PHOTO BY: - Cathy Weseluck
https://twitter.com/CathyWeseluck/s.....56050427711488

Those who read my write-up on our meeting with Cathy Weseluck should recall how I mentioned she took a picture of my son and I. Well, turns out she decided to use it for her Twitter post with regard to BronyCon - 2013! Do give it a view at the link above if you have a chance.

If you are not familiar with the story, why not read about the adventures my son and I had with Cathy at the link below.

THE BEST OF BRONYCON 2013 - PART 1: CATHY WESELUCK
https://www.furaffinity.net/view/11269254/

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The Staff, Guests, and Vendors at BronyCon 2013 were amazing when it came to all the young fillies and colts who attended. Here are some reasons why and why, if you are a parent, or have a young relative, you simply must bring them to BronyCon - 2014.

During the first Voice Actors Panel on Friday, the BronyCon Staff ensured that all the fillies and colts got first dibs at asking questions to the panelists. My son was nervous as first, but he eventually gathered the bravery needed to rush forward, get found by one of the Staff, and rushed to the front of the line where he did his Apple Bloom impression for Michele Creber. They went back-and-forth a few times before moving onto the next questioner. However, my son did get a big round of applause and he felt super-happy to have had the chance to have fun with the VAs. (Once video is available, I hope to post this for all to see and hear as it is so awesome!)

During our meeting with Maddy Peters (Scootaloo), Maddy took the time to look over at Michele Creber (Apple Bloom), who was sitting right beside her, to bring to her attention how my son was the same age Michele was when she started to get into voice acting and other creative mediums. They both then took a brief moment to encourage my son to keep working on his guitar, drawing, and story telling for, one day, he might be part of a panel like they were.

While meeting Cathy Weseluck, she took time throughout our discussion to go into character as Spike to talk to my son who, as you can see, was carrying around my Spike plushie from work. My son, of course, told her that "My dad is Spike and works in a box all day!", but it was cute and our combined, BronyCon adventure got her to take the picture you see posted here.

Down in the Vendor Area, my son made out like a bandit on both Friday and Saturday! I couldn't find anything I was looking for, which is why I apologize to anyone who asked me to look for things as I couldn't even really find things myself. However, my son got TONS!

For example, on Friday as I waited in line for the promo card, my friend took my son about in search of goodies and my son came back with a sticker that was given to him for FREE! Later, we came across these really awesome looking DJ Pon 3 plushies that, if you were a filly or colt, were 50% off! You better believe dad was happy to pay $30 for his son to get his favorite character in super-duper plush form! Moreover, the Vendor made sure my son got a brand new plushie that was wrapped in plastic. This was good as my son ate food with ketchup and, when we headed back to the hotel, it was raining. :)

At the Snowdrop panel, they gave the microphone to my son before they gave it to me so that he could ask his question. Which, as you may know, was "SPIKE RULES!!!!" Oh, I love my kid.

On Saturday, we discovered that the Crusader Clubhouse was, in fact, a place dedicated EXCLUSIVELY to fillies and colts! It offered FREE Face Painting, Arts and Crafts, and an opportunity to write Letters to Celestia! My son did all three on both Saturday and Sunday!

The Staff at the Crusader Clubhouse was amazing, too! I don't know if I met them all, but I did get them all to autograph my program for they were so kind to all the children and their parents who came in.

At 6:00 PM on Saturday, the Crusader Clubhouse featured a really cool special for the fillies and colts. It was a "Who Done It!" mystery in which featured a volunteer dressed as Apple Bloom. The premise of the story was as follows...

The Cutie Mark Crusaders had devised plans for a new way to get their Cutie Marks. However, when Apple Bloom went to show all the aspiring "Crusaders", she discovered the plans had been STOLEN! It was up to the new members of the CMC to save the day!"

This event turned into a scavenger hunt throughout the room as the volunteers worked with the fillies and colts to find out who stole the plans! In the end, it turned out to be Cheerilee. However, the letter Cheerilee wrote was super cool and filled with hope that, in finding the plans she stole, that all the rusaders would have earned their "Sleuthing Cutie Marks"!

Unfortunately, Apple Bloom did not earn her Cutie Mark. But, as my son proudly shouted, "I already have my Cutie Mark!" :) That's my boy!

Overall, as a father, I was super happy with all the special efforts EVERYONE made at BronyCon to make it special for the kids. They even were asking moms, dads, and the kids how they could do better next year! This fact is largely driving me to want to do next year's BronyCon as, now that I know they are really aiming to make it fun for kids, I want to delight in pony times with my son as he gets a chance to feel like a star. :) Not to mention, I got to meet lots of other mommies and daddies.

A shout out now to the mother of the young girl with autism who I met at the Crusader Clubhouse while my son got his face painted by Apple Bloom. She was very involved with her daughter and shared on how My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic helped her daughter better overcome her autism. I shared with her how she should watch Snowdrop as it is all about the importance a parent plays in the development of a disabled child. Particularly in her case where, like Snowdrop, there is a large emphasis on the Mother and Daughter relationship. Made me think more on my parents and how, without them, I would be blind and doing nothing with my life. Here's to all the mommies and daddies out there who attended BronyCon and the Staff, Vendors, and VAs who made it 20% cooler for all the children.