Sunrisers Help Decorate Rose Parade Float

Sunrise Rotarians burned the midnight oil on New Years Eve decorating the Rotary Rose Parade Float in Pasadena. Sunrisers Bill Abel, Chris Baxter, Judith McCaffrey (with Paul and Gina), Ole Peters and Karen Kawaguchi joined 38 fellow Rotarians from District 5240 decorating Rotary’s parade entry titled, “Inching Toward an End to Polio.”

Goleta Noontime Rotarian Walt Stephens organized the bus trip of 45 Rotarians mostly from Group 8. The trip included wine and snacks on the trip down, entry into the decorating area for the seven-hour shift (that became a nine-hour shift), Stephens-made gourmet soups, sandwiches and cheesecake for dinner, and champagne toast for the ride home.

Rotarian volunteers applied flowers and plant materials to the base of the float, flower decorations on the float, two butterflies, the book that the inchworm is holding, and the three signs that will adorn the float, “Rotary International” and “Inching Toward an End to Polio.” Former Sunrise Rotarian and Past President Sister Christine Bowman stopped by to help out and say hello. She’s now a member of the LA-5 Rotary Club.

Walt Stephens and DG Wade Nomura serve on the Rotary Rose Float Committee. Phoenix Decorating was the float company hired by Rotary, and Phoenix also designed and coordinated the floats for Microsoft, City of Hope, Donate Life, Honda, Trader Joe’s, Kiwanis, and others that were located in the same area.

I hope you saw Rotary’s float in the Tournament of Roses Parade on Monday, January 2 at 8 AM. Rotary’s entry is number 44.

Reported by Karen Kawaguchi.