At 8:00 a.m. Pacific time on January 1, 2010 the 121st Tournament of Roses Parade kicks off in Pasadena, California! Donate Life will participate for the seventh time in the parade with a float to honor the generous donors and families who have changed lives with their gifts of organ donation.
The theme of the float is New Life Rises, beautifully symbolized by a 30-foot tall phoenix that soars above the 24 float riders, all individuals whose lives have been touched by organ donation.
The mythical firebird represents rebirth: the donors who give life in their death and the recipients whose lives are renewed by their gifts. The phoenix’s tail feathers are decorated with floragraphs of 76 organ donors and each portrait has been lovingly decorated by their relatives.
Donors across the US are also memorialized in the Family Circle Garden that leads the float and features 2000 roses dedicated to them. Each rose carries an individual and personal message, including those from Three Rivers’ Alex O’Loughlin and Carol Barbee. Alex is, of course, also a Donate Life ambassador.
The Tournament of Roses organization will award a Viewers’ Choice Trophy to the float that gets the most votes in an online poll on KTLA.com. A total of 41 float entries make up the Rose Parade. Please help bring the 2010 trophy to Donate Life by casting your vote for New Life Rises in recognition of the amazing team effort that went into creating the float. You can submit your vote between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. PST on January 1st.
The Rose Parade will be covered live by KTLA 5, starting at 6 a.m. and you will also be able to view the video on KTLA.com and the images of the floats.
Thank you and Happy New Year!
Sources: Donate Life Organ & Tissue Donation Blog, Donate Life Rose Parade Float, Alex O’Loughlin Fans for Donate Life America, KTLA.com
[tags]alex o’loughlin, alex o’lachlan, carol barbee, three rivers, cbs, donate life[/tags]
Thank you for the reminder mizzoH, thanks to Alex I registered myself as an organ donor and I contributed donating a rose in honor of Alex, he is truly an inspiration!
I plan on recording the parade so I can watch it later.
I’ve been listed on my drivers license since I got one but I should register online just to be sure. All of my family knows what I want and they have no issues with it.
Thanks Rad, Happy New Year to you too! I too will be watching the parade tomorrow and voting.
For those among us who are not yet an organ donor: PLEASE make it your New Year’s resolution to register!
Thank you MizzoH for posting and sharing this wonderful and inspiring article and information about the Rose Parade in honor of the donors and their families. I will vote and watch the Rose Parade on television on January 1, 2010. Happy and healthy new year to you, your family and all fans worldwide. Happy and healthy new year to Alex O’Loughlin for the most successful year ever on television and the big screen.