The 501st Legion
We marched in the Stand Up Take Action Paa-Bilisan Road Race, which is a rally against poverty. There were three different routes you could run. We opted for the 3 kilometer route, and all troopers (and handlers too!) completed the route in one piece!
The 501st Legion is an international organization of Star Wars fans, with over 4,700 members in over 40 countries all over the world. To join the 501st Legion, applicants are required to assemble their own accurate Star Wars villain costume, be it stormtrooper armor, Darth Vader, or even a nasty bounty hunter!
Locally, the 501st Legion is represented by the Philippine Outpost. Founded by current Commanding Officer Manny Mendoza in 2004, the outpost now has 19 members in service, and we have more recruits incoming.
Oneal is the current Executive Officer (XO), while I serve as Garrison Press Relations. We each have our own sets of armor: Oneal has his clone armor, and is working on his new stormtrooper armor, while I have a biker scout and a clone trooper costume. The couple that troops together stays together. 
In addition to assembling his own and my costumes, Oneal has also assembled costumes for Darth Vader, C-3PO, the TIE pilot, the Royal Guard, and Imperial officers. A costume is never really complete, and aside from ongoing modifications to existing costumes, new costumes are always in the works too.
The 501st is such a big part of our lives, and we’ve made so many friends and met so many great people through the Legion. Not only do we get to further celebrate the phenomena that brought us together in the first place, but we also get to travel the world, march in the Rose Parade, and help others. I don’t know a lot of other hobbies that let you do all of that.
– rej