Ambassadors of Hope
By Joy Michelle Boyd, General Manager, Baker’s Cay Resort
May 26, 2021
Give Kids the World Village is an 89-acre, nonprofit “storybook” resort in Central Florida where children with critical illnesses and their families are treated to weeklong, cost-free vacations. Davidson Hospitality Group has joyfully pledged our love and commitment to the Give Kids the World Village for the last 30 years; so much so that GKTW is an authentic and vibrant part of our culture. The partnership truly personifies Davidson’s core values, which are rooted in care and love. In 2019, Davidson launched the Cherry on Top initiative to help support the construction of Henri’s Starlight Scoops, a space themed ice cream parlor in the village, which opened in March of this year. John Belden, our CEO and Chairman, serves on the Give Kids the World Board of Directors and Davidson as a corporate sponsor, which truly blazes a trail of love and compassion for us all.
This summer, Davidson will be reigniting fund-raising efforts with the launch of the Give Kids the World Ambassador
Program. This program was born out of the outstanding efforts of the incredible teams we have portfolio wide; we knew that formalizing a program like this would help to activate all of our hoteliers and give them a way to fully embrace the spirit of giving.
Ambassadors are nominated by their peers and the qualifications to be an Ambassador are pretty strict:
• Be Extraordinary
• Be Relentless
• Reach for the Stars
• Be a Unicorn
• Glow with Hope
These Ambassadors will collaborate on portfolio wide initiatives, share best practices, facilitate on-property events and activations and most importantly bringing, the on-site teams together to become a powerful force of action. Our hotels hold golf tournaments, bake sales, car washes, community events, internal competitions…literally whatever it takes to help support the kids…and through those efforts it allows us to build teamwork, camaraderie, deep friendships, and a charitable mindset for helping others in need. Our connection to GKTW is not just in the money we raise for the Village, but it’s in support of the thousands of wish children in our very own communities throughout the country.
This July, we’ll be naming our Ambassadors and announcing our fund-raising goals for each of our hotels. Be sure follow us on social media and check out our blog for updates. Until then, join us in glowing for hope.