Last Friday the team headed out to the 1st Friday Art Walk in downtown Phoenix, it was our 5th time there and seems to be where most people know us from. We held a booth at our normal location to collect money for our upcoming walk for the American Heart Association March 1st. Unfortunately the crowd wasn’t as big as usual due to all the super bowl events going on around the Phoenix valley, but we still had a good turnout. We got donations for pics with us and I should have a collection total soon. Luckily our banner and flyers save us alot of explanation now.
Pics from this and the local comicon that just happened are popping up on flickr. Luckily some have let us use them since we hardly ever get good pics of us with people, which is the photos we prefer to get.
Thanks. If we could we would. Usually at the art walk it’s adult only. When we break out the cigs we don’t actually smoke, adults are pretty interested in bumming one off of us. I put mine in my ear and it disappeared, and I didn’t find on the ground anywhere. I’m pretty sure someone grabbed it during a pic.
So, you’re a GB, support charity, and a cigarette dispenser? : P Wow, with the price of cigs, that’s probably more expensive than the gear! Sorry you didn’t raise what you wanted to. Keep up the good work! I’ll be lucky if I can get three of us to meet once here in the Burgh, let alone do a regular charity thing.
We’re up to around $275 now. Unfortunately none of the other walks we’ve done has been like the MS Walk last year. They had alot of supporting fundraising events they set up which is how we raised $1800 for that walk. The diabetes and heart walk doesn’t have those sponsorship connections unfortunately. Also due to our weather here, most of the charity walks happen around the same time. This last weekend was the cancer walk. The weekend after the diabetes walk this year is the new date for the MS walk. With the conflicting charity events it can be hard to get alot of donations.
As for the cigs, I’ve actually bummed the ones I’ve used like the people wanting to bum ones from us. Don’t ever plan to actually buy a pack of cigs, because, like you said, the cost. It’s a vicious cycle.
The economy is the other factor I forgot to mention. All charities the last few months have taken a major hit. This last Christmas was one of the lowest, if not lowest, number of donations for toys for tots.
I find it amazing that a this movie and its fans have helped the less fortunate so much. helping with fundraisers and heart walks, charities, pulling people out of the snow, ect. Ive been trying to use my ectomobile to help with adopting out abused dogs and cats. we dont just catch ghosts, we help!!!
That sounds great Ecto. The gear and ectomobiles help get people’s attention, then you can explain what you’re doing. I believe our success has been that we’re up front with people, we’re a fan club, we don’t catch or look for ghosts and none of us are trying to be the movie characters. Just people having fun and giving back to the community.
This will sound really hokey, but I feel that the backbone of the movies was regular, down on their luck people making a difference. They didn’t plan to at first. A couple of years ago I was only worried about costume contests. My team helped change my views. When the situation is appropriate, we’ll still do them. Since the movie is pretty much universally enjoyed by everyone, people seem to get us doing charity work pretty easily.
You guys did great. Spending time for a charity is so worthwhile. Being able to do it while having fun id even better. I do allot of that with Star Wars. We try to raise as much as possible at events.
Thanks guys. We’ve worked with the 501st and Rebel Legion on a few events. We hope to do more with them but each of our groups also hope to continue to have our separate events as well. It is great when we can all come together for a single purpose.
We can’t wait for the walk this weekend. It looks to be alot of fun. As of right now it’s our last event for awhile, we’ve been nonstop since September, but that could change any minute. We probably could use a break, but after a couple of weeks, I start getting those “ghost pains” from not wearing my pack, like you get when you lose a limb.
I belong to the 501st. They run an amazing organization with support (not money or costumes, but acceptance) from LFL. I don’t know how the GB community works, but if you guys can use the same model, you can do allot more.
The 501st was definitely a model for us. We figured if they can do this kind of stuff, so can we. The GB community does not have the kind of support from Sony that Lucas gives the 501st unfortunately. That is our goal with doing this kind of stuff. To get the kind of recognition and respect the 501st does. We highly doubt Sony will ever support us that much, but who knows. Also unfortunately, the GB community does not have the kind of unity the 501st does. I believe we are starting to head that direction. Baby steps. Baby steps.
And that’s the thing. If everyone flies under one banner and all the charity stuff you do goes into some sort of report or flier, maybe Sony will open there eyes. I would also drop Mark Fordham a line. I am sure he would love to help you guys move in the right direction and avoid the bumps the 501st has had to endure.
It’s not my business, but if more groups do this sort of thing, the world will be a better place.
