Who Ya Gonna Call? Vermont’s 802 Ghostbusters Bring Heart, Humor, and Help to Communities

By Joshua Smith

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The Team at Rail City Fan Fest 2024 posing with their ECTO JK1 (Courtesy Photo)

“I’d seen fan groups all across the country doing parades, Make-A-Wish events, and fundraisers. It looked like so much fun — and I thought, we could do that too.”
— Stasia D., Co-founder, 802 Ghostbusters

A Nostalgic Spark That Became a Movement
If you were walking through a fall festival, trunk-or-treat, or a downtown parade in Vermont and suddenly heard the unmistakable wail of a Ghostbusters siren, chances are you’ve encountered the 802 Ghostbusters.

They’re not actors or a traveling show. They’re Vermonters — parents, makers, neighbors — who’ve turned their love of Ghostbusters into a powerful community-building force.

The group began in 2016, when Stasia and Stef D., along with their family, decided to join the growing ranks of Ghostbusters fan “franchises” springing up across the country. What started as a fun family project soon grew into a statewide group with members stretching throughout almost all 14 counties, each bringing their own talents — from prop building to event planning to interacting with kids and families.

Community First, Cosplay Second
When the 802 Ghostbusters show up, they bring more than just proton packs. Their appearances at touch-a-truck events, trunk-or-treats, and local parades are free for communities — powered by their volunteer energy and the magic of their Ecto JK-1, a Jeep Wrangler transformed into a rolling nostalgia machine.

The Ecto JK-1 was built by member Mathew Haley, lovingly nicknamed “our Egon” for his technical know-how.

“It’s an easy, free way to connect,” Stasia said. “Kids climb in, push the buttons, sound the siren — and adults light up too. You can always tell when a parent has that moment of recognition, like, ‘Okay, it’s time for you to watch Ghostbusters.’ It becomes this pop culture capstone between generations.”

Ghostbusters Give Back
This year, the 802 Ghostbusters joined the Ghostbusters Gives Back Initiative, a national partnership between fan groups, Sony, and the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

The initiative runs June 8, 2025 through June 7, 2026, and every dollar raised by registered franchises is matched by Sony — up to $150,000 nationwide — doubling the impact for hospitalized children and their families.

Funds support entertainment, events, and hospital programs that bring comfort during difficult times.

“We set a fundraising goal along with other franchises across the country,” Stasia said. “On June 8th — Ghostbusters Day — we’ll check in to see how we did.”

June 8th, of course, marks the original release date of the 1984 film. Some dates are sacred.

The Busy Season: “Hauntober”
October is their biggest month. “Almost every weekend, we’ve got something,” Stasia said. “Parades, trunk-or-treats, conventions — we call it Hauntober.”

The Ecto JK-1 is fully decked out all season long as they string together events across the state. Later in the season, the group will appear in Casella’s Lights Parade, followed by a special basket raffle fundraiser at Old Town Café and Comics on November 14th, from 3:00 p.m. to early evening.

The Ecto JK-1 and a giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man will be on-site, and all proceeds will benefit the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

After November, things quiet down — but their sense of purpose never does.

Vermont Heart in a Proton Pack
In a world where cosplay can sometimes be competitive or celebrity-driven, the 802 Ghostbusters stand out. They’re Vermonters bringing nostalgia, joy, and service to their neighbors.

They show up at the same parades your kids march in, park next to you at the grocery store, and hand out smiles at no cost. Their focus isn’t on fame — it’s on connection.

“Little kids don’t always get the reference, but they know we’ve got cool things to look at,” Stasia said. “Adults love it. It’s a conversation starter — and that’s what makes it special.”

Join the 802 Ghostbusters This Halloween Season!

Follow the siren to an event near you. The 802 Ghostbusters will be appearing at parades, trunk-or-treats, and fundraisers every weekend in October, bringing spooky fun and raising money for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.

Want to help or get involved?

Love Ghostbusters?

Enjoy community events and volunteering?

Want to make kids (and grown-ups) smile?

The 802 Ghostbusters welcome new members from all across Vermont. Whether you’re a prop builder, a people person, or just someone who loves spooky season, there’s a place for you.

Follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/802Ghostbusters for upcoming appearances and info on how to join the team.

This Halloween season, let a little movie magic — and a lot of Vermont heart — remind you that our communities shine brightest when we come together.

The Last Word
Seeing Ghostbusters gear against a Vermont backdrop shouldn’t work — and yet, it absolutely does. Vermonters have always known how to blend work ethic with whimsy, and the 802 Ghostbusters prove that community service can wear a proton pack.

This Hauntober, if you hear that siren echoing through town, don’t just smile — follow it. You might find yourself in the middle of something special… and maybe even holding a proton pack of your own.

Richmond Independence Day Parade 2025 (we placed 3rd. The prize was $75, donated to the Starlight Children’s Foundation)

The franchises are “International”. Here’s a nice map of the North America teams (Courtesy Photo)

A young fan in awe of the larger props from the group (Courtesy Photo)

A solo Atlantic Ocean rowing trip will take a woman 3 to 6 months to complete

By Bernie Marvin

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Atlantic Dash boat rower Renee Blacken of Bethlehem, will be crossing the Atlantic Ocean as a lone rower beginning January, 2026. She expects to be on the water from three to six months. Courtesy Photo

Bethlehem, NH – A woman from Bethlehem, NH, will begin a January 24, 2026, solo rowboat trip on the Atlantic Ocean that could take her between three and six months to complete from port to port.
As part of a program known as the Atlantic Dash, she is expected to be alone on the water in her specially equipped single-occupant boat that will see the trip’s conclusion at Antigua in the Caribbean, where friends and family will be waiting to welcome her back to land.
Renee Blacken, 40, decided in the winter of 2023 that she would do the trip, seeing, she said during a recent interview with The Bridge Weekly, that she had the help and resources, plus the time and mindset to serve others. She figured everything was in order and said, “Now is the time for me to do this.”
Renee came to the Granite State on a bit of a circuitous route. She was born in Ithaca, New York, attended high school in Putney, Vermont, and Bates College in Maine. She has been in New Hampshire for the past 12 years. She has a son, Walter, 13, and she is now hard at work finalizing all the training, arrangements, practice runs, and licensing she will need to make the 3200-mile solo water journey.
She says she is doing the trip to raise awareness of and funding for trauma recovery programs that integrate mind and body healing in northern New Hampshire. She held several events earlier this year to raise funds and awareness for trauma recovery programs. She says she will be rowing the open Atlantic Ocean for trauma survivors.
My conversation with Renee was packed with information about her boat trip, which is scheduled to begin on January 24, 2026. She said she expects to leave from the shoreline of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and row to Antigua in the Caribbean Sea. She will have no motor, no sail, just her oars.
Her local group is Team FOARtysomething. The trip will raise awareness of the importance of trauma recovery programs in New Hampshire and the region. It will connect individuals to trauma recovery resources and programs in northern New Hampshire. She noted that it will also reduce the burden of cost participation by providing funding for programs that incorporate trauma-sensitive yoga, mindfulness meditation, breathing techniques, and somatic practices to aid in processing trauma and foster posttraumatic growth. She will also be doing the trip to help fund the development and expansion of trauma recovery programs.
When she dips her oars into the ocean at the end of next January, she will be rowing and navigating 3200 miles over water as part of the Atlantic Dash 2026 program. She will be one lady in a rowboat with no support boats, and she will be spending 60 to 90 days on the open ocean.
According to her website and through our recent face-to-face interview, Renee is an endurance athlete, musician, yoga instructor, teacher, farmer, lover of the mountains, ocean adventure, and physical and mental challenger and survivor.
She learned to row while at the Putney School and continued at college in Maine and Trinity College in Ireland, where she rowed with the Dublin University Ladies Boat Club. She has also competed in the Irish National championships and the Women’s Henley Regatta in 2003.
She is an experienced marathon and ultramarathoner, a long-distance backpacker, and a cycler. With her ocean crossing, she will be the first American woman and the first solo female to row in the Atlantic Dash. Only two other American women have ever completed a solo transatlantic row to date, and at fortysomething, she will be the oldest American woman to complete the voyage as a lone rower.
According to the Atlantic Dash personnel and their website, rowing alone in the Atlantic Ocean is not about being first or being the fastest; it is about the spirit of adventure. They note that they are a diverse group with different backgrounds, abilities, ages, and life experiences that come together to achieve the same goal: to row the Atlantic Ocean safely in a tiny rowing boat.
The Atlantic Dash rowers write that they are humans, not super-humans. They say they are breaking the misconception that ocean rowing is an elitist sport. “Our goal is to demonstrate that anyone can accomplish things they may have never thought possible.”
They also protect their playground. “We love the ocean, and we aim to minimize our environmental impact by protecting and taking care of it.”
Renee indicated there are several ways for the public to support her programs. First is the internet’s GoFundMe, where contributions go directly toward Team FOARtysomething rowing-related expenses, such as event entry, transporting the boat to Lanzarote, and transporting the boat from Antigua.
There is also the Amazon Wishlist that will assist her with the purchase of essential items for the row and also to donate to the Outdoor Adventuring For Good which will “ increase the availability and accessibility of trauma recovery programs in northern New Hampshire and the surrounding area for veterans, first responders, active military, survivors of domestic abuse and assault, and other survivors of acute and complex trauma.”
And the far-reaching program will provide free and reduced-cost programs that integrate mind and body healing for individuals dealing with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and chronic pain as a result of traumatic life experiences.
During her Atlantic crossing, she will be maintaining communication with several social media channels and will be reaching out to schools while she rows her boat. She said it is fantastic that she can be in the middle of the vast expanse of the Atlantic Ocean and speak directly to a sixth-grade class about the ocean and why she is making the trip.
She said there will be no chase boats or other supply vessels with her, and she will be communicating daily with the Atlantic Dash program through satellite technology. She will also be working on weather reports, medical reports, and other essential programs to ensure her survival in case of any issues. The electronics will keep her informed as to what is ahead of her as she makes the crossing.
She said she has been preparing for the past two years and will continue until the moment she boards her boat named “Reset” and casts off for her long journey.
Her website is WWW.outdooradventuringforgood.org.

Renee Blacken of Bethlehem does some pre-trip chart plotting, checking her route during her upcoming Atlantic Ocean crossing as a lone rower. Courtesy photo.

Renee Blacken interviews with The Bridge Weekly about her January trip that will take her on a 3200 mile trip across the Atlantic Ocean alone in her boat. The Bridge Weekly/Bernie Marvin