Fundraising and Charities

Give Kids the World Night of a Million Lights Returns for 2021!

30 July 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Give Kids the World is one of my favorite places and they do such amazing things for critically ill children and their families. With the pandemic last year, they were closed for so long, they created the Night of a Million Lights event to raise money for the Village for all the Wish children that were missing out. Now that the village is reopened to families, we all wondered if Night of a Million Lights would be back. Well GKTW Village just announced the return of Night of a Million Lights for 2021 because it was such a successful event! AND! Tickets are on sale now!

If you’d like to see what the event is like, check out our video from last year’s Night of a Million Lights:

Here is all the official news from GKTW Village about Night of a Million Lights for 2021:

A dancing lights show, tram tours and unique behind-the-scenes experiences highlight an array of exciting additions guaranteed to make this year’s second annual Night of a Million Lights holiday lights spectacular another dazzling success. Scheduled to illuminate the Central Florida skyline from Friday, November 12, 2021 through Sunday, January 2, 2022, Night of a Million Lights will once again provide the public with a rare glimpse inside Give Kids The World Village, an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort that provides critically ill children and their families with magical weeklong wish vacations at no cost.

Tickets are on sale now at www.gktw.org/lights, enabling guests to immerse themselves in an exquisitely decorated fairytale neighborhood which wish families call home during their stays. Guests can explore a sparkling tree trail; view larger-than-life holiday displays; take photos at one-of-a-kind step-in frames and backdrops; and enjoy a guided storytelling tour of 100 magnificently lit villas from the comfort of a tram, included in the price of the ticket. The event will run from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, with staggered entry times to prevent crowding.

What began as an inventive pandemic pivot for Give Kids The World has evolved into Central Florida’s most beloved new holiday tradition. More than 92,000 guests attended Night of a Million Lights in 2020, named #1 on USA Today’s list of the “Best Things To Do in December in Orlando.” With the return of wish families to the Village, this year’s event promises to be brighter and more festive than ever, while preserving the privacy and comfort of wish families during their visits.

“Children with critical illnesses face countless appointments, treatments and hospital stays, and they are often told “no” due to the limitations of their illness. We feel privileged to give wish children and their families a week of “yes” where they can forget their worries, experience joy, and spend precious time together,” said Give Kids The World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth. “We look forward to once again sharing some holiday joy with the community while raising the funds that will enable us to continue creating the happiness that inspires hope for these precious families.”

This year’s Night of a Million Lights enhancements will include a 360-degree dancing lights show encompassing 21 fully programmed buildings set to music, with six three-minute holiday vignettes playing each hour. In addition, a holiday marketplace will offer upgraded food and beverage experiences, festive holiday merchandise, and an opportunity for children to meet Santa in his elaborately designed Florida home. Also new this year, guests can make their visits extra special by purchasing one of a variety of VIP packages, ranging from behind-the-scenes guided tours and premium dessert parties to special events and exclusive balcony experiences – providing a stunning setting for marriage proposals, vow renewals, birthday and anniversary celebrations, and other special moments. Discounts are available for groups of 25 guests or more. To inquire about group discounts and special events, please contact [email protected].

Proceeds from Night of a Million Lights will support Give Kids The World, rated Four Stars by Charity Navigator 15 years in a row. When wish-granting organizations receive a request from a critically ill child who wants to visit Central Florida, Give Kids The World fulfills the wish – providing each child and his/her family with an all-inclusive stay that includes transportation; accommodations in one of the Village’s 166 storybook residential villas; all meals and snacks; donated theme park tickets; nightly entertainment; daily gifts; and priceless interactive experiences at the Village, featuring accessible rides and attractions. Since 1986, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 176,000 families from all 50 states and more than 76 countries.

We had such a wonderful time at last year’s Night of a Million Lights!

Give Kids The World Village is located at 210 South Bass Road in Kissimmee. To learn more, visit www.gktw.org. You can see our past posts about the amazing work Give Kids the World does too!

Celebrate 35 Years with Give Kids the World – News and Ice Cream!

8 March 2021 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

It’s no secret that I love Give Kids the World Village and all that they stand for and do for critically ill children wanting to visit area theme parks. I’m definitely not alone in my love, as so many local and national companies have partnered with GKTW Village over the years to sponsor events, parts of the village, and more. As they begin celebrating 35 years of magic, Give Kids the World is undergoing an amazing refurbishment to bring even more to wish children and their families. GKTW recently invited us out to celebrate the opening of Henri’s Starlite Scoops, their refurbished ice cream shop for wish families, and to see some of the plans for the new and refurbished areas that will be coming soon at Give Kids the World.

The former Ice Cream Palace closed down to make way for this new shop, designed in cooperation with Walt Disney Imagineering and input from Universal Creative. This fully accessible ice cream shop features 28″ ice cream chests, so all children, even those in wheelchairs can see and choose their flavors. The topping bar is also accessible, while an open floor plan in the seating area allows for ease of wheelchair navigation.

Named after founder Henri Landwirth, the name also pays tribute to the Starlite Motel on Coco Beach, FL, which Henri managed when it served as the temporary home to the original Mercury 7 astronauts. There are nods to the original space program and the Starlite Motel sprinkled throughout.

Flavors include: Choco-Rocket (chocolate); Moon Cream (vanilla); Shooting Starberry
(strawberry); Moon Rock Crunch (cookies & cream); and Meteor Mint Chip. Sweet treats come in a dish,
cone, Popsicle, Fudgesicle or ice cream bar. Also featured are Milky Way Shakes, Galactic Splits and Celestial
Sundaes. Gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free options are also available. Scooping ice cream is one of the
most popular volunteer shifts at Give Kids The World. During a typical week, volunteers fill more than 70
shifts to ensure guests can enjoy ice cream all day long.

To see Henri’s Starlite Scoops and more of the upcoming refurbishments and updates, watch our vlog below:

We are very excited to see in person how valuable Give Kids the World donations are, and just what happens with the money or volunteer time people donate. If you would like to do more, we have created a Fundraising Team for Zannaland. We’d love you to join, and or donate or fundraise and ask those you know to help as well. We have done this a few times over the years with Gingerbread 5k’s, the Challenge for Hope, and Night of a Million Lights, so we’d love to support GKTW together with your help!

If you would like to join our Fundraising Team to either help raise money or donate directly to Give Kids the World – click here: https://give.gktw.org/zanna for the Zannaland Team Fundraising Page to donate or join the team. Thank you!

Night of a Million Lights at Give Kids the World

8 September 2020 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Give Kids the World is more than just an organization, it is a life-changing experience for so many children and their families. I first learned of Give Kids the World when I moved to Florida back in 1995 and saw the brightly colored buildings from the road one day.

If you are unaware or haven’t heard of Give Kids the World, they are basically an entire village; an 84-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort in Central Florida. Children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations in fully furnished and accessible homes. Beyond just the comfortable homes to stay in, the amenities in the village are beyond compare.

Give Kids The World provides meals, transportation, nightly entertainment, and complimentary passes to Orlando’s world-famous theme parks and other attractions. There is never any charge to visiting families, and no child is ever turned away. Since 1986, Give Kids The World Village has served more than 160,000 children and families from all 50 states and more than 75 countries. GKTW is four-star rated by Charity Navigator, with more than 92 cents of every dollar it spends going to program services.

GKTW - moms panel — Walt Disney World Moms Panel donation in 2010

I became more closely involved when I joined the (then) Walt Disney World Moms Panel in 2010 (now the planDisney Panel). We, as the new class of 2010, raised $7500 and delivered it to Give Kids the World back in October of 2010. We were given an in-depth tour at the time and it was an incredibly inspiring visit. That day let me know I wanted to help out Give Kids the World whenever I could from that day forward.

My friends and kids and I have done various fundraisers over the years, usually their annual Gingerbread Run, which is now the Challenge for Hope and you don’t have to run to take part. My youngest son Gio and husband Scott got involved this time and all raised money and ran the almost-but-not-quite 5K Challenge for Hope last November. This year it is a virtual event due to the conditions in the country. Sadly, Give Kids the World village has been closed since March of this year for that reason as well.

Because of the closure, Give Kids the World Village has decided to create some magic for locals, which will in turn help the Village when they are ready to safely reopen.

Night of a Million Lights! Here’s more about it:

For 34 years, the non-profit Give Kids The World Village has been brightening the lives of critically ill children and their families from around the world; and now, local businesses will have the chance to illuminate the Village – literally.

For 53 nights from Friday, November 13, through Sunday, January 3, 2021, the Village will come alive with Night of a Million Lights, a walk-through holiday light spectacular that is sure to warm the hearts of Central Florida residents.

More than one million lights will adorn the 84-acre whimsical Village, including a 150-foot lighted tunnel leading to 33 decorated villas; more than 50 larger-than-life holiday-themed wireframes, some spanning more than 40 feet; an enormous incandescent gingerbread arch; and out-of-this-world space-themed decorations showcasing the Village’s newest centerpiece, Henri’s Starlite Scoops.

Adding to the fully immersive lights and sounds experience, Santa Claus will greet guests from the balcony of Towne Hall, with Give Kids The World’s beloved ambassadors, Mayor Clayton and Ms. Merry, on hand to lend some holiday cheer.

Corporate and community partners can get into the holiday spirit by adopting a villa, with the creative freedom to decorate it however they’d like for display throughout the 53 nights of the event.

Beginning on October 1, guests can purchase tickets on the Give Kids The World website at www.gktw.org to walk among the brilliant lights, vote on their favorite villas, and take part in a variety of family activities in a socially distant manner.

Most of the Village’s wheelchair-accessible attractions will be available at no cost, including The Enchanted Carousel, Marc’s Dino Putt, Kelly’s Sunny Swing, and Lori’s Magical Flight – all elaborately decorated for the holidays. Complimentary hot cocoa and ice cream will also be served throughout each evening.

In addition, guests can visit the Village’s most iconic venue, the Castle of Miracles – featuring a mysterious forest, a wishing well that burps, a magic tree that makes pillows, and more. The Castle is highlighted by thousands of stars that fill the ceiling and the adjoining Star Tower, each placed in honor of a wish child who has visited the Village.

“Children with critical illnesses face countless appointments, treatments and hospital stays, and they are often told ‘no’ due to the limitations of their illness. We feel privileged to give wish children and their families a week of ‘yes’ where they can forget their worries, experience joy, and spend priceless time together,” said Give Kids The World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth. “We look forward to sharing some holiday joy with the community while making it possible for future wish children to have their wishes fulfilled.”

Give Kids The World Village closed to wish families in mid-March due to the global pandemic, delaying more than 4,000 wishes. The Night of a Million Lights is designed to raise funds to ensure that wish trips can return bigger and better than ever before once the time is right to reopen.

I am SO excited to take part in this event. I urge locals or those visiting to fit Night of a Million Lights into your plans as well. It’s such a good cause, and I know we’ve all been missing light displays that we used to be able to walk through at Disney’s Hollywood Studios! We were just mentioning it on our Up the Waterfall podcast, how much we miss the experience. I can’t think of a better way to recapture some of that magic, while giving back and ensuring children and their families will experience all that Give Kids the World has to offer once more. The fact that they are offering tours and additional benefits is amazing, because once you tour Give Kids the World, you will definitely want to do and help more.

Tickets are On Sale NOW!

Give Kids the World Night of a Million Lights tickets are on sale now, enabling guests to walk among the brilliant lights and participate in a variety of fun and festive activities in a safe, socially distant manner. Ticket prices start at $15 for children ages 3-17 and $25 for adults, and include: on-site parking complimentary ice cream and hot cocoa and unlimited access to the Village’s wheelchair-accessible attractions – including The Enchanted Carousel; Marc’s Dino Putt; Kelly’s Sunny Swing; Lori’s Magical Flight; an interactive model railroad; and the Village’s iconic Castle of Miracles, where thousands of stars fill the ceiling in honor of wish children who have visited the Village. The event will run from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily, with staggered entry times at 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., 7:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. (confirmed at the time of purchase) to ensure social distancing. Mask wearing is required for all guests.

Proceeds from the event will support Give Kids The World’s mission to provide wish vacations for critically ill children and their families.

Give Kids The World Village is located at 210 S. Bass Road in Kissimmee. To learn more, visit gktw.org/lights. For information on group tickets, contact [email protected].

Follow Zanna:

Instagram: @zannaland, @UpTheWaterfall
Zannaland’s facebook page
Twitter: @zannaland
Zannaland on YouTube

Special Disneyland 60th Ears-100% of Price Donated to Make-A-Wish!

22 February 2016 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

I wanted to share this story that was recently posted on the Disney Parks Blog – I’m sure by now you’ve seen on Facebook or Instagram or Twitter about the #ShareYourEars campaign where Disney Parks will donate $5 to Make-A-Wish for each photo with Mouse Ears (you can even make your own out of anything!) uploaded to the above social media sites, with the hashtag #ShareYourEars, up to one million dollars. Now there is another way to contribute to such a great cause, and get some new Ears in the process! Check out Michelle Harker’s post below:

I have even more exciting news! One hundred percent – 100%! – of the $19.95 sale price (exclusive of sales tax) of the ear hat shown above will be donated to Make-A-Wish — helping make wishes come true around the world for children with life-threatening medical conditions. No discounts apply. Purchasing limits will apply, and this particular ear hat will be available at Disneyland Resort only at the following locations.

Disneyland park – Disney Showcase and Emporium

Disney California Adventure park – Elias & Co.

Downtown Disney District – World of Disney Store

Well done, Disney! And if anyone’s in Disneyland and wants to pick me up some, let me know! 😉

Disney Club Penguin Helps Kids Give Back With Coins for Change

20 December 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

If you have little ones and a computer, chances are they are playing Club Penguin, the #1 virtual world for kids. Since the holidays are about giving back, Club Penguin wants to empower their players to do the same. With their annual Coins for Change program, where players can donate virtual coins that they earn playing games to real-world causes that matter to them.

Running from December 20 to January 2, the Coins for Change program will turn Club Penguin into the biggest virtual bake sale ever, with players baking virtual cookies and buying them with virtual coins that act as votes to influence where Club Penguin’s $1 million US cash donation will go. The votes determine the percentage of donations made in three areas: providing medical help, building safe places, and protecting the earth.

Through programs like Coins for Change, Club Penguin has given a total of $9 million to charities all over the world, further raising social consciousness among the more than 750 million players who take part in the online community. In last year’s event, kids donated over 10 billion coins to help make the world a better place, including funding projects in 42 countries such as:

20 schools built for over 20,000 children
25 school libraries built for over 50,000 children
27 playgrounds built for over 50,000 children
33 clean water projects for over 50,000 children and families
Youth engagement and education programs around the world for over 1,000,000 children and families

Here’s how kids can take part – when players virtually buy the special bake sale cookies, they will be transformed into the new holiday characters for a short period of time. All players can transform into toy cars, while members are rewarded by transforming into reindeer puffles and “frost bites,” which allow them to temporarily freeze in-world items. Sounds festive, right?

Head over to ClubPenguin.com for tips to start your own real-world bake sale, with recipes too, and to begin earning your Coins for Change today!

What Is “Give Kids The World” And How Can You Help?

19 October 2012 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

Give Kids the World is an organization near and dear to my heart. I’ve been honored to be a part of fundraising through the Walt Disney World Moms Panelists from 2010 on, who have together with supporters raised close to $35,000 for the Village, which grants wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. I was also able to tour the grounds in Kissimmee with my family and it is a day which I will never forget.

You can read more about some stories that affected friends of mine on my previous post about Give Kids the World. Now, my 12 year-old daughter, Sophia, and I are raising funds for Give Kids the World and running the Gingerbread 5K, held at the Village on November 3. My good friend Nicole started volunteering at the Village this year and wanted to create a team to take on the Gingerbread 5K together and raise awareness and valuable donations for such an amazing cause. Sophia and I would love to have your donation for this Gingerbread 5k as I join my friends on #TeamSparkle.

Click for Zanna’s donation page

Click for Sophia’s donation page

Team Sparkle has raised close to $3000 and we would love help in reaching our goals! Thank you SO much for helping the wishes of ill children get fulfilled!

To sign up to participate in the Gingerbread Run, visit www.gingerbreadrun.org.

Watch As Founder Henri Landwirth Tells Give Kids The World Story

Thank you!

It Gets Better. Thank you Disney.

21 December 2011 by Suzannah Otis Leave a Comment

As sad as it is that there is a need for this campaign, it is so very powerful because, it does – get better. As a child, teen, or even young adult, it’s so hard to see beyond the right now, to a place where the people and things that seem so important today, are just a memory. That’s why the It Gets Better project is wonderful, because you can see people just like you, or even people different from you, that had it rough and got through it.

Whether it’s famous people or everyday folks, it gets better. I thought this video was too important not to share here and hope it gets out to as many people as possible. It is the very things that make you different right now, which will make you amazing in the future.

To learn more about The Trevor Project, visit http://www.thetrevorproject.org

HOW TO FIND US:
http://www.twitter.com/trevorproject
http://www.facebook.com/thetrevorproject
http://thetrevorproject.tumblr.com
http://www.youtube.com/thetrevorproject

Help Give Kids the World with the Power of 10

8 January 2011 by Suzannah Otis 2 Comments

Readers will know that Give Kids the World is an organization near and dear to my heart. My fellow Moms Panelists helped raise $7500 last year to deliver in person at our October reunion, and I shared some stories with you then.

Now the Power of 10 has been brought to my attention, organized by Disney fans in an effort to raise $1 million for Give Kids the World. Here is some more info below and instructions for how you can donate today and help children and family’s dreams have a little more pixie dust.

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month: Facts & Resources

6 October 2010 by Suzannah Otis 1 Comment

Forgive the departure from ZannaLand’s typical upbeat theme park-related posts, but I felt this was an important topic to spread awareness about. October is well-known as Breast Cancer Awareness month but it is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, an issue which affects 1 in 4 women in her lifetime. Unfortunately that means we probably all know someone close to us affected by domestic violence.

A friend and colleague let me know about her efforts to raise awareness through Harbor House, a central Florida area domestic violence shelter and prevention center.

Here in central Florida domestic violence is at an all time high, even though every other criminal statistic has dropped. In the past year alone, more than 30 people have died as a result of domestic abuse. The most recent was a 7 month old baby killed last week by his father. The mother has been arrested for child neglect for being unable to protect her child from their abuser. If you click on this post, you’ll get a better feel for why protecting your child can become a considerable challenge when you’re unable to even protect yourself. The blogger – Laura Williams – also offers some terrific insight as to why women are challenged to leave an abusive relationship in the first place.

I know I have many central Floridians reading my site but for those non-locals, here is a list of shelters/organizations across the state and the national Domestic Violence Hotline site.

Please take a moment to read some more facts about domestic violence courtesy of Harbor House:

About 1.3 million women are assaulted by their partner each year.
85% of domestic violence victims are women.
Boys who see domestic violence are twice as likely to abuse their own partners.
30% to 60% of batterers also abuse children in the household.
About 1/3 of female homicide victims are killed by their partner.
In 70-80% of intimate partner homicides, the woman was abused before the murder.
Less than 1/5 of victims reporting an injury from their partner seek medical treatment.
More than 18.5 million mental health care visits each year stem from domestic violence.
One in 6 women and 1 in 33 men has experienced an attempted or completed rape.
Nearly 7.8 million women have been raped by an intimate partner in their lifetime.
Sexual assault or forced sex occurs in about 40-45% of battering relationships.
81% of women stalked by a current or former partner are physically assaulted by them.
31% of women stalked by a current or former partner are sexually assaulted by them.
The cost of intimate partner violence exceeds $5.8 billion each year.
$4.1 billion goes to direct medical and mental health services for victims every year.
Victims of intimate partner violence lose almost 8 million days of paid work a year.
Only 25% of all physical assaults by intimate partners are reported to police.
Only 20% of all rapes by intimate partners are reported to police.
Only 50% of all stalkings by intimate partners are reported to the police.
One-half of injunctions obtained by women who were physically assaulted are violated.
Over two-thirds of injunctions against partners who raped or stalked are violated.
Domestic violence is the leading cause of injury to women between the ages of 15 and 44 in the United States.
32% of battered women report their children had hurt or killed animals.
68% of battered women report violence towards their animals.
13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.
25% – 40% of battered women do not leave because of pets and livestock.
Disturbed children kill or harm pets to copy their parents’ conduct or prevent the abuser from killing the pet.
In one study, 70% of animal abusers also had records for other crimes.
Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble.
Battered women have been known to live in their cars with their pets for as long as four months until an opening was available at a pet-friendly safe house
Animal abuse is often a tool used by batterers to emotionally control or coerce victims.
32% of battered women report their children had hurt or killed animals.
68% of battered women report violence towards their animals.
13% of intentional animal abuse cases involve domestic violence.
25% – 40% of battered women do not leave because of pets and livestock.
Disturbed children kill or harm pets to copy their parents’ conduct or prevent the abuser from killing the pet.
In one study, 70% of animal abusers also had records for other crimes.
Investigation of animal abuse is often the first point of social services intervention for a family in trouble.
Battered women have been known to live in their cars with their pets for as long as four months until an opening was available at a pet-friendly safe house
Animal abuse is often a tool used by batterers to emotionally control or coerce victims.

Thank you for taking the time to read about this important issue – please pass it along to help raise awareness. If you have a blog and would like to use the banner in this post on your site, please feel free to do so. Donate funds or time if you are able. If you are currently a victim of domestic violence, please click any of the links above and get help now. There is hope.

Help Give Kids the World-Where Happiness Inspires Hope

3 August 2010 by Suzannah Otis 6 Comments

When I first lived in Orlando, I remember driving around looking at neighborhoods and going down this street where I could see giant red-topped mushroom over a wall. Of course, I instantly thought of Walt Disney World and its whimsical architecture, but saw a sign saying “Give Kids the World“. I did some research and found out it was an organization that accommodated the wishes of chronically ill children and their families. I knew then it was a place I wanted to somehow help with.

Then, life happened…I moved away and back and away and had my own children. I have been given the gift of 3 healthy children and I understand even more, as a mom, just how valuable Give Kids the World is for children that need it.

For those unfamiliar with Give Kids the World, here is a bit more about them from their site:

A child with a life-threatening illness between the ages of 3 and 18, whose one wish is to visit any of Central Florida’s best loved attractions, may have their dream vacation come true by first being identified by a doctor as a child with a life-threatening illness. The child is then teamed up with one of over 250 partnering wish-granting organizations from
around the world, who then refer the eligible Wish Child and their family to GKTW Village. Once a Wish has been approved and recommended by the Wish Child’s local wish-granting organization, the Give Kids The World Wish includes:

Accommodations on-site in one of 140 villas

Donated tickets to all three major theme-park resorts (SeaWorld Orlando, Universal

Orlando and Walt Disney World)

Transportation

Meals in our Gingerbread House Restaurant and Katie’s Kitchen; and ice cream all day in

the Ice Cream Palace

Many other fun surprises

Everything is entirely cost-free to the family!

Fundraising and Charities

Tickets are On Sale NOW!

Footer

zannaland