On Sunday I had the privilege of volunteering my services with Creative Arts of the Hudson Valley in putting together a Star Wars themed event of creating your own lightsaber and taking part in the Jedi Academy. A great community event for sure made better thanks to the participation of the Empire Saber Guild. This guild is located in my home state of New York with its base of operations in Manhattan. Much like similar guilds across the country and for that matter, the world, their mission is simple… “to share their love of Star Wars with people of all ages and the follow the Jedi path of spreading hope and good will wherever we go”.
In between sessions I had spoken with different members of the guild like husband and wife team Christopher and Kim Filardo. In speaking to them, it didn’t take long to see the passion in their eyes or hearing it in their voices just how important that mission is to them. Giving back to the community is of the utmost importance. To me the true legacy of Star Wars doesn’t start and end with the films that we fans hold dear. It runs deeper than that. No the true legacy comes from the principles and the underlying message that encompasses respect, tolerance, love, acceptance, a sense of togetherness and of course, a sense of hope.
With so much negativity flooding our social media it is very difficult to not become jaded. However, today I was reminded that the future is not as dark (despite the cookies the Dark Side offers), as it seems. It is both unwritten and full of hope. Watching nearly twenty young padawans ranging in age from 4-15 years learn how to master the skills of wielding a lightsaber, it was merely a symbolic meaning of something more. What they were really mastering was the skills and mindset in building a path and way of life that will serve as a foundation for a better tomorrow.
Guilds like Empire Saber or the 501st and countless others aid in that foundation. They do so much for the communities they live and serve during their “everyday” lives. These are ordinary people doing extraordinary things. In many ways they are unsung heroes. They do not get paid for the time they willingly give and all the money that is raised is to help others in need. Charites like Ronald McDonald House and Autism Speaks to name a few benefit greatly from their commitment to a better tomorrow. These Masters of the Force are truly self-less and very much follow the path of the Jedi by lighting the world one saber at a time.
If you want to know more about how to personally get involved or simply want to see what they or other guilds are doing, please check out their website at Empire Saber Guild or follow them on their Facebook page.
May the Dork be with you,
JPB
The Dork Knight
