As part of the celebration for its 100-year anniversary, the Girl Scouts are building a special float for this year's Rose Parade and girls from one local troop have been helping put it together.
Before Christmas, the scouts worked cutting up flower petals and shredding coconut that will be placed on the float, as the entire surface must be covered using natural materials. They returned Tuesday, when they spent the day gluing black onion seeds to signs that will go on the float.
While it could be tedious work—it took them about four hours to cover one sign—Brianna Csellack, 11, who's helped decorate floats for three years now, said it was fun to do, plus they got to chat with friends while working.
Also, the girls even got to glue a few beans to the float itself.
"They put them in very specific places and said they're going to remember which beans were theirs," said troop leader Brenda Cusick, who also serves as the service unit manager for Moorpark.
The girls will join about 47 million Americans as well as millions of international viewers in 220 territories around the world in watching the parade on television Monday (that's right, this year the parade and bowl game takes place on Jan. 2). It's a new experience for Annika Merich, 11, who said she didn't really watch the parade until she started float building. Now, she said, she watches and feels proud when she sees the float on television.
Brooke Cusick, 11, who's also worked on floats for mulitiple years, agreed it's a good feeling to watch for the float she's worked on.
"It’s pretty amazing to see what you’ve done on TV," she said. "You get to say, 'I worked on that float; I did that part … you might not be able to see it, but it’s important to the judges.' "
Along with the special touches the girls applied to the float, Scout supporters are able to dedicate flowers to their favorite Girl Scouts. Flower dedications, which cost $5 each, can be made online on the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles website.
The parade, which takes place in Pasadena, will begin at 8 a.m. Monday and will last for about two hours. Attending the parade is free, unless you want grandstand tickets, which are available through Sharp Seating, which can be contacted at (626) 795-4171. The parade will also be broadcast live by eight networks: ABC, NBC, Hallmark Channel, HGTV, RFD-TV, Tribune, Univision, and Sky Link TV, according to the Tournament of Roses website.
