The Laker/Lutz News

Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

Special to The Laker/Lutz News

Welcoming in 2015 at Rainbow Village

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The greatest way to bring in the New Year at Rainbow Village was to attend the New Year’s Eve dance.

Travis Golden furnished the music and did a great job of getting everybody out on the dance floor. He had special dances for line dancing, the chicken dance, train dance, slow, fast, twist — you name it, and he made it happen.

Residents of Rainbow Village ring in the New Year. (Courtesy of Sandra Gilbert-Abel)
Residents of Rainbow Village ring in the New Year.
(Courtesy of Sandra Gilbert-Abel)

He even played a game with several residents and it was so funny watching them trying to get a ball attached to a string into a pouch that was tied to their waist.

He handed out glow rings to most of the ladies, and it looked so cool when dancing to see all the rings glowing.

Linda and Dick Luce were in charge of the dance and did a great job.

We also bring in the New Year with our good luck traditions.

In Pennsylvania, we have pork and sauerkraut to bring good luck in the New Year.

In the South, they have hog jaws, collard greens and black-eye peas.

We have several residents that grew up in Holland, and their mothers or grandmothers would fry up balls filled with fruit and nuts. This would be like doughnuts to us.

I also talked to Canadians, and they said that their grandparents would have a big duck or goose dinner to celebrate the holiday.

It is interesting to listen to people from different parts of country share their family traditions.

After New Year’s Day, many new and old residents arrive at Rainbow Village to begin a new season with activities that they can enjoy.  You can be as busy as you want or just relax and enjoy Florida.

Rainbow Village had a special get-together for all the new campers, and they are presented with a bag full of information about our resort and all the activities that our resort has to offer them.

Members of our association, pastor, security and management explained in more detail what they have to offer the new campers and new owners of units. There also was time for new residents to present their questions about the resort.

Pictures were taken of each couple and persons to be put on our directory board in the main hall.  Cookies and coffee were served.

We are always glad to welcome new residents to our resort.

We are looking forward to our big yard sale on Jan. 16 from 8 a.m. to noon. All are welcome to come to the yard sale.

Happy New Year to all from Rainbow Village Resort!

By Sandra Gilbert-Abel

Published January 14, 2015

Gem Estates residents showcase their Christmas spirit

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Holiday plans were in full swing at Gem Estates.

The Christmas displays and lights show the Christmas spirit some of us have. We really should bring back judging of the decorations here in the park like we had several years ago when we brought in some outsiders to be judges.

June and Ron Burgard are all decked out for the lighted Christmas parade in Gem Estates. (Courtesy of Lee Heffelfinger)
June and Ron Burgard are all decked out for the lighted Christmas parade in Gem Estates.
(Courtesy of Lee Heffelfinger)

Marilyn Gober always has a beautifully decorated house, and it’s amazing how Wayne Macomber strings lights up on that high pole. Tell us your secret, Wayne.

The lighted golf cart and bicycle parade was a terrific success. Didn’t foresee all the ideas people had for decorating. Tom Greenwood even had a lighted Christmas tree on top of his golf cart, and the little sled on wheels that Gary Coons had attached and pulled by his bicycle was too cute.

So many great ideas. At least 40 golf carts and a dozen bicycles were worthy of lots of pictures and compliments.

Plus the dogs. We had some of the cutest dogs dressed up with their holiday finery. That’s another idea for a contest.

Our coffee and doughnut socials had come to an apparent halt due to our socials being on Thursday morning — as does Christmas and New Year this year — but we always accomplished a lot when we do get together.

So many of the residents have had the “crud,” which is our version of the cold, flu or allergies. Get well prayers were said for Richard Wright, Ernest and Beverly Martin, Bill and Linda Files, John Phillips, Pat Heister, Neva Roy, Randall Smith, and Betty Wilson. Betty happens to be our oldest resident in our park, and is now in rehab, wanting to come home.

We really hope everyone is on the road to recovery because anytime is not good to be sick, but over the holidays it’s worse.

Several people were taken to the hospital on Christmas Day, including Jean Winkleman, Esther Scott and Audrey Greene.

We celebrated several anniversaries in December, including Bill and Tess Stacy, Tom and Barbara Clevenger (48 years), and Randall and Lee Smith (67 years). Randall has recently come home after being in rehab.

Our park-wide sale usually scheduled for the first Saturday of the New Year was rescheduled for Dec. 13. Not usually as productive as normal, but you never know the end result unless you try it. Hopefully next year it will be at the usual time.

Our clubhouse yard sale is scheduled for Jan. 17, and Loretta Green is once again heading this project and announced she needs volunteers to help price, display and sell the goodies you have to donate.

The lunch she is planning sounds like it consists of some good food. So come out, donate and support the clubhouse yard sale.

Sandy Mann is currently working on collecting dues and also constructing our new telephone directory. She has informed all to make any changes or corrections now, before the directory goes to print.

Jim Nagle and his breakfast crew put on a pancake supper and served at least 110 people. Jim also is working on the renovation for our upgraded kitchen, which includes a new sink, countertops and stove, and we certainly will meet health inspection standards.

Our new addition to the clubhouse has met building inspection approval, and will provide us with extra storage and office-like storage for club records and equipment, plus small groups can have a more private area for meetings.

Birthdays for the month of December were Al Bennett, Carolyn Mayer, Ernest Martin, Wayne Macomber, Richard Burgess, Brent Slipp, Walter Kissel, John Szilagyi, Bruce Hudson, Carolyn Babbitt, Bill Temple, Russ Heffelfinger, Tom Galvani and Opal Armstrong. Happy Birthday to all.

Mary Kay Lynch informed us that bingo will begin the second Wednesday of January. Be sure to put this bingo night on your calendar every Wednesday night starting Jan. 14.

Many people enjoyed the wonderful Christmas dinner cooked and served by so many of our volunteers. Al Bennett and wife Deanie were instrumental in ensuring our residents a good home-cooked Christmas dinner. Plus Al says there always is plenty of good help available.

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday and happy New Year.

By Lee Heffelfinger

Published January 7, 2015

Santa Claus and Johnny Ellis come to Grand Horizons

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December continued with many celebrations and a show to beat all shows.

Approximately 70 people attended the lunch connoisseurs Dec. 12 at DiMaggio’s That’s Amore restaurant in Zephyrhills. The lunch, hosted by Ron and Joyce Bell, closed the restaurant to other customers. Ron and Joyce did an excellent job of planning. We had the complete restaurant to ourselves and were treated like royalty.

Colleen Crandall, left, and Anne Simmons can’t resist a visit with Santa. (Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)
Colleen Crandall, left, and Anne Simmons can’t resist a visit with Santa.
(Courtesy of Marty Rubenstein)

Lunch was started with each table getting some garlic bread, along with an Italian appetizer plate with cheese and pepperoni. We had a lunch that was superb.

The restaurant also had a spread of several desserts to end the meal. On the table that featured the desserts were all types of fancy cookies, cannoli, chocolates, peanut butter cups, cupcakes that were decorated nicely, and a delicious cake.

Everyone went home content and saying, “Dinner? Forget it.”

During the week we had our regular activities such as dominoes, shuffleboard, euchre, pinochle, bingo and more. We sure kept busy, and time just flew by.

Some 115 people at the community center enjoyed a Christmas show Dec. 20 performed by Johnny Ellis. Chester Cutshall joined him, playing the steel pedal guitar, and did a fabulous job of it. Chester has played with several major performers during his career, and the music he plays is quite good.

Along with Johnny was Sue Hovious. She has quite a voice and her antics were great.

Chester and Johnny were both wearing Santa hats, which added to the show and made it quite festive. The performance was done on a stage that had gold, red and silver tinsel in the background. It was a great Christmas show.

When we first entered the community center, each woman received a raffle ticket for later in the evening. Then Johnny, who donned his Christmas hat and red vest, sang one Christmas hit after another, plus other songs. He performed such hits as “Pretty Papers,” “Christmas in Dixie,” “Heartaches by the Number” and “You Are Always on My Mind.”

Sue sang several songs alone and several duets with Johnny. A couple of the songs that she performed were “Crazy” and “I Fall to Pieces.” She did a fantastic job.

Another song Sue did was “Rocking Around the Christmas Tree,” with a few cute dance steps and wearing a Santa hat along with a red dress and red earrings. She also did a good job on “Satin Sheets.”

When the two of them sang together, it was done to perfection and people were swinging and clapping from their seats. The very first hit they did together was “I Told You So.” This song was done perfectly, and it was a fantastic job with the antics of when Randy Travis and Carrie Underwood sang it together.

Then the two of them followed with an unbelievable job of “Jackson” that was originally performed by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash.

There were several surprises at the show, the first being when Sue came on the stage with rollers in her hair, two reindeer on her head, dressed in a white shirt and red capris, and wearing a necklace of red peppers and a bracelet, singing a Patsy Cline hit “She’s Got You.”

While singing this song, she pulled out shorts, a picture, a ring and more. This was hilarious.

The second surprise came soon after when Johnny and Sue were performing the song “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” During the song, Santa came into the community center. He shook hands with a good many of the audience members and stayed during the break to take some pictures with some of the people.

This was a genuine surprise, and it definitely made the show more interesting.

The third surprise of the evening came as Loris Weber, a resident of our park, joined Johnny to sing “O Holy Night.”

The show ended with everyone singing “Silent Night.”

By Helene Rubenstein

Published January 7, 2015

Kicking off 2015 at Palm View Gardens

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The Christmas dance was on Dec. 18. Karl Sapp provided the music.

Many people attended and had a great time with a wide variety of dances. Those attending looked festive in their holiday attire.

Festively dressed holiday award winners gather near the Christmas tree. (Courtesy of Millie LeBaron)
Festively dressed holiday award winners gather near the Christmas tree.
(Courtesy of Millie LeBaron)

Another seasonal tradition for Palm View Gardens is the Christmas parade, composed of decorated golf carts, bicycles and motorcycles. The first unit leading the parade was a truck loaded with musicians that provided holiday music. Ken Irwin, Lou King, and Ted Cotes sang and played.

Don and Shirley Cutler, our reigning king and queen, followed that entry, joining more than 50 participating units in all.

After the parade, everyone went to the clubhouse for delicious ice cream sundaes followed by joyous Christmas caroling. Norm Reid played the accordion.

There was a contest to pick the streets with the best decorations in Palm View Gardens, which was won by Palm View Drive. This street gets recognized with a plaque on the street sign. Ray and Kay Cutler won the award for best decorated home.

Luminaries lit our park on Christmas Eve. Thank you to Brenda and Walt Brown for distributing the luminaries.

Christmas dinner was at the clubhouse. Nearly 200 people shared in the holiday feast. Guests were entertained by a poem recited by Clarence Haycock. Dessert was enjoyed that evening.

Gloria Irwin presented participation awards to all the people that contributed to all the activities in the park. Millie LeBaron was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation for handling the Toys For Tots collection as well as collecting for the family of a Palm View Gardens’ employee who is battling cancer. Residents of the park were very generous in providing many gifts for the family as well as a large sum of money.

Destiny, a musical duet, also provided a Christmas show at Palm View Gardens. Thank you to Bonnie Pratt.

Everyone was excited for the New Year’s Eve celebration. Entertainment chairperson, Chuck Gould, had arranged for his band, The Coachmen, to travel from Illinois for the entertainment. They have performed together for many years travelling around the country.  Noisemakers, snacks and champagne were provided.

What a way to kick off 2015!

By Millie LeBaron

Published January 7, 2015

Lighting the way at Christmas

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One warm night, I walked around our resort and took many pictures of all the Christmas decorated homes. This year we had many homes that were decorated. It would be hard to pick a winner this year. It really looked like Christmas!

Harry Hersey and his helpers cooked up a festive ham for Christmas dinner. (Courtesy of Sandra Gilbert-Abel)
Harry Hersey and his helpers cooked up a festive ham for Christmas dinner.
(Courtesy of Sandra Gilbert-Abel)

We had our annual Evie’s Christmas Tea and Nancy Newton and her committee did a great job of entertaining the ladies at our resort. The ladies wore hats to the tea, and there were some beautiful ones and some unusual ones. Tea and cookies were served.

Rosie Meyers was in charge of the entertainment, and she presented the six great men’s aquatic swim team that had us all laughing with their antics.

Another act was a group of senior ladies from a nursing home who performed their dance moves. They called themselves the Fast and Furious dancing girls.

We also collected money for the cancer society and items for the pregnancy center. Thank you, Nancy Newton and Rosie Meyers, for a great day.

Luminaries were placed at each home to be lit on Christmas Eve. Rich Abbott and his helpers completed this annual event. Looking up and down the streets when the luminaries were lit was a sight to behold.  Thank you, Rich.

Residents started arriving for our Christmas Eve service between the rain showers. I think the rain kept many away from attending the service.

The service celebrating the birth of Jesus was beautifully presented by Jeannie and Mick Liggett, who portrayed Mary and Joseph with baby Jesus laying in a manger. The beautiful voices of Laureen Hutt and Linda Swinaker playing their guitars led us all in the carols that we sang between Pastor Jim Austin reading of the savior’s birth. We closed the service singing “Silent Night.”

A big thank you too who helped to put on our Christmas Eve service.

The tables were very festive, decorated with snowmen, flowers, candles and other Christmas decorations, for our Christmas dinner. Most tables had 12 to 14 persons, and this seems like our Christmas with friends since we are away from our family for Christmas. Our association provided the ham and each person brought a covered dish to share for the table that they were sitting. A big thank you to Harry Hersey and his committee for preparing the delicious ham.

We tried to go Christmas caroling on Christmas Eve, but the weather didn’t cooperate, so we decided to do it on Christmas night. With Santa hats and songbooks in hand, we traveled up and down the streets sitting on the back of the trailer pulled by the company truck driven by Delmar Baker.

We sang Christmas carols and wished all those along the streets a Merry Christmas. A thank you to Sandy Gilbert-Abel for organizing this event.

Rainbow Village residents were very generous this season for Toys For Tots. We purchased 18 bikes and helmets to present to them. We also had lots of toys for the children in Zephyrhills. So many needy children in Zephyrhills were blessed with these many gifts.

This is what the Christmas season is about, blessing others that are in need. The real reason is the birthday of our Lord.

Now that the year is coming to an end and a new year will begin, we wish you all a blessed Happy New Year.

By Sandra Gilbert-Abel

Published January 7, 2015

Sometimes the best gifts come in camouflage

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For three unsuspecting siblings attending Saint Anthony School in San Antonio, a student assembly marking an early start for Christmas break on Dec. 19 was more than it seemed.

It actually was cover for a carefully orchestrated holiday surprise: The return of their father, U.S. Army Col. Peter Quinn.

U.S. Army Col. Peter Quinn returns from deployment in Afghanistan just in time for the holidays, surprising his children on stage in front of 200 classmates at Saint Anthony School in San Antonio. The officer’s wife Kelly, left, joins him along with two of his children: Gabriel, 13, and Grace, 11. (Courtesy of Bryant L. Griffin)
U.S. Army Col. Peter Quinn returns from deployment in Afghanistan just in time for the holidays, surprising his children on stage in front of 200 classmates at Saint Anthony School in San Antonio. The officer’s wife Kelly, left, joins him along with two of his children: Gabriel, 13, and Grace, 11.
(Courtesy of Bryant L. Griffin)

Quinn, who just returned from Bagram, Afghanistan for a two-week leave, was determined to give his children a present they wouldn’t forget, especially since the deployment — his second to the region — resulted in nearly a year of separation from his Wesley Chapel family.

Working with the Army Intelligence and Security Command in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, Quinn currently serves as a senior contracting officer’s representative providing linguistic support to U.S. forces in Afghanistan. His deployment ends next May, when he plans to return stateside and retire from the Army after 30 years of service.

His secretive homecoming came together with help from his wife Kelly, and the school.

“When I cooked up this idea several months ago and presented it to Kelly, she said, ‘You’re crazy,’” Peter Quinn said. “I said, ‘We could make this happen. We can make one of those special moments for Saint Anthony’s.

“I wanted to do something special for my kids. Every military dad wants to do that.”

However, meeting the surprise’s tight schedule after 20 hours of flying during two days of transit was tricky. His 10:30 a.m. Tampa arrival only allowed him a little more than an hour to reach the school.

The students assembled in the school’s parish center were set to head home at noon after prayers and announcements. Like Peter Quinn’s children, the students also were unaware of his imminent homecoming.

“I was a little bit worried because I almost missed my connecting flight,” Quinn said. “I was five minutes out from it taking off. I was running to my gate … because I wasn’t going to miss this.”

His children — Grace, 11; Faith, 11; and Gabriel 13 — were seated amongst their 200 classmates when Quinn, dressed in his camouflage duty uniform, suddenly emerged from the curtained stage. The reveal left them stunned.

Quinn, bearing the widest of grins, met their dash to the stage with a long-awaited embrace. The hugs were prolonged and repeated as cheers and applause quickly swept through the assembled students.

“It’s just really exciting,” said Fran Shiver, a Zephyrhills parent of a fourth-grade daughter at the school. “I think it’s something that just goes back to family. It’s so exciting to see the smiles on the kids’ faces. We really appreciate his service.”

For the school’s principal, Sister Alice Ottapurackal, the homecoming represents the very heart of Saint Anthony.

“We’re grateful that he is safe and coming back to us,” Ottapurackal said. “We do pray every day for him, and all the military people who are serving the country.

“We’re like a family, so we’re truly excited to see the children’s expressions.”

Indeed, as the hugs and tears continued before the school’s students, Quinn couldn’t have imagined a more poignant homecoming.

“This is the longest time we have been apart,” he said. “And they have been doing great helping mom out, and great in school. They have been a true blessing.”

Kelly Quinn couldn’t agree more.

“I just stood back there and I just wanted to see their reaction,” she said. “It was awesome.”

By Bryant L. Griffin

Published January 7, 2015

Bondi asks court to clarify same-sex marriage ruling

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Saying she’s trying to correct the exact situation she originally tried to avoid, state attorney general Pam Bondi is asking U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle to clarify his August ruling that some say would make Florida the 36th state to allow same-sex marriage.

Both sides of the controversial issue are battling over what appears to be ambiguity in Hinkle’s ruling, which ordered a Panhandle county clerk to issue a same-sex marriage certificate following one of several cases making their way through the court. Bondi and a vast majority of the county clerks — including Pasco County’s Paula O’Neil — have said they will not begin issuing licenses the day after the stay is lifted Jan. 5, claiming it’s unclear if the ruling affects them, or just Washington County, which was originally sued.

“Due to this legal uncertainty, our clerk … has been advised by the Florida Court Clerks & Comptroller’s association and its legal counsel to refrain from issuing same-sex marriage licenses without a binding order issued by a court of proper jurisdiction,” O’Neil spokeswoman Debbie Gay said in a statement last week.

However, same-sex marriage proponents claim county clerks like O’Neil could be in legal trouble if they refuse to start issuing marriage certificates next week.

“Any Florida clerk who refuses to follow the Constitution’s command, and who withholds marriage licenses from couples once the stay expires, is on the wrong side of history, and the wrong side of the law,” said Shannon Minter, legal director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights, in a statement through the gay rights advocacy group Equality Florida. “There is one Constitution, Florida is one state, and all Floridians are entitled to equal treatment throughout the state.”

In a motion filed Monday with Hinkle’s court, Bondi looked for the judge to clarify the ruling.

“The widespread confusion that now exists, as evidenced by multiple media reports, is precisely what the attorney general’s office sought to avoid while seeking a stay pending final resolution in favor of either side of the issue,” Bondi spokeswoman Jenn Meale said in a statement. “As stated in the response filed (Monday), if the federal court intended the injunction to have effects beyond those that appear on its face, the court may wish to provide appropriate clarification.”

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in the Florida case last week, where Hinkle struck down laws banning same-sex marriage, saying the state’s ban violated the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which provides for equal protection under the law. Hinkle refused to keep a stay in place for further appeal, which would technically allow same-sex marriages beginning Jan. 6.

It’s not clear if or when Hinkle will respond to the motion with more clarification, or if it will come ahead of the Jan. 6 date the stay is expected to be lifted.

More mortgage-free homes for veterans coming in 2015

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Building Homes for Heroes is using a $2 million grant through the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity to help build or modify homes in the state for injured veterans who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Florida is becoming the most military-friendly state in the nation, and our partnership with Building Homes for Heroes is a fantastic opportunity to thank our veterans,” Gov. Rick Scott said, in a release. “As a Navy veteran, I’m very proud of this partnership, and look forward to seeing many more veterans benefitting from this program.”

Building Homes for Heroes is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to making a difference in the lives of wounded American service members and their families, according to a release. This past year, the organization gifted 13 mortgage-free homes throughout the state.

With the new grant funds, Building Homes expects to build or modify another 20 houses in the coming year. Florida is home to nearly 1.5 million veterans, the third largest population of veterans in the nation. The state’s work force boards have helped 23,000 veterans find jobs, government officials said.

“The state’s support enables us to make a meaningful and memorable difference in the lives of our injured servicemen and women,” Building Homes president Andy Pujol said, in a release. “In addition, we’re seeing an extraordinary spirit of patriotism and community support all across Florida.”

Despite holiday, gas prices continue to fall

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The demand for gasoline was the biggest in years for travelers trying to take the road to their Christmas destinations. Yet, where the classic system of supply and demand would’ve typically meant higher gas prices — they were, instead, lower.

In fact, motorists saw the cheapest gasoline for Christmas since 2008, where Florida drivers saw an average price of $2.43. That broke lows set in 2009, AAA said, when gas was $2.63 in the state.

“Low gas prices are helping consumers save more than $21 for a tank of gasoline compared to the highs earlier this year, and that has a positive effect on holiday shopping and travel,” AAA spokesman Mark Jenkins said, in a release. That high was $3.70.

“The new year will bring new expectations for even cheaper gasoline. Prices could drop another 3 to 6 cents by New Year’s Day.”

The national average dropped for a 94th consecutive day Sunday, the longest streak on record. The previous record of 86 days of drops came during the height of the Great Recession. Since that streak began, gas has fallen 92 cents in Florida.

“The world’s oil supply continues to outpace demand keeping downward pressure on oil and gas prices,” Jenkins said. “Speculators believe this trend will continue next year, so cheap gasoline should stick around for a while.”

Crude prices settled at $54.73 at the close of trading on Friday, down $1.79 from the previous week. The average price for a barrel of oil is expected to be $63 this coming year, according to the Energy Information Administration, down $12 over the last three months of 2014.

Florida is down 8 cents from a week ago, and 39 cents from a month ago. It’s off by 98 cents from a year ago.

Cheapest prices locally, according to GasBuddy, include:

• $2.10 at the Citgo at U.S. 41 and Crenshaw Lake Road in Lutz
• $2.13 at Sam’s Club on State Road 56 in Wesley Chapel
• $2.21 at both the D&D station at U.S. 98 and U.S. 301, and Clark at U.S. 301 near Long Avenue in Dade City
• $2.27 at the RaceTrac on State Road 52 near Silver Palm Boulevard in Land O’ Lakes
• $2.29 at the Marathon on Eiland Boulevard and Geiger Road in Zephyrhills

Bayonet Point hospital CEO participates in Rose Bowl tradition

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The Rose Bowl football came on New Year’s Day will feature Florida State against Oregon, to see which college team will end up in the national championship game Jan. 12. But the Seminoles won’t be the only Florida representative showing up in Pasadena, California.

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s chief executive Shayne George prepares his 2015 note to be placed in the Donate Life Rose Parade Float. (Courtesy of Kurt Connover)
Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point’s chief executive Shayne George prepares his 2015 note to be placed in the Donate Life Rose Parade Float. (Courtesy of Kurt Connover)

Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point has received an invitation to participate in the 2015 Donate Life Rose Parade Float Hospital CEO Rose Dedications. The Hudson hospital is part of a select group of hospitals in the area that have been asked to have its chief executive prepare a handwritten message honoring the patients and families who, with the support of hospital staff members, have saved and healed lives through the gift of organ, eye and tissue donation.

Shayne George, the chief executive of Bayonet Point, has shared the following message:

“In honor of Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point and our life-saving staff, we are honored and grateful to those who chose to donate a gift that can change a life.”

This handwritten dedication will be placed in one of the rose vials in the “dedication garden,” which is filled with thousands of roses in the Donate Life Rose Parade float.

The American Hospital Association has joined with the Association of Organ Procurement Organizations and the Eye Bank Association of America to offer this inspirational tribute to the donors of tissues and organs, according to a release.

For more than 10 years, dozens of organizations nationwide have collaborated to enter the Donate Life float in the Rose Parade. Originally envisioned by a lunch recipient who wished to thank organ, eye and tissue donors for their gifts of life, the Donate Life Rose Parade float has grown into a national tradition featuring dozens of participants each year.

The dedication garden is one of the trademarks of the float, with each vial carrying a unique personal message from an individual, family or organization.