Comments on: A Walt Disney World Trip Alternative

By: Week of Fireworks for Alternative Break at Give Kids The World | The Travelears

Tue, 17 May 2011 20:06:08 +0000

[...] year’s alternative break was a little different than the 2010 trip. A few of the students returned for a second year, Todd Carrier returned to watch over the [...]

By: Week of Fireworks for Alternative Break at Give Kids The World | Disney Traveller

Tue, 17 May 2011 19:02:45 +0000

[...] year’s alternative break was a little different than the 2010 trip. A few of the students returned for a second year, Todd Carrier returned to watch over the [...]

By: LDHudson

LDHudson — Thu, 09 Dec 2010 20:38:38 +0000

Thanks for sharing the story of your volunteer week. A volunteer week at Give Kids The World Village has been an ambition of ours for a long time — and reading your account is helping us move closer to making it happen. Ours was a “Wish Family” beginning December 9, 2001 — nine years ago today as I write this. We’ll never forget the enthusiastic welcome we received at the airport — and at the Village when we arrived. One of the many things that touched us was opening the door to a home fully decorated for Christmas — at a time when we had been too busy to even think about the season. We loved our days at the Village and ventured outside its gates only a few times. We loved the Village, with all its magic for the young and young at heart, and we loved the volunteers who did so much to make our visit special and memorable. Our daughter Lauren had just turned twelve years old the previous month. She was determined that our family would enjoy the Special Wish trip. Lauren enjoyed the time at the Village and the attractions outside the gates, despite the pain her illness imposed. Lauren always loved Minnie Mouse — and a great highlight of the trip was her visit to Minnie’s House at the Magic Kingdom, followed by a private audience with the Disney characters. It was beautiful, touching and sad, in a way that’s difficult to describe, even all these years later. When we returned to our home in Ohio we spent what was to be our last Christmas with Lauren. She returned to the hospital the day after Christmas and died two weeks later, January 8, 2002. We owe GKTW and its many volunteers so much for helping us make the final weeks of Lauren’s life happy ones. Thank you, Give Kids The World, and thank you, gracious volunteers. We look forward to joining you soon.

By: lhicok

lhicok — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 19:05:24 +0000

Posting this as a parent of one of the “Wish Children”. Our family was granted a wish to Disney World in 1995. We stayed at GKTW and I have to say, it was one of the greatest events of our lives, much less the absolute greatest of our daughters’s short life. Our daughter, Karah, passed away in 2000 at the age of 14. It wasn’t the attractions at the village that made it so great. Although they were pretty terrific. It was the people of the village. The volunteers were so fabulous, whether they were there just serving food, cleaning the park, or entertaining the kids. Even just opening doors…. we loved everyone at the village. Before we left, our kids went around and got autographs. They went up to their favorite volunteers and asked for autographs. (Not just to the characters that are in the perk every day.) There was an elderly gentleman that opened the door to the gingerbread house that when the kids asked for his autograph, stated that no one had ever asked him for that before. So volunteering gives on both sides. You give to the kids. And the giving gives you back something you didn’t expect. Give Kids the World Village, in our hearts, is the greatest place on earth.

By: deekaypee

deekaypee — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:42:22 +0000

What a great post, Dave! I didn’t really know all that a volunteer does at GKTW, and I learned so much. (It holds a special place in my heart that they’re called Wish families.) It sounds like the volunteers received back more than they gave, isn’t that always the case? And thank you for continuing to promote GKTW and sharing your story.

By: A Walt Disney World Trip Alternative | The DIS Unplugged Disney Blog | Drakz Free Online Service

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:18:12 +0000

[...] is the original post: A Walt Disney World Trip Alternative | The DIS Unplugged Disney Blog Share and [...]

By: A Walt Disney World Trip Alternative | The DIS Unplugged Disney Blog | StampSlot.Com

Thu, 04 Feb 2010 09:25:06 +0000

[...] Read more here: A Walt Disney World Trip Alternative | The DIS Unplugged Disney Blog [...]

By: wishspirit

wishspirit — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 22:28:34 +0000

I am so jealous! We don’t do these kind of trips in the UK!

I am glad you had a fantastic time, and had made me consider doing this on a trip (I work with children with special needs, so this is right up my street!)

Another great blog Dave!

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:18:37 +0000

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By: daneenm

daneenm — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 06:45:46 +0000

You brought tears to my eyes Dave. What a great adventure!