Bunny’s Heroes Brings Magic to Children

It’s the late summer of 2013, the August sun in its prime. It is now that Shareece Tatum has a thought — an idea. The thought is this: to find a way to use her ‘geekery’ and costuming, as well as her costuming and geeky friends, to help build the community. According to the official Bunny’s Heroes website, she contacted Storybook Island in Rapid City, S.D. and asked about helping the ‘magic come alive’ during their annual Once Upon a Festival.  

Bunny’s Heroes, named for Tatum’s costuming name ‘Bunny’, has helped out at Storybook Island numerous times since then, as well as working with Make-A-Wish at the Walk-For-Wishes event. When asked, Tatum said that “Bunny’s Heroes is a voluntary association that brings geeks alike together to make magic and hope for those that need it.” 

Tatum is a large member of the local cosplay community. She began and currently runs the local anime convention, Sodak Con, that takes place in Rapid City. With this background, it was easy for her to round up her friends who were also into cosplay and create the nonprofit organization that is Bunny’s Heroes.  

For events such as Once Upon a Festival, Safe-and-Sweet Trick-or-Treat and Parade of Lights, Tatum and her heroes dress up as beloved children’s characters. From Disney to fairy tales to cartoons, these volunteers spend their time entertaining and making magic for the children who come see them. They interact with the children, take pictures, read stories and much more. For Bunny’s Heroes it’s all about the hope and magic they can bring to people. 

Tiffany Concha, a local volunteer for Bunny’s Heroes, says that Bunny’s Heroes is “a group of wonderful people that put a lot of time, effort and work into being positive figures for children at events that they can meet and talk to.”  

Each member of the nonprofit organization works hard on their costumes and makeup. Concha has taken part in the annual Halloween event, Safe-and-Sweet Trick-or-Treat, as well as taking part in the winter greetings during the Parade of Lights.  

Bunny’s Heroes events generally take place either at Storybook Island or in downtown Rapid City. The upcoming event, Safe-and-Sweet Trick-or-Treat, offers a safe place for kids to collect candy without having to traverse the darkened neighborhood streets. The event takes place on Oct. 28, and is an annual event.  

Bunny’s Heroes focuses on the magic and hope that characters can bring to children as well as others. Tatum hopes she can change one life at a time. When asked why she created this group Tatum responded, “It sounds corny but it’s the truth, to bring that magic alive, and hope to kids that don’t have that. To know I and my Heroes could do that was awesome. I knew that there were other groups like Bunny’s Heroes, so I knew it wasn’t anything new, but I was out to create something different. I was out to create hope, where it needed it the most.”