G.I. ‘Jackson’ Gives Makeover to Wish Child at Give Kids The World
(PRWEB) December 10, 2014 -- What do a paratrooper, nail polish, and the wish of a five-year-old girl have in common? All came together at Give Kids The World (GKTW) Village for a truly unique experience. Natalie, a child with a life-threatening illness whose wish was to go to Walt Disney World® Resort, had another wish in mind when she was asked by Make-A-Wish® Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia—to get a make-over done by the one and only, G.I. Joe. While G.I. Joe was unavailable, GKTW’s G.I. ‘Jackson’ showed up donned in a camo jumpsuit and military red beret, armed with pink nail polish and cotton balls.
Give Kids The World’s very own G.I. ‘Jackson,’ played by Manager of Support Services Christopher Jackson, was happy to help the cause. “Natalie was a true cadet during her makeover—taking charge and giving orders. Her unique wish was one mission I will never forget.” Jackson is a real life hero himself, serving for 13 years in the United States Army and was deployed to Iraq from 2003-2004 with the 82nd Airborne and in 2012 with the 5th Brigade, 1st Armored Division.
Natalie received a full treatment at the Village’s Twinkle Hope’s La-Ti-Da Royal Spa, including airbrushed princess tattoos, a manicure complete with polish which Jackson skillfully applied, and face painting.
“Natalie’s father serves in the U.S. Armed Forces and, because of that, she also loves the character, G.I. Joe,” said Dana Antkowiak, Manager of Marketing and Communications at Make-A-Wish® Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia. “Combine that with a five-year-old’s fascination with princesses and suddenly we have G.I. Joe, or ‘Jackson’ in this case, giving a princess-themed makeover. We owe a huge thank you to the newly recruited makeup artist, G.I. Jackson, and everyone else at Give Kids The World who helped bring even more joy to Natalie for her wish-come-true.”
“We have countless wish children who hold special wishes in their hearts and regardless of how much time and effort, Give Kids The World is always willing to go the extra mile to make them come true,” said GKTW President Pam Landwirth. “Some are simple and some, like G.I. Jackson take a little more effort but always result in the best gift of all, smiles on the faces of these precious children.”
About Give Kids The World
Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) is a 70-acre, non-profit resort in Central Florida that creates magical memories for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families. GKTW provides accommodations at its whimsical resort, donated attractions tickets, meals and more for a weeklong, cost-free fantasy vacation. With the help of many generous individuals, corporations and partnering wish-granting organizations, Give Kids The World has welcomed more than 130,000 families from all 50 states and over 75 countries. For our latest news, visit http://www.GiveKidsTheWorld.org and follow the blog at http://www.givekidstheworld.org/blog.
About Make-A-Wish®
Make-A-Wish® Greater Pennsylvania and West Virginia is a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children, aged 2 ½ to 18, with life-threatening medical conditions. Currently, the local chapter is one of the most active in the country, having fulfilled nearly 16,000 wishes. For more information, please call Make-A-Wish at (800) 676-9474 or visit its Web site at greaterpawv.wish.org.
Mark Hoewing, Give Kids The World, http://www.gktw.org, +1 (407) 396-1114 Ext: 4259, [email protected]
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