"Social Heroes Were Everywhere at the San Diego Comic Convention 2006" by Ralph Zuranski
Wow! The San Diego Comic Convention was filled to the gills with social heroes. There were armies of volunteers doing so many different things, it was mind boggling.
Needless to say, the Comic-Con volunteers who collected tickets, controlled crowds, manned the registration booths, delivered water and babysat the comic industry stars, writers, artists and publishers were real heroes. It would take an entire day to detail all the great services of the volunteers.
Most went unnoticed by the attendees...just as it should be. Any awesome event is distinguished by how smooth it runs and how much enjoyment attendees experience. A flawless event is a tribute to all the dedicated Comic-Con volunteers.
True heroes are always helping others in the background. Most people don't even realize the secret heroes are there, in their midst, serving others quietly, unassumingly. They don't crave publicity or rewards.
Social heroes are just happy to help others. They realize the true joy of living is doing something special for others.
These random acts of kindness make the world a much better place for everyone. These are the heroes that should be recognized. They, along with the fictional characters we all know and love, should be emulated by young people.
"Rise up heroes and heroines! The world needs you now."
Captain Biorhythm
One group of volunteers I specifically wanted to honor are those who participated in the annual "Robert A. Heinlein Blood Drive. In 2005, the Comic-Con was the second largest donating organization in San Diego. Only the San Diego Chargers blood drive harvested a greater quantity of blood.
Captain Biorhythm decided to be a real hero and donate some much needed blood. There were so many people donating it was staggering. Since the Marriott Hotel and Marina provided a much larger space than in 2005, there is no doubt the Comic-Con will beat all records and become number one for blood donations.
Vampires Rejoice! There will be more than enough blood to go around this year. You can have as many blood cocktails, chilled and slightly shaken as you want. You don't need to bite any necks this year.
While giving blood, I caught glimpses of the white fanged, incredibly pointed canines of individuals who moved at lightening speed. You noticed them appearing and disappearing out of the corner of your eye, on the periphery of reality. They were the San Diego Blood Bank volunteers, doing a great job, sucking blood, herding donors and rewarding everyone with a huge smile and caring attitude.
After all, the San Diego Blood Bank and Comic-Con volunteers served and inspired many people. Every one who donated blood was a hero.
There was a big bonus for donating blood. Generous Comic-Cons exhibitors provided some very awesome goodies as a reward for those who were willing to step up to the bar and provide a few pints of life-giving, precious fluid. Who knows how many lives this generosity will save in the near future?
To be continued...