I recently had the opportunity to participate in Give Kids the World’s Annual Challenge for Hope that took place on November 9th. Give Kids the World Village is an 84-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort in Central Florida. There, children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations.
The average person cannot just visit GKTW Village unless they are a volunteer. The only opportunity to visit the Village is during the Challenge for Hope, where the gates are open to the public and the fun run takes place through the village.
One thing that struck me during the run was just how large GKTW is. It truly is a village as you can see from my video below. The place is simply amazing.
After the run, I had the opportunity to visit and take pictures with several families that were currently on their wish trips. I was honored to be their real life “princess” and make them a queen for a day as they took pictures with my crown. As a parent, I cannot even begin to comprehend what it must be like to have a child with a critical illness and I hope I never do. But I am so happy to know that there is a place for these families to go and escape their reality for a short time and just be a kid, even if it’s just for one week.