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For Adamses, it’s all roses right now

Fairmont residents Dave and Deb Adams will walk in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California, on New Year’s Day, alongside the float sponsored by the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs.

Since 1890, the Tournament of Roses has produced America’s New Year Celebration, bringing the traditions of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl game to Pasadena and the world.

Dave joined Odd Fellows when he was just 16. His lodge is No. 30, located in Winnebago. The women’s side of the organization is called the Rebekahs.

The Independent Order of the Odd Fellows aims to provide a framework that promotes personal and social development.

“They’re considered a fraternal organization and it’s based on the teaching of friendship, love and truth,” Dave said. “They do different projects and community service. It’s all under a wide scope of activities and purpose.”

An invite to walk in the parade went out to all Odd Fellows and Rebekahs in their individual chapter newsletters. Those who wanted to participate submitted applications. About 50 members of the group from all over the country are signed up to walk in the parade.

Dave and Deb first had the chance to help with the float back in 2011.

“I was Grand Master for Minnesota’s jurisdiction that year and thought it would be a fun opportunity,” Dave said. “It was fun and we said we should do it again someday.”

Dave said they met a lot of people and learned about the float process. They watched the parade from the grandstand that year. The opportunity to go back had not come again until this year.

“We submitted our applications in June and began a walking schedule to prepare for the 5.5-mile parade that could take as long as three hours,” Dave said. “We found out in August that we were selected to be walkers.”

Each walker is required to work on the float for at least two days, which Dave said is not be a problem because they wanted to help anyway.

As for decorating the float, as per tradition, the entire surface of a Rose Parade float must be covered in natural materials such as seeds, beans, grains, fruits, tree bark, or dried or fresh flowers. Any surface that appears to be painted actually has glue underneath and has then been dabbed with powdered, floral material.

The theme of the 2019 Rose Parade is “Melody of Life” and the Odd fellows and Rebekahs’ float will be titled “200 Years of Harmony” in celebration of the bicentennial of Odd Fellowship in North America.

According to oddfellows-rebekahs-rosefloat.org, the group’s float is viewed by about 700,000 people who line the 5.5-mile parade route, and by at least 70 million more via national and international television broadcasts.

Dave said their float has a budget of $115,000 and will have more than 6,000 roses on it. The couple have been in California this week working on the project.

“It’s just amazing,” Dave said. “You walk in and there’s just a flurry of activity. Everyone’s working to get their float finished before judging starts at 7 in the morning on the 31st.”

Each year, the Tournament of Roses selects three judges to grant float awards based on many criteria, including float design, floral presentation and entertainment value. The Tournament of Roses announces the award-winning floats on New Year’s Day prior to the parade.

The parade will be broadcast live on ABC and NBC beginning at 10 a.m. New Year’s Day.

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