The trolley that trails around the Give Kids the World Village doesn’t have an arbitrary name.
Years ago, after a little boy made a wish to be a train, he received a conductor hat, a whistle and a group that followed him all around.
He was able to get his wish before he died, because the volunteers at the village wanted to give him the world.
The village named the trolley after him.
Members of the Rotaract club at UF are volunteering at the Give Kids the World Village this weekend to help make terminally ill children’s wishes come true.
About 20 members of Rotaract, a club committed to community service, usually go twice per year to the Give Kids the World Village in Kissimmee.
“When you volunteer there, the impact you make on so many families is unforgettable,” said John Kelly, the club’s president.
The Give Kids the World Village, which was created in 1989, is a 70-acre resort with more than 140 villas and special features. The sole purpose of the village is to cater to the needs of the Make-A -Wish Foundation children whose wishes involve any aspect of the theme parks in the Orlando area, according to the organization’s website.
“It’s kind of like a gated community but fairytale style,” said UF student Jesse Schmitt, the international chairman of Rotaract.
The family members staying at the village receive free three-day Walt Disney World Resort passes, two-day Universal Orlando Resort passes and one-day SeaWorld Orlando passes.
