2015 Donate Life Rose Parade Float
“The Never-Ending Story”
Script to Accompany Float Unveiling PowerPoint Presentation
Rev. 6/17/14
This presentation may be preceded by the 3-minute Donate Life Rose Parade Float “History” Video. Please request a copy by emailing Annie Kure at .
Donate Life’s entry in the Rose Parade is not just a float…it is what the float makes possible. It is America’s Donate Life Celebration… (CLICK)
The centerpiece of a national media campaign that last year extended to 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as Korea and Taiwan. The result: wave of media coverage grounded in our meaningful participation in one of the world’s most anticipated events. (CLICK)
This past New Year, 30 recipient riders and 12 living donor walkers ushered a festival of lanterns on a five-mile journey with a single mission:
To “Light Up the World” in front of 800,000 spectators and 50 million U.S. television viewers.
So what will Donate Life present to the nation and the world this year? As always, we begin with the theme of the parade, which for the 126th Rose Parade is “Inspiring Stories.” Needless to say, we know something about that, and the dozens of faces depicted on the parade’s official artwork look awfully familiar. (CLICK)
In fact, every year the Donate Life float introduces more than 100 real-life stories that inspire people to be giving to one another, both in life and after death. But this year, our float and its participants will be compared to other motivational people. People like… (CLICK)
Biggest Losers. (CLICK)
Heroic pilots. (CLICK)
Olympic athletes. (CLICK)
But our stories are different. (CLICK) [NOTE: screen is blank]
Consider Nita French from our Rider Class of 2015. A diabetic since her early teens, a pregnancy resulted in damage to her internal organs. After two years on the transplant waiting list, she received a donated kidney and pancreas. Remarkably, since the transplant she gave birth to three more children, all of whom may never have been born without the generosity of her donor Patrick and his family. (CLICK)
We have living donors such as 2012 Rider Max Zapata, who was inspired by a paycheck stubs encouraging employees to save lives through organ donation. Little did he know that his single act of giving would start a chain of transplants freeing ten patients from dialysis. (CLICK) Another series of transplants began with the donation of a kidney from Jessica Jurado to JePahl White, whose wife LaKeisha donated a kidney to another grateful recipient. (CLICK)
Then there is the timeless story of Nicholas Green, who was shot and killed in Italy almost 20 years ago. His parents’ decision to donate five organs and corneas to Italians in need was heralded worldwide. Since then, more than 100 streets, parks, gardens and squares are dedicated to Nicholas, and his father Reg authored The Nicholas Effect so that his story could inspire future generations. (CLICK)
(NOTE: THESE IMAGES AUTOMATICALLY APPEAR IN SEQUENCE. DO NOT CLICK UNTIL THE END.) These are but a few of the countless stories of hope, renewal and transformation that illustrate the enduring power of a single decision to donate life. On New Year’s Day 2015, we will proudly share more than 100 inspiring stories with a theme that is unique to us. (CLICK)
Read first paragraph (CLICK)
Read second paragraph (CLICK)
Read third paragraph (CLICK)
Read fourth paragraph (CLICK)
Read fifth paragraph (CLICK)
The Never-Ending Story. (CLICK)
“The Never-Ending Story” features 60 beautiful butterflies emerging from an open book. The butterflies – one for each life that can be transformed by a single donor… (CLICK)
…ascend above 72 volumes adorned with floragraph portraits of deceased donors whose legacies continue to unfold. (CLICK)
Walking alongside the float are 12 living organ donors whose stories have become intertwined with their recipients. (CLICK)
Finally, seated on a deck containing thousands of white dedicated roses bearing personal messages of love, hope and remembrance… (CLICK)
…are 30 riders representing organ, tissue and cornea transplant recipients who celebrate the new chapters of their lives made possible by generous donors. (CLICK)
Follow our never-ending story all the way to New Year’s Day 2015 and beyond at www.DonateLifeFloat.org. We’ll see you in Pasadena! (CLICK)
[END ABRIDGED VERSION]
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