TATOOINE DEATH MARCH, Bartlett, Illinois
ATTENDEES
TK/TD/TR/TI/DZ/IC-118 Tom Schaefer: C-3PO Human Cyborg Relations
SL/TI-1719 Jason Patterson: Darth Vader
SL/TK/TI-1781 Rich Markle: Costume Support, Photographer & Parade Marshall
TI/ID-3853 Jim DeJan: Costume Support, Float Pilot
TI/ID-1802 Emily DeJan: Costume Support, Float Co-Pilot
TI-1574 Tonya Foust: Support Vehicle Pilot
TK-2460 David R. Foust: Stormtrooper
TI-7748 Greg Fischer, Tie Pilot & Sounds System Engineer
TI-1692 Kent Heath: TIE Pilot
Mrs. Kent Heath: Costume Support
TI-1296 Jose Flores: TIE Pilot
BH/TK-4265 Mark Berry: Boba Fett
ID-5187 Belinda Berry: Costume Support
IB-6216 Gina Martino: Bespin Leia
Fitz6442 John E. Fitzsimmons: Tusken Raider
TK/ID-1951 Phyllis Schulte: Endor Rebel
TI-2079 Andrew Marsh: Jingle Fett
TB-101 Aimee Jorgensen: Biker Scout
TK-826 Damian Jorgensen: Stormtrooper
TK-3290 Kevin Kemarly: Stormtrooper
TK-2859 Bill Sansom: Stormtrooper
TI-6254 Dan Giese: Stormtrooper
TK/ID-9989 Kathy Van Beuningen: Stormtrooper
TI-3127 Cheryl Whitaker: Rebel Fleet/Trooper Vehicle Support
BH-9397 August Webster: Rebel Fleet trooper
IC-4050 Darryl Sorensen: Imperial Crew / Droid Wrangler
Mrs. Darryl Sorensen: Costume Support
R2-S5 as himself
Deidra Culp: Princess Amidala handmaiden
Robert Hamilton: Head Chef and Marshmallow Support
Austin Schaefer: Imp Crew
Alyssa Patterson: Imp Crew
Alex Flores: Imp Crew
Darcy Jorgensen
Gabby Jorgensen
Conner Markle
Ashlee Markle
Sami Webster
Ashley Schaefer
We beg your forgiveness if we missed anyone.
Tom Schaefer woke at 6am to start the day. Arriving at the cookout area at about 8:30 and waited for Greg Fischer to arrive with the NOT SO EZ-UP 10’ X 20’ tent. Greg and Tom got the tent up most of the way before John Fitzsimmons arrived to help. Greg said this moniker for the Tent is false advertising! EZ-UP My Sweet Aunt! Greg also was able to persuade one of his vendors to supply the sound system for the float. Which was used on this day as well as the previous Sunday in Crystal Lake, Illinois in their parade.
Rich Markle showed us shortly after and he and Schaefer moved to the staging area to secure and mark the site for those who were soon to arrive. Next to arrive was the Arc 170 with R2-S5 in his own trailer, piloted by Darryl Sorenson. Jim and Emily DeJan pulled with Skull One with the Trailer from F&R Trailer Sales, Piper City, Illinois. We thank them for the use of their equipment. We began work decorating the trailer with stands, fringe, and Imperial Occupation Tape. R2-S5 was unloaded from Darryl’s trailer to the float. Phyllis Schulte was already there decorating her jeep and started to decorate the float and Skull One the float tow vehicle with hand stitched Independence Day bunting. Schaefer seeing things underway returned to his home meet with Joe Flores and his daughter to get the 3000+ bags of marshmallows donated by Schaefer’s employer, DOUMAK of Bensenville, Illinois. After loading his car with his costume and his son’s, as well as his TK bucket so Damian Jorgensen could borrow it. Schaefer returned to the staging area. R2-S5’s trailer was used to load the bulk of the marshmallows for the parade
.
The sun was high in the sky and bright, the clouds had evaporated as the heat rose to 95+ degrees but a strong breeze made the flags on Skull One flutter and wave. That breeze was the only saving grace. As Tom Schaefer was sealed into his C-3PO costume,
Lord Vader took his place on the float and Skull One pulled out into the parade flow.
As the parade began and the float passed one of the many bands, a loan coronet player began playing the Imperial march and then segued into the Cantina theme from the movies. He was soon behind us as the sound system aboard the float filled the air with Threepio, R2D2, wookie sounds and soundtracks from the many Star Wars Films.
As we moved through the streets of Bartlett our membership handed (not tossed) one ounce bags of somewhat melted marshmallows to the children and adults alike who lined the parade route. It was fairly obvious the viewers were doing their best to stay in what shade was available. The parade moved slowly and stalled at times as one or more units dropped out as the heat took its toll. A mile and a half felt more like four as Rich Markle took pictures with multiple cameras and members moved back and forth between the marshmallow supplies and restocked the members who were handing out the sticky goodies. Denizens of Bartlett called out to the marching membership. “Darth Vader” “R2!” (am not) “THREEPIO” “Boba Fett!” and "Oh Look there is the Red Fett!" was heard as the characters waived back.
Nearly all the members made it to the end of the parade. Kathy Van Beuningen had to seek relief in one of the support vehicles and Jason Patterson our Vader had to remove his helmet and sit with only a block or two to go or it may have not ended well. Tom Schaefer was losing water weight at an intense rate but survived his task as the intrepid golden droid. Unlike other costumes, the C-3PO has no room for fans or anything to relieve the heat.
At the end, the float pulled up to the tent and unloaded and was greeted by Robert Hamilton who began to serve up his now famous chicken shish kabobs and Not Kentucky Fried Chicken cole slaw. Cookies and goodies of many types were laid out on the tables as the members collapsed into their chairs and drank down mass quantities of water and soft drinks.
Our tent was then visited by the Mayor of Hanover Park Rod Graig and Sherry She, the Hanover Park's Village Clerk.
Our Thanks go out to all of the members for all the ferrying done by Phyllis Schulte and others for their time and efforts to make this a parade to be remembered. Special thanks to Greg Fischer for the tent and sound system, and every one who participated in this great event. This was our fifth year doing this parade. The sixth will be even greater.
Here are some of the pictures, Taken By Rich Markle.
http://tk118.com/bartlett_parade_july_8th.htm
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TK/ TD/ TR/ TI/ DZ/ IC- 118
Translated from Tomglish to English by Jim DeJan TI/ID-3853
