from the Legion Mission Accomplished: 10,000 Facebook Fans The 501st put out the challenge to reach 10,000 'likes' on Facebook by Star Wars Celebration V and the fans did not disappoint. With weeks to go before the August 12 convention kick-off date, supporters passed the 10,000 mark on July 28th and the... SDCC Day Four (Sunday, July 25) The 501st Legion hosts its "Dressing with the Empire" costuming panel from 3:45-4:45pm as San Diego Comic-Con International comes to a close. Don't forget to pick up your prizes if you took part in the Droid Hunt game! Also, be sure to catch... Vote Now for Your Favorite Star Wars Fan Movie The Atom.com Star Wars Fan Movie Challenge needs your help to choose the 2010 Audience Choice award. Voting is open from now until August 2nd and competition is fierce this year. You'll only get one vote, so make sure you choose a fan film with ample... SDCC Day Three (Saturday, July 24) The 501st Legion will be searching for your droids and giving out prizes at San Diego Comic-Con International as part of the Droid Hunt game! Also, be sure to catch the Legion at events including hourly appearances at the Kotobukiya booth (10am-6pm),... SDCC Day Two (Friday, July 23) The 501st Legion will be in force at San Diego Comic-Con International 's official Star Wars Day including hourly appearances at the Kotobukiya booth (10am-6pm), the Hasbro booth (2-3pm), the Lucasfilm Pavilion for Hallmark (9:30am) and the Gentle... 501st TK Project Droid and Demon Helmets Revealed With just a few more weeks to go before the official presentation of the 501st TK Project for Make-A-Wish, two more customized helmets have been returned from contributors Albin Johnson and Melita Curphy. Johnson (with help from fellow Droid builder... SDCC Day One (Thursday, July 22) As usual, fans can expect to see the 501st throughout San Diego Comic-Con International this year including hourly appearances at the Kotobukiya booth (10am-6pm), the Hasbro booth (2-3pm), the Lucasfilm Pavilion for Hallmark (9:30am) and the Gentle... Like the Legion and Win on Facebook In the quest to reach 10,000 'likes' on the 501st's official Facebook page by Star Wars Celebration V , Vader's Fist is giving away a weekly prize to random fans who 'like' the Legion on the popular social networking site. This week's prize is a... Dr. Michio Kaku Honored On July 16, 2010, the 501st Empire City Garrison had the honor of inducting Dr. Michio Kaku as an official Friend of the Legion during a taping of the Science Channel Series, Sci-Fi Science: Physics of the Impossible . The 501st recognizes Dr. Kaku... 501stCast Episode 57 Now Playing In this episode of the official 501st podcast, we give you the Imperial agenda for San Diego Comic-Con 2010 , talk members in the media and interview Star Wars artist Joe Corroney. All this plus our usual charity troops, sporting events and more....

from the MWG June 9, 2010 New Science-Fiction/Fantasy convention: CYPHAN — 6/25-27 There's an exciting new con in town, and the MWG's very own Mike Bollow (TK7155) is the man at the helm. It's a sci-fi/fantasy con called CYPHAN and it will focus on costuming, collectibles, and big nightly parties. "It's like a little Dragon*Con for the Midwest." says Mike. The emphasis on costuming will be evident in the range of merchants, seminars, displays, and of course, the attendees themselves. "We don't have a convention in the Midwest that really focuses on our hobby. It's always us dressing up and attending somebody else's show, like Wizard World. This one is for US." The 501st MWG will not simply be there looking — pretty — they are active participants. Several members of the garrison are key staff members, and the garrison itself is running the free Droid Hunt as well as a Jail N' Bail with proceeds going to charity. The Droid Builder's club will also be there as a part of the display hall — a ballroom set aside for costume and fan groups to set up in and promote their organization. There are also some big time guest stars attending: Nicki Clyne from Battlestar Galactica and Jewel Staite from Firefly and SG-Atlantis. In regards to guest star selection, Mike says "I want to keep it simple — CURRENT stars that folks actually want to meet, and ones who actually want to meet the fans."  When asked about Star Wars guests, Mike offered hope for the future. "In 2011, there will be no Celebration so folks will not have just seen the SW stars. I want to wait until then to keep the excitement level high." When asked why the nightly parties were so high on Mike's priority list, he said "to me, a con is about the PEOPLE getting together. You can buy anything you want on-line, but you can't experience the electricity that you get when you are at a 3 day con with amazing people." The Friday night party is a costume contest with awards, followed by "cocktails until dawn" and Saturday night is the Imperial Ball. Yes, Imperial. Bust out your best attire and dance the night away with everybody from Batman to Gandalf.  Speaking of cocktails, CYPHAN is offering a totally unique experience that we Star Wars fans will appreciate more than most — a CANTINA! "The hotel has strict alcohol restrictions, so we needed a place where you can be in character, in a fantasy setting, and socialize freely."  Mike is turning a ballroom into a space themed cantina with a bar built by Chicagoland's #1 Hollywood prop shop — ACME Designs. "They are really excited about the project, and knowing their work it will be cool as can be!" CYPHAN is June 25-27, 2010 at the Westin Chicago North shore in Wheeling IL. I hope you can all make it out — this con is going to be worth the trip! Visit www.cyphan.com for info, discounted tickets, and hotel booking. May 21, 2010 CELEBRATION V in Orlando, FL: August 12 – 15 Commemorating the 30th Anniversary of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back and the ongoing, weekly adventures of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Reed Exhibitions’ PopGroup will partner to produce what’s expected to be one of the largest official Star Wars fan events ever — featuring cast and crew celebrities, fan-run events, costumes, music, live entertainment, screenings, autographs, collectibles, panels and sneak peaks into the future of Star Wars. Star Wars Celebration V will take place August 12-15, 2010, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. A website, www.starwarscelebration.com, is dedicated exclusively to the event, and tickets to Star Wars Celebration V will be available for purchase. As always, Celebration will bring together the best of the Star Wars universe in one exciting, dynamic event. Star Wars creator George Lucas will make a special guest appearance at Star Wars Celebration V this August in Orlando. This will be the second Celebration appearance, and only the third Star Wars convention appearance for the writer/director, who last attended Celebration III in Indianapolis, Indiana, in 2005. Lucas will appear onstage at a date and time yet to be scheduled during the four-day run of the show. May 20, 2010 Star Wars Weekends begin at Disney Celebrate the 30th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back as Star Wars Weekends return to Disney's Hollywood Studios this weekend, May 21-23, with celebrity hosts Jeremy Bulloch and Ashley Eckstein as well as special guests Temuera Morrison, Daniel Logan and Dee Bradley Baker. Fans can ride Star Tours, challenge Darth Vader to a lightsaber battle, attend special presentations, and see the troops of the 501st Legion march every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the celebrity motorcade. Click here for all the details! May 7, 2010 MWG Charity Challenge BLOOD DRIVE COME ON OUT... to the MWG CHARITY CHALLENGE BLOOD DRIVE!!! All those who can give blood are encouraged to do so . . . make sure to bring family and friends as well as the camera! IF YOU CAN NOT GIVE BLOOD FOR MEDICAL REASONS — no worries . . . in addition to donating blood, the Star Wars characters will be there to pose for photos and there will be a table set up for temporary tattoos. Date: May 22, 2010 Time: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM Place: LifeSource- Orland Park donor center 11120 West 179th Street Orland Park, IL LINK TO MAP IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE BLOOD, PLEASE SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TIME AT : [/color] [url=http://www.lifesource.org/]WWW.LIFESOURCE.ORG CLICK ON “LOCATE A DONOR CENTER” - CLICK ON THE “ORLAND PARK” ICON - FOLLOW THE PROMPTS ON THE RIGHT TO LOG IN AS AN EXISTING DONOR or - TO SET UP YOUR NEW DONOR PROFILE IF YOU ARE NOT YET A DONOR YOU CAN THEN MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT! IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT ALL WHO HAVE THE INTENTION TO DONATE GO ONLINE AND SIGN UP. [/color]We would like to honor and respect everyone’s time, plus this will help to determine the need for possible additional staff that day. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please contact LifeSource at 877- LIFESOURCE (543-3768). Appointments Recommended. Walk-ins Welcome! May 7, 2010 DK Donates $50,000 in Books on Behalf of 501st Legion In an inspiring act of gratitude for countless hours of costumed volunteerism, DK Publishing (responsible for the popular Star Wars "Visual Dictionary" book series) announced a $50,000 children's book donation on behalf of the 501st Legion. More than 7,000 new, full-color reference books are being distributed to The Boys and Girls Clubs of America with help from The Today Show Charitable Foundation, Inc. "We wanted to thank the 501st Legion in a big way," said DK's Associate Director of Publicity, Rachel Kempster. “We know that children’s charities are near and dear to hearts of all 501st volunteers." Based upon the success of last year's LEGO Star Wars: The Visual Dictionary events, fans can look forward to more DK/501st collaborations this year! April 19, 2010 C2E2 4/16-18 C2E2: a first-time convention here in Chicago on the weekend of April 16-18. The show itself was very well done, and had a lot to offer serious comic book collectors including autographs from the very well known comic artists to independent creators. Lots of vendors, panel discussions, and plenty of everything else to keep one occupied over the weekend. The Midwest Garrison was invited to C2E2 as part of their entertainment, and we were treated very well by Reed Expo/Pop Culture (who also puts on NY Comic Con). Some early feedback from the show organizers is that they were extremely happy with us at the show. There were several Star Wars celebs on hand to do autographs including Carrie Fisher. We were asked to hang out near the C5 booth, promote C5 at the show, and to create interest at the SW autographing tables in the traditional autograph area. We also ran a Droid Hunt during the convention on Friday through Saturday with many prizes from Sideshow Collectibles, Dark Horse, ACME Archives Direct, Gentle Giant Ltd., Hasbro, and some really cool stuff from the Lucasfilm archives. The Droid Hunt badges were illustrated by the crazy talented (and extremely generous) artist, Katie Cook; printing and lanyards were sponsored by DK Publishing! Several members from Old Line Garrison, Star Garrison, Bloodfin Garrison, Central Garrison, Great Lakes Garrison, and Wisconsin Garrison also attended the show with us along with a Slave Leia from Louisiana. (this photo courtesy of SANDTROOPERS.com) February 7, 2010 Trooper Spotlight on Phyllis Schulte Spotlight is on our NEW GARRISON CHARITY LIASON, Phyllis Schulte, aka TI/TK-1951! Phyllis is known for her skill with a needle and thread as can be seen by her incredible Rebel costumes. She's a multiple recipient of TotM and with good reason. You'd be hard-pressed to find a MWG member that is as caring and dedicated as Phyllis. I know you have a TK as far as imperial costumes are concerned, but I am fairly certain you prefer your rebel costumes. I can think of a bunch that you have (the Hoth trooper is my favorite), but can you do me a favor and list all of those incredible rebel costumes you have, and just briefly tell us the biggest challenge you had with each one? Jedi - 5 different tunic sets Rebel Fleet Trooper Yavin Tech gray version Yavin Tech tan version Hoth Trench Trooper Hoth Hangar Trooper Hoth Tech Endor Rebel Commando X-Wing Pilot Smuggler For the Imperial side of things I just have TK and ID. The Hoth Trench Trooper was far and above the most difficult costume I have done. There were no tutorials, little reference material, dozens of pieces and you had to make EVERYTHING from scratch. Out of those, which is YOUR favorite and why? Jedi remains my favorite because Jedi simply do kick serious butt and in a way, they are like me and in tune to nature and all living things around them. What got you into costuming with the Rebel Legion and the 501st, and how long have you been a member of both? Again, it has all to do with Jedi. I have been a SW fan since the beginning (I was 26 years old when "A New Hope" came out..and I was in awe) but it was not until Episode One when Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi Wan Kenobi stepped on to the screen and showed us what Jedi in their prime could actually do that I found that I just HAD to have a Jedi costume. I had never sewn before or had a sewing machine so I sewed my first Jedi costume by hand with no idea of what I was doing. When attempting to make my costume better I found my first costume group which was "The Jedi Assembly". I joined them in 2002 when they started. I found out about the 501st and the Rebel Legion at Celebration II in Indianapolis. I was blown away by all of costumes. Like a doofus, I entered the Costume Contest at C2 with my really crummy (at the time) Jedi costume and I happened to meet a certain Imperial Officer and her daughter Quincy. That Imperial Officer was, of course, Kathy Van B. Her Officer looked so spiffy that I said...man...I have GOT to have me one of those. I joined the 501st with my Officer in 2004. I have been a member of the Rebel Legion since Aug. 2002. What has been your most memorable event and why? Most memorable - "Max's Wish". It is still hard to believe that Max is gone and also was a testament on what we can accomplish as a group. Close second is the Camp Quality event. Each and every event, however, is always memorable for me and I feel really lucky to have been able to do so many. Tell us something about yourself that most people may not know? (hobbies, etc...) Most everyone knows already that I am a volunteer restoration tech for the FPDWC and have been actively restoring about 300 acres for nearly 20 years. To that end I am a licensed Wildfire Fighter, Chainsaw certified, Pesticide Operator and Applicator, and butterfly monitor. As an avid home gardener I preserve a lot of fruit and vegetables from my garden..I even ferment and put up my own sauerkraut. I am also a gear head and though I can't afford it anymore, I used to race and show my 1964 GTO regularly in the 1970's. I still have the GTO - but sadly-it is not running right now. Any plans for any new costumes in the near future, Rebel or otherwise? 5 Costumes ago I said I was not making anymore costumes....lol...so who knows.. I have had my eye on the Naboo Pilot. But really next is the Hoth Snowspeeder Pilot which is a couple items that are added to my X-Wing Pilot to make it a Snowspeeder Pilot. What is your favorite part about being a part of the 501st/Rebel Legion? I think that it is the fact that we can make a charitable impact doing something we actually love doing. Again, events like Max's, Isaac's, Camp Quality and the T-Ratts game spring to mind. It is also the reaction of "Star Wars Fans". SW fans are so incredible and always soooooo happy to see us. Anything else that you wanted to add about yourself? No...not really. I am already a "blabbermouth" on the boards. (She's not...) January 26, 2010 1st Annual MWG Formal Awards Banquet January 23, 2010 1st Annual MWG Formal Awards Banquet MISSION REPORT BY: Cheryl "Whinter" Whitaker (TI/TB-3127) Wow! What can I say? This was definitely a night to remember. Yes, this was the MWG’s First Annual Formal Awards Banquet, and what a night it was! The tables in the Maple Room at the Double Tree Hotel in Downers Grove, IL were draped with white linen tablecloths and sprinkled with shiny multi-colored and Star Wars confetti, along with homemade chocolate Star Wars candy and personalized candles for each guest. And in the middle of each table…balloon bouquets representing the colors of the 501st Legion… Red, White and Black. As guests started rolling in, they were greeted at the door by TK-118 (Tom Schaefer) with his camera so that he could capture a snapshot of everyone in their formal attire; something none of us are used to seeing each other in! I think that was part of the fun of it! Not only did we have many of our Midwest Garrison and Wisconsin Squad members there with their spouses/significant others, but we also had several members from the Central Garrison and the Central and Nar Shaddaa Bases of the Rebel Legion there as well. It was like one huge family gathering. For the first hour of the banquet, there was a vegetable table set up for the guests to enjoy until dinner was served. In the background, the DJ (our very own Joe “River” Rivera CC-3166) had the familiar songs/sounds from the entire Star Wars saga playing softly throughout dinner. There was also a PowerPoint presentation being projected throughout the night on a large screen that continually looped through a photographic review of all the events the Garrison participated in throughout 2009. It was a great way to re-live all the great memories and fun we all had together. What a year! After dessert we began the next stage of the evening…the Awards. As of January 1, 2009 we began something new; award pins based on the number of troops a member participates in. Members with 10 troops are awarded a bronze MWG pin, a silver pin for 25 troops and a gold pin for 50 or more. This year we awarded 26 members their bronze award pins and 4 members received their silver pins. In addition to the trooping awards, we thought it would be fun to hand out “funny” certificates for all of the 501st and Rebel Legion members in attendance. Some of these included awards like the “Jar-Jar Binks Award” for being the most animated comedian of the group, or the “Obsessive Texting Award” for the trooper most likely to text you while standing in the same room, and the “One Man Grand Army Award” for the trooper with the most events trooped in the year. There was also a very special award that we gave out called the “Golden Trooper Award”. This award was given to Patrick Higgins (TX-3697) this year for his success in arranging for the group to make several appearances in a couple of the local children’s hospitals; a task that we had been trying to accomplish for quite some time. In March of 2009 Patrick also had a very special role in granting a terminally ill little boy (Max Lacewell) his greatest wish…to battle Darth Maul. Not only did he play the part of Darth Maul to battle this bright-eyed 5 year old, but when he had his head shaved in order to portray the Sith Lord, he did it for St. Baldrick’s Foundation (another charity for childhood cancer) and raised over $600 for the cause. He also painted an incredible picture of he (in his Darth Maul) and Max in a Jedi costume to reflect the great battle between them. It was a beautiful painting that Patrick poured his heart into. It saddened us all terribly when Max lost his battle with DIPG (brain tumor) on July 4, 2009, but we know Patrick was really crushed by his passing. The Golden Trooper Award was the best way we could think of to recognize this amazing trooper with a true Heart of Gold. Then there was one “Honorary Friend of the Legion” and one “Honorary Member of the Midwest Garrison” inducted at the banquet. The “Honorary Member of the Midwest Garrison” Award went to a very special Rebel (yes, I said “REBEL”), and his name is Thomas “Crix” Turner. Crix hasn’t been with the Rebel Legion very long, but he has done so much in such a short period of time, including being the event coordinator for a parade in Dwight, IL. We have nothing but the utmost respect for this X-Wing Pilot. He has a huge heart and is always helping out wherever and whenever he can at both the Nar Shaddaa Base of the Rebel Legion and the Midwest Garrison of the 501st. I believe Crix is currently working on another Rebel costume, as well as finishing up a Royal Guard costume to eventually become a full 501st member. But until then, he will remain a very special “honorary” member in our eyes. Our “Honorary Friend of the Legion” Award went to a huge Star Wars fan, as well as a huge 501st fan, Mrs. Adrianne Curry-Knight. Adrianne and her husband, Chris came to Chicago Comic-Con back in August, where many of us got to know more about Adrianne’s love for Star Wars. One of the days during the convention, she donned her Slave Leia costume and expressed her desire to build a 501st costume. She is now in the process of completing her Imperial TIE Pilot costume and becoming a full member of the 501st Legion. If you would like to see Adrianne’s interview with StarWars.com, you can do so at the following link: http://www.starwars.com/fans/rocks/20100108.html The last group of awards that were given out that evening were given to many of our members’ spouses or girlfriends; “The Stand by your Trooper Award”. We just can’t express enough how much we appreciate these ladies. Many of them come out to several of the events and help out wherever they can. They often help with costume support, being the event photographer, or helping with whatever else happens to come up. They are truly a vital part of the group and we can’t thank them enough for being there for all of us. GROUP PHOTO IMAGE Once the awards were over, it was time for the group picture and then… time to DANCE!! It was a great turnout for our 1st Annual Formal Awards Banquet. I can only hope that more members can join us for our SECOND one! December 14, 2009 Trooper Spotlight on Cheryl Whitaker The spotlight is on our Garrison XO, Cheryl "Whinter" Whitaker... aka TI/TB-3127... Cheryl was appointed XO not to long ago, but has always been someone that could be looked to for support and guidance for many members... or just let loose and have a good time as see here... So first and foremost... how has it been for you since you were named XO? Did you ever have any plans on eventually assuming any "command" roles such as that? How has it changed being a part of the 501st for you, if at all? Truthfully, I really don’t feel any different. I’ve always been very involved in the group; now I just happen to have a “title”. As far as if I had ever had any plans of assuming any “command” role… No, that was something I would’ve never expected. But I am truly humbled that Aimee has such confidence in me for the position. I guess that the one thing that has changed for me since accepting the XO position is that I do tend to get more e-mails & text messages, but that’s really about it. I know as far as Imperial costumes you have a tie pilot and a scout... if you could do another one, any one... what would it be? Wow, that’s actually a tough one for me. I’ve always loved the Stormtrooper costume, but I’m way too short to be one. I’d never hear the end of that famous “Aren’t you a little short for a Stormtrooper?” line. So I suppose that one is out. Hmmm. I’m really not sure what my next one would be. I guess I’ll figure it out when the costume “bug” bites me again. And since you have *ugh* a rebel costume as well... do you have a favorite Star Wars costume overall? Yep! While I do still love my Jedi costume and everything it stands for, as well as being a member of the JRS and Black Widow Squadron with my TIE Pilot, I would have to say that my Scout is definitely my favorite (in case you guys haven’t figured that one out yet). It’s about as close as I can come to being a Stormtrooper without actually being one, and the Scout helmet is great for visibility (as far as helmets go). I love being in the armor, and even though it has more of it than my TIE Pilot, it’s actually much more comfortable and believe it or not, even a little cooler (temperature wise) than any of my other costumes that I own. The Scout was actually the first Imperial costume that I wanted to do, but I was afraid I couldn’t really afford it and ended up starting with my TIE. What I didn’t realize was that both the TIE Pilot and the Scout ended up costing me just about the same amount anyway. That’s ok. That just means that I ended up with TWO great Imperial costumes instead of just one. What got you into the 501st and how long have you been a member? Well, I’d say that it was more of a “who” than a “what” that got me into the 501st; and that “who” is Phyllis “Schph Gochi” Schulte. I always tell her that it’s all her fault... I first met Phyllis at a Chicago Force (fan force) function back on May 31st of 2003. She was in her Jedi costume and we got to talking about it. I had made one for myself as a Halloween costume the prior year and it was nowhere near the quality of hers. One day she came over to my house to see it and helped me over the next several months to bring it up to the standards of the Jedi Assembly so I could become a member and come out and do events with her. The rest is history. I was completely hooked. I finished my first approved Jedi costume and joined both the Jedi Assembly and the Rebel Legion in January of 2005, added my Rebel Fleet Trooper costume in March of 2007 and then became a full member of the 501st Legion in May of 2007 with my TIE Pilot. It wasn’t until October of 2008 that I finished my latest costume addition… Biker Scout. What was your favorite troop you ever attended and why? I don’t think I’ve ever really been to a troop that I didn’t enjoy. However, there is one event that stands out that really meant a lot to me, as I know it did to a lot of troopers… the Fundraiser/Fun-Fair for Max Lacewell in March of 2008. Everyone in the Garrison reached out for this little boy and his family, whether it was by physically being there to troop the event, donating items for the fundraising raffle (even if they weren’t able to be there in person), providing wonderful gifts for Max, and being able to grant a dying child’s greatest wish of battling one of the greatest Sith Lords in the Star Wars saga… Darth Maul. It was quite a day for Max, his family and all of us. I will never forget it, or Max. Coke or Pepsi? (ok, I just threw that in there as a joke) Coke. LOL!! Are there any upcoming events you are looking forward to or wanted to talk about? I’m really looking forward to the 501st Banquet on January 23, 2010 in Downers Grove. It will be a great opportunity for all of us to get together OUT of costume to just relax, talk, have fun and get to know each other better. There usually isn’t much of an opportunity for us to do that at most events, and so many of us live so far away from each other that it’s not as easy to just “hang out” as much as we’d like to outside of events. What do you do when you're not running around (or into trees... being a scout and all) in one of your costumes? Well, I’ve worked at the corporate office for 7-Eleven, Inc. for almost 14 years now (as a Construction and Facilities Assistant, as well as a Facilities Manager for about 4 of those years). When I’m not working or doing events, I’m spending time with my family and friends. Something about you that most people in the garrison may not know (hobbies, accomplishments in life, etc)? I have two children (of the furry feline kind). Hee Hee. They are a 3 year old brother and sister team and their names are Vader and Sophie. Gee, can you guess what color Vader is? I used to play the trumpet (and yes, I played the Star Wars theme on it) until I lost it and everything else in a Thanksgiving Day fire back in 1983. Thank goodness, my family and I got out unharmed, but everything else was lost in the fire. We had a lot to be thankful for that year. Oh yeah! And if you ever get a chance to go to Alaska, GO! It’s beautiful! I went on a cruise back in 2001 with a couple of my friends. That is one place I would certainly go to again if I had the chance. Hobbies: I love to take pictures and am learning more about Photoshop and what kind of creative things I can do with my photos. Sketching is another thing I like to dabble in from time to time. I just haven’t had much time to do it lately. Fun Fact – My mom and George Lucas share the same birthday… May 14th. Hmmm. Omen? Finally, is there anything else you wanted to add that I didn't ask....? No. I think I’ve rambled on enough. October 23, 2009 Trooper Spotlight on Kent Heath The next Trooper Spotlight shines on our very own Kent Heath. Kent, or TK/TI/DZ/TS/ID/TR-1692 (wow!), is a Midwest Garrison Member from Peoria, IL. Chances are, if there is a trooper that needed help with something in that area, they are familiar with Kent. He has been a major help with getting new recruits in the southern part of Illinois armored up and showing them the ropes... so without further adieu: How long have you been a part of the Midwest Garrison? I have been an official member of the MWG since 2005 when I moved back to Illinois. Before that I was a member of the Central Garrison even though all the events that I went to were MWG. What costumes do you have? Are you working on any new ones? What are your favorites? Costumes that I have-too many. I received a new nickname from Kyle Dorethy (TI-4982)-I'm the Tom of Peoria. I have a Tusken Raider, a Royal Guard, a TIE Pilot/Off-Duty TIE, Imperial Officer, Stormtrooper, and Snowtrooper for the Imperial side. I have an Obi Wan Kenobi (EP III) that i am still working with and trying to make better. And I also have a Rebel Fleet Trooper. I think my favorite costume is my Snowtrooper. It is the first costume that I really built. I had a good friend help with my Stormtrooper to first join the legion but he pretty much handled everything and incased me in it and snapped my photo. The Snowtrooper has been the most gratifying because I took it from kit to finished product by myself. I even made my first holster for the snowtrooper, weathered the armor and everything. What is your favorite part about trooping an event? The camaraderie first of all. There are many organizations that I have joined and participated with over the years and made many friends with members of those organizations. But I have built some solid friendships with people in this group and they have been a blessing in my life. I only hope that I can return that favor to my friends. And then, there is the magic. There is something magical in our armor totes. I truly believe it. The feeling you get when a bunch of troopers make an appearance is incredible. And I have to tell you, even though I know the trooper under that black helmet-when I am standing next to Darth Vader, I feel like I am 6 yrs old all over again and I believe it is Darth Vader. What is your favorite event that you have coordinated in the past year and why? My favorite event has been the Autism Walk. My good friend at work has 2 children with Autism and I never realized the impact it has on a parent until I attended a meeting before the walk. I learned so much from this meeting and it is now my second favorite troop next to the Relay for Life. The Relay has always been special and will always remain one of the most important events that I attend and take part in. The Autism Walk is special to me because of my friend and how much his kids love Star Wars. It turns out that many autistic children love Star Wars and I love doing things for children who love Star Wars. I even give more candy at Halloween to kids in Star Wars costumes. Something about you that most people may not know? I am a Scuba Diver and I hope to complete my Advanced Open Water certification this year and then work to get Rescue Diver qualified next year. Anything non-501st related that you want to share? What do you do for a living? family? other interests? etc... I am a Cytotechnologist and I perform preventative Cancer screenings and assist with diagnosing cancer. I have a Master's Degree in Business Organizational Leadership and I am member of the Jaycees. I have worked on political campaigns and I love politics and history. One day I just might run for a political office. Trooper Spotlight on James Tampa Chicago Comic Con / Wizard World 501st Announces First Ever Trooper of the Year view all blog entries... Powered by phpBB Blog.

Events Jul 31st 2010 Coon Creek Festival - Hampshire Illinois - CANCELLED Jul 31st 2010 Coon Creek Festival - Hampshire Illinois - CANCELLED Events By Month >> 501st Legion Wisconsin Squad A Garrison Among the Roses Several members of the Midwest Garrison were lucky to have been chosen to participate in the 118th Tournament of Roses celebration in Pasadena. Read about some of their exploits. Where's Everyone Else? The Midwest Garrison serves Illinois and Wisconsin. If you're looking for other troops elsewhere, click above to explore where more troopers may be!