Tosche Station Calgary Star Wars Fanforce

We Walk for Everyone

The Calgary Star Wars Fan Force attended our first Light The Night walk in 2008. We joined to walk beside 5-year-old Mathew, who was undergoing treatment at the time. In 2008, Ryan Dooks, an active member of the Calgary Star Wars Fan Force,owned and operated Red Five Collectibles, a Toy and Comic book shop.

Each Week Mathew would come into the store after treatment, and Ryan got to know Mathew and his family. Ryan talked with members of the group and we decided to escort Mathew at the Light The Night walk, dressed as storm troopers and bounty hunters. It made everyone’s night when Mathew exclaimed to someone “they’re mine” when referring to us, his group of Star Wars themed escorts.

Today, Mathew is active and well. In fact, he doesn’t always make it to the Light The Night walk, but the members of the group do. Each year we bring spirit to the walk, as we come dressed in Star Wars characters and carry light sabers. To fundraise, we each go through our collections of Star Wars memorabilia and bring our items to the Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo and sell them. We also build and raffle off a custom-built Star Wars themed Adirondack chair. We then donate the proceeds to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Our connection to the mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society now extends beyond the Mathew. Ryan unfortunately lost his uncle to a blood cancer last year and Corey, another member of the club, his mom also has lymphoma. We walk for Mathew and all the other kids undergoing treatment, we walk in memory, and we walk in support of Corey’s mom. We also continue to walk because it’s a great opportunity to don our light sabers and our costumes and get together.