I know what you’re thinking. You want to volunteer in your community, to be a good citizen, but you ALSO want to dress up in perhaps a mask or tights without your fellow volunteers judging your or edging slowly away to the other end of the senior center community room. Fortunately, there is a solution to these conflicting desires: The Capital City Super Squad.

According to the Super Squad’s FAQ, the Squad is, “is a volunteer organization of civic minded DC area citizens who perform public service in the guise of their own original superhero identities.” Is the superhero identity required? Oh yes. No mild-mannered newspaper reporters allowed. But fear not, if you earnestly desire to be a superhero but are stumped for a gimmick and a costume, that’s something the Squad can help you to formulate.

The Squad participates in such community outreach activities as passing out water during our recent heat wave (see video above) and cooperating with MPD to post  fliers to ask for leads in catching suspects or locating missing persons. So if your kung fu isn’t top-notch, you’ll still find plenty of heroic feats to accomplish.