It is time! Star Wars Celebration Orlando is finally here, and Adventures by Daddy has teamed up with Skywalking Through Neverland to help Give Kids The World Village – where children with life-threatening illnesses stay when they have a wish to visit Orlando. Curious about the Star Wars connection to Give Kids The World (GKTW), then continue reading.
Click Here to Donate to Give Kids The World
Adventures By Daddy’s Dave Parfitt (center) with members of the 501st Legion at Give Kids The World Village, March 2017
Every Monday evening at GKTW is Halloween, and volunteers don costumes to pass out candy to wish children trick-or-treating throughout the Village. Many times, when I’ve volunteered for this party, we’re joined by members of the 501st Legion – a group of Star Wars costumers that donate their time and talents to charity. The wish children are thrilled to see and take pictures with their favorite Star Wars heroes and villains first hand, but that’s not the only connection between Star Wars and GKTW.
Members of the 501st Legion at Give Kids The World Village, March 2016
Each building at the Village is named after an alumni wish child. Katie’s Kitchen is one of the dining venues in the Village where wish families can get a meal, named for wish child Katie Johnson. Her father, Albin Johnson, founded the 501st Legion in 1997, the Star Wars costuming group that visits GKTW and dedicated themselves for years to raising money for charity and doing good. Little did Albin know his own family would be the recipient of that good work when his daughter Katie was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor in 2004. When Katie’s battle to cancer ended in 2005, Albin Johnson and the R2 Builders Club created R2-KT, a pink astromech droid, to spread awareness of childhood cancer and other pediatric illnesses.
Image from the R2-KT webpage www.r2kt.com
The final version of R2-KT was part of the Rebel attack force on screen in STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, and officially became a part of Star Wars canon.
R2-KT in Star Wars: The Force Awakens ©Lucasfilm 2015
R2-KT in Star Wars: The Force Awakens ©Lucasfilm 2015
R2-KT in Star Wars: The Force Awakens ©Lucasfilm 2015
During the Skywalking Through Neverland podcast stage appearance at Star Wars Celebration Orlando Saturday, April 15th from 7:30-8:30 PM, we will be raising money for Give Kids The World Village. You can not only have fun at Sarah and Richard Woloski’s Interactive Celebration of 40 Years of Fandom, but also help out this great cause that has directly touched the lives of the Star Wars fan community. For those not able to attend the Skywalking Through Neverland podcast stage appearance, you can click on the link below to donate.
Click Here to Donate to Give Kids The World
Thank you for your willingness to help Give Kids The World. I’m always blown away by the generosity of Star Wars fans everywhere. For more family travel news, reviews, and trip reports, be sure to follow Adventures by Daddy on instagram, twitter and “like” our facebook page too.
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