Bristol, RI Walk Now for Autism

This past weekend was a good one for trooping. It’s been a couple of months, so I was thrilled to get back into it, and add a new state to the growing list of places that I’ve trooped: Rhode Island.

Because it’s a bit of a drive, I spend the night in Boston and met up with a couple other 501st members while down there. On Sunday, I drove about an hour down to Bristol, where I met up with Adam, Mike, Justin, Sean and Ann-Marie, where we suited up (Tie Pilot, an officer, TK and crewman) at the Walk for Autism site. I brought my Clone along, for its first troop as an approved costume.
I suspect that there were some organizational issues between the Autism people and us, but that really didn’t matter. We were surrounded by a number of people throughout the morning, kids and adults alike wanting pictures. Right as we started off, I was approached and hugged by a boy who looked thrilled that we were there. After walking around the park for about an hour and a half, we went to the front of the line, where we waved and cheered people on as they passed. We didn’t walk this time around, because everybody who was part of this had planned on going up to Waltham, where a droid build was underway.

See pictures here.

Mission Report: Wishful Drinking w/ Carrie Fisher

On Friday, I left work early and drove down to Boston for a long weekend of trooping. Initially, I had planned three seperate troops in three states, but I ended up cutting the third one off so to conserve gas and ensure that I wouldn’t crash on the way home.

Friday’s troop was in support of Carrie Fisher’s stage show, Wishful Drinking, a stage production about her life, and from all reports, very funny. The 501st has trooped at a couple of these events already, and there was quite a bit of excitement to do this one.

I ended up getting there a little late due to traffic – fortunately, people had just started going down to the front of the theater by the time that I got there, which made spotting the venue really easy. I kicked my friend Billy out of the car with my armor, then parked, and got to the site, where I suited up and went down.

There was something like 12 of us in all – storm troopers, Darth Vader, Royal Guards, a Captain Rex, and a couple others, all arrayed out in the front of the building, and we certainly attracted a lot of attention from passerbys going past the theater. After about an hour, before the show started, we desuited. Most of the guys went to see the show (and apparently had a lot of fun there), but I didn’t make it – I went over to another show down the street, Ray LaMontagne, which was also quite fun.

Pictures are here.

Interviewed for Online Gaming Radio

This is from a really long time ago:

Design & Conquer 101st Storm Trooper
Mon, 08, May 2008

Download this episode (15:56)
Interview done during Northeast Wars. Interviewed Andrew from the 101st Storm Trooper.

This was back during Northeast Wars, one of the first troops back in Vermont earlier this year. I’ve since sent them an e-mail to get them to correct the title to 501st.

Their website: http://www.onlinegamingradio.com

Pictures from Toys R Us

Now that the weekend is now over, we’ve gotten all of our pictures in from the Williston event. Here’s some of the highlights:

Weekend

Jump*Con, one of the events that I was planning on going to this weekend, was canceled when the big stars, Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell pulled out because of money problems. Apparently the Con didn’t pay anything. I’m a little relieved, because I’m not a huge person for conventions, more the charity events where we’re actually doing things. And it means that there’s more time to spend at the other event that I was planning on attending, a Borders Opening in Wareham, MA. Should be a fun weekend, and I’ve borrowed my dad’s Navman to help me get in and out of Boston.

Weird Al & The NEG

Last night (July 15), the New England Garrison was invited to troop in Gilford NH for Weird Al’s stop along his national tour. I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, and I was so excited to be part of the group. I tried to get in on things last time around, but missed the cutoff. This time, I made sure I was on the list. The group included myself, Dave (a fellow VT guy who drove with me), TK, Chris, Derek, Elly, Greg, Jennifer, Adam Joyce, Dion, Carlos, Adam Scott, with Jamie as our wrangler, and Cy, one of our TKs, helping out with an R2-D2 someone had.

Dave and I arrived at the place early, around five, before anyone else. While hanging out and talking, I realized that I forgot my jumpsuit and underarmor, so we had to make a quick run to a local Walmart to find something to wear – I found a pair of sweatpants and a sort of underarmor top that worked fine – not the best, but it worked. We got back and found that we were still the only ones there. People trickled in over the next hour, and there was lots of greetings and chitchat while we waited for the rest of our group. Oddly, one guy didn’t show up. I’m not sure what’s going on with that. Around 7 or so, we got together, put our gear in the changing area and practiced what we were supposed to do during the performance, then were given tickets and we walked around the concert venue a bit. We got dinner (which was really good), then started getting our gear on. We didn’t get to see the first half of the performance, but I did hear Bob, Weasel Stomping Day, and a couple others while we waited for our time.

That came up quickly, and soon, we were in line and marching up to the stage, where he played I’ll Sue Ya. Buckets on, and we marched on stage.

The crowd went wild when we went on stage. There was a lot of cheering and screaming, and one of our photographers said that every cell phone in the place went up. It was a very surreal moment. Lights came up and Al started singing, and what we practiced started to kick in, and we were bobbing our heads and moving around for the first part of the song, then started dancing shortly there after. Then it was over. Man, it was such a fun experience.

After we got off stage, they played Yoda and Smells Like Teen Spirit, when we got out of our armor and went up to watch the rest of the show. He played Amish Paradise, Fat, White & Nerdy, before ending with We All Have Cellphones and Albuquerque. We went back stage, hung out for a little while and then got to meet him, and get some things signed. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to get a group picture with him. He signed my bucket, and I need to remember to get some clear tape over it so it doesn’t wash away.

Overall, one of the best troops that I’ve done thus far. Very memorable, if exhausting – I didn’t get home until around 2 am!

Montpelier 3rd of July Parade

Members of the New England Garrison joined forces with the Vermont Cardboard Technical Institute and Kellogg-Hubbard Library for Montpelier’s annual Independence Day Parade on July 3rd. Four troopers, plus four additional helpers were able to make the event, which featured the VCI’s AT-AT walker. Troopers escorted the walker down the parade route to applause and enthusiastic grins from parade watchers. We posed for photos along the route, which was ideal – just over a mile, all flat.
In attendance was Andrew Liptak (TK-3220), Mike Anton (TK-2084 – His first official Troop), Brian Anderson (BH-7602) and Jodi Anderson (TA-7529), along with Recruit Hayes Johnson and two of his friends, and Keelia Liptak, who served as photographer and wrangler.

Group Shot

Walker in Action (Hayes in front)

My sister and I

Jodi and the Walker

Me and the Walker

Mike

Brian

Jodi

..

Overall, a very, very fun troop. It wasn’t too hot, the rain that we had all day cleared off and we ended up having dinner at my place afterwards. Can’t wait for the next troop with this walker!

Pictures from Kellogg Hubbard Library

Here’s a couple of pictures from this weekend’s event at Montpelier’s Kellogg Hubbard Library:

More to come soon, I hope.

Mission Report: Summer Reading Kickoff at the Kellogg Hubbard Library

On June 21st, two troopers from the New England Garrison trooped at Montpelier’s Kellogg-Hubbard Children’s Library start to their summer reading program. We were contacted by one of the librarians in preparation for another event, and agreed to come out to this one.

This was a pretty low key event. Perhaps twenty children, ages 5 to 10 or so, attended the event, which was intended to promote reading for children. Over the next month and a half, they are going to be working towards reading as many books as possible, and will have the chance to win an FX lightsaber if they read 12 or more books during that time.

We, (Recruit Mike Anton and myself) mingled with the children and posted for a photograph with each child holding the lightsaber. I brought along my spare TK and TB helmets, which they were able to try on. They were very excited to see two troopers in the flesh (or plastic, so to speak).

A couple of the kids were a little over-excited with our presence, and we had to make sure that they didn’t hurt themselves or us. (Their parents stepped in only after a couple minutes). Ben, the librarian, posed for a couple of pictures with us, and took some pictures for the library’s website or newsletter. We’ll be working with them again during the July 3rd Parade in Montpelier in a couple of weeks. Overall, a good, short troop, very fun.

We didn’t have any problems on our end, although Mike had misplaced his shoulder straps, which we were able to correct with several stripes of duct tape. I had some problems with one of my thighs, but we didn’t have any issues on the floor.

Pictures will be coming soon.

Mission Report: Granite City Comic Con

The second event over the weekend was the Granite City Comic Con in Manchester, New Hampshire. It was really fun to do two events back to back. I took my friend Seth along. He’s a photographer, and he had wanted to attend a convention and to see us in action. We left pretty early in the morning, at 6:30 am. We drove down, got somewhat lost. Despite that, we got down there by 9, and met up with the first people already there.

After arriving, we talked for a little while, then I got suited up, along with a couple of other guys, putting three TKs and Boba on the floor. From the people waiting in line, who I’m guessing were regular convention goers, I saw looks of astonishment and amusement. That never ceases to be thrilling. There was one kid who was there the whole time, which got old really fast. Seth started taking pictures of us with his spiffy camera.
After walking around for a little bit, I convinced one of the other TKs, Gordon, to do a walkabout outside, along one of the main streets. We posed for a couple pictures and some dramatic shots, using parts of the park for cover. After a while, we went back in the convention center, were a couple other guys were in costume. We did a couple more walkabouts outside, and some more dramatic shots, this time with all the TKs and Chris, who was dressed as Indiana Jones.

The rest of the day was basically spent hanging aorund the hotel, posing for pictures with kids and convention goers. We did a couple more funny shots – Darth Vader with a whip – I think we’ve got a sequence where he gets me a couple times. “Why are we doing this.” “Ow!” “Oh wait, that’s why.” Indy vs. Vader, etc. The people there loved us, and we raised something like $80 for the Jimmy Fund with our Jabba puppet, which sounded fantastic with the people that we had inside.

After the convention, most of the group left, but eight of us, Brian, Jodi, Mark, Sean, Cy, myself, Seth and someone I can’t remember went to the hotel resturaunt for dinner, which was quite a bit of fun. Seth enjoyed the entire time, and took something like 400 pictures. I can’t wait to see the entire set. The couple pictures that I have seen, have looked absolutely fantastic.

(Both photos were taken by Seth Beebe – don’t copy without crediting)