No matter your walk of life or current situation I'm sure we can all agree on one thing: the world has been a hard place since 2020. There is a lot of stuff going on that breaks your heart.
A lot of us adults can bare a lot of tragedy because, in most instances, we don't have much of a choice. We have to keep moving forward and doing our best each day.
In my opinion, it's the children that are hit the hardest. They don't understand a lot of what is going on. They just know their world has been turned upside down and they can't do things the way they had done for their entire life.
Now, imagine a kid who is going through a health crisis. Add scary doctors appointments and hours spent at the hospital and childhood for these kids can seem pretty bleak.
For those of you who know me in real life, or from things you might have gathered about me online, I am a huge fan of Walt Disney. His stories have created worlds for people to escape to, characters that we can see ourselves in, and gave a lot of us a reason to believe in magic.
For kids, a visit to Walt Disney World is nothing short of magic. Especially, during this time, a little magic can go a long way.
Not to burry the lede, but the whole reason for the blog is to ask you to join me in creating a little magic for some very brave kids.
For the first week that "Seraphim Falls" is on sale (May 8-15) $1 from every e-book and paperback book purchased will be donated to Give Kids The World, a non-profit organization that gifts critically ill children and their parents a magical vacation, at no cost, to the family.
According to a press release, "The Village is an 84-acre, nonprofit resort near Central Florida's world-famous theme parks and attractions. Children and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free, dream vacations, complete with accommodations in the Village's whimsical villas, donated attraction tickets, meals and much more."
(Photos courtesy of Give Kids The World)
Give Kids The World was created because of a little girl named Amy. Amy, who had leukemia, wanted to visit some of the theme parks that made Orlando so popular. A request was made on her behalf to a local hotel to donate the room for her and her family to stay. The hotelier agreed. Unfortunately, because travel arrangements took too long, Amy passed away without ever having her wish come true.
Henri Landwirth, the hotelier who helped donate the room for Amy and her family, promised that no child in need would miss out on their dream. So he created Give Kids The World.
Through this organization, he is able to call on his colleagues to help him secure a wish within 24 hours if needed.
The organization has grown to an 84-acre resort with 166 villas, entertainment options, whimsical venues, and fun events specifically designed for children with critical illnesses.
Because of donations from both individuals and corporations, Give Kids The World has created magic for over 160,000 families from all 50 states and over 75 countries.
(Video courtesy of Give Kids the World)
While "Seraphim Falls" deals with a lot of scary things, nothing is as scary as what a lot of these kids and their families have to face.
Together we can be a spark that can ignite a little magic for these kids and their families.