See the Grand Opening of Olivia’s Oasis at Give Kids The World Village!
As major Disney fans, we love seeing magical moments happen in real life. Luckily, there are some great people in the world who help make magical moments happen for others!
Some of those include the people over at Give Kids The World Village in Central Florida. We were recently invited by the organization to come and see the grand opening of their new spa, so come along with us to check it out!
Give Kids The World Village
Give Kids The World Village is a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida (near Orlando) that gives critically ill children and their families from around the world week-long wish vacations at no cost.
It’s described by the organization as “a week of “YES” where wish kids can experience the simple joys of childhood, and where families can recapture some of the precious moments that may have been missed due to illness.”
Give Kids The World Village has hosted over 187,000 families since 1986! It’s made possible by the support of donors and community partners as well as volunteers.
The Village itself is very big! It’s 89 acres and has 166 villa accommodations along with its own entertainment attractions, venues, and activities for children of all abilities.
Give Kids The World Village is one of less than 1% of all U.S. charities to receive Charity Navigator’s highest rating 16 years in a row.
Olivia’s Oasis
We were invited to Give Kids The World Village to see the grand opening celebration of Olivia’s Oasis! This is a relaxation spa dedicated exclusively to wish parents, adult family members, and caregivers.
Olivia’s Oasis was designed to give caregivers a break from the stress of caring for a critically ill child. The spa immerses you in a tranquil ambience and features seven unique quiet spaces for relaxation and reflection!
Each space offers state-of-the-art amenities including SolaJet Dry-Hydrotherapy tables and chairs, which provide spa-quality massages at the touch of a button. There are also therapy loungers, aromatherapy with essential oils, chromotherapy, ambient colored lighting to promote a sense of calm, a hydration station, and more.
Olivia’s Oasis will be open 7 days a week, 365 days a year! It will be staffed entirely by the amazing Give Kids The World Village volunteers.
The Oasis is named after Olivia, who visited the Village on her wish trip and returned several times as part of the Welcome Back Family program with her parents, Angie Patrick and Joe Wampler. Olivia’s mom was at the grand opening of Olivia’s Oasis to speak on the creation of the spa.
“Olivia’s Oasis is for the fearless grown-ups trying hard to keep the faith…a place to rejuvenate the spirit so these beautiful parents can continue to be there for their children. As the flight attendants always say, you must put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others,” says Angie Patrick, Olivia’s mom.
Sadly, Olivia passed away in 2021 at the age of 17.
As the one-year anniversary of Olivia’s passing approached, the Wamplers were brought back to the Village. A colleague in the massage industry (who was unaware of the family’s connection to Give Kids The World) actually reached out to see if Angie could help source equipment for a new relaxation spa underway at the Village.
The connection inspired Angie to get a team of massage equipment manufacturers (led by SolaJet) to make Olivia’s Oasis possible. In addition to funding from a private donor, other supporters include Infinity Massage Chairs, Scrip Companies, Core Products, Benefect, Harmony Salt, Oakworks, Inc., Himalayan Secrets, Hand & Stone, and Amy Perrault.
“We appreciate the support of all the wonderful in-kind donors who are working together to make Olivia’s Oasis a very special place for wish parents and caregivers,” said GKTW President & CEO Pamela Landwirth.
Other New Projects at GKTW
Olivia’s Oasis is not the only new project at GKTW! Twinkle Hope’s Rockin’ Spa was also renovated recently.
This spa is a place where guests can come and get colorful hairstyles, nail painting, face painting, and temporary glitter tattoos.
Twinkle Hope’s Rockin’ Spa is only available by appointment, which can be made by calling GKTW’s Guest Services during your wish trip.
The Village also recently completely re-imagined its iconic star experience into a highly interactive encounter featuring cutting-edge animation, fully integrated audio in four languages, and charming new characters. And, all of the accessible arcade games have been refreshed in the Amberville venue at the village.
Also, Mayor Clayton’s WonderLab (an immersive STEAM learning center) will soon open and provide a focal point for creativity and exploration for kids visiting the Village.
How awesome is that?! We are so grateful we got to see the grand opening of Olivia’s Oasis thanks to the amazing people at Give Kids The World Village!
Stay tuned for more news and updates.