WOW Pinoy

FilAms Join Annual Rose Parade

by Joseph Pimentel
AsianJournal.com

Pasadena, CA - At 4 am.,New Years, FilAMs Jack Pimentel, 19, and Laarni Cordero, 16, woke up for a new experience.

While some kids thier age were still in bed or barely getting home from New Year's festivities, Pimentel and Cordero were preparing to be part of the 119th Anniversay of the Rose Parade.

They were part of the Lions Club International Tournament of Roses that celebrated the New Year commemorating the United Nations.

Pimentela nd Cordero are two of the 30 young Leos statewide carrying the of the countries that make up the United Nations.

"This is the first time that we've invited the young Leos to be part of the float," said Mahedta Amarasuriya, the President of the International Association of Lions Club, one of the world's largest service organizations.

The 2008 Tournament of Roses Parade featured 46 floats, 22 marching bands, and 19 Rose equestrians.

As the Lions group converged at the Double Tree Hotel in Montebello, excitement filled the chilly morning air.

"Oh yeah, I'm excited," said Pimentel. "This is definitely an honor."

Pimentel and Cordero sat in front of the bus resting for what would be a seven mile walk in front of millions of people in Pasadena and televised worldwide.

"I just hope I don't trip," said Cordero.

Rose Bowl
At 5:30am, cars lined the entrance of the once empty parking lot beside the Rose Bowl. Parking was an adventure. Those who didnt want to pay the $30 parking rate, tried their luck by circling the local neighborhoods walkeed in pitch-black streets a good two to three miles away from the parade route. People were seen carrying blankets, seat warmers, and wore thick jackets to weather the chilly morning air.

ROse Parade Officials said people started camping on the parade route as early as New Year's Eve afternoon.

"But this really start getting crazy until 6:30 or 7 am." said Tom Fuelling, a Rose Parade Volunteer.

Tom O'Hara, Bob Spears, and a group of 20 friends were part off the Foothill Flyers Funning Club. Every New Year's morning, the group meets at the entrance of the Arroyo Seco Bridge known as the gateway into central Pasadena. The group runs three miles to preview the floats on the parade route on orange Grove and heads back to the bridge to watch the fighter jets fly over.

"It's become annual tradition. We've been doing this probably for the past sis to eight years," said O'Hara. "But the club itself has done this for 20 years,"

"There is nothing like this in the world," said Spears."We run to the parade route, look at the floats, take pictures and run back just in time. We have the best view."

"Afterwards, we all eat breakfast. We're an eating club with a running problem," O'Hara added.

International Audince
Groups of weary-eyed people wearing hooded sweaters inside their sleeping bags, or covered in warm thick blankets littered the sidewalks of Orange Grove Blvd. Some slept perched up on their lawn chairs.

Ben Silva arrived at 11pm the night before.He came to the event, along with a small number of El Salvadoreans, to show their national pride. This year tthe Rose Parade featured a 230-member youth marching band, the Nuestros Angeles de El Salvador.

"We're all her for them," he said, flanked by the few compatriots waving the blue-white-blue flag of El Salvador. "This is our chance to see them live."

Filipino Daryl Famirasan, the field director for the Socio-economic Uplift Legacy Anthropological and Development Service (SULADS), traveled from Mindanao, Philippines, Famarisanm the National Awardee for Bayaning Pilipino Award, said he specificaly wanted to see the bands and hear the music.

Famirasan arrived at 5am with friends Jocelyn Sonsonam and Dolly and Mike Sarsoza. Thier small group perched up four lawn chairs just at the start of the parade route on Del Mar and Orange Grove.

"The last time I came here was 17years ago with my kids", said Dolly Sarsoza. "This is worth waking up early for."

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