Fo Guang Shan Hsi Lai Temple
February 5, 2024

The city of Pasadena, in California, hosted another iconic Rose Parade on New Year's Day—Jan. 1—featuring a 5.5-mile route that attracts hundreds of thousands to line Colorado Boulevard and millions of viewers worldwide through broadcasts. The 135th parade, in 2024, adopted the theme "Celebrating a World of Music: The Universal Language." The event showcased diverse music and cultures, with 32 Girl Scouts from Hsi Lai Temple Girl Scout Troop 18894, and their families participating as behind-the-scenes contributors, decorating vibrant floats on December 30 for the upcoming exciting parade.

Hsi Lai Girl Scout Troop carefully help to decorate four floats before the famous New Year’s Day Rose Parade, Jan. 1st, in Pasadena California. photo/Hsi Lai Girl Scout Troop

Every year, thousands of volunteers engage in preparing and decorating the massive floats. Under the guidance of professionals, the Girl Scouts experienced and learned the application of various natural materials, including seeds, leaves, fruits, and colorful flowers, during their 7-hour volunteer time. They adorned four floats, one of which was created by the California State Polytechnic University, Pomona team, aligning with the theme "Celebrating a World of Music." Their float, titled "Shock n’ Roll: Powering the Musical Current," featured a 27-foot giant purple manta ray gliding over a colorful coral reef adorned with flowers. Three yellow electric eels provided power to musical instruments: electric guitars, keyboards, clamshell turntables, and speakers. The undersea environment swayed to the rhythm of the music, with a giant piano keyboard wrapped entirely around the float.

Mindful Girl Scouts carefully sort and trim flowers for a parade float. photo/Hsi Lai Girl Scout Troop

Girl Scout Allison Chieh expressed that providing helping-hands to decorate the floats was a fun volunteer experience, allowing them to witness the spectacular floats up-close. She found the collective, creating effort exciting, and she looked forward to seeing the results showcased in the New Year's Day parade.

"Behind-the-Scenes Heroines" from Hsi Lai Girl Scout Troop 18894. photo/Hsi Lai Girl Scout Troop