If you’ve previously run or worked on your city’s CSTS event, and have an interest in being considered for the Global Organizer position for next year’s events, please read the following information and send in your application documents by September 5.

Here’s what you need to know…

The Global Organiser reports directly to the Global Steering Committee and is responsible for:

• Directing the year’s global efforts
• Building and supporting the Global Team
• Supporting event organizers
• Setting and managing key dates and deadlines
• Encouraging handover of all team members’ information upon conclusion of their role/term, to include encouraging their cooperation with the next year’s team to ensure a smooth transition
• Being the public face of CSTS for the year (including being a prominent promoter and communicator of CSTS)
• Maintaining the integrity and purpose of CSTS for the year

The role can be time consuming, but it is very rewarding. Knowing that your efforts have contributed to raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for Equality Now, that you have taken on a challenge and risen to the occasion, and that you’ve had the support of Browncoats across the globe is an amazing feeling.

You should also know that there are some costs involved (at least there have been to now) with being GO. Please be prepared to possibly spend a few hundred dollars of your own money to cover expenses, unless we can figure out better ways to deal with this. (CSTS Global has no income, and yet has expenses for things like shipping items for auctions and such. There has been talk previously of requiring a “city registration fee” to help offset these costs, but so far, it has not been initiated.)

To be eligible for self-nomination, you must:

• Have been a local organizer of a CSTS event for 1 year OR been on a local CSTS event team for 1 year
• Be located in the USA, or show proof of capability for basing your work in the USA (as merchandising and sponsorship needs to be based in the USA, as well as working with the USA VP of distribution at Universal)

To nominate yourself, you need to submit a statement detailing why you would like to be Global Organizer in 2011 including:

• Your thoughts on what aspects of the effort can be strengthened at the global level in order to make the local events themselves more successful without interfering with the local nature of those events, and how you will go about this.
• Examples of specific vendors or sponsors if the applicant already has some in mind (in addition to our existing sponsors, who are keen to return). This is optional at this early stage, and certainly not required.
• Any other thoughts or ideas you have about continuing to make the effort a collection of successful events.
• Examples of other organizing you’ve done, if any. These should focus on other Browncoat and/or charity events, but not necessarily to the exclusion of other relevant experience.
• Whether you will also be the local event organizer. It is not disallowed that the Global Organizer not be a local event organizer, but to do both is very stressful, and it is not recommended.

Additionally, each nomination should include at least one letter of support (like a reference for a job application) by the closing date for applications, from either one of your team (if you are the event organizer), or from your event organizer (if you are an event team member). This letter should indicate why he or she feels you would make an excellent Global Organizer.

Please email your nomination and letters of support to: gsc@cantstoptheserenity.com

Timeline:

• Applications close – Sept 5, 2010 (Sun)
• Discussion Window (for questions to applicants): Sept 6-19, 2010 (2 weeks)
• Voting Opens: Sept 20, 2010 (Mon)
• Voting Closes: Sept 26, 2010 (Sun)
• Announcement and Term Commencement: Oct 1, 2010

Thanks to Creation Entertainment, we are delighted to give you the opportunity to win this amazing souvenir, signed by all of the guest at the “Creation Salutes Serenity” 2009 convention in California. The souvenir photo is signed by Jewel Staite (Kaylee), Morena Baccarin (Inara), Adam Baldwin (Jayne), Alan Tudyk (Wash), Rafael Feldman (Fanty), Yan Feldman (Mingo) and Mark Sheppard (Badger). This fantastic piece of memorabilia has been generously donated by Creation Entertainment. Bid here to win!

Jewel Staite, Sean Maher and Ron Glass
Win a wonderful set of photographs autographed by cast members from “Firefly” and “Serenity” – Jewel Staite (Kaylee), Sean Maher (Simon) and Ron Glass (Book). You will also receive a copy of the “Serenity: Those Left Behind” comic series and the “Serenity: Better Days” comic series. This fantastic collection has been generously donated by Creation Entertainment and Dark Horse Comics. Bid here to win!

Adam Baldwin and Mark Sheppard
This is your chance to win a wonderful pair of photographs autographed by cast members from “Firefly” – Adam Baldwin (Jayne) and Mark Sheppard (Badger). You will also receive a full set of Blue Sun Travel Posters (Series 1 and 2) featuring Jaynetown, Serenity Valley and other famous destinations. This amazing collection has been donated by Creation Entertainment and Think Geek. Bid here to win!

Alan Tudyk and Morena Baccarin
Win a gorgeous pair of photographs autographed by cast members from “Firefly” – Alan Tudyk (Wash) and Morena Baccarin (Inara). You will also receive a complete set of Blue Sun Travel Posters (Series 1 and 2) featuring Jaynetown, Sihnon, Beaumonde, Bellerephon and other famous destinations. This amazing collection has been generously donated by Creation Entertainment and Think Geek. Bid here to win!

Adam Baldwin, Rafael Feldman & Yan Feldman
This is your chance to win a pair of photographs autographed by Adam Baldwin (Jayne), Rafael Feldman (Fanty) and Yan Feldman (Mingo). You will also receive a copy of the debut album “Space Age Loser” by The Browncoats and a poster signed by the band. This fantastic collection has been generously donated by Creation Entertainment and The Browncoats.
Bid here to win!

Pack your bags for a great escape to the Browncoat Ball in Charlotte, NC! This is your chance to win a pair of weekend passes to this amazing event on October 22-24, 2010, plus some musical goodies from BAFTA winning composer, Greg Edmonson.

Head on over to the ebay auction page now and place your bid. This is a truely epic prize, and will be an experience you will treasure for a lifetime! Plus, you’ll be supporting Equality Now!

You will enjoy a full weekend of Firefly activities with a twist of southern hospitality. There are three unique tracks to select from including a historic trolley ride, a whitewater rafting park and the new NASCAR museum.

You’d better rest up after that because then the Ball starts and there is a live band and exciting entertainment. There will also be all manner of contests and awesome prizes!

You will also receive autographed soundtrack CDs from “Firefly” and “Uncharted 2″, signed by composer Greg Edmonson, and a complete set of Blue Sun Travel Posters (Series 1 and 2) featuring some of our favourite travel destinations – Jaynetown, Serenity Valley, Miranda and more.

The Browncoat Ball ticket package is valued at $330. The package does not include hotel or travel expenses. The winners will be required to get to the ball on their own accord and adhere to the policies posted on the website (www.browncoatball.com). The 2010 Browncoat Ball experience in Charlotte, NC begins Friday 22 October 2010 at 3pm and ends on Sunday 24 October 2010 at noon.

Kindly being hosted by the California Browncoats, 95% of the proceeds of each auction will go straight to Equality Now. The remaining 5% will go toward covering any eBay and/or Paypal fees. The California Browncoats (CABC)will pay any remaining fees in addition to donating their services in carrying out these auctions. If there is any of the 5% left over after fees, CABC will donate it to Equality Now.

This round of auctions will end on August 24 at 1:45pm PDT.

Money raised from the auction will be included in the CSTS 2010 Global Donation Total. Your bids will help us to reach this year’s goal of US $150,000 raised for charity!

The first round of auctions runs from 17 August 2010 to 24 August 2010 on eBay.

This is a wonderful opportunity to own some awesome prizes, and help Equality Now fight for the rights of women and girls who can’t fight for themselves, so bid high and bid often!

Highlights include:

• Serenity: Float Out cover art signed by Joss Whedon, Jo Chen & Alan Tudyk
• Serenity: Float Out original page art by Patric Reynolds
• Two Weekend Passes to the Browncoat Ball in Charlotte, NC
• Autographs from Firefly and Serenity cast members, as well as Jane Espensen, Greg Edmonson and the cast of The Guild

Click here for a full list of the auctions.

Proudly brought to you by:
2010 Browncoat Ball – Charlotte NC – California Browncoats – Creation Entertainment – Dark Horse Comics – Greg Edmonson – The Guild – Jane Espensen – Jo Chen – Patric Reynolds – The Browncoats – ThinkGeek

Browncoat Ball 2010

As we reach the middle of the Can’t Stop the Serenity season and begin to slide gently into the fall, we start thinking of the other big event on the Browncoat calendar.  I speak, of course, of the Browncoat Ball.  The Browncoat Ball gives Browncoats from all over the globe a chance to gather together and turn our gaze inward and celebrate our fandom. We also are afforded a wonderful opportunity to visit the home cities of our fellow Browncoats and see what makes them who they are.

This year the Ball will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA, from October 22^nd through the 24^th.  The Charlotte Browncoats have pulled out all the stops, offering three different tracks to attendees.  There’s the Core Tour, which is perfect for history buffs.  Folk who take the Core Tour will get to see some of Charlotte’s historic sites and ride a trolley through the city.  If you’re the sort who’s attracted to a bit more danger, the Thrilling Heroics track is for you.  Take a chance on a zipline, or go rappelling down a 46-foot spire at the U.S. National Whitewater Center.  Finally there is the Hard Burn track, where those with a taste for speed can visit the NASCAR Hall of Fame Museum and learn about all the drivers that have made NASCAR famous.  All the exciting entertainment is of course capped off by the main Shindig, the Browncoat Ball, which starts at 8PM on Saturday, the 23^rd.

We here at the Can’t Stop the Serenity Global Committee hope you will take this opportunity to see a new part of the United States, make some new Browncoat friends, and head to Charlotte for the social event of the season.  More information about the Ball and all its activities can be found at www.browncoatball.com/2010.

The 2010 Season is in full swing, and with so much going on, let’s take a moment to look back on an amazing 5 years of Can’t Stop the Serenity.

Since 2006, this amazing event has taken place in 90 Participating Cities in 9 countries spanning 3 continents! Every year, we keep growing! From 41 cities in 2006, 42 in 2007, 45 in 2008, 50 in 2009 and in 2010 there are already 50 cities holding events with more to come!

Over $400,000 raised for charity

And the events are continuing to raise incredible amounts for charity. Since 2006, $416,616.22 has been raised for Equality Now and other worthy charities! 2006 raised $65,900.24, 2007 nearly doubled that raising $106,165.69. In 2008, CSTS events raised $107,219.15 and in 2009 increased that to raise $137,331.14! Can we make it to $150,000 in 2010?

5 Year Veteran Cities

There are 21 cities who have been with us from the very beginning, and have stayed with us each and every year. Special thanks to our 5 Year Veteran Cities:

Arlington, VA US
Atlanta, GA US
Austin, TX US
Boston, MA US
Charlotte, NC US
Chicago, IL US
Dallas, TX US
Denver, CO US
Madison, WI US
Melbourne, VIC AUSTRALIA
Minneapolis, MN US
Philadelphia, PA US
Phoenix, AZ US
Pittsburgh, PA US
Portland, OR US
Raleigh, NC US
San Francisco, CA US
Seattle, WA US
Tucson, AZ US
Toronto, ON CANADA
Vancouver, BC CANADA

Participating Cities since 2006:

United States
Albany, NY – 2006*
Albuquerque, NM – 2008, 2009, 2010
Ann Arbor, MI US – 2006, 2009*
Arlington, VA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Atlanta, GA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Austin, TX – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Baltimore, MD – 2009, 2010
Bloomington, IN – 2006*
Boston, MA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Champaign, IL – 2007
Charlotte, NC – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Chicago, IL US – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Cleveland, OH – 2006, 2007*
Columbus, OH – 2008
Concord, NH – 2006*
Dallas, TX – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Daytona Beach, FL – 2009, 2010
Denver, CO – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Des Moines, IA – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Fort Collins, CO – 2006*
Fresno, CA – 2006*
Ft. Lauderdale, FL – 2008, 2009, 2010
Hartford, CT – 2009
Houston, TX – 2006, 2008*
Kansas City, MO – 2006*
Las Vegas, NV – 2008, 2009
Lawrence, KS – 2010
Lebanon, TN – 2010
Lincoln, RI – 2010
Logan, UT – 2009, 2010
Los Angeles, CA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*
Madison, WI – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Memphis, TN – 2008, 2009
Milwaukee, WI – 2006*
Minneapolis, MN – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Nashville, TN – 2009, 2010
Newhall, CA – 2010
New York City, NY – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*
Norfolk, VA – 2010
Orange County, CA – 2008, 2009
Philadelphia, PA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Phoenix, AZ – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Pittsburgh, PA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Plainview, NY – 2010
Portland, OR – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Raleigh, NC – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Riverside, CA – 2009
Sacramento, CA – 2006, 2007*
Salem & Cambridge, MA – 2009, 2010
Salt Lake City, UT – 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010*
San Antonio, TX – 2009, 2010
San Diego, CA – 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010*
San Francisco, CA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
San Mateo, CA – 2007
Seattle, WA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Silicon Valley, CA – 2007
St. Louis, MO – 2007, 2008
Tampa, FL – 2006, 2007, 2008*
Tucson, AZ – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Tulsa, OK – 2009
Yellow Springs, OH – 2008, 2009

Canada
Edmonton, AB – 2006, 2007, 2010*
Halifax, NS – 2010
Montreal, QC – 2006*
Ottawa, ON – 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Toronto, ON – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Vancouver, BC – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^

Australia
Adelaide, SA – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*
Brisbane, QLD – 2008
Launceston, TAS – 2008, 2009
Melbourne, VIC – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010*^
Sydney, NSW – 2006, 2007, 2010*

New Zealand
Auckland – 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009*
Wellington – 2006*

United Kingdom
Birmington – 2010
Bristol – 2009, 2010
Edinburgh – 2007
Gateshead – 2010
Glastonbury – 2007
Gloucester – 2010
Leeds – 2006*
Leicester – 2008
London – 2007, 2008
Nottingham – 2009, 2010
Oxford – 2006, 2007*
Warwick – 2008, 2009

Ireland
Dublin – 2007, 2009

Germany
Hamburg – 2009, 2010

Austria
Graz – 2007

France
Paris – 2007

* Foundation Year City
^ 5 Year Veteran City

The original page is black ink on white paper. We will auction this page, along with a copy of Float Out this month.

Don’t forget, we are also auctioning Jo Chen’s original cover art for Float Out.

This is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Browncoats! Thank you to our generous sponsors who have given Browncoats these opportunities to own memorabilia from this exciting new piece of the ‘verse!

More exciting news for Browncoats! Gene Ha has very generously donated a piece of Captain Hammer original artwork and a bonus color print for auction. So this year a lucky Browncoat will be the owner of an autographed, original artwork of our favorite (anti)superhero!

Gene Ha is a talented comic artist. He has worked on such projects as Top 10 and Justice League of America.  For more information visit his website, www.geneha.com. Gene designed the cover for the HERO comic initiative, and has graciously donated an autographed pinup to CSTS. 

The pinup & print will be auctioned in June as we kick off our events and will get the ball rolling for 2010’s awesome screenings!

The original art is India ink on 11″x17″ Strathmore archival acid-free bristol paper.

We’re very excited to announce that the good folks behind Browncoats: Redemption – A Fan Film for Charity will be giving every CSTS event a chance to show a sneak peak of their film, which will be released in September 2010.

Browncoats: Redemption takes place three months after the events on Miranda and we find Captain Laura Matthews and the crew of Redemption unintentionally thrown into a situation that some view as the potential catalyst for the second unified rise of the Independents against the Alliance, since Unification Day. The Alliance is looking for a scape goat for Miranda while those unhappy with the Alliance are looking for a rallying cry to take action. Through all this, a secret about Laura is exposed that shakes the very core of the crew, threatening to break it up, challenge the trust that she’s earned with the Browncoats, and undo all the efforts she has put into place to keep a sense of peace in her life since the first Unification War.
Browncoats: Redemption Trailer 3 from browncoatsmovie on Vimeo.

Seven lucky cities have also been chosen to receive an early “rough cut” of the film, thanks to an essay contest that saw event organisers from across the globe share how their city fits into the Verse.

The lucky winners are… drum roll please… :

Congratulations to the lucky attendees of Can’t Stop the Serenity events in:

• Charlotte, NC USA
• Lawrence, KS USA
• Lebanon, TN USA
• Boston, MA USA
• Portland, OR USA
• Vancouver, BC Canada
• Birmingham, United Kingdom