VOLUNTEERS MAKE A ROSE PARADE FLOAT ROADWORTHY.Byline: Rachel Uranga Staff Writer BURBANK - At the age of 18, Ryan Babroff already has spent 13 years with floats on his mind. Proudly wearing the nickname ``Float monkey'' on his lapel patch, Babroff is among dozens of volunteers - many considering themselves part of a ``float'' family - who spend Saturdays working in a temporary tent outside Burbank Water and Power's city yard. Inside the ``float barn,'' the volunteers - working from what started as a black-and-white picture - are creating a hulking hulk·ing also hulk·y adj. Unwieldy or bulky; massive. hulking Adjective big and ungainly Adj. 1. , 40-foot-long animated float made of steel, foam and blossoms for the Tournament of Roses Parade The Tournament of Roses Parade was established, and first held, on January 1,1890, in Pasadena, California, eight miles (13 km) northeast of Downtown Los Angeles. Rooted in tradition, this parade is broadcast on multiple television networks, watched by upwards of one on New Year's Day New Year's Day, among ancient peoples the first day of the year frequently corresponded to the vernal or autumnal equinox, or to the summer or winter solstice. In the Middle Ages it was celebrated among Christians usually on Mar. 25. in Pasadena. ``It's really something special,'' Babroff said. ``There are people all over the world that will see what we have done.'' One of six cities and schools that create their own Rose Parade floats, Burbank doesn't rely on the professional builders that make elaborate floats for prestigious companies. Neighboring Glendale is among the cities that depend largely on professionals to assemble their annual Rose Parade entries. This year's ``A Mother's Love'' float, depicting a mother owl and two babies in keeping with the parades's Celebrating Family theme, is being assembled in Pasadena. Burbank, instead, counts on an army of volunteers. Many of them are the creative designers who make nearby movie studios' films look so real. Others are costume designers, sculptors, locksmiths and aerospace engineers. Some are still on their first set of teeth. And others are earning community service hours for school. For a core group, the endeavor has become almost a way of life. ``It's either you get hooked or you walk away,'' said Teri Bastian, president of the Burbank Tournament of Roses Association. The year-round association, which begins cutting up and pulverizing dry flowers in August, runs on a nearly $100,000 operating budget Noun 1. operating budget - a budget for current expenses as distinct from financial transactions or permanent improvements budget items, operating cost, operating expense, overhead - the expense of maintaining property (e.g. , most provided by the city. By New Year's Eve, dozens of volunteers will have brushed, cut, chopped and glued hundreds of pounds of cocoa palm fiber, yellow strawflower strawflower, garden annual (Helichrysum bracteatum) of the family Asteraceae (aster family), a favorite as an everlasting but also grown for its fresh flowers. The plant is native to Australia. , orchids, mums, roses and other blossoms for ``Dinner's on ... Fire!'' a celebration of the tradition of backyard barbecues including the merriment and mishaps. All made up in butterscotch but·ter·scotch n. 1. A syrup, sauce, candy, or flavoring made by melting butter and brown sugar together. 2. A golden or tawny brown. mums, a perturbed per·turb tr.v. per·turbed, per·turb·ing, per·turbs 1. To disturb greatly; make uneasy or anxious. 2. To throw into great confusion. 3. mama bear puts out the fire that a distracted papa bear let run amok Amok (ā`mŏk), in the Bible, post-Exilic Jewish family. because of a pesky bee. ``I had no idea how fun this would be,'' said Sarah Rawlings, a 6-year- old who came with her Brownie troop. Her job was taking mustard-yellow strawflower petals and turning them into a powdery pow·der·y adj. 1. Composed of or similar to powder. 2. Dusted or covered with or as if with powder. 3. Easily made into powder; friable. Adj. 1. substance that will color a swimming pool where the baby bear will sit. Sarah felt so inspired by her task that she drew a float of her own. ``We wake up every New Year's to watch this (parade),'' said her mother, Mary Rawlings. ``It's neat to be a part of this.'' Rachel Uranga, (818) 713-3741 rachel.uranga(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO --Volunteers are needed from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Saturday through Dec. 18 and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day from Dec. 26-29. The Float Barn is at Burbank Water and Power, 320 N. Lake St. Children must be 5 or older, and those under 14 must be accompanied by an adult. Those ages 15 to 18 need a release form from a parent or guardian. For information, call (818) 840-0060 or go online to: www.burbankrosefloat.com. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) Volunteers Burt Ballard, above and Oscar Wheeler work on one of the bears that will populate To plug in chips or components into a printed circuit board. A fully populated board is one that contains all the devices it can hold. Burbank's Tournament of Roses Parade float. (2) Vanuhi Nazarian, 16, and Arieneh Tahmasian, 17, volunteers from Burbank High School's Key Club, do some detail work on the Burbank entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade. Matthew Simmons/Special to the Daily News Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion