5320 Sends 3 to Rose Parade!
District 5320 Well Represented on 2011 Rotary Rose Parade Float
The Rotary Rose Parade Float Committee Inc. presents the 2011 Rotary Float: “Building Communities, Bridging Continents” the theme of 2010-2011 Rotary International President Ray Klinginsmith.
Nine Rotary Club members will be riding on the float, and eight will be walking with the float. Each one—wearing the traditional costume of their country of origin or the USA–represents the continents where 34,000 Rotary clubs form a global network of community volunteers, more than 1.2 million strong!
Float Riders and Outwalkers have been selected by the District Governors of the southern California and southern Nevada Rotary Districts whose clubs and members provide seed money to start building the float. Funding is completed by donations from Rotary clubs and members across the USA and Canada. The float is not a project of Rotary International and RI does not contribute financially to the float.
District 5320 float participants on January 1, 2011 are Float Riders Roy Jefferson of the Anaheim Hills club and Russell Kerr of the Monarch Beach Sunrise club. Walking alongside will be Float Outwalker Chelsea Shioya of the Fullerton Community Rotaract club.
Float Rider Roy Jefferson is Past President of the Rotary Club of Anaheim Hills and currently an Executive Assistant Governor in District 5320.
Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Roy moved to Santa Ana, CA when he was 18 and attended Santa Ana College and Fullerton College.
He became a State Farm insurance agent in 1983 and has owned his own insurance business in Anaheim Hills for 27 years.
In 1993 Roy was invited to join Rotary by an accountant in his community. Just two years later, in 1995-96, Roy served as president of the Anaheim Hills Rotary Club. During his 17 years in Rotary, has participated in many worthwhile projects including personally administering drops of Polio vaccine into the mouths of children in Caborca, Mexico and also building homes in Mexico.
Roy’s wife of 26 years, Janice and his daughter, Joanna, have volunteered to help decorate the Rotary floats many times over the years. Roy is honored to represent Rotary District 5320 in the Rose Parade and to be a part of this wonderful American tradition.
Float Rider Russell Kerr will be representing his native New Zealand and the Lands Down Under. Russ is immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Monarch Beach Sunrise in Dana Point.
He was born, raised and educated in New Zealand. He first came to the USA 27 years ago and became a naturalized American citizen in 2008.
Russ worked for World Vision International from 1975 to emergency relief and community rehabilitation program that serves refugees and displaced persons with health, nutrition, food & agriculture programs.
He first joined Rotary in 1978 as a Charter Member of the Rotary Club of Makati East, located in the Philippines. While a member of Makati East, he had the privilege of visiting many clubs throughout Asia and frequently made up at the Rotary Club of Taipei in Taiwan. While living in Africa, he was also involved with the Rotary Club of Nairobi, Kenya.
Russ joined the Monarch Beach Sunrise Club in 2002. He has served as Community Service chair, Club Service chair and as President 2009-2010. He has sponsored three new members so far this year. He loves being a Rotarian and enjoys building his club’s reputation within the local community while supporting service projects all over the world.
Currently Russ is a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments in Dana Point. Russ says, “My Kiwi wife of 39 years, Pamela, and I have 2 daughters who have blessed us with 4 grandchildren.”
Rotary Float Outwalker Chelsea Shioya is President of the Fullerton Community Rotaract Club. She also holds a position as Service Chair on Rotaract District Board for District 5320 and was a RYLA Alumna in 2007. She will be a Rotary Float Outwalker representing Norway.
Her Fullerton Community Rotaract club participates in the city’s Adopt-A-Park program and has “adopted” a section of Craig Park in Fullerton. The club also supports Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services, an organization that provides transitional housing for the hungry and homeless. Fullerton Rotaract is currently refurbishing their children’s playhouse.
Chelsea is pursuing a degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Entertainment and Tourism and a minor in music from California State University, Fullerton. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity for Women and plays French Horn in the Southern California Philharmonic.
Meet the other 2011 Float Riders/Outwalkers and view videos and slide shows about the Rotary Rose Parade Float at http://www.rotaryfloat.org.
