For Star Wars fan groups like the 501st and Rebel Legions that maintain a regular schedule of community support and charity-fundraising events, requests for appearances have come in from all over the globe for all kinds of destinations: hospitals, community centers, military bases, parades, research labs, and just about anywhere Star Wars may be found.
Members of the 501st Legion’s Southern California Garrison and the Rebel Legion Sunrider Base recently turned out for a request to help support the City of Long Beach’s Aquarium of the Pacific Night Dive event.
Located in Long Beach, California, the Aquarium of the Pacific has a strong relationship with the fan groups, and previously helped host a special series of fan-interaction events for Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
For this year’s Night Dive, aquarium hosts hoped to wow their guests with a few surprise Star Wars characters and photo opportunities, and members of the Legions were there with smiles (and helmets) on, ready to oblige every picture request from both aquarium staff and guests.
While there, members also provided a few friendly “patrols” of the grounds, making sure all of the aquarium’s exhibits and residents were doing well. Along the way, they even spotted a few potential members waiting to be discovered.
With the days running out until the December 18 release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, members of the 501st and Rebel Legions — along with their fellow fan groups — continue to spread their love of Star Wars throughout their communities, helping to bring the saga to life at all manner of locations for fans everywhere!
Lawrence Green wanted to be a stormtrooper or Luke Skywalker when he first saw Star Wars. Now he’s both, as a member of the 501st and Rebel Legions. Designated by 501st founder Albin Johnson at the 2007 Rose Parade as “the 501st’s own Jedi Luke,” Lawrence is the executive officer & public/media relations officer of the 501st Legion’s Southern California Garrison. You can follow his personal tweets at @Lawrence_Green and find the SoCal Garrison at www.southerncaliforniagarrison.com and @501SCG.
