For millions of people around the world, watching the iconic Rose Parade on television is an annual New Year's Day tradition. Is seeing the parade in person one of the items on your "bucket list"? You can create lifelong memories by traveling to Pasadena, California, later this year to not only watch the 2022 parade, but to serve as a volunteer helping decorate a float.
Registration is now open to serve as a Petal Pushers volunteer for the 2022 parade. The Petal Pushers, a group of thousands of volunteers who decorate the Lutheran Hour Ministries (LHM) float and several others each year, will begin decorating floats on the three Saturdays prior to Christmas (Dec. 4, 11 and 18) and will then be working two shifts a day Dec. 26-31 until the floats are completed.
Individuals ages 13 and older are eligible to participate, making this a great opportunity for individuals, families, seniors, youth groups, fellowship groups, school classes, and Boy/Girl Scout troops. Volunteers spend the week between Christmas and New Year's attaching thousands of roses, carnations, lilies, mums, and other flowers, as well as natural materials such as seeds, coffee beans, and leaves, to create the majestic beauty and splendor of the floral floats traveling down Pasadena's Colorado Boulevard.
"Crew chiefs direct the volunteers who arrive daily and are ultimately responsible for making sure that their float is decorated correctly and completed on time," says Lynn Gast, Petal Pushers Chairman. "It takes around 5,000 eight-hour shifts to do the dry and floral work necessary to complete the floats, so people of all skill levels are needed. Crew chiefs assign the jobs and teach people what to do and how to do it."
Volunteers may work as little as one shift or as many as they want. Only about 40 individuals are needed for the LHM float, so the majority of Petal Pushers decorate other floats for the parade, which brings in funds to lower the cost of the LHM float.
"Working on a variety of floats allows our volunteers to work side-by-side with people from many different backgrounds, believers and non-believers alike, turning the week into one of the largest servant events in the country," says Dick Gast, Chairman of the LHM Float Committee. "It's an opportunity for many to make new friends, network, and share expressions of the faith that for them gives true meaning to this experience. Lynn and I are honored to be able to lead this multi-prong witnessing opportunity each year."
As a result of last year's postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 parade will feature all elements planned for 2021 under the theme of "Dream, Believe. Achieve.", including the LHM float entry, "Jesus Teaches." The LHM float is the only Christian float in each year's parade and carries on a mission of providing a Gospel witness to viewers everywhere, from along the parade route to televisions worldwide.
The LHM float is a self-funded project of the Lutheran Hour Ministries Float Committee and the Southern California District of the International Lutheran Laymen's League. The committee's ongoing work is funded primarily by generous donations from Christian friends and multiple fundraising activities and is not included in LHM's operating budget.
Visit petalpushers.org for more information about the Petal Pushers, or to register to decorate. Information can also be found on the site about the two tour options that the LHM Float Committee is sponsoring through Luther Tours.