It goes without saying that Scares that Care Charity Weekend is my favorite con around. I talk about it every chance I get, with anyone who seems interested in cosplay, conventions, and/or simply just helping others. All these things hit so close to my heart that I can’t quite help but sing it’s praises. I look forward to this con from the moment the previous one ends and this year, the most difficult year of my life, it was really all I had to look forward to. Knowing a little bit of the struggle I’ve been having in my personal life, when I reached out to him to see if I could cover the con again he simply stated “No email is necessary. However, I want to make sure you’re going to be OK at the event?”. That man is Joe Ripple, the founder and CEO of Scares that Care, the Llama father, and one of the greatest people you could have the pleasure of knowing. I just want to take this time to personally thank him for helping to bring me out of a very deep depression and help me find reasons to smile again. You sir, are a gem.
Most years I attend this wonderful convention and try to just get pictures of everyone & everything while awkwardly making new friends and connections. However, I felt that there was still so much I missed last year so this time around I vowed to see more and experience new things. Starting with the prime rib buffet on Friday night of course, and then hitting up (and failing) the escape room….twice. Honestly all I can contribute is my ability to find things cause man those puzzles are tough! Kudos to those who beat it in less than 7 minutes! I also got to take pictures while Body Accents Tattoos and Piercing’s own Best of VA nominee Jamie Martin tattooed a fellow attendee. This man is an amazing tattoo artist that you should definitely check out. He tattooed a Captain Spaulding and Wolfman at the show as well. No word on whether Wolfman had nards or not but still, it was absolutely amazing. Check it out on his Instagram – @iamarttattoos
A personal highlight was helping my friend Jim live out a childhood dream of hanging out with Colonial Marines, Drake and Vasquez. The cast of Aliens, Jenette Goldstein and Mark Rolston, along with Jim in his amazing Xenomorph cosplay, took photos with over 2 dozen attendees on Saturday. I helped transport his very phallic shaped helmet in the halls of the hotel, passed out props to those waiting in line for the photo op, and provided water and moral support to the sweatiest/happiest Xenomorph you ever did see on a hot August day while he passed out candy to trick or treaters next to John Anderson and Dracula himself, Duncan Regehr.
All my personal tidbits aside we know that the mission of Scares that Care is to fight real monsters and in 2019 the slaying was successful. During the costume contest on Saturday night two recipients were presented with checks for $10,000 each. And the final is on the way. As per the norm to our Scares that Care family, the Llama father, Joe Ripple debuted his most amazing ensemble for the bra walk yet. This year he upgraded to Mardi Gras style assless chaps and Llama printed boxers. This extravagant number brought in over a whopping $2400.25. That’s right, someone threw a quarter down his boxers for good measure because why the hell not?
This organization is so amazing that they already have started searching for next year’s recipients. When you come to this event it really is like coming home to your family and I for one can not wait until the next reunion. Check it out next year and please consider making a donation at scaresthatcare.org
