Culver City resident Kate Rosloff is a member of the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee. Pictured in the middle row with Rotarian leaders and dignitaries from the Tournament of Roses, she helped kick off the Rose Parade year by celebrating this year’s float, themed “All the Places We Go.” Placed number 17th in the line-up this coming New Year’s Day 2013 in the world-renowned Tournament of Roses Rose Parade in Pasadena, California will be a float to honor Rotarian’s international service. From delivering life saving polio vaccinations in India to ensuring clean water in Myanmar to building school’s for Uganda’s children, members of Rotary International travel the globe emulating their motto “Service above Self.” Organized by the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee, float participants this year will be chosen to recognize their outstanding volunteer service around the world promoting world understanding and peace and conducting humanitarian service.
Float riders this year include Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka from Japan. Joining him will be Rotarian Paul Geisel from Texas, whose late uncle Theodore (Dr. Seuss) Geisel authored “Oh, the Places You’ll Go” which is the basis for this year’s parade theme. In addition, retiring Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley will be another float rider.
The Float’s theme “All the Places We Go” emphasizes Rotary’s worldwide service. A central world globe represents the community and global service contributed by the Rotary International network of 1.2 million community volunteers worldwide. As the globe spins and gears turn, lotus and cherry blossoms and giant origami “Peace Cranes” will remind the millions of parade viewers around the world of Rotary International’s commitment to “Service about Self” while also reflecting Rotary International President Tanaka’s vision of “Peace through Service.” He said, “The concept of peace is one that differs among people and cultures. It may mean personal tranquility, happiness in the family, and a sense of inner contentment — or it may mean a situation of safety where basic human needs are met. However we define peace, it is a goal that can be achieved through service.”
For the past 34 years, Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee members have led volunteers to raise funds, choose a float design, choose riders and recruit 1,300 Rotary volunteers to decorate the float. The goal of the Committee is to promote Rotary International, its’ member Clubs and individual Rotarians by sending an annual message to a live audience of 700,000, a U.S. television audience of 40 million and an estimated 300 million worldwide viewers. Visit the website, www.rotaryfloat.org, for a picture of the float, background information on all the riders, construction photos, a list of float contributors and videos of past floats.
Rotary International is a global humanitarian organization with more than 1.2 million members in 34,000 Rotary clubs in over 200 countries and geographical areas. Rotarians are men and women who are business, professional and community leaders with a shared commitment to make the world a better place through humanitarian service. To learn more about Rotary International, visit their website at www.rotary.org
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