This year marked the Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee’s 32nd consecutive entry in the Tournament of Roses Parade on New Year’s Day.

The Rotary International float is the largest public relations project of the Rotary clubs of the United States and Canada. The first Rotary float was entered in 1924.

The theme of the 2011 parade was Building Dreams, Friendships and Memories. Rotary’s float closely paralleled the theme through the use of the 2010-2011 Rotary International president’s theme: Building Communities, Bridging Continents.

The float was not a project of Rotary International nor were any RI funds used in the building or promotion of the float. Rotary’s ability to enter a float is dependent solely on the generosity of Rotarians and friends. A multidistrict Rotary committee in Southern California coordinates planning of the float. Rotarians, Rotaractors, Interactors, families and friends work on the float. These volunteers come from the United States, Canada and occasionally other countries. Every year, a member of the Goleta Noontime Rotary Club organizes a trip to the Pasadena area for local Rotarians to work on this float. More than 800 volunteers donated in excess of 6,000 hours of their time for this year’s float. Rotary entries have won several prizes over the years.

Traditionally, the RI president has attended the festivities, and this year was no exception.

This year’s Pasadena parade was the 122nd and it was seen by an estimated 300 million people in more than 200 countries.

— Betsy Munroe is public relations chairwoman for the Rotary Club of Santa Barbara Sunrise, which meets at 7 a.m. Wednesdays at the Santa Barbara Club, 1105 Chapala St.