Kiwanis kids help build Rose Parade floats

Young volunteers work on the Honda float developed by Phoenix Decorating Company at Rosemont Pavilion in Pasadena on Dec. 26. (Staff photo by Watchara Phomicinda)

The Kiwanis Club is counting on thousands of volunteers to help finish the floral floats for the Tournament of Roses parade on Jan. 2.

Dave Wallach, president of the Hacienda Heights club, has his hands full scheduling the volunteer workers. Wallach is also district chairman of the Kiwanis International Rose Float Committee.

"We'll be using 7,000 volunteers this year to work on the floats in Pasadena," Wallach said. "I've been working on the floats for 11 years and every year is a new challenge."

This year, Kiwanis International is sponsoring a float called Winter Wonderland. The beautiful entry features a snow white horse pulling a sleek sled.

"More than 90 percent of our volunteers are local high school and college students. The kids are fantastic; they really come through for us every year," the Kiwanis officer noted.

Volunteers spend eight-hour shifts working on 14 floats in the Rosemont Pavilion in Pasadena. The Rose Parade entries were designed by Phoenix Decorating Company.

In return for scheduling the volunteers, Phoenix gives Kiwanis International a discount on its float, Wallach said.

"We have the smallest floats at 35 feet and they still cost more than $167,000. Raising the money for our float is always a big challenge," he pointed out.

Somehow the international service organization manages to raise the money. Then the hard work of actually building the float begins.

"The week

after the parade, Phoenix will show us their designs for the next year," Wallach said. "The Rose Parade float has become our biggest service project of the year."

More than 6,000 students from local high schools will work on the beautiful floats. They come from all around Los Angeles, including Los Altos, La Puente, Wilson, Rowland, Walnut and Diamond Bar high schools.

Many of the teens belong to the Key Clubs and Kiwin's groups sponsored by the Kiwanis in our local schools. Wallach will have up to 500 students working on a shift.

"We try to make it fun for the kids, who already enjoy each other's company," he said.

Some teens, like Los Altos senior Melissa Yang, have been decorating the brightly colored entries for years. This year, the vice president of the local Kiwin's will be riding on the Kiwanis float.

"I've been doing this for the past four years. I like gluing on the petals and seeds," the 17-year-old admitted. "I like watching the float come together from the scaffolding high above."

She feels the experience is good for her because she wants to study graphic design at Cal State Long Beach.

"I think it's a real honor to ride on the Kiwanis float. My sister Jennifer is excited about watching me in Rose Parade," Yang added.

Yang will join another local student, Bernadette Lim of Walnut. Lim goes to St. Lucy's Priory High School in Glendora. The teen is governor of Kiwin's.

Other riders include Rafaela Diaz, Miss Latina Global; Kiwanis International President Alan Penn, Special Olympics Scot Miller and 99-year-old Eleanor Landing.

In return for their hard work, the teens get lunch or dinner. One of their favorite dinners is the buffet catered by Casa Blanca Mexican Restaurant in Hacienda Heights.

"Everyone always asks what night they're catering, so they can sign up for that shift," Wallach laughed.

Volunteers have to cut the thousands of flowers and place each one in a vial of water. They won't place the live flowers on the floats until the last couple days.

"Many of the flowers are very delicate, so we can't put them on too early," Wallach explained.

But every inch of a Rose float has to be covered by organic material. The entries have been to be 75 percent complete for judging the day before.

"It's a lot of work every year, but I love it," the Kiwanis official concluded.

richard.irwin@sgvn.com

richirwinsgvn@twitter

626-962-8811, ext. 2801

Source: http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_19639504?source=rss_viewed

al mvp ama awards 2011 ama awards 2011 uekman uekman music awards music awards