TIFTON — The iconic first appearance of Darth Vader in Star Wars, surrounded by stormtroopers and with the easily-recognizable “Imperial March” playing, is the ultimate bad guy entrance.

When Darth Vader shows up in Tifton Saturday, however, it’s because he and his fellow Imperials are here in support of a good cause.

Local members of international costuming group the 501st Legion will be at the Tifton YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day Apr. 28 to bring people out for the event.

One local member, Wesley Luke, said that the goal of the organization is to have fun and support charities at the same time.

Members will dress up as the bad guys from Star Wars. Stormtroopers, TIE fighter pilots, Tusken Raiders, Jawas and bounty hunters are all on the roster of the Legion.

Luke, who has been a Star Wars fan since he watched Return of the Jedi in the theaters, has been a member of the Ocmulgee Squad, one of five squads that make up the Georgia Garrison, for approximately two years.

The 501st Legion, also known as “Vader’s Fist,” was founded in 1997 by Albin Johnson out of a love of costuming, and it grew into an international non-profit that brings together a love of Star Wars, costume creation and charity work.

The mission statement of the 501st Legion says the organization’s goal is to promote interest in Star Wars, to facilitate the use of costumes and to “put its resources to good use through fundraising, charity work and volunteering.”

Some of the recent events they have participated in are fundraisers for veterans organizations and visiting children’s hospitals.

“Showing up for charity events gives publicity to say that Star Wars characters are going to be here,” Luke said.

He said they like to come out for anything that is a good cause, but that they never take money for appearances. They will ask for donations to go to different charities.

One of the tenants of the Legion is that members have to make their costumes.

Luke said that costumes have to be approved and that members strive for “screen accuracy.”

Luke has a custom TIE fighter pilot costume he said took him approximately six to eight months to complete. He is currently working on a stormtrooper costume that will take around the same amount of time. When not in costume, he’s an operating room manager with Tift Regional Medical Center.

Darth Vader and two TIE fighter pilots will be at the Healthy Kids Day.

Follow Eve Guevara on Twitter @EveGuevaraTTG.