Volunteers put finishing touches on Rose Parade float
Beverly Meyer of Kansas City works on the Glendale float at Phoenix Decorating in Pasadena on Wednesday. The float is being built by volunteers from all over the nation.
It was crunch time in Pasadena on Wednesday for Glendale’s Rose Parade float entry as a large cluster of volunteers glued petals and painted away ahead of the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day.
Some, such as Sara Vogler, had more intricate tasks. She was using a thin brush to paint a small swirl design on the side of the float.
Vogler was visiting all the way from Allen, Texas, and decided to take her experience with the Rose Parade to the next level by becoming a volunteer.
“It’s amazing to me how many people come here every year and keep this a tradition … It’s a really powerful thing,” she said.
While she’ll be in Los Angeles on the day of the parade, she plans to show video clips of the Glendale float to friends and family after she returns home.
“I’m going to say, ‘See those swirls, I did those swirls,’” Vogler said.
Despite the big push by volunteers and the many hours it takes to get the frame of the float dolled up in countless flower petals, there was just as big an effort leading up to the assembly day.
The parade held last New Year’s Day was the first time in a century the city of Glendale didn’t have a float in the Rose Parade because of a lack of funding.
A one-time contribution from the City Council this year ensured there would be a 2016 entry, and the newly formed Glendale Rose Float Assn. has been given the task of fundraising for floats in future years.
Keith Sorem, the association’s president, said he’s happy the float is nearly done and spoke proudly of the design.
“I don’t think this is necessarily the biggest Glendale has ever gone with one of its floats, but it’s one of the largest in recent memory,” he said.
Glendale’s 2016 Rose Float entry is titled “Getting There is Half the Fun,” which features several modes of transportation, such as an airplane, train, classic car and bicycles. Some local landmarks such as the Larry Zarian Train Station are also part of the design.
Sorem he said he enjoyed the fact that many age groups were coming together to lend a hand.
The association has a goal of raising $50,000, and it’s two-thirds of the way there, he added.
Resident Vanessa Egan was standing at the rear of the float and painting a wall with brown paint made from cocoa and another ingredient she jokingly said she couldn’t pronounce.
It was her first time volunteering and one of the reasons she did was for a chance to work with her neighbors and meet some new friends, she said.
Aside from that, Egan said she can’t wait for the parade to air on TV.
“It’s a great sense of satisfaction when you see the float in the parade and you know you’re a part of it,” she said.
Egan said she would love to be back next year and said working with such strong glue to attach the petals made the whole effort seem like the ultimate arts-and-crafts project.
“It really is,” she said. “I know I can’t wait. My daughter is too young, but she’ll love this when she becomes old enough.”
The Glendale Rose float will return to the community and be on display from 8 to 10 a.m. Monday at the Alex Theatre, 216 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
