Fans of comic books, <a href="https://comicvibe.com/nycc-hasbro-brings-the-force-and-superhero-energy-with-new-star-wars-and-marvel-collectibles/” title=”NYCC: Hasbro Brings the Force and Superhero Energy with New Star Wars and Marvel Collectibles”>collectibles and movies gathered at the RiverCenter for Nerdtober Con this weekend, where members of the Iowa Ghostbusters were raising money for a the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital.
The two-day event, hosted by QC Toy Show, featured vendors, celebrity guests, cosplay and activities for children.
Organizer Scott Anders, who grew up in Davenport, said he wanted to bring convention experiences closer to home for Quad Cities fans.
“I go to Chicago for events and everything else, and I want to bring them here to the Quad Cities,” Anders said.
Among those taking part were Iowa Ghostbusters members Ike Lewis and Jeffrey Phillips, who have ties to Muscatine. Their shared interest in the movies helped spark a friendship.
“I met him at a Comic-Con in Cedar Rapids and found out he lives two blocks from me,” Phillips said.
The group raises money for the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. For Lewis, the group’s event coordinator, the cause is personal.
Lewis said his daughter developed RSV when she was 3 months old. He credited the hospital with saving her life, saying the experience helped inspire the group’s support for the hospital.
The Iowa Ghostbusters also participate in events supporting local animal shelters and a car show that raises money for an autism center in the Quad Cities, Lewis said.
The group plans to present its donation to the children’s hospital Nov. 5.
For Lewis, the fundraising gives a childhood interest a new purpose.
“Growing up I wanted to be a Ghostbuster,” he said. “I get to give back to the community in such a fun way.”
