Glendale Rose Float

By Dave G/ Weaver

For the first time in over 100 years, the City of Glendale did not have a float in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade. It was a shock to many people in Glendale. I hope that we will this coming year. It will all depend on the support of our community to make it happen. The city has earmarked $50,000 for the float. It's up to the public to provide another %50,000.

I was asked to join the Glendale Rose Float Association Board of Directors back in the early 90's. I asked what would be expected of me. They said they raised money for the Rose Float. I said I was not good at asking for money, but I could give of my time. I was accepted. I don't believe on being on a Board unless I give back to the Board in some capacity. In this case, I started, by giving of my time by going to Pasadena to decorate my first Rose Float. That was 21 years ago.

Back around 2001, when a new city council was considering eliminating the Rose Float from the budget, a compromise was reached when it was decided to ask the Glendale Rose Float Association to try and raise around half the cost.

That led me to create the Dreaming of Roses committee of the Rose Float Association. Over the eight years that it was held, the Rose Float Association was able to provide about half the cost of our floats with money raised from the Dreaming of Roses event. I stopped the event as we entered the Great Recession. Revenue in the bank of the Rose Float Association became depleted and they could not provide the funds. The city had to pick up the cost of the float. As you know, we made it through the 100th float. My colleagues would have no more of it. However, they were open to a new organization that would replace the Glendale Rose Float Association who dissolved. That new organization has the potential to raise revenue and I hope everyone will consider helping fund a float this year. The city has already pledged half of the cost to the float.

A whole new generation of student workers decorate our Rose Float. They will always remember what they did and will spread the word to future generations. Some 600 students work on the float every year, gaining service hours and gaining memories that will last a lifetime

We cannot afford to lose another piece of our heritage. This one piece of our heritage provides us with exposure to the world every New Years Day. It sells our city to the world and we should take pride in something that is so unique

Today, very few cities have an opportunity to enter a float in the Rose Parade. We should be one city that carries on that tradition for all cities and Glendale. We have been the second longest entry in Parade history, second only to the City of Los Angeles. What a tradition to continue into the century we live in today.