All about our event
The History of THE “Force Against Hunger” Annual Holiday Fundraiser Event
Since the beginning of 2010, part of our teaching mission has included working to instill a sense of responsibility in our students to help friends and neighbors of our community who may be in need. One of the ways we do this is with our annual holiday fundraiser, which provides holiday meals for Thanksgiving and adds to our annual Toys for Tots collection before Christmas. In 2015, Master Weir had the idea to develop an event that would feature an immersive “Star Wars” themed experience and set a suggested donation amount per participant. Additional monies were raised through several raffle prizes that were awarded throughout the day during the event itself.
The idea and creation of these events as annual fundraisers originated from the personal passion of Master Weir and various staff members for all things related to the Star Wars universe, anticipating that the well-known theme would draw the attention of other Star Wars fans of all ages, from casual to obsessed. Each event is created around a specific storyline, with volunteers in costume portraying designated characters that will lead participants through the story and several galactic “destinations” along the way.
It takes a lot of work both inside and outside the dojang to bring the event together each year, but the outcome has consistently resulted in our most successful fundraisers to date. Partnering with local businesses that provide bulk purchase discounts, assisted even further by the generosity of students and their families, we have been able to provide hundreds of holiday meals for Thanksgiving, and thousands of new, unwrapped toys for distribution through the St. Clair County chapter of Toys for Tots.
These are the reasons we go to such a detailed extent with each “Force Against Hunger” presentation. In addition to transforming the dojang into a Star Wars universe location, our building manager, Pete Kruse, also graciously allows us to utilize both floors of the building to further enhance the experience for all guests. While Master Weir and many other staff members are avid fans of Star Wars, this event is truly a labor of love for every person that becomes part of the overall production.