Around this time last year you may have been, like the rest of us, a little unsure of where the California Browncoats were headed. We all got the email - the old crew was tired, and new hands were needed to keep this organization afloat. Who can blame them? Years of their lives invested into this volunteer run organization, over $250,000 raised for good causes; it’s an exhausting endeavor. I was told “It’s like having a second, full time job that you don’t get paid for,” and that’s not really an exaggeration. Without new blood - a completely new board of directors and officers - this organization would have to shut its doors.
Thankfully, some people (including myself,) couldn’t stand the thought of putting an end to all the good this group has done. The Firefly Fandom is still going strong, almost 20 years after the show went off the air. We may love other franchises too, but we’re all still Browncoats at heart, and we know we have the power to do good work.
So the CABC has 5 new faces at the helm. You may have seen some of us at SDCC last year, and you definitely saw all of us at Wondercon this year. It hasn't been easy. We stepped into our jobs with very little hands on experience, and we've all had to learn to work as a team to solve the array of minor crises we've encountered. We know we have huge shoes to fill, but we are all invested in keeping the CABC up and running for many more years, and continuing to make the world a little bit better through our love for the Serenity and her Crew.
We wanted to celebrate this love, and the fact that we have, indeed, managed to keep this ship on course, with our exclusive patch for SDCC 2019, “Still Flyin’.” Designed by Ryan Cross, of Hunter Of Design, and produced by Patriot Patch Company, this beautiful, injected PVC patch commemorates the love and energy that has fueled this organization, and the Browncoat fandom in general, for almost two decades, and kept this ship in the air. Featuring the Serenity in precise detail and accented with the California Golden Poppy. The Golden Poppy is California's official flower, and it's also a symbol of renewal and reward after hard challenges.
We will have 200 of these Velcro backed beauties available at SDCC and once they are gone, there will be no more made. Stop by the booth (A/7, A/8) to get yours, and say hello to both new and old CABC crew members.
Proceeds will benefit a charity that has yet to be confirmed, but you'll hear more about that soon.
Flyin' True (and hopefully with no further loss to our primary buffer panels)
Lynelle Miliate-Ha
President, CABC