SMRFA: They Can Get by with a Little Help from Their Friends

By Arianna Locatell

-Photo Rendering Courtesy of SMRFA

With a short five months until the Tournament of Roses, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association faces some difficulties while diligently at work building the traditional Sierra Madre Rose Float.

Instilling a strong sense of community pride since 1917, Sierra Madre is famous for their homemade floats. As per local tradition, The Sierra Madre float is built every year in the Float Barn at Sierra Vista Park and is constructed entirely by volunteers. With numerous awards, including the Lathrop K. Leishman Award, the Princess’ Trophy and the Governor’s Trophy, the association’s creativity and dedication is certainly acknowledged.

Designed by Charles Meier, Sierra Madre’s 2013 parade entry, “The Sky’s the Limit,” will be the city’s 81st float. At 55 feet long, 18 feet wide and 32 feet tall, “The Sky’s the Limit” will be one of the largest floats the association has built. Decorated with a variety of organic materials including carnations, irises, and roses, the float will feature a large kite, boldly communicating that “The Sky’s the Limit” for anything one might wish to accomplish.

For the 2006-2011 parades, Sierra Madre’s current float designer, Charles Meier, designed six of the city’s award winning floats. After his success with the Sierra Madre floats, Meier started his own float-building company, Paradiso Parade Floats. Grateful for his success and experience with the Sierra Madre floats, Meier has returned this year, volunteering his time to design “The Sky’s the Limit.”

Surely, Sierra Madre is fortunate to collaborate with such a renowned designer, but much more than a masterful design and a pretty rendering is required for such a considerable project.

Every year, the Sierra Madre Rose Float Association funds and builds the float independently. One of the association’s key ways of fundraising is a letter of appeal that is sent out to the city’s households requesting a donation. Depending on the size of a float, the cost of such a project can range anywhere from $35,000 to $75,000. The estimated cost of “The Sky’s the Limit” is over $50,000, and the association still needs donations. Funding the float can be a difficult task for the association, but an equally great struggle lies with community involvement. Robert Young, the association’s president says, “everyone wants to see a beautiful float, but no one wants to build it”. The association is appreciative of Sierra Madre residents’ financial contributions, but that’s only half of the task. Sierra Madre has a population of 10,996, and the association has about 100 members; out of the 100 members, only 11 meet regularly to work on construction. Construction isn’t as efficient as it could be on account of a shortage of volunteers, and ironically, out of the volunteers they do have, most are not Sierra Madre residents. Association members attribute Sierra Madre locals’ lack of involvement to misconceptions about the float and to a general lack of awareness. The association’s volunteer coordinator states “few people in Sierra Madre understand how the float is built and how they can help.” Misconceptions about float production include: the idea that one must be a Sierra Madre resident to volunteer, construction begins in November, the float is funded by the city, one must know how to weld in order to participate in construction, and volunteers are only needed during the last week of December. All are false beliefs; in fact, anyone, from anywhere can volunteer, the float is funded by donations, people interested in participating don’t need a specific skill set, construction is a continuing process and the association needs help throughout the entire year. Kay Sappington, the director of decoration says “those who can’t give money can give time.” Anyone interested in learning how to weld has a great opportunity to do so by participating in float construction. Volunteers are also needed for sorting materials, grinding rice and hand-shaping pieces of metal. But for those who have neither money nor time, there are alternative ways of helping -the association can always use equipment. Food dehydrators, blenders, non steam irons and hair dryers would be welcome gifts that anyone can donate.

The Float Barn is open every Sunday from 11:00am to 5:00pm for construction, and the public is encouraged to stop by to volunteer, make a donation or learn about the float.

The Sierra Madre Rose Float Association has a great design for the 2013 float and they have a committed team of core volunteers. If the community makes a collective effort to get the project rolling, the sky really will be the limit for the success of this upcoming year’s float.

Learn more at: www.smrosefloat.org or email sierramadrevolunteers@yahoo.com

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