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| Photo credit: Kimberly of Magical Memories with the Mouse |
Are you ready for some football?! Some inspiration as we charge into 2015? The Pasadena Tournament of Roses has been a New Year’s Day tradition for 126 years; an enduring pageant and kick-off to the yearly Rose Bowl Game. The theme of this year’s Rose Parade is “Inspiring Stories,” which most naturally lends itself to recognition of the 7,000 athletes who will participate in the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015. I applaud Kaiser Permanente for highlighting these athletes with their 2015 Rose Parade float entry: “Together We Thrive.” How right they are. See you in July Los Angeles!
PASADENA, Calif., December 17, 2014 — “Together We Thrive,” the title of Kaiser Permanente’s 2015 Rose Parade® float entry, celebrates the 7,000 international athletes who will take part in the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015 (LA2015) for nine days beginning July 25. As a Founding Champion and Official Health Partner, Kaiser Permanente is honored to dedicate their float to an organization that shares their commitment to diversity, inclusion and total health for individuals and communities.
Symbolic throughout its design, “Together We Thrive” is a floral salute to the 2015 World Games. The colorful float features a sculptured reproduction of the World Games torch, ablaze and sitting atop a rotating replica of the World Games logo. A rotating hexagon with eight magnificently detailed floral-graphs will serve as the floats central focal point. These inspiring photographic moments of past Special Olympics competitions were all taken by photographer Cory Hansen. On the sides of the float are reproductions of the emblematic gold, silver and bronze medals. A reproduction of the iconic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, the site for the World Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies, stands tall as the float’s backdrop.
Riding on this year’s float will be 1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and Founder of the Special Olympics Southern California, Rafer Johnson. He will be joined by 2015 World Games Global Messengers, Dustin Plunkett and Debi Anderson and 12 Kaiser Permanente members, including three Special Olympics Team USA athletes competing in the World Games: Swimmer Abby Reznek of Special Olympics Maryland; tennis player Julian Hall of Special Olympics Colorado; and swimmer Chris McElroy of Special Olympics Colorado. All of the riders will wear special edition eco-friendly outfits donated by Head To Toe, a sustainable apparel maker that uses recycled water bottles in designing its fabrics.
Walking alongside the float this year will be a group of Kaiser Permanente physicians and health care providers who have been active supporters of the Special Olympics and represent the more than 400 volunteer physicians and staff who will be providing care to the athletes at the seven venues of the 2015 World Games. The group will be led by Aaron Rubin, MD, and Thad Woodward, MD, who are coordinating all of the medical services that Kaiser Permanente will be donating during the World Games 2015. Edward M. Ellison, MD, executive medical director for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, and member of the Special Olympics LA2015 board of directors, will also be walking with the group along the parade route.
“Kaiser Permanente is honored to help bring the Special Olympics World Games to Los Angeles in 2015,” said Dr. Ellison. “Our float will raise awareness of the 2015 World Games and the Special Olympics mission to promote acceptance and inclusion for those with intellectual disabilities by demonstrating and celebrating the joy, courage and determination of these remarkable athletes. It is our privilege to provide them with high-quality medical care while they are here.”
“We continue to be inspired by the generous contributions of our corporate partners, including Kaiser Permanente,” said Patrick McClenahan, President and Chief Executive Officer of LA2015. “This program celebrates Special Olympics athletes in a very visual way and advances our mission to create the awareness that leads to acceptance and inclusion of all people with intellectual disabilities with a worldwide audience.”
“Inspiring Stories,” the theme of the 126th Rose Parade, marks Kaiser Permanente’s 10th float entry. Designed and built by Fiesta Parade Floats, the Kaiser Permanente entries have received an award every year, including: Theme Trophy for excellence in presenting the parade theme (2013); Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy for the most beautiful float entry from a non-commercial sponsor (2012, 2014); Director’s Trophy for most artistic merit in design and floral presentation (2011, 2008, 2006); Extraordinaire Trophy for the “most spectacular” float longer than 55 feet (2010); Tournament Special Trophy for exceptional merit in multiple classifications (2009); and President’s Trophy for most effective floral use and presentation (2007).
For additional information about the 2015 Rose Parade, please visit the Tournament of Roses website. For more information about the Kaiser Permanente Rose Parade Float, “Together We Thrive,” please follow us on Facebook and Twitter. For more information about how to volunteer or support the Special Olympics World Games 2015, please visit www.LA2015.org.
About the Special Olympics World Games Los Angeles 2015
With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games – being staged in Los Angeles July 25 – August 2, 2015 – will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games, with the unparalleled spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill that are hallmarks of all Special Olympics events, will feature 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. The Opening Ceremony, to be held July 25, 2015 in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, is expected to attract 80,000 spectators. On April 30, 2014, LA2015 and ESPN announced a global programming deal that will see ESPN bring coverage of World Games to millions of fans around the world. Honorary Chairs of the Games are President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Jerry Brown serving as Honorary Hosts. Current Founding Champions and sponsors include The Coca-Cola Company, Mattel, Deloitte, Toyota, Bank of America, OUE, Kaiser Permanente, Davis Elen Advertising, Microsoft, AEG, David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, The Walt Disney Company, Panda Express, and Knights of Columbus. LA2015, the Games Organizing Committee, is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information on the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.LA2015.org and on social with #ReachUpLA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
With 7,000 athletes and 3,000 coaches representing 177 countries, along with 30,000 volunteers and an anticipated 500,000 spectators, the 2015 Special Olympics World Games – being staged in Los Angeles July 25 – August 2, 2015 – will be the largest sports and humanitarian event anywhere in the world in 2015, and the single biggest event in Los Angeles since the 1984 Olympic Games. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games, with the unparalleled spirit, enthusiasm, teamwork, joy and displays of courage and skill that are hallmarks of all Special Olympics events, will feature 25 Olympic-style sports in venues throughout the Los Angeles region. The Opening Ceremony, to be held July 25, 2015 in the historic Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, site of the 1932 and 1984 Olympic Games, is expected to attract 80,000 spectators. On April 30, 2014, LA2015 and ESPN announced a global programming deal that will see ESPN bring coverage of World Games to millions of fans around the world. Honorary Chairs of the Games are President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama, with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and California Governor Jerry Brown serving as Honorary Hosts. Current Founding Champions and sponsors include The Coca-Cola Company, Mattel, Deloitte, Toyota, Bank of America, OUE, Kaiser Permanente, Davis Elen Advertising, Microsoft, AEG, David Geffen, Steven Spielberg and his wife Kate Capshaw, The Walt Disney Company, Panda Express, and Knights of Columbus. LA2015, the Games Organizing Committee, is a recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. For more information on the 2015 Special Olympics World Games, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, visit www.LA2015.org and on social with #ReachUpLA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Thank you Kimberly for photos straight from the Rose Parade:
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| Photo credit: Kimberly of Magical Memories with the Mouse |
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| Photo credit: Kimberly of Magical Memories with the Mouse |
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| Photo credit: Kimberly of Magical Memories with the Mouse |
Read more about my own Special Olympics journey:
4 Simple ways to Support the 2014 Special Olympics USA Games
Special Olympics and P&G Say Thank You Mom
10 Simple Ways to Support the Special Olympics
Top 10 Highlights and Lessons From the Special Olympics World Games
What a wonderful theme for the parade! I sure would love to see it in person one day.
Me too! This was a special tribute year, but the temps were CHIILY. I was so lucky to have a pal on the ground!
What a beautiful float and theme! It's wonderful that ESPN will be showing the games this year!
Isn't it? The Disney Company is really bumping their profile, and we're so grateful!
Wow! That float looks incredible! What a great tribute to these amazing athletes!
It really was the most perfect kick-off to the World Games in LA this summer!
That is definitely on my bucket list, seeing the Rose Parade. The float looks so beautiful in the pictures above. I think it's great they are getting the recognition they deserve.
I've seen the Rose Bowl venue from the outside- hope to get inside one day!
What a beautiful way to honor some amazing athletes. This year's parade was breathtaking. I'm always so amazing at how they construct the floats solely out of natural materials.
Isn't that a remarkable tradition Lisa? I'm so excited for the athletes who were chosen to march and marshall!
This is awesome! I didn't realize ESPN would cover these games! What amazing floats to honor these athletes. Hopefully one day I'll see this in person! 🙂
I applaud Disney and ESPN for this new partnership!
What an amazing way to honor these athletes, I love it!
I couldn't agree more Beth- another example of the power of one!
I love this place. I had an event here back in May last year and I felt like it was a perfect day for us! The NY events venue provides you with an event Specialist as part of your package which is extremely helpful. Plus all of us dressed up only added to the entire ambience.