Troop Report - 4KQ Variety Special Children's Christmas Party

[Kev Vader]

This event is definitely one which we all look forward to every year – I know I do.

Sure, we do a number of larger events during the year, but this one outscores them all on the number of hugs we receive, the number of smiles we put on kids faces and the number of lasting memories that we ourselves are left with.

The reality of the situation is that even though many of the kids have seen 'us' in the movies, or on TV, or in games, or as toys, it can be pretty confronting for them to actually come face to face with us in real-life. And, at this particular event, there are a many kids who have a pretty confronting time of it just trying to be kids.

So every time a kid plucks up the courage to give a trooper a hug or give Darth Vader a high-five, then they suddenly realise we aren't so scary anymore; and once they go home then perhaps, just perhaps, some other things in their lives may not seem so scary anymore too.

We are 'The Bad Guys Doing Good', and never is that motto more apt than for this event.

Thank You to all the 501st & Rebel Legion troopers who attended, and thanks also go out to all the D2L members who came along and helped make the event so exciting!

Kev Vader

[Anakinra]

Todd wrangled for this event last year and had told me what an amazing event it was and I'm so glad I got to experience it first-hand. It was definitely a highlight of my time in the garrison so far. Thanks Rick for a fantastic report and for doing such a great job, as always, coordinating this event so that it was smooth and easy for us all. Thanks Scope and BIDS for bringing the card back (it's phenomenal btw!) and thanks Todd and the RBG (and RL and D2L) for what we do, you're all fantastic!
Thank you Lisa for taking the time to track us down and let us know of your and your son's experience, we think we're making a small difference when we see smiles or excitement on little faces but to hear your feedback just blows us away, as you can see! So thank you and we hope to see you and your son at future events

[Darkvoyd]

Welcome to the forums Lisa! Thanks also goes to you for taking the time to pop over here and share you and your families experience with us. Every single one of us love what we do, as there is is now better feeling than the glow you get inside when you look down and see that child (or sometimes adult) looking back at you with a smile from ear to ear. Dreams can come true, and we are happy to be able to create some in the form of Star Wars. It is truly humbling to here your story knowing we made such a difference to your little boys day. It make me proud to be a member of the 501st and this awesome Garrison of people. Although we never look for thanks in what we do, hearing one first hand is amazing, so thanks from the bottom of our hearts.

Looking forward to seeing you guys again in the future

Todd.

[The Scotsman]

Well done everyone.

This was the first one I've missed.

Next year I won't double book myself.

[Phoenix]

Great report, Rick.

Fantastic work Redbacks, the kids and adults love the 501st!

I'm not writing another reflection for this as it gets a little too much, so I'm copy/pasting the one I made earlier on Facebook here.

This Event really does show the very reasons most of us joined the 501st and shows what we do in action and the positive effect it has.

Phoenix.

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Reflective - 4KQ Variety Special Needs Children's Christmas Party.

It has taken me over a day to process this event. Firstly, the energy present at this event was phenomenal, the positivity shone from each and every individual there. We were all there with a purpose, to give those in need - children and families - a day they wouldn't soon forget.

I went as Spider-man over being Stormtrooper Commander Phoenix as many of my Brothers and Sisters of the 501st Legion would already have troopers in place and the Drawn 2 Life group could have one more Superhero that appealed from anyone 0 to infinity years old.

I'm known for needing a mask sometimes. I feel for the people we deal with sometimes, really feel. The children yell out "It's Spider-man!" and come over for hugs and photos and the ambivalence in me is torn between asking the question of why this child deserved to be afflicted this way and why I'm so happy that this small amount of time I give up has just made this a day they'll remember forever.

One boy was so excited that when I lent down to his wheelchair, he flailed with his fingers and arms. He actually caught the webbing on the Spider-suit to which his parents tried to stop him but I said "It's OK, I can fix anything," and he did actually break one of the black legs on the chest Spider-symbol - such a small price to pay for the joy that boy was experiencing having Spider-man spend time with him.

There was one boy I will never forget. His Mother said "It's Spider-man," and he reached towards me to which I replied "Would you like a photo?" His Mother said he was, "Blind, he just wants to be near you." so I leant down and said, "I can do something better than a photo then," and touched his reaching hands. He immediately followed all the webbing up my arm, along my shoulder and touched the mask and eyes. I said to the Mother, "All the webbing is 3-dimensional." Both Mother and child were elated with happiness, that blind child was able to see Spider-man in the only way he knows how, and I almost cried to be sharing that experience.

This was such a life-changing and life-giving event. Myself and all those I worked with from Drawn 2 Life and the 501st Legion really touched the hearts of the people we interacted with. I'll never be the same again, just as I know those that attended will also never be the same again.

[Moxxxie]

Thats awesome, Phoenix. I think you just became a real Super Hero! That's something that he wont forget any time soon.

[Deimos]

There was one boy I will never forget. His Mother said "It's Spider-man," and he reached towards me to which I replied "Would you like a photo?" His Mother said he was, "Blind, he just wants to be near you." so I leant down and said, "I can do something better than a photo then," and touched his reaching hands. He immediately followed all the webbing up my arm, along my shoulder and touched the mask and eyes. I said to the Mother, "All the webbing is 3-dimensional." Both Mother and child were elated with happiness, that blind child was able to see Spider-man in the only way he knows how, and I almost cried to be sharing that experience.

WOW Pheonix touching storing.

[BIDS]

There was one boy I will never forget. His Mother said "It's Spider-man," and he reached towards me to which I replied "Would you like a photo?" His Mother said he was, "Blind, he just wants to be near you." so I leant down and said, "I can do something better than a photo then," and touched his reaching hands. He immediately followed all the webbing up my arm, along my shoulder and touched the mask and eyes. I said to the Mother, "All the webbing is 3-dimensional." Both Mother and child were elated with happiness, that blind child was able to see Spider-man in the only way he knows how, and I almost cried to be sharing that experience.

Awesome story Phoenix, that's why we love you so much, thanks for sharing.

I was lucky enough to witness a similar event, and I hope I'm not stealing Scope's Thunder here but :-

We were out mixing with the crowd, taking pictures, giving out high 5's & hug's, the usual. A father pushed his son up to Jason & as he bent down to say hello the father let us know his son was blind.
Jason took the boy's hands and guided them to his forearm & bicep armor and as the boy had the chance to explore it eventually up onto the face of his bucket.
The look of pure joy on the boy's face as he explored with the only sight he had as that of his finger tips, & then he exclaimed "it's amazing, I can feel the amount of detail in the face", is something that won't soon leave me.
I don't know how Jason was going inside the bucket, but I know I was struggling outside with nowhere to hide the tears.

It's a true privilege to troop with this Garrison and I hope it's not too much to say I've come to think of you as Brothers & Sisters.

Thanks very much for the experience.

[Tirilia]

Aww Phoenix, that is awesome in so many ways :D

Your story too Bids :D

[ashbash]

wow what a great experience!
i gave out so many hugs. I even had one little girl ask me if girls can be a trooper so i lifted my helmet and told her that i'm a girl, her face lit up and couldn't stop smiling! Yep, thanks Tirilia for telling me not to miss this troop... it really was the best troop i have ever done!

[Trinity]

Well done to everyone involved, this is one of the best troops to every attend and I am so sad I missed it! You all make me very proud to be part of such an awesome group of people!

[JawaMa]

Guys this looked like so mush. Sorry JawaJack and I missed it.

[JOker]

I think we're going to try and make the trip down for this next year, I know after our Special Kids party here, that it def takes a while to come down from it, and it'd be great to do more than one in a year. Phoenix, that story is amazing mate and one that Scope and Bids got to share on the same day too, wow.

I'd like to share one from our party here in Rockhampton, we had a young girl come past us a couple of times waving, and then asking for a high five, and after a fair few passes, she asked me (Captain Rex) if she could have a hug, which I was more than happy to do, and seeing that joy in her eyes was amazing, what is more amazing, is that her mother came up and asked one of our wranglers (my sister) to say a personal thank you to me for doing it, the young lass suffers from severe autism, and normally shuns all contact, and for her just to high five someone she is not familiar with is a big thing, but to hug someone new, and in public, was something her mum had never seen happen before, I can tell you I shed a tear behind my bucket when I found that out.

I often tell people when they ask why I do this, that if they could only see, just for a day, what we see from behind these helmets, they'd understand, I feel it is an absolute privilege and honour to be able to bring these characters to life, and something I hope I get to do for a long time yet to come.