Rotary's Float in Rose Bowl Parade

Every year for the past 37 years Rotary has had a float in the Rose Bowl Parade.  On January 2, 2017, the float was seen by an estimated 83 million people in more than 200 countries.  Rotary International President K.R. "Ravi" Ravindran rode on this year's float.  Although the float is not a project of Rotary International, the success of the float is a tribute to the dedication of the Rotary Rose parade Committee supported entirely by voluntary financial contributions from Rotary clubs across the United States and Canada.

 

The theme for this year's float was "Doing Good in the World" and was depicted by a friendly Dragon, named "Archie", that has the world at his feet.  The globe trotting "gentle" creature has eyes that blink and smoke that radiates from it's nose as it welcomes 2017 across the globe.  The dragon carries a 100 year medallion that hangs off its bit celebrating the Rotary Foundation's Centenial as the Dragon begins it's worldwide journey at Orange Grove and Colorado Blvd in Pasadena.  Archie is named after Arch C. Klumph, Rotary International President 1916-1917 who promoted the idea of creating a Rotary Foundation to promote the idea of "Doing good in the world".