Every Thursday at Give Kids The World our families, staff and volunteers get in the Christmas spirit. Santa makes his way down from the North Pole, and it even snows in Florida! With Christmas quickly approaching it is a great time to remember some of the reasons why Give Kids The World and our Winter Wonderland party are so special.
From any perspective our Winter Wonderland party is truly magic. Entertainment Assistant Manager Justin Durgana, or “Jingle Justin” sees this first-hand as a party host for Winter Wonderland. Durgana says “It never gets old for me. I will always love the Christmas music, seeing Santa and seeing our families playing in our Florida ‘snow’. That’s the one moment that always gets to me. We get to take a step back, let the kids get to have their moment in the blizzard and it doesn’t matter if you’re six or sixteen, it’s Christmas in that moment.” The entire Entertainment team alongside dedicated volunteers work tirelessly to create magic and make sure our families are having fun.
For anyone that has had the opportunity to attend a Winter Wonderland party, the true magic is the smiles you see on families’ faces and the gleam in their eyes. To wish families, like the Hunts from Indiana, this experience was so much more. Wish mom April said “What made that night so special is how my girls lit up about the characters and how I felt safe letting them just go do their thing without having to worry if they would be safe. Thank you for that. Kaity has never had such freedom before and we can not wait to come back and visit someday. Another one of our favorite things about that evening was Justin, he was made for what he does and it was so much fun.” This party and celebration is not just for the wish kids but for the siblings, parents and anyone part of a child’s one true wish. It is excitement for the whole family and brings the true spirit of Christmas.
“‘Welcome Home’ is the sign that greets all of our visitors when they arrive at the Village. We always want the precious families that we serve to consider the Village a home away from home,” said Give Kids The World President and CEO Pamela Landwirth. Wherever you find yourself this season, the staff and volunteers of your home away from home, wish you Happy Holidays! Help families make memories that last a lifetime and make a donation this holiday season.
