CLONE WARS INSIDER

The force was with them; Second annual Star Wars Event and Toy Show held at Civic Square

Posted By MARK TAYTI

Posted 12 hours ago

How often do you get an assignment in a galaxy far, far way?

This isn't Tattooine in the Arkanis sector of the Outer Rim Territories.

Nor is it some intergalactic tavern that attracts the scum of the universe and where you might just lose an arm for picking a fight with the wrong Jedi.

No, this is far more serious, especially if you are a toy collector. This is the second annual Star Wars Event and Toy Show and it has attracted the almost-50 crowd - who have come with children and grandchildren in the hopes of blending in. It's really hard to tell who is buying toys for whom.

Another stellar day in the Community Room at Welland Civic Square.

A chance meeting with Lieut. Wes Janson of the Rebel Legion leads to a trip down memory lane.

The St. Catharines' Star Wars enthusiast is John Van Ophem when he is not recreating his alternate life in the rebellion.

It took him three or four years to handcraft the uniform he's wearing, but it's a huge hit with the next Star Wars generation.

Van Ophem is an R2D2 collector when he is not out gunning for Darth Vader. Get him and Vader in the same room together and someone could lose an eye.

The man of the hour is Rob D'Onofrio, who organized the show to raise money for Help a Child Smile. It is also just one of the scheduled events for this year's 150th anniversary celebration, he said between frantically signing drawings of Yoda.

D'Onofrio has been collecting Star Wars toys and memorabilia for the last 25 years and he brought about one-eighth of his collection to Saturday's event.

Kids run around with light sabres and organizers play the original Empire Strikes Back on a large screen while junior Jedis gobble down complimentary popcorn and have their photos taken with Vader and Janson.

Michelle Duffy arrived with her four kids in tow. She remembers seeing the original Star Wars in St. Catharines - way back when.

"It's a movie for all generations," she said. "The technology was ahead of its time."

Lee Kindy has been collecting Star Wars toys for 30 years and he travels to places like Toronto, Buffalo and Burlington to pick up vintage stuff that has taken a lifetime to acquire.

He caught the Star Wars bug in 1978 when his parents took him to The Strand in Tilsonburg to see the mother of space films.

Out in the lobby, vendors hawk their wares and Star Wars merchandise is disappearing faster than Alderaan when the Death Star's in town. For Dave Pearson, of Welland, this was his first Star Wars show. He stood behind a collection of vintage Star Wars collectibles acquired between the late-1970s and 1983.

He was happy to see the number of young children who had come to see the show.

"Star Wars is like the Wizard of Oz - it's never going away, it's a classic."

Sanji Vagadia, from Oakville, calls his obsession with Star Wars a hobby.

He was hawking new Star Wars figurines and some of the larger statuettes of Princess Leia and Jabba the Hutt on Saturday.

"It's a way of reliving your youth," he said. "I would do this even if I was losing money."

He said the older stuff "still in the package" is worth some serious money and he admits to having a piece or two at home.

"Everyone has a vice in life. If it's Star Wars, well, that's really not too bad. If I break even today, I'll be happy. I'm getting to chit-chat with other fans and share the love."

For the intrepid reporter, you almost get a sense there is something larger at work here, like ... like a force or something.

The second annual Star Wars Event and Toy Show isn't even over and I'm already looking forward to the sequel.

mtayti@wellandtribune.ca