Dallas Parade
For the past 27 years, the Dallas Children’s Health Parade has been marching down the streets of Dallas to benefit and help the children being treated by Children’s Health. I’ve had he opportunity to participate in many of the parades by dressing up as a Stormtrooper, or other characters, and marching along with the other participants. It’s been a great venue that typically will have over 600,000 attendees and is broadcast across the country during the Christmas season. All proceeds go to the Dallas Children’s Medical Center which is a world renown children’s hospital.
In past years it was always a struggle to hear the cadence of the officer while we marched. There is always a lot of parade noise and it is tough to hear through an imperial issued plastoid armored helmet. In addition, most troopers have cooling fans in their helmets as it’s easy to work up a sweat, even with the cool weather.
TK Products Gets Involved
This year, TK Products provided their largest, most powerful amplifier– the VoiceBooster AK-38 model, to one of our officers Brian Earles. In addition, the other officer Kameron Earls, Brian’s wife, and the Commanding officer of the Star Garrison of the 501st, used the VoiceBooster MR1505 amplifier. Both called out the marching cadence and the troopers were finally able to hear! The result was a much more precise march for the stormtroopers and a lot of fun for the kids.
Brian Earles also had great fun with the reverb setting on the AK38– Before the parade started he decided to have fun with the kids and their families by turning up the volume, maxing out the reverb, and making fun announcements, including: “Now Batting, DARTH VADER!”. It sounded just like the announcement from a large ballpark. The crowd loved it.
We h
ad 50 members of the 501st legion, rebel legion, and Mandolorian Mercenaries march in the parade together as a unit. In addition, we had a special appearance by a replica of Luke Skywalkers Landspeeder which was constructed and driven by Ken and Mitch Rogers of Forth Worth Texas.
The Dallas Children’s Health Parade is something I look forward to each year. Not only is it fun dressing up in our costumes, it’s great to see the smiles on the kids face and help out in any way possible.