OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Over in Kissimmee, there’s a village tucked away that lets kids dealing with critical illnesses and their families forget about being sick and just have fun.

For the past three decades, the Give Kids The World Village helped more than 177,000 families from all around the world find happiness in Central Florida, in large part due to the volunteers giving their time to help these families.

One pediatrician has found happiness in volunteering and helping the kids in the hours after the end of his workday.

"Here we go guys! Say ‘Giddy up!’" Dr. Stewart Dobbins calls to the kids onboard the carousel at Give Kids The World Village. 

Firing up the carousel never gets old, Dobbins said with a smile.

“No," Dobbins said. "The smiles are wonderful. And the waves, always the waves."

A few times a week,  Dobbins comes to volunteer. Helping out here, even after spending a full day working as a pediatrician, is worthwhile, he said. 

“It’s worth it, it’s worth it,” Dobbins said. “As a pediatrician, I know firsthand the struggles and the dynamics that these children are going through and then bravery these little ones go through and the heart that they have is just incredible. It’s sometimes can be more rewarding than my real job."

And the progress made by the kids staying here with their families is often off the charts. 

“I’ve seen children not doing well come here and have a wish granted and have their whole chemo just turn completely around and doing much better. It’s amazing, it really is,” Dobbins said. 

That’s something the Parsons family knows all too well.

Kristin Parsons came here with her boys, Radek and Casen, three years earlier when Casen was granted a wish to meet Mickey Mouse. But the family found themselves latching onto the Give Kids the World Village, too.

“And we loved the village, it meant a lot to us," Parsons said. "It was such a great experience, we got to be a family and not have to worry about a doctor or surgery or anything. And we felt so drawn and close to the village that we actually just moved here from Colorado in August so we could be closer to the village and help out."

And every week since moving to the Sunshine State, the Parsons have been out at the village, helping turn happiness to hope for families just like volunteers did for them.

Dobbins said no matter where you help out for the day, you see the impact you’re making. Scooping up ice cream for the families and kids he said is always a fun spot.

“This is the most popular place in the village for the kids. Ice cream for breakfast!” Dobbins said, laughing. 

Whether he's creating ice cream masterpieces for kids too sick to eat anything else or offering just one more ride on the carousel for families, Dobbins said after years of offering up his time to the Give Kids The World Village, he cannot imagine that clock ever running out. 

“No, no," he said.  "It’s a good thing.”

The Give Kids The World Village is always looking for more volunteers, especially around the holidays. 

“The volunteers are really, truly the heart and soul of the village. You know, we had pre-COVID about 1,800 shifts that we fill each week. Right now, we’re almost to that point because we’re running the operation here on the village side plus we’re running the night of a million lights operation,” said Mark Richards, volunteer services coordinator with Give Kids The World. 

Open 365 days a year, the village has 166-handicap accessible villas for children battling a critical illness to stay at with their families. The village takes care of theme park tickets, transportation, meals, anything they need to make a positive impact for families and kids coming through. 

“I mean the families are truly so appreciative of what we do for them. And we just give them a week full of happiness. You know, our motto and our mission here is ‘Happiness that inspires hope’ and that really is what we focus on here,” Richards said. ​

For more information on how you can help, visit Give Kids The World Village here.