-A-Villa. To help bring the warm glow of the season to light, we need Angels to help decorate the main living areas of the Villas with a Christmas tree, lights, ornaments, garland, wreaths and more.
Decorating will take place Saturday, November 22 through Sunday, December 14, all day from 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Sign up now to help Give Kids The World Village create a memorable “home away from home” this holiday season! To learn more, contact Volunteer Services at (407) 396-0770 or email volunteer@gktw.org.
This year’s Veterans Day Salute will be held on Tuesday, November 11. For each of our Angels who proudly served our country, we invite you and a guest to join us for this special event at Fantasy of Flight.
This is our way to honor your heroism and courage. All Veteran Angels are welcome to experience this memorable afternoon, surrounded by World War II war planes, including the rare P-51C Mustang and the B-26 Marauder. Climb aboard the huge 1944 Short Sunderland flying boat, explore a B-17 Flying Fortress and visit the Tuskegee Airmen- They Dared to Fly exhibit and the tribute to Women Air Force Service Pilots- A Passionate Pursuit.
The event will launch at noon with lunch in the Officer’s Club. Afterwards, enjoy the afternoon enjoying the aviation-themed attraction that is home to the world’s largest private vintage and restored aircraft collection, themed immersion experiences, flight simulators, tram tours, and daily aerial demonstrations.
If you are an Angel who is also a Veteran, we hope you can join us! For more information and to RSVP to this event, please contact Volunteer Services at (407) 396-0770 or email volunteer@gktw.org.
Angel Holiday Sing-A-Long – Join us for this new event on Thursday, December 4 at 1 p.m. in Julie’s Safari Theatre at GKTW Village. Join us for Christmas Carols, refreshments, skits, karaoke and lots of laughter.
Mark your calendar now for Volunteer Appreciation Week in April. Expect to be treated like royalty as we roll out the red carpet just for you all week long. Stay tuned for exciting details.
Also, the annual Volunteer Appreciation Party will be held on a Saturday next April. An exact date with more information will follow later.
Have you visited our new GKTW website? Visit our current Angel section and keep up to date with all that’s new!
Put on your running shoes and join Mayor Clayton and Shamu for a morning of adrenaline and friendly competition at this year’s 2nd Annual GKTW 5K Fun Run/1K Walk sponsored by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA).
The Fun Run will take place at SeaWorld Orlando on Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 7:30 a.m. Pre-registration is just $25 per person and registration day of is $30. All participants will receive a Fun Run t-shirt. To learn more and to register online, log on to: https://www.signmeup.com/site/reg/register.aspx?fid=S32VBK7
Want to make a difference without working up a sweat? Register to be a Fun Run Silent Runner. Come out for all the fun and beautiful scenery, while skipping all the work. Or sponsor the run from home as Silent Runners do not have to attend.
Questions? Please contact us at 407-396-1114 ext. 4252 or via email deyag@gktw.org. We look forward to seeing you there!
How well do you know the Volunteer Services Team? Take your best shot matching the facts below with the right staff member for this “Guess Who” Contest! The winner will receive two tickets to Cirque Du Soleil - La Nouba at Downtown Disney’s Westside.
Match each Staff person with one of the unique traits above! Our Volunteer Services Team includes: Assereth, Beth, Janice, Jenny, Krysti, Massiel, Melissa, Monica & Taberi.
Do you have an interesting tidbit about yourself? If so, stop by Volunteer Services and enter in the “Guess Who” Contest! To enter, Angels must submit an interesting fact about themselves. Hurry! All entries must be submitted by Friday, October 31, 2008.
This holiday season, remember Give Kids The World as you prepare your annual gift list.
Starting on November 1, 400 Carlton Cards locations in the US and Canada will sell a whimsical, hand-drawn “Give Kids The World” Christmas ornament and a water globe that will brighten any room with its depiction of children from all over the world. $2 from the sale of each item will go directly to GKTW. The limited edition holiday decorations will also be found online at www.carltoncards.com.
Holiday dreams are made of sugar plums, dancing fairies and colorful ponies, and this season GKTW has a Pony all its own. “Twinkle Hope,” the adorable addition to the My Little Pony collection can be found at participating Wal-Mart stores. Hasbro, Inc, the makers of “Twinkle Hope,” will make a donation to GKTW for every Pony purchased. “Twinkle Hope” can also be purchased online at www.hasbrotoyshop.com.
The GKTW Online Gift Shop features unique GKTW merchandise and limited edition Village items, including the GKTW version of Candy Land and our new line of holiday cards. To view the full GKTW collection, log on to http://store.gktw.org.
Don’t forget: GKTW Angels receive a 20% discount from the GKTW Online Store on all eligible merchandise by typing in: angel-pickup. Type it in as one word, no spaces, and you may pick your items up from the Caring Center. If you need your items shipped, you can still receive your discount by typing in the word angel, and the shipping fee will be added to your order.
