Hello Nerds! Welcome to the first ever Flashback Friday on NC! I’ve been meaning to do a write up on an event that happened here in Vancouver for a little while now, but haven’t had the time to do so until now.
Variety the Children’s Charity
Every year Rach and I get to have amazing volunteer experiences through Variety the Children’s Charity. It is a charity that raises money for the special needs kids of British Columbia since 1965. They have multiple fundraising events throughout the year such as: the annual Telethon (in partnership with our local broadcast station Global BC), Boat for Hope (an all-day event for the Variety kids and their families), a silent auction, Fan Expo Vancouver and many more. Check out Variety’s Facebook page here and learn how you can volunteer and/or donate here!
501st Legion: Outer Rim Garrison
The 501st Legion: Outer Rim Garrison are a group of costumers and cosplayers with a love for Star Wars (mainly the Dark Side). On top of that, they cosplay for charity. They are a group of people that come together to volunteer their time for many charities around British Columbia, and Variety happens to be one of the charities they partner up with frequently. Check them out here!
Fan Expo Vancouver
This year was no exception, for a minimum donation of $3.00 CAD, you had a choice from three different Star Wars Edition of Variety’s Gold Hearts. With that donation, you got to take as many photos with the 501st Legion throughout the entire weekend. Not a bad deal, right? This year we raised $7,167.90 (the best ever I was told) from both the Gold Heart sales as well as something special for this year which were two raffles. One was an authentic screen-accurate replica of Kylo Ren’s helmet and an authentic screen-accurate replica of a Stormtrooper’s helmet all thanks to the 501st Legion: Outer Rim Garrison.
(Photo Credit: 501st Legion: Outer Rim Garrison)
(Photo Credit: Zhaozhong Zheng)
Aside from the raffle and gold heart sales, the 501st Legion also brings out people from both the Rebellion and the Dark Side. Every year, they do a parade from the convention floor to outside into the lobby area for photos in case you didn’t buy a gold heart from Variety but still want to take a photo of all of them. Seriously, they are a fun bunch of people to work with during a convention. This year they brought 2 droids with them R2D2 and BB-8. However, BB-8 had to leave early to catch a ferry to Vancouver Island, so I missed getting a photo with him.
(Photo Credit: Rachel)
They also invited THE cantina band from Tatooine – Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes, to play the song that we all know and love.
(Photo Credit: Rachel)
Cosplayers
Of course, we had some pretty spectacular cosplayers roaming the floor. Here are just a few that we got to see and meet while we were at the Star Wars booth!
(A Mad Hatter costume that only took 1 hour to put together by @beautyimperfect! / Photo Credit: Jenine)
(Chewie from the 501st / Photo Credit: Zhaozhong Zheng)
(Amazing Jareth by Magpie Faraway! / Photo Credit: Jenine)
(Adorable father and daughter cosplay duo. / Photo Credit: Jenine)
(“Matt” / Photo Credit: Jenine)
Final Thoughts
If you ever get the chance to go to Fan Expo Vancouver, come on by the 501st Legion: Outer Rim Garrison/Variety the Children’s Charity booth for some fun! You never know who will make an appearance from a galaxy far far away!
It is always a great pleasure (and a TON of fun!) when we get the chance to volunteer at Fan Expo Vancouver on behalf of Variety. What a great way to spend a day raising money for charity, hang out with the Star Wars guys and be surrounded by a great nerd community.
‘Til next time,
Stay nerdalicious!
-Jen
