TKID? – 23222
callsign – Rooker
501st approved costumes – TB, TR, others coming…
Why did you pick your 501st callsign/alias – Rooker is an old gaming alias of mine meaning one used as the stalwart anchor for the party…usually with a big stick. Think like an adverb action form of the chess piece ‘Rook’, as in that <insert npc name here> just got “rookered”.
When did you join the Legion and why – November of 2016. I wanted to find a way to give back to my community in my own nerdy way.
Of all of the troops you have been a part of, which one has stood out the most and why – There are two that stand out above the others. Going to the local children’s hospital on Halloween and the St.Patrick’s parade both in Savannah, for vastly different reasons. The children’s hospital one grabs a hold of the heartstrings and makes one exceptionally happy to be in a closed face bucket so the tears won’t show. The St. Patrick’s Day parade brings on pure adrenaline as along the parade route people yell, cheer, and want to interact with us.
How has being a part of the 501st impacted your life? Learning a whole lot about crafting and building…let’s be honest, I was struggling to do more then sew on a button before I started building the TB. Being a member of the 501st gave me an outlet to fly my nerd flag and find my ‘other’ family.
Can you give us an idea as to the kind of support you get from friends and family regarding the 501st and all the great things that you have done with the GA Garrison? My brother was actually the one that told me about the 501st, so officially I blame him. My wife… she’s my handler, my sounding board, and my perennially patient non-Star Wars gal. No seriously, she refuses to see Episodes 1-6, but puts up with my shenanigans (and those of the squad). My friends first thought I was crazy, now they think I am crazy but OMG those costumes are cool! Even my co-workers, who initially gave me grief for playing plastic spaceman when they first heard about it are now in awe of the 501st goals and always ask questions about the troops afterwards.
And lastly, is there anything Star Wars related or not, that people might not know about you that they might be surprised to find out? I have a soft spot in my heart for children’s organizations /events (affirmed Eagle Scout here) and smaller conventions/events just getting off the ground. I like being able to help things grow, and I am not too enthusiastic with large groups of people in close confines. So it is unlikely anyone would find me at DragonCon 🙁
