Give Kids the World adds new ‘Serendipity’ ship to its Village

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Fundraiser gala coming in September

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  • Give Kids the World CEO Pam Landwirth "christens" the Serendipity joined by the mothers of some of the namesakes on the ship. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON
    Give Kids the World CEO Pam Landwirth "christens" the Serendipity joined by the mothers of some of the namesakes on the ship. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON
  •  The state-of-the-art interactive ship will serve as the centerpiece to the Village’s weekly Once Upon A Village party featuring pirates, mermaids and princesses. The new Serendipity replaces an older model that was weathered by Florida’s heat and moisture. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON
    The state-of-the-art interactive ship will serve as the centerpiece to the Village’s weekly Once Upon A Village party featuring pirates, mermaids and princesses. The new Serendipity replaces an older model that was weathered by Florida’s heat and moisture. PHOTO/KEN JACKSON
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The magic is back at Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee, where critically ill children stay for a week to ignore their medical troubles.

The village, like make other facilities, had to temporarily close last year, but re-opened this year to continue creating joy and hope.

As of last week, the Village became even more magical with the addition of its new “Serendipity” themed pirate ship stage, which was “christened” Thursday by GKTW CEO Pam Landwirth.

Located at the Park of Dreams Pool, the state-of-the-art interactive ship will serve as the centerpiece to the Village’s weekly Once Upon A Village party featuring pirates, mermaids and princesses. The new Serendipity replaces an older model that was weathered by Florida’s heat and moisture. “Serendipity II” was built to withstand all that, and was constructed with a 100 percent aluminum frame and cladding. But a coating called Poly Gem creates the look and feel of real wood.

The build was made possible by a grant from the Don and Lorraine Freeberg Foundation.

Spanning more than 90 feet, the ADA-accessible ship was built off-site over the course of a year, disassembled, and then delivered to the Village. Using a crane, installation took two days. Due to the proximity of the Village to Kissimmee Gateway Airport, the 74-foot masts had to be approved by the FAA due to their height.

A 16-by-9 foot LED screen that will create unique photo op features highlights the ship. The venue will also host special events, feature film screenings, dive-in movies, and more.

The ship becomes the centerpiece of what is now known as Jack’s Wacky Water Works, named after an alumni wish child who struck a chord with Landwirth and the rest of Village staff.

In fact, there are large animal figures on the ship named after other wish children, who unfortunately are no longer with us: a turtle (named Vinney), crab (Tristan) and sea horse (Cambri).

Each child and their families receives an unforgettable weeklong stay at no cost, including transportation; accommodations in one of the Village’s 166 storybook residential villas, all meals, nightly entertainment, donated theme park tickets, daily gifts and priceless interactive experiences at the Village.

“We want to write a new story for the children and their families for the week,” Landwirth said. “They’re here just to be kids.”

GKTW’s next big event will be its Black & White Gala. Proceeds from the Sept. 18 fundraiser will help the Village continue making wishes come true for critically ill children and their families. For the first time ever, the Gala will be held at the Village – enabling guests to experience the magic and enchantment the resort during an evening of breathtaking décor, dazzling entertainment and exquisite dining from the area’s most celebrated restaurants.

Attendees will be able to enjoy performances by members of the cast of Hamilton, including Nik Walker, Jen Sese (Hair), Roberto Sinha (Kinky Boots) and Sasha Hutchings (Oklahoma!).

Bidding on unique auction items and exploring all of the Village’s attractions are also part of GKTW’s signature fundraising event of the year.

Individual tickets along with packages that include villa stays for 10 or 20 people are available. For information go to www.gktw.org/gala.