Today we’d like to introduce you to Los Angeles Ghostbusters
Hi Los Angeles, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
The Los Angeles Ghostbusters were founded on October 31, 2021. The founding members came from all walks of life with two things in common: our love of the franchise, and a desire to use that love to do some good for our community. Since then, the fundamental principle of using fandom with purpose has allowed us to grow from 11 founding members to nearly 30 busters strong!
We partnered with the Los Angeles-based charity, Starlight Children’s Foundation to help provide toys, games and joy to children struggling in hospitals around the country. Since we began, we’ve raised over $55,000 for Starlight and even spearheaded a national fundraiser initiative that, through collaboration with Sony Pictures and dozens of other Ghostbusters franchises, created Ghostbusters-themed hospital gowns for kids. In June of 2023, we even delivered the first batch of gowns to the children of Miller Children and Women’s Hospital in Long Beach.
This year, we partnered with Starlight, Sony Pictures, and LA City Council President, Paul Krekorian, to officially declare Ghostbusters Day on June 8 in the city of Los Angeles. The ceremony in the council chambers included speeches from Starlight Fundraising Director, Madison Shearer, Paul Krekorian, ‘Ghostbusters: Afterlife’ director Jason Reitman, and Miguel Media, one of LAGB’s founding administrators. Miguel delivered a bold, personal and impassioned speech that moved the entire audience, council members and studio executives in attendance. This was his dream – and he worked tirelessly to make it happen. We then celebrated on the steps of city hall on the South Lawn surrounded by hundreds of Ghostbusters fans and the original 1984 Ecto-1.
In just three short years, we’ve gone from a small group of like-minded nerds with a passion for service, to working side by side with national charities, majors studios and corporations and even our local governments. We’ve grown and accomplished a lifetime’s worth, but our mission to bring joy and happiness remains our guiding light – and we’re just getting started!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
As previously stated, we’ve grown incredibly fast these last three years – and the challenge with rapid growth is appropriate scaling up/down of the operation. Scaling our operation internally will always be front of mind – but it’s a good problem to have. We believe our strength is in our membership, and our mutual love and respect for one another has allowed us to overcome any and all obstacles.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
The Los Angeles Ghostbusters specializes in providing a unique and authentic Ghostbusters experience to event guests, bringing them into the world of busting with equipment demonstrations, psychic experiments, the Ecto Containment Unit, and lots – and lots of slime! We use these engaging, interactive experiences to promote our charity partners, the Starlight Children’s Foundation. Often times, we initiate an experience with guests, let them play in our world, and before concluding, we show off what our fundraising – and their donations – can do for thousands of kids suffering in hospitals nationwide.
What we believe sets us apart is our devotion to public service. Anyone can pick up a flight suit, or build a proton pack – but it takes an incredible amount of strength and character to do it with purpose. Everyday, our LAGB members suit up with energy and optimism – it’s that level of character that makes LAGB unique and special.
By far our proudest achievement was in 2023. In coordination with Sony Pictures, Ghost Corps and Starlight, LAGB spearheaded a national fundraising initiative that united dozens of other Ghostbusters groups. Together, we raised $41,000 to create Ghostbusters-Themed hospital gowns for children. The gowns were designed by our friends at Sony, and distributed to hospitals across the country by our fellow Ghostbusters franchises. LAGB delivered the first batch of gowns to Miller Children and Women’s Hospital in Long Beach in June of 2023.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the release of the original ‘Ghostbusters’ (1984), LAGB has once again partnered with the amazing teams at Sony Pictures, Ghost Corps and Starlight to create the next generation hospital gown. The first generation featured the iconic Ghostbusters flight suit and proton pack. Since our young busters have trapped their first ghosts, their new gowns should reflect their seasoned status. So the Starlight Generation II Ghostbusters-themed hospital gowns will be covered in slime! LAGB has been fundraising for this new initiative for a few months, so we are already half way to our $40,000 goal!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.losangelesgb.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laghostbusters/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LAGhostbusters
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@losangelesghostbusters
Image Credits
Photo Credit to the volunteers and membership of Los Angeles Ghostbusters and the staff of Miller Children and Women’s Hospital, Long Beach.
