Give Kids The World Village held a dedication ceremony at the Merlin’s Magic Space LEGOLAND playroom, renamed in memory of “Jersey Jaxson” Butkus of Williamstown, New Jersey who passed away after a five-year battle with brain cancer.
(Give Kids The World Village)
What’s Happening:
- Give Kids The World Village held a dedication ceremony for the renamed Merlin’s Magic Space LEGOLAND playroom in memory of Jaxson Butkus who passed away on February 28, 2021, during a rush wish to the Village following a five-year battle with brain cancer.
- The new name, Jersey Jaxson’s Playroom, is a nod to Jaxson’s home state of New Jersey and his love for LEGO.
- LEGOLAND Florida Resort and the Merlin’s Magic Wand Foundation collaborated to bring the themed, ADA-accessible play space to Give Kids The World.
What They’re Saying:
- Pamela Landwirth, Give Kids The World President and CEO: “Jaxson captured our hearts and we are truly grateful for the generosity of Merlin’s Magic Wand Foundation and LEGOLAND for helping us honor his memory. Jersey Jaxson’s Playroom will bring joy to countless children for many years to come.”
- Diana Butkus: “We are grateful for the magical time we spent together at Give Kids The World Village. Thanks to the Village and the Elle Foundation, we created priceless memories as a family and took comfort knowing that Jaxson’s last days were filled with joy, laughter and love. The way the Give Kids The World staff took my older boys under their wings and helped them cope during this very difficult time made an indelible impression on them; I have no words for how much that meant to all of us.”
About Give Kids The World:
- Give Kids The World – an 89-acre, whimsical nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, FL, that provides critically ill children and their families with magical weeklong wish vacations at no cost.
- Since 1986, more than 176,000 critically ill children and their families from all 50 states and 76 countries have been welcomed to the Village.