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editor's Note
editor's note
by Michael J. Pallerino
Why helping make
a difference matters
T
he story began with a little girl, a wish and a man who dedicated his life to making a
difference. The little girl was Amy, who had leukemia. Her wish was to visit the theme
parks in Orlando, Fla. When the man, respected hotelier Henri Landwirth, found out
about Amy's wish, he requested a complimentary stay that would help her dream come true.
But Amy's travel plans took too long
to arrange, and she died before she could
make her trip. So Henri Landwirth made a
promise. He vowed that wishes like Amy's
would never fail again on his watch.
If anybody could indentify with children losing their childhoods it is Landwirth. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, in 1927,
Landwirth and his family were separated
and became prisoners in the Nazi death
and labor camps during WWII. From the
ages of 13 and 18, he was housed in
the infamous Auschwitz and Mauthausen
camps. By war's end, even though both
of his parents were killed, he and his twin
sister, Margot, survived.
Landwirth's incredible tale led him to
America on a freight ship with $20 in his
pocket and little knowledge of the English
language. After serving in the Army, he
used his GI benefits to learn hotel management. While managing the Starlight Motel
in Cocoa Beach, near Cape Canaveral in
1954, he went on to forge lasting friendships with astronauts and newsmen alike,
including Senator John Glenn and the late
Walter Cronkite.
With Amy's story inspiring him,
Landwirth eventually enlisted the support
of his colleagues in the hospitality industry
and theme parks to help bring these special
families to central Florida within 24 hours
if need be. He called the project "Give Kids
The World." The name was a reflection of
Today, Give The
Kids The World
is in need of
an extreme
makeover.
That's where
you come in.
what he intended to do – provide memorable, magical, cost-free experiences to
children with life-threatening illnesses and
their families.
The gates of Give Kids The World
Village opened in 1989. Today, the
70-acre resort is a place where children with life-threatening illnesses
can dream bigger than their lives will
allow. Featuring 140 vacation villas,
the village has welcomed more than
120,000 families from all 50 states
and over 74 countries.
And its story of need doesn't end
there. Today, Give The Kids The World is
in need of an extreme makeover. That's
where you come in. Wyndham Vacation
Ownership (WVO) is seeking companies
to help in the renovation efforts. Commercial Construction & Renovation is
helping spread the word.
Gary Rall, VP of Resort Renovation &
Design for Wyndham Vacation Ownership,
will be giving more details during our 2013
Commercial Construction and Renovation
Summit at the Talking Sticks Resort in
Tucson, Ariz. We will be working with him
to rally support from the industry. For more
details, contact Rall at gary.rall@wyn.com
or 407-626-6411.
This is your chance to help keep Henri
Landwirth's promise alive by making the Give
Kids The World Village an even better place
that it is now. We'll see you there.