Children benefit from local Star Wars club

By Christian Price, News9.com INsite Team

OKLAHOMA CITY - It started out as a networking club for Star Wars collectors and now the club JediOKC focuses on helping raise money and needed supplies for community organizations.

JediOKC council member Ryan McKinley said that the club is trying to help out the Spencer Integris Children's Mental Hospital, whose patients are in need of basic items.

"The more we learned about the facility, the help that they're trying to offer children and teens in Oklahoma, the more I felt there was something that we could do for them," McKinley said. "What they have a big need for is clothing for their patients," McKinley said.

The new Star Wars movie "The Clone Wars" opens Friday across the country. In conjunction with the movie premier, JediOKC is sponsoring a costume contest with the donations going to the Spencer facility.

"That's the emphasis of this Clone Wars premier is to try and raise awareness for the Spencer hospital and then also do a clothing drive to try and get some of their reserve up," McKinley said.

The movie premier and the costume contest will be at Harkins Movie Theater in Bricktown starting at 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. JediOKC has dozens of prizes that will be given away. People can come in costume, but don't have to. Everyone is asked to bring some type of children's clothing to donate for the clothing drive. Everything from underwear and socks to shirts and pants are needed.

If you cannot make it to this weekend's events but would like to make a donation, click on www.Jediokc.com to find out how.