A special float celebrating the nursing profession will be among the glitz and glamour featured in the Rose Parade in Pasadena, Calif., on Jan. 1, 2013. The event marks both the first time a nurses' float has appeared in the parade, and the first time a nurse has served as president of the Tournament of Roses.
Sally Bixby, RN, CNOR, director of surgical services at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, Calif., has been named president for the 2012-13 term. This distinction makes Bixby the first nurse, and one of only two women in the parade's 124-year history, to serve as president.
Sally Bixby, RN, CNOR, director of surgical services at the City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, Calif., has been named president for the 2012-13 term. This distinction makes Bixby the first nurse, and one of only two women in the parade's 124-year history, to serve as president.
Continuing a Tradition
The Rose Parade has been a tradition every New Year's Day since 1890. When the parade debuted, 2,000 people were on hand to view the festivities. Today, more than 1 million spectators line the parade route, while an additional 400 million people in more than 100 countries watch it on television.
As a native of Pasadena, Bixby grew up watching the Rose Parade and began volunteering with the Tournament of Roses in 1989.
“My parents' home is at the end of the parade route, and watching the parade each year became a family tradition,” she says.
The Rose Parade has been a tradition every New Year's Day since 1890. When the parade debuted, 2,000 people were on hand to view the festivities. Today, more than 1 million spectators line the parade route, while an additional 400 million people in more than 100 countries watch it on television.
As a native of Pasadena, Bixby grew up watching the Rose Parade and began volunteering with the Tournament of Roses in 1989.
“My parents' home is at the end of the parade route, and watching the parade each year became a family tradition,” she says.
Celebrating Nurses
When a group of Southern California perioperative nurses learned Bixby would preside over the 2013 Tournament of Roses, they approached her with the idea of having a nurses' float in the parade.
“We thought this would be the perfect venue to celebrate nurses on an international stage and promote awareness about the many career opportunities in the nursing field,” says Suzanne Ward, RN, CNOR, one of five nurses who formed the nonprofit Bare Root, Inc. last year to raise funds to make the nursing float a reality.
Although the actual parade is a little more than four years away, the group has already started fundraising and recruiting volunteers to help decorate the float. An average float requires as many as 100,000 blossoms and can cost upward of $250,000.
Bare Root volunteers hope to raise $500,000 to create a float that will honor nurses from all specialty areas. The volunteers are actively seeking sponsors and inviting people to honor a nurse on their Web site, www.flowers4thefloat.org. On the Web site, one can make a $25 donation and send a special nurse an online “eBouquet” of flowers.
“Everyone has been touched in some way by a nurse,” Ward says. “We invite people to make a donation in honor or in memory of a nurse who touched their life.”
The group's fundraising efforts will continue through 2011. In 2012, the group members will start to meet with floral designers. Construction on the float will begin in the spring.
“The actual decorating of the float will begin in 2012, immediately after Thanksgiving,” Ward says. “We invite nurses who live in Southern California or who plan to visit the area to sign up to help us decorate the float so it will be ready on New Year's Day of 2013.”
When a group of Southern California perioperative nurses learned Bixby would preside over the 2013 Tournament of Roses, they approached her with the idea of having a nurses' float in the parade.
“We thought this would be the perfect venue to celebrate nurses on an international stage and promote awareness about the many career opportunities in the nursing field,” says Suzanne Ward, RN, CNOR, one of five nurses who formed the nonprofit Bare Root, Inc. last year to raise funds to make the nursing float a reality.
Although the actual parade is a little more than four years away, the group has already started fundraising and recruiting volunteers to help decorate the float. An average float requires as many as 100,000 blossoms and can cost upward of $250,000.
Bare Root volunteers hope to raise $500,000 to create a float that will honor nurses from all specialty areas. The volunteers are actively seeking sponsors and inviting people to honor a nurse on their Web site, www.flowers4thefloat.org. On the Web site, one can make a $25 donation and send a special nurse an online “eBouquet” of flowers.
“Everyone has been touched in some way by a nurse,” Ward says. “We invite people to make a donation in honor or in memory of a nurse who touched their life.”
The group's fundraising efforts will continue through 2011. In 2012, the group members will start to meet with floral designers. Construction on the float will begin in the spring.
“The actual decorating of the float will begin in 2012, immediately after Thanksgiving,” Ward says. “We invite nurses who live in Southern California or who plan to visit the area to sign up to help us decorate the float so it will be ready on New Year's Day of 2013.”
An Exciting Reign
Bixby began volunteering with the Tournament of Roses in 1989 and has steadily moved up the ranks. She attends meetings throughout the year to prepare for the annual event and will spend much of the 2012-13 year overseeing different committees and visiting all the bands that will participate in the parade.
“I got goose bumps when my colleagues first approached me with the idea of a nurses' float,” she says. “It will be exciting to end my reign as president with a float that celebrates a profession that has made such a difference in my own life and the lives of so many others.”
Bixby began volunteering with the Tournament of Roses in 1989 and has steadily moved up the ranks. She attends meetings throughout the year to prepare for the annual event and will spend much of the 2012-13 year overseeing different committees and visiting all the bands that will participate in the parade.
“I got goose bumps when my colleagues first approached me with the idea of a nurses' float,” she says. “It will be exciting to end my reign as president with a float that celebrates a profession that has made such a difference in my own life and the lives of so many others.”
Linda Childers is a freelance writer. To comment, e-mail editorCA@nurseweek.com.
