RISMEDIA, January 6, 2009-The National Association of Realtors(R) inaugural float won the Isabella Coleman Trophy for “Best Presentation of Color and Color Harmony Through Floral Use,” at the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade. The Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association selected the Realtor(R) float from among 45 other entries. The float, titled “Celebrating the Dream of Home Ownership for 100 Years,” is a salute to NAR’s Centennial celebration currently under way through May 2009. Hundreds of Realtors(R) volunteered over 10,000 hours to help with decoration.
“As the leading advocate for home ownership, Realtors take pride in helping people achieve their dream of owning a home,” said 2008 NAR President Dick Gaylord, a broker with RE/MAX Real Estate Specialists in Long Beach, Calif. “Winning this award symbolizes the incredible resiliency and commitment our members possess.”
The Realtor float depicted a fantasy floral representation of the Swiss Family Robinson tree-house-home. The Swiss Family Robinson story was published in 1812, yet still epitomizes the traits Americans have come to value highly: resourcefulness and adaptability. Today, about 70% of all families in the United States own their own home.
The float was created from creamy ecru colored ironed cornhusk and sesame seeds with accents of white coconut flakes. The roof tiles were fashioned from peach lentil seeds edged in white sweet rice. Over 20,000 stems of purple Madame Pompadour and lavender Bombay orchids were used and tropical foliages and ferns complement the 30,000 Neon pink roses that comprise the exotic gardens.
This is the 120th year of the Rose Parade Tradition, an American classic that began as a way to promote Southern California real estate, and has marched through wars and the Great Depression. Millions of spectators from around the world watched the beautiful pageantry of floats. The parade is seen in more than 200 countries.
For more information, visit www.realtor.org.
