I was invited to ride on the 2009 Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade!!! I was incredibly honored to have been invited by Gift of Hope in Illinois...
Before I went, and while I was there, I created several posts at our blog, Revive Hope, about my adventure...
Here are links to those posts in somewhat of a chronology:
August 1, 2008 -- Light bulb, light bulb, pearls, pearls...
- About my invitation to ride the Donate Life Float in the Rose Parade...
October 1, 2008 -- Stars of Life Twinkle (by Melissa...)
- Among other things, about float rider and heart recipient, Bonnie Lundy...
October 2, 2008 -- Stars of Life Twinkle Part II
- Among other things, about float rider Steve Ferkau (me)...
November 19, 2008 -- Who are they? (by Melissa...)
- Melissa's post about the floragraphs honoring donors, that will be riding the float with us...
December 11, 2008 -- Dedications...
- About the Family Circle Garden and our roses dedicated to Chase, Chloe and Kari...
December 18, 2008 -- What game?
- A video post, and a regular post, about my seeming lack of understanding about the entire Rose Parade situation...
December 24, 2008 -- Christmas in California (by Melissa...)
- This is Melissa's thank you for Steve being her "Santa" by placing Chloe's roses in the Familiy Circle Garden...
December 26, 2008 -- Roses and Robbie...
- Christina helps coordinate rose dedications in the Family Circle Garden - this is about her brother Robbie, who was an organ donor...
December 26, 2008 -- Rose Bowl Tickets!!!
- Pictures and a video about getting my butt out of a sling...
December 28, 2008 -- We're in Pasadena!!!
- Arriving in Pasadena -- pictures and videos about our agenda...
December 29, 2008 -- Donate Life Float - Rose Dedications...
- Pictures, dedications, and videos about placing roses in the Family Circle Garden for Chase, Chloe and Kari...
December 29, 2008 -- Aspirations... And fun...
- About beating life expectancies, and having fun...
December 31, 2008 -- Dear Steve... (by Melissa...)
- A little thank you picture from Melissa for placing Chloe's roses...
December 31, 2008 -- Ready to roll... Donate Life Float
- A few videos and a post about the "Stars of Life Gala" and our dress rehearsal for the float ride...
January 1, 2009 -- I'm on my way...
- A brief post before I left for the Rose Parade...
January 1, 2009 -- A lot more than I ever imagined...
- A brief post after the parade - our float won the "Queen's Trophy" and I was a little too tired and overwhelmed to post...
January 4, 2009 -- Donate Life Float - Judging...
- A fun and late post about Judging on December 31st, with an emotional video of the judging and the lyrics of the song -- "There you'll be..."
January 6, 2009 -- Parade Day!!!
- A fun and late post with pictures and videos from the float during the parade!
January 8, 2008 -- Taking a breather...
- A non-post, with a lot of pictures of so many of the people I met and became friends with in the short week of the parade...
January 22, 2008 -- Iowans, and half-Iowans in Pasadena...
- Some of the special Iowans I met in the time surrounding the parade -- and one who went home and blogged about us meeting...
