Some of our local Ghostbusters at Family Expo 24 (FROM LEFT: James Robledo, Blake Langston, Jason Langston, Zane Sant, Steve Sant, Greg Martin).
Since its release in 1984, Ghostbusters has been a pop culture phenomenon. Those iconic quotes — and the unforgettable characters behind them — have stood the test of time and continue to inspire generations.
The original film, released on June 8, 1984, brought together comedy legends Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson, alongside Annie Potts, Sigourney Weaver, Rick Moranis, and William Atherton. It introduced a world where everyday heroes in flight suits take on paranormal threats with proton packs, ghost traps, and a lot of heart. Who wouldn’t want to suit up and take on a 112.5-foot marshmallow man?
Ghost-busting in the Columbia Basin
Inspired by that same spirit, our local Ghostbusters franchise — currently known as the Southeast Washington Ghostbusters — started just over a year ago. It all began when a friend from Walla Walla shared a picture of his personalized name badge for his Ghostbusters flight suit. That simple image sparked something in me. A few social media posts later, a call went out looking for some fun characters who could show up to a local event. We almost instantly had a group of half a dozen ready to go in full gear. Just like that, our Ghostbusters crew was born.
Today, our group has grown to 15 members, and we’re getting ready to rebrand as the Columbia Basin Ghostbusters (CBGBs). Our mission? To entertain, serve, and support our community… and have a blast along the way.
“WE GOT ONE!” — Janine Melnitz
Supporting the community
What do Ghostbusters do? A lot more than you might think.
We participate in parades, nonprofit fundraisers, and community events across the Tri-Cities and beyond. From “Our Autism Journey” at the fairgrounds to “Rockin’ Our Socks Off” for World Down Syndrome Day, we bring smiles, high-fives, and plenty of photo ops wherever we go. We were able to celebrate the premiere of Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire with fans. We’ve even thrown the first pitch at a Dust Devils baseball game and brought some spooky fun to Kadlec’s Health Complex.
We’re currently exploring nonprofit status as a 501(c)(3), which will allow us to expand our impact and partner with more local organizations for fundraising and outreach. In addition, Sony Pictures, who owns Ghostbusters, has just announced their new “Ghostbusters Give Back” campaign, wherein local groups like ours can take part in a national fundraising campaign benefitting the Starlight Children's Foundation.
“We’re ready to believe you.” — Dr. Peter Venkman, Dr. Raymond Stantz, and Dr. Egon Spengler
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: My son Ian in his Ghostbusters outfit many years ago, which was the impetus to get this going. / Getting set up at Family Expo 25 with Ecto-1, Slimer, and Stay Puft Marshmallow Man (Marshall).
Want to Join the Team?
It takes real ʼbuster power to keep up with the growing number of event invitations we receive. Our members volunteer their time, gear up for appearances, and do it all out of love for the Ghostbusters legacy and their local community. Sometimes only a couple of us can attend; but whether it’s two or twelve, we show up ready to entertain and connect.
We’re always looking for new recruits! If you’re 18 or older (or part of a participating family) and interested in giving back to your community in a creative and fun way, we’d love to hear from you.
Call our toll-free hotline: 1-844-GHOST-84
Find us on Facebook: fb.com/groups/southeastwashingtonghostbusters and Instagram: @sewaghostbusters
Visit us online: www.swghostbusters.com (soon to be cbghostbusters.com)
“I love this plan! I’m excited to be a part of it! LET’S DO IT!” — Dr. Peter Venkman
