Drumbeat sounded for help on Rose Parade float entry

Volunteers play a big part in the construction of Burbank’s entries in the Rose Parade each year, and for the 126th Tournament of Roses, volunteers are a highlight of the float design, according to float organizers.

Named “Jungle Rescue,” the city’s float depicts a volunteer fire brigade made up of a gorilla, a giraffe and several monkeys working to extinguish a fire in a birdhouse atop a palm tree where a colorful toucan “mama bird” with curlers in her hair is in a panic.

“The jungle animals are volunteering to come together,” said Steve Edward, vice president of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Assn., referring to this year’s parade theme. “We try to take a little humorous take on the theme of ‘Inspiring Stories.’”

Ginny Barnett, the association’s president, said that one jungle volunteer in particular has a special distinction. The giraffe and fire chief is named for a longtime volunteer on the float effort who passed away this summer.

“We called him Oscar in memoriam for Oscar Wheeler,” Barnett said.

The float concept is the work of Bill and Carol Cotter of Granada Hills and Stacia Martin of Brea, who Edward said have submitted award-winning designs for past floats.

Their 2005 idea titled “Dinner’s on...FIRE!” won the Founder’s Trophy, a feat they repeated with 2008’s “Oktoberfest.” The three of them also came up with last year’s design for “Lights...Camera...Action!,” which won the Fantasy Trophy.

“Every float, so far — knock on wood — every float they’ve entered is an award-winning float,” Edward said.

He said this year’s float will feature tropical plants, including palm materials that will be used for monkey fur, to give it an authentic jungle look. Several of the characters will also have moving parts, including the howler monkey, who is sounding the alarm. His tail will spin like the crank on an old-fashioned siren.

Composer Timo Chen is creating the siren sound and other custom music for the float that Edward said is “picking up the jungle beat — a little bit of urgency there.”

The urgency is more than just a musical effect at this point, however. Edward said float construction is just “a little behind” where it should be at this point, with four more monkeys still to be built.

“We definitely need volunteers,” he said. “We’re desperate for volunteers.”

Hundreds of volunteers are needed during the coming weeks to help construct, decorate, and, after the parade and public display, take the float apart, Edward said.

Barnett said they need help combing out the palm-based monkey hair that’s “coming out the wazoo” at the Burbank Water and Power warehouse, where the float is being constructed.

The bulk of the work is being done officially during work parties from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturdays. Edward said, though, there is also a lot of work being done unofficially at other times to be ready for the Jan. 1 parade.

“One way or another, we will make our deadline,” he said.

Edward said the group plans to work Friday and Saturday during Thanksgiving weekend and “we’ll probably collapse on Sunday.”

For information about how to volunteer or submit a design for the 2016 Rose Parade, visit www.burbankrosefloat.com.