LOS ANGELES–The annual Rose Parade on New Year’s Day will include a float sponsored a credit union.
Wescom Credit Union said it will cap a year-long celebration of its 85thanniversary with its first-ever float in the Rose Parade. The CU said the float’s theme, “Better Together: Hope Creates Community,” was inspired by its long-standing history of giving back to the communities it serves through its #WescomKindness events, as well as the 2020 Rose Parade theme “The Power of Hope.”
As CUToday.info reported here, Wescom Credit Union in 2018 entered into a 10-year, $38-million partnership with UCLA, the Rose Bowl Stadium and IMG that includes naming rights and other agreements.
Atop the float resides a raccoon character with a mobile phone, with Wescom saying it will donate $1 to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) for each tweet the raccoon receives at @_wescom using #buildingbetterlives on parade day (up to $10,000).
Bringing Hope
“Wescom was founded in Pasadena in 1934, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate our milestone 85th anniversary and long-standing partnership as the Official Banking Partner of Pasadena’s Rose Bowl Stadium than with a Rose Parade float,” stated Tamar Atamian, vice president of marketing and communications. “Our float honors and celebrates those who bring hope to others by creating and fostering community. This is one of the principles under which Wescom was founded. We are humbled to be a part of this iconic Southern California event and want to inspire people locally – and around the world – with a message of hope to begin the New Year.”
Riding the Float
Wescom said its inaugural float colorfully depicts a community of Southern Californians represented by real people -- as well as animals created from flowers – coming together to help a young family move into and fix up their new home (in a tree).
The float features:
- Wescom’s 1934 truck and the treehouse address “85 Wescom Way” to celebrate Wescom’s founding year and 85th anniversary
- An orange tree, palm tree, and strawberry pie – paying homage to the agricultural richness of Southern California.
Riding on the Wescom float will be:
- Julia Isaacs, CHLA Patient and Junior Ambassador, and her mom, Leah Isaacs
- Denver Rivera, Wescom member of the Thousand Oaks Branch
- Rakeshia Morgan, Wescom member of the Ontario Branch
- Kathie Chism, Wescom employee
- Jennifer Shipman, WeCare contributor and Wescom employee
- Noel Ross, Wescom board chair
- Darren Williams, Wescom president and CEO