Ian Mitchell King is a former military member who enjoys spending his time giving back to the local community. One of the many ways that he does this is by volunteering as an ambassador at the Rose Parade held in Pasadena, California every year. The parade celebrates the city and leads the way for the Rose Bowl Game featured later after. Read on to learn more as Mr. King discusses the Rose Parade and his role as a Rose Parade ambassador.
What is the Rose Parade
The Rose Parade has been a historic event in Pasadena for over 130 years. The parade is a five-mile-long venue that features amazing floral-decorated floats made solely out of flowers, choreographed marching bands, talented dance teams, and much much more. Ian Mitchell King says that the parade originally began as a way for Valley Hunt Club members to participate in decorating their buggies before heading out for a day of competition involving chariot races, foot races, jousting, and tug-of-war. Once the Rose Bowl was moved to Pasadena, the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl came to be synonymous with each other.
What is a Rose Parade Ambassador
The Rose Parade relies heavily on volunteers to make the parade come together. There are many volunteer roles that can be filled, including the Rose Parade Ambassadors. The primary role of a Rose Parade Ambassador is to recruit individuals to become involved in the Rose Parade, particularly the young. Ian Mitchell King explains that an ambassador works to find high school students who are interested in helping with the parade and then acting as a liaison between the volunteer students and Rose Parade officials.
The Importance of a Rose Parade Ambassador
Most of the people who help to create the floats, operate the floats, and participate in the parade are volunteers. Without the help and support of these people, there would be no parade. As such, an ambassador plays a key role in ensuring that there are enough people helping out at any given time to ensure the parade is successful. Without ambassadors, there may not be enough volunteers to pull off the making of the floats or to get the parade route set up and ready to go prior to parade day.
Ian Mitchell King continues to say that the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl are typically on January 1, but it can be held on January 2 when the first falls on a Sunday, as is the case this year. He loves his role as a Rose Parade Ambassador and loves being able to have a hand in making the parade come to life. If you have an interest in the parade, the organization that hosts both the parade and the football game, The Tournament of Roses, is always looking for volunteers. Reach out to them, just like Mr. King did, so you can find a way to get involved and help.
