IL - Chicago - Best Buy Blu Ray Release 9/15/11

[Fleetfang]

To celebrate the release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu Ray, Lucasfilm and 20th Century Fox requested the presence of the Midwest Garrison at the Lincoln Park Best Buy location for their midnight release party, one of only three sponsored release parties across the United States.


A contingent of troopers, led by Lord Vader arrived well in advance of the event to get set up, and made an appearance outside for the customers waiting patiently in the cold night air. Things did not all go as planned, however, as a traitorous Jedi Knight was waiting for us amongst the customers and attempted to strike down Lord Vader with his lightsaber. After a quick duel in the parking lot, the Dark Lord swiftly vanquished him!


Shortly after, the Best Buy crew had dozens of pizzas delivered and invited all of the customers inside for a pizza party in the minutes leading up to Midnight. We kept order in the store, but TK-8148 and TB-8968 did make some trouble with an improvised 74-Z Speedercart...


Local law enforcement arrived to help keep the crowd (and the troopers) in line.
"Re-bels, Re-bels... Wha'cha gonna do? Wha'cha gonna do when they come for you?"


Ultimately, the Midwest Garrison certainly delivered for Lucasfilm, Fox, and Best Buy for the midnight release. And they delivered for us in return... with a $600 donation to the American Cancer Society for our Making Strides Against Breast Cancer team!
Buckets off to these fine troopers who were all a part of this late night troop and helped to make it all happen!


* 09/15/11 IL Chicago - Best Buy Star Wars BluRay Midnight Release
TS-1296 Joe Flores
TB-3127 Cheryl Whitaker
SL-3193 Mike Olsen
TK-3446 Neil Auer
TK-8148 Matt McDonald
TB-8968 Brian Troyan

[TK3446]

This was a fun troop!

[mattbobmcd]

A great mission report for a very fun event!

Hope you didn't break anything when you flew off the front of that cart...

[Fleetfang]

A great mission report for a very fun event!

Hope you didn't break anything when you flew off the front of that cart...

You mean when this happened?



Stupid tree came outta NOWHERE!

[TK3446]

Don't worry Matt he's got Trooper's comp!

[crix]

nice job guys!

already on TOD

[Schph Gochi]

looked like fun...

Did you ever get the logistics worked out with the donation to MSABC?

I don't think it materialized...

[Fleetfang]

No? Hmmm... I'll get in touch with Wade today and see what I can find out.

[Rebel Doughboy]

Looked like a fun one troopers! Sorry to have missed it!

[Fleetfang]

Phyllis, I think you were CCed on the email, but I got a reply from Wade this morning, after sending him the Mission Report and a gentle nudge about the donation.

Hi Brian –

Thanks for the great recap and all the awesome photos. Best Buy, Fox and LucasFilm were all really pleased with the turnout and the enthusiasm on display at all of their midnight release events for the Star Wars Saga on Blu-ray.

My apologies for not having this buttoned up sooner, but our Finance team has ultimately decided that the best way to handle the charitable donations for all the 501st appearances across the country is basically for me to put all the donations on my credit card (good for my frequent flyer miles, not so good for my cash flow). So, I’m working through the list, and I hope to have all the donations completed by next week. I will send you and Phyllis an e-mail confirming the donation on behalf of your garrison once it’s completed.

Let me know if you have any questions. Thanks, and may the Force be with you.

I pointed him to the MSABC team website and he's going to use it to make the donation.
Six hundred smackers! Take THAT, cancer!

[Schph Gochi]

Yep....
I got the CC on the e-mail.....
and any time a donation is made either to myself....or to the team I do get an e-mail notifying me ...
so..
I will keep an eye peeled for it.

For now...do you have a estimate on the hours trooped for this one?

All $$ will be included in the final tally for MSABC... (which we are now nearing $4,000.00)
but am going to try to keep track of trooping hours for all of the events in addition.

Which reminds me...
I have a some trooper hours to add ...

[Fleetfang]

Boots on the ground about 10:30...
Armor by 11:15 or so...
Done trooping and suiting down by about 12:30...
On the road around 1:00...
Times six members.

I think that comes to about 7.5 hours in armor, or 9 hours for the whole shebang.

[Schph Gochi]

Boots on the ground about 10:30...
Armor by 11:15 or so...
Done trooping and suiting down by about 12:30...
On the road around 1:00...
Times six members.

I think that comes to about 7.5 hours in armor, or 9 hours for the whole shebang.

Roger that...