2012 marks our 7th Annual CSTS season and we are looking forward to welcoming back our fellow Browncoats, veterans of the cause, mentors and new organizers alike! We’re continually grateful and excited that folks interested in holding your own CSTS events to raise money for Equality Now. Registration is open now, so you've got plenty of time to start planning a Can't Stop the Serenity event for 2012. All the information you need to get you started can be found in the Events section on the menu above. Most CSTS events are known as "Screening Events" where Joss Whedon's "Serenity" is shown on the big screen in conjunction with auctions, raffles, contests, merchandise sales and other multimedia (pending licensing arrangements). If you're unable to organize a Screening Event (due to funds, location or proximity to other Browncoats), an Affiliate event may be the answer. This can be any kind of event, such as a BBQ, dance party, or trivia night. The choice is yours! Once you’ve decided, you can begin planning at once. Take advantage of Event Resources to help you and your team with the planning process. Next, you need to tell the Global Team about your plans so that you can become an official event. This year, there is a two step registration process – Pre-Registration and Registration. Being an official CSTS Event means that you become part of the wonderful CSTS community which comes with some amazing perks. We’ll help you raise money for Equality No

Wrapping up a wonderful season, the final CSTS event for 2011 is Dublin, Ireland on 29 September. Thanks for a fantastic year! But it's not over yet... we've got a few more things in store for you over October, so check back often!!

Time's running out to enter the Can't Stop the Serenity/Kids Need to Read Writing Contest! Can’t Stop the Serenity has joined up with Kids Need to Read to give you the chance to win some fabulous prizes in our first ever “Words have the Power to bring about Equality” Writing Contest! All you have to do is write a short piece (500-1000 words) on why you support Can’t Stop the Serenity and Equality Now, and email it to info@cantstoptheserenity.com. Entries close on 30 September 2011 at 11:59PM. All the details are just a click away!

The weekend starts with a bang in Tucson, AZ and and Orange County, CA on Saturday 24 September. And on Sunday 25 September, join Browncoats in Atlanta, GA for a great event.

Have you considered volunteering at the global level of Can't Stop the Serenity? If so, check out this post for info on what positions are available, and how to apply. Are you our Mal, the brave captain of our ship? Then you'd make a great Global Events Coordinator. Is Zoe more your style, keeping us out of trouble and getting us organised? Then the Events Registrar or Merchandise Coordinator role is for you! Or are you a Kaylee who helps keep our ship afloat? That'd be our Operations Director. Wash keeps us connected on the Cortex and flying true, so if you're that way inclined how about the role of Communications Director? What about being our Simon, who's got a head for figures and lots of smarts, because our Donations Administrator needs those skills. We need a Shepherd to guide organisers along as they plan local events. And a River, who's good at all things high-tech and can be our Webmaster or Systems Administrator. We're even looking for a Jayne, for... public relations? Whatever your skills, we can use them. So join our merry band of fandom activists! You'll not regret it. We've decided to extend the application period for Global Team roles by one week, and we need anyone who's interested in helping out for next year's Global Team (including Global Event Coordinator) to send us an email! Write to us at gsc@cantstoptheserenity.com. The new deadline for applying will be 25 September 2011. Global Steering Committee roles will clos

Can't Stop the Serenity has joined up with Kids Need to Read to give you the chance to win some fabulous prizes in our first ever "Words have the Power to bring about Equality" Writing Contest! Recently, we sent out some questions over the Cortex and received some fantastic interview responses (we'll be posting these soon!). Our very first response was from Heather in Maryland, who wrote "It was part of learning about CSTS that led me to learn about Equality Now. Some of the articles they've linked to show that women the world over still suffer terrible injustices for no other reason than their sex. Nobody should be put in a position where they're treated as inferior by anybody - no matter their sex, their race, their religion, or their sexual preferences. By fundraising for Equality Now, CSTS does its part to bring us to a future that's fairer for everybody." It's responses like this that keep us motivated, and inspired this contest. So, what do you need to do to enter the "Words have the Power to bring about Equality" Writing Contest? We're asking you, our fantastic CSTS supporters, to write a short piece (500-1000 words) on why you support Can't Stop the Serenity and Equality Now. And what are the prizes? Well, you're in for a treat! We have a major prize plus three runners up prizes up for grabs. The major prize winner will receive a hard cover set of The Softwire series (4 books) signed by author PJ Haarsma, a $75 Amazon giftcard, a CSTS 2011 shirt and p