January 2009
January 2, 2009 - New Volunteer Opportunities
With the new year comes new volunteer opportunities with the Austin Browncoats. We have several new volunteer positions available for various upcoming events, including two cons.
- Comic Con - January 24th, 25th
- All-Con - March 13th, 14th, 15th
- Geekstravaganza 2009 - Dates TBD
Please see our volunteer page for more information about volunteering with us.
January 3, 2009 - Call for Knitters
Heard about our knit-a-thon at Dragon*Con 2008? Do you knit and want to help knit Jayne hats for charity? Check out our Call for Knitters. Even if you can't knit, there are ways you can help out.
January 4, 2009 - Opening of Whedon Wares: The Browncoat Store
Austin Browncoats is proud to announce the opening of our newest charitable fundraising effort: Whedon Wares: The Browncoat Store!
Find us at: www.whedonwares.com
You will find a wide array of Browncoat and other ‘Verse goodies at Whedon Wares with all proceeds going to charity. We have something for everyone, from sci-fi t-shirts to delectable Sereniteas, a collection of custom blend Firefly-inspired teas.
Every quarter, Whedon Wares will choose a new charity to support with the proceeds from our sales. Want to support charities like Kids Need To Read and SafePlace, but uncertain about what to buy? We’re hosting monthly raffles for a grab bag item from Whedon Wares. There is no limit on how many tickets you can buy!
Come explore all of our shiny Browncoat goodies and support such worthy causes as Equality Now, SafePlace, Heart House, EmanciPET and Kids Need To Read.
Check us out at www.whedonwares.com and keep on the lookout for specials and sales! Right now, get a Tea Starter Kit for $35, which includes a 4oz tea, 2oz tea, Independent Mug and a set of four leather coasters!
Whedon Wares: The Browncoat Store is operated by Austin Browncoats, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization.
January 11, 2009 - Call for Volunteers - Pancake Breakfast
It's that time again. Time for the 2009 Pancake Breakfast hosted by the Austin Browncoats. We need volunteers to help plan and advertise for the event, as well as helpers on day of the event.
See our current volunteer opportunties page for details on how you can help.
January 12, 2009 - Raffle for Sonny Rhodes
Sonny Rhodes, the man who sang the Firefly theme song, is in need of our assistance. Today on Whedonesque, Brian (from Done the Impossible) let Whedon fans know that Sonny Rhodes could use our help. He is a very proud man, but circumstances related to medical conditions are preventing him from working, and he's trying to keep a roof over his head.
Sonny hasn't performed since October 2008, except for once or twice against his doctor's wishes when he had to keep the power from being shut off and pay rent, and doing that made his condition worse. He just had an emergency hernia operation and needs to have two hip operations as soon as possible.
If you can help in anyway please visit Sonny's Myspace page and make a secure Paypal donation. If you can't help out financially, please help spread the news.
Austin Browncoats will do whatever we can to help out this amazing musician, Browncoat and friend. Our next raffle will go to support Sonny Rhodes. Visit us at Dallas Comic Con on January 24th and 25th in Richardson, Texas. Get the chance to win awesome Browncoat goodies, and help out a Browncoat in need! Want to help out, but you're not going to be in Richardson? Go to www.whedonwares.com and purchase some raffle tickets. All tickets purchased from our website from now until January 25th will go towards helping out Sonny.
Thank you to all of the Browncoats rallying for this cause. We are more than just a fandom. We're family.
Volunteer Spotlight
January 13, 2009
We appreciate all of our volunteers' hard work and dedication. We also know that some volunteers go above and beyond the call of duty. Every quarter, we'll announce our Volunteer Spotlight, an outstanding Austin Browncoat Volunteer.
These star volunteers are nominated by other Austin Browncoats. To nominate star volunteers, visit our volunteer page: www.austinbrowncoats.com/volunteer.php
First Quarter 2009
Volunteer Spotlight: Outstanding Volunteer
Brenda Alvarado
Healthy Giving Pledge Drive
January 16, 2009
The Healthy Giving Pledge Drive, a health challenge for charity undertaken by Longview TX resident Kazia Hodges, will begin Friday, January 23, 2009 and run until May 23, 2009. The proceeds from the drive will support The Kids Need to Read Foundation, one of our supported charities.
The pledge drive will run for four months, and pledges are taken by per pound lost based on how much total weight is lost during the drive timeline. One time donations are also accepted. Anyone who pledges or donates is eligible for a prize drawing at the conclusion of the pledge drive. The prize package (which includes some Browncoat Essentials as well as some tea samples and beauty supplies) has been donated by the Austin Browncoats, primary sponsor of the Healthy Giving Pledge Drive. All pledges and donations are tax-deductible, and donation receipts are provided.
For more information about the pledge drive or to make a pledge, visit www.healthygiving.org or contact pledges@healthygiving.org.
Thank you for an amazing year!
Are you ready for what 2009 has in store for us?
January 17, 2009
What an amazing year 2008 was for Austin Browncoats. Our first full year as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization saw many exciting changes for the better! We invited new Browncoats onto the Board of Directors and watched our charity grow to new heights with the help of an amazing team of volunteers.
In 2008, one of our goals was to grow our name and reputation, by attending more fan driven events. To this end, we decided that conventions would be the best way to get to know the community more, as well as show them what we’re all about. All-Con 2008 was our preliminary foray into being dealers at a convention. To say it went well is an understatement. It was better than expected and showed us that not only is their a huge market for Browncoat-y awesomeness, but that fans, in general, have an amazing sense of generosity. Our raffles were a huge hit at our attended conventions and started causing traffic jams in the dealer’s room! Folks would travel long distance just to hang out at our booth and talk about Firefly, Serenity and all things Joss. As our support grew, so did our inventory of Browncoat goodies.
We had a successful run of event planning, as well. 2008’s Can’t Stop The Serenity was a blast! We raised just under $11,000.00 for Equality Now. Cedric of The Bedlam Bards entertained us, the Alamo Drafthouse served Kaylee’s Strawberry Shortcake and our costume contests saw so many amazing entrants. We also had the honor of running 2008’s Browncoat Ball. With over 100 attendees and three days of fun, food and shininess, our Browncoat Ball was a huge success. We were able to eat delicious verse-y food, learn tricks of the Firefly trade and dance with merriment to the music of The Bedlam Bards and Brobdingnagian Bards. The Ball was a night to remember for all Browncoats in attendance.
We were also lucky to begin a friendship with The Kids Need To Read Foundation (KNTR), a non-profit organization doing great works! They purchase books for libraries, schools and other institutions in need by raising funds through auctions, merchandise sales and collecting donations. KNTR Foundation was the benefactor of our Jayne Hat Knit-A-Thon during Dragon*Con – an event that Browncoats will remember for a long time. We look forward to many more fundraisers in support of KNTR!
2009 shows us that the future holds great things in store for Austin Browncoats. We just opened our online store, Whedon Wares: The Browncoat Store. We’ve developed an entire line of Firefly-inspired tea blends, Sereniteas, and we’re expanding on our Ma Cobb creations, to include our Jayne hat, as well as other handmade goods, like greeting cards.
We are excited to announce that we’re opening up non-voting membership, as well. Want to be a member of Austin Browncoats? Keep your eye on our website for more information.
We hope we can count on your continued support in 2009. We are so excited to be a part of this ‘verse and fandom and look forward to meeting more of you in the future.
Thank you and keep shiny,
Austin Browncoats