Canada IAHI Hosts Groundbreaking in Kissimmee, FL
Give Kids The World Village
JLUY 3, 2007. Shovels dug into the dirt and tributes were made as the Canada Committee of IAHI, the Owners' Association of IHG, held a groundbreaking ceremony on June 20 in honor of its sponsoring a villa at Give Kids The World Village (GKTW) - a 70-acre, non-profit resort in Kissimmee, Florida providing complimentary accommodations, donated attraction tickets, and meals for a week-long stay for children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
Attending the ceremony were:
On behalf of the IAHI Canada Committee:
o Glenn Squires, Chairman of the IAHI Canada Committee and president of Pacrim Hospitality Services Inc.
o Penny Squires, Pacrim Hospitality
o Michael Jackson, Royal Host Hotels and Resorts
o John Bukovac, Wilshire Group Inc.; and his daughter, Ariana
o Raymond Soumako, Rosdev Hotels
On behalf of IHG:
o Patrick Field
o Christine Boon
o Kris Crundwell
o Doug Hargrave
On behalf of the IAHI:
o Brenda Thielbar
o Kelly Schwartz
o Amy Swint.
The day began with members of the Canada Committee serving breakfast to the visiting families, and meeting numerous children. During the groundbreaking ceremony, Squires thanked GKTW for the opportunity to participate in sponsoring a villa and helping to make dreams come true for children with serious illnesses. This type of philanthropic support and involvement are an important part of IAHI's mission of community service.
Construction is set to begin this year on the villa, which will house families visiting from around the world. It will take approximately nine months to complete.
GKTW President Pamela Landwirth thanked the Canada Committee for its sponsorship and the longtime support that IAHI and IHG have given to the charity. The 21-year-old organization was founded by former Holiday Inn franchisee Henri Landwirth. The Belgium native and Holocaust survivor offered his Holiday Inn hotel, located near the main gate of Walt Disney World, as part of a informal network of hotels committed to fulfilling the last wish of terminally ill children prior to launching the non-profit organization.
GKTW currently has 102 villas for the children and their families, and is expanding to 196 villas over the next few years. The villas are located in Fairy Tale Forest, which is the first phase of this expansion program. These fully-equipped accommodations feature wheelchair accessible showers, whirlpool tubs, and fully-equipped kitchens for its guests. The cost of adopting each villa is $75,000.
GKTW has welcomed more than 75,000 families from all 50 states and over 50 countries throughout its history. A total of 1,796 families from Canada have stayed at the Village.
About the IAHI:
IAHI members own and operate IHG brand hotels worldwide, including Crowne Plaza^a Hotels and Resorts, Hotel Indigo^a, Holiday Inn^a Hotels and Resorts, Holiday Inn SunSpree^a Resorts, Holiday Inn Select^a, Holiday Inn Express^a, Staybridge Suites^a and Candlewood Suites^a hotels. Established in 1955, the IAHI was the first association of owners in the hotel industry, and today comprises nearly 2,700 members in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
The IAHI represents its membership in working together with IHG for the purpose of maintaining the highest professional hospitality standards for its brands.
For the latest news from the IAHI, visit our online Newsroom at www.iahi.org.
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 week-long, 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 75,000 families from all 50 states and over 50 countries.
For more information, please visit www.gktw.org.
Marriott International, Inc. (NASDAQ: MAR) is a global leading lodging company based in Bethesda,Maryland, USA, with more than 4,200 properties in 80 countries and territories. Marriott International reported revenues of nearly $14 billion in fiscal year 2014. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 19 brands, including: The Ritz-Carlton®, BVlgari®, EDITION®, JW Marriott®, Autograph Collection® Hotels, Renaissance® Hotels, Marriott Hotels®, Delta Hotels and Resorts®, Marriott Executive Apartments®, Marriott Vacation Club®, Gaylord Hotels®, AC Hotels by Marriott®, Courtyard®, Residence Inn®, SpringHill Suites®, Fairfield Inn & Suites®, TownePlace Suites®, Protea Hotels® and MoxyHotels®. Marriott has been consistently recognized as a top employer and for its superior business ethics. The company also manages the award-winning guest loyalty program, Marriott Rewards® and The Ritz-Carlton Rewards® program, which together surpass 50 million members. For more information or reservations, please visit our website at 
