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Coasting for Kids 2012 - Be part of Team TPR!


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Erich and myself just signed up for Worlds of Fun. Let the fundraising begin!!! Such a great way to raise money for an amazing charity.

 

Awesome!

 

Please post the link to your first giving donation page so I can add you to the first page of this thread and create a signature banner for you.

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Wow, so $10k raised by team TPR so far!

 

$10,013.75 to be exact.

 

I have to admit, when Robb and Elissa and I discussed getting TPR more involved in this event, I knew it would be huge…but I couldn’t have ever imagined the kind of response you all have shown.

 

It’s incredible what you all have accomplished in just twenty days. It doesn’t matter if I say something cheesy like “keep it up” or “way to go.” The truth is in the numbers. For those counting, there’s sixty more days until June 10. If you all keep this momentum going—not just here but amongst your own networks— the end result is going to be remarkable. Thank you to everyone who has so passionately supported Coasting For Kids so far!

 

And now, a special bonus post.

 

In 2010, TODAY came and filmed a segment about GKTW. It showcases a lot of what I’ve been trying to illustrate through my daily posts and will undoubtedly make you smile:

 

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/38466034#38466034

 

Seriously, watch the video !

 

Next up, you may recall this thread showcasing a few aerials of Disney captured on a GKTW photo shoot. I wanted to share a few shots of the Village from above taken that same day.

 

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Pictured here is part of the main stretch containing the venues, the “Avenue of Angels” as we call it. Top left is the Park of Dreams pool; below left is the Gingerbread House Restaurant, followed by the Castle of Miracles and Ice Cream Palace; the blue building on the bottom are the admin offices.

 

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Our newest cul-de-sac of villas, nicknamed “Fairy Tale Forest,” along with Matthew’s Boundless Playground.

 

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The House of Hearts is similar to a hotel lobby, containing our 24-hour front desk, gift shop, media center, conference room and family lounge. Amberville Train Station and Julie’s Safari Theatre and the Gallery of Hope are also pictured.

 

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This is the closest we could come to capturing the entire 70 acres in one shot, but are missing another cul-de-sac of villas on the bottom. Lots of family villas, the Avenue of Angels, two pools and Santa’s Workshop (our warehouse area) are all shown.

 

Thanks for reading and working so hard to share our mission with your networks. My regular daily post is coming soon!

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I recently came across this photo that a Mom had posted on Facebook following their stay at GKTW.

 

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The kids, cowboy hats on, had just got done horseback riding at Keaton's Korral.

 

I found the photo to be incredibly touching, and immediately reached out to the Mom to see if she would mind sharing it with us. She was happy to oblige, but take a look at what she said:

 

I can't believe the response I am getting from this picture to be honest with you! I just see a beautiful photo of my children, and everyone else finds it so inspiring.

 

I tried to explain to her why it touched me, but had a hard time summing it up. If normal pictures say a thousand words, this one says a million.

 

This brother/sister duo are obviously enjoying being kids, but there's such a sense of bravery and strength in their embrace. I feel like you can just tell all they've been through, even without seeing their faces.

 

Moments like this happen every day here, but sometimes one photo says it all.

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I had no idea that GKTW was that massive.

 

We get this reaction a lot. It's really bittersweet, if you think about it.

 

My first day as an employee here, I was told that the absolute best thing would be for this place to go out of business due to lack of need. Kind of reverse thinking from a normal corporate setting, but it's 100% true.

 

Last month I gave a tour to a wish family who had stayed here in the the Village's first year. Back then, there wasn't a Gingerbread House or Ice Cream Palace and certainly weren't as many villas. I don't even think the roads were paved. This particular family hadn't been back here since their wish trip, so I was excited to show them what the little Village they stayed at back in '89 had become.

 

As I was driving around the property on golf cart, the mom couldn't stop crying. I stopped to try and comfort her and was somewhat shocked to hear her initial response-- "It's horrible!" she whimpered. I felt frozen. I really didn't know what to say. "It's horrible that there are this many kids fighting for their lives," she continued.

 

Talk about a different perspective! I'm used to people telling me how wonderful this place is and how impressed they are with it. But, this family had lost their wish child a few years after their stay with us. They know first-hand the battles each of these families are going through.

 

Like I said, bittersweet. It's amazing that we're growing and are able to accommodate more and more families, but our wish is for our service to no longer be necessary. As long as that need is there, however, we'll be working hard to bring happiness and hope to the families who need it most.

 

PHEW. Okay, I'm totally done with the emotional posting for today! Riding roller coasters + good cause = amazingness!

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Wow Kara, I had no clue at the size of the place.....that is seriously impressive!!

 

Also, thank you for sharing that video segment! I've already emailed a link of it to my initial distribution list, and I plan on posting it to Facebook as well. I do my very best explaining this amazing charity/place to people who ask about it, but that video sums up Give Kids The World way better than I ever could!!

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I admit I completely teared up upon hearing he story of the mother revisiting GKTW village. I wouldn't have thought of the way she did, but I completely understand her sentiment.

 

As great/sad that it is that the village has grown as much as it has, is there any more land for its continued growth?

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Hey guys, if you click here, you'll notice that Team TPR isn't in the lead at Cedar Point.....click on my link below so we can fix that

 

Yu got 25 bucks from me--even if you are a defector from the Kings Dominion group!

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^LOL, Thanks Chuck!

 

BTW, I forgot to mention that Team TPR is in the lead at every park EXCEPT Cedar Point. WAY TO GO TEAM TPR!

 

Again let's fix that for Cedar Point. Click on my link below, or visit the Cedar Point page for Team TPR and donate there.

 

ONLY $300 down from the top team! And I just gave another $10 to get things rolling!

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Okay, so, I'm seriously considering doing this, it sounds like a lot of fun for a great cause.

 

If Dorney would release their itinerary, I'd be a complete lock for me. I really need to know what time the event runs for.

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As great/sad that it is that the village has grown as much as it has, is there any more land for its continued growth?

 

Luckily, yes. We are currently pursuing two options that would provide us with additional land for the future. After land acquisition, our main focus is building up our back-of-house and food service operations to support an expansion and additional villas. Last year GKTW served a record 7,097 families, and we are projected to exceed that number in 2012.

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As great/sad that it is that the village has grown as much as it has, is there any more land for its continued growth?

 

Luckily, yes. We are currently pursuing two options that would provide us with additional land for the future. After land acquisition, our main focus is building up our back-of-house and food service operations to support an expansion and additional villas. Last year GKTW served a record 7,097 families, and we are projected to exceed that number in 2012.

 

 

That is awesome Kara, your organization is well worth our time and effort and I hope we can raise enough between us all to achieve all of the goals GKTW has.

 

For the rest of the club, it is now official that I'm a card carrying member (well will be in about 10 days or so when it shows up) but I have now become an official member with my first enthusiast club. Ace rejected me since I'm a featherweight so I guess y'all are stuck with me and with that being said the whole Initiation contest is still open to whoever makes the highest bid on my coasting for kids page! Come and get it...

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