The Downey float, a beautiful depiction of butterflies, flowers and cattails, bore a theme of "Mother Nature's Playground," to fit the overall parade theme of "Good Times."
The float was driven by Jim Burger and Merl Fox.
Roberts, whose regular job is as a ride mechanic at Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park, has a core of about six volunteers who have worked on the float since last March.
In the last week their number swelled to more than 100 as the final task of applying the flowers to the float got underway.
Rose Float Association President Mike Prokop said the float costs about $50,000 not counting the thousands of hours of volunteer labor. The Association raises the money each year through fundraisers and private donations.
The first Downey rose float was sponsored by the Downey Woman's Club in 1920. The Association took over sponsorship in 1953 and has since had a float each year in the Pasadena Parade.
Why do Redfox, Roberts and the other dedicated volunteers do it? All describe it as a labor of love.
The matter was placed on the March 5 ballot by a vote by the City Council Oct. 16. It was stipulated by the Council at that time that if the voters approve a ban on all fireworks that it not take effect until 2003, to allow the 18 non-profit clubs which currently rely on the sale of "Safe and Sane" fireworks to find alternative means of funding.
The rebuttal which the anti-fireworks supporters submitted and which will appear in the ballot for the March 5 election, reads: "Rebuttal to Argument Against Measure 'L'. Voters...Please do not be misled:
"* Patriotism is not about igniting fireworks.
"* Family values and economics are not dependent upon the sale and use of fireworks.
"* Nearly ALL of Downey's local non-profit groups choose to not sell fireworks; 18 groups in Downey sell fireworks, the remaining 180 non-profit organizations in Downey are extremely successful in fundraising and in providing their programs without selling fireworks!
"* Fireworks sales are big business: The only groups in Downey making hundreds of thousands of dollars each year are the fireworks manufacturers selling their products.
"* 'Safe and sane' fireworks are not quiet and without risk
"VOTERS...Please understand that the use of 'safe and sane' fireworks:
"* Jeopardizes everyone's safety
"* Causes injuries in your community
"* Subjects your property to additional risks
"* Injures children most often
"* Causes damage to the homes of others
"* Requires exemplary work from your Police and Fire Departments to maintain the peace
"* Profits the manufacturers, taxes the community, and burdens our Fire and Police Departments
"DOWNEY VOTERS; LET'S DO THE RIGHT THING...
"The current and former Chiefs of our Police and Fire Departments have asked that Downey ban the sale of 'safe and sane' fireworks.
"Help Downey join other fire-safe communities like Cerritos, Whittier, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Glendale, Pasadena, Burbank and 26 of 31 Orange County cities.
"Let's change the environment...BAN ALL FIREWORKS
"VOTE YES ON MEASURE 'L'"
It reads: "Apparently, the proponents of Measure L don't want to confuse you with 'the facts.' Instead, they make gross misstatements of the facts. Here is the truth!
"John Tennant, the State Fire Marshal, said "illegal fireworks cause 92 percent of the fire damage caused by fireworks each year." (Sacramento Bee 6/26/01)
"Of the $519,869 in reported fire losses attributed to all fireworks-related fires in the 88 communities served by LACFD, 100 percent were caused by dangerous, illegal fireworks, not state-approved fireworks. (Los Angeles County Fire Department-2000 Fireworks Report)
"Will Measure L put an end to the fires and injuries caused by illegal fireworks?
"No!
"Nine cities in Los Angeles County that have ordinances similar to Measure L still suffered over $358,510 in structure fires this 4th of July-all caused by illegal fireworks! (Los Angeles County Fire Department-2000 Fireworks Report)
"What will Measure L do?
"It will eliminate over $160,000 of funding for the Downey Rose Float, Little Leagues, Pop Warner Football, high school bands, soccer teams, American Legion programs and other services that benefit the youth, needy and seniors of Downey: your family, your friends, and your neighbors. It will allow government to take away another portion of your freedom.
"So what's the answer?
"A strict 'Zero Tolerance' policy towards illegal, dangerous fireworks with confiscation of illegal fireworks, citation, arrest and prosecution. Strict enforcement of existing laws is the answer.
"Please vote 'No' on Measure L."
Community debate was heated at two public forums and two Council meetings at which the proposed ban was discussed. The only consensus on both sides was that those violating existing fireworks laws should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
It was noted by both the Fire and Police Chiefs that the sale and use of any fireworks in a populous community such as Downey complicates the fire protection and public safety roles of the firefighters and police ... that the sale and use of "Safe and Sane" fosters an environment of increased risk tolerance.
The cost of placing the matter on the Primary ballot in March is $62,000.
Nonetheless, the Council majority felt that it should go to a public vote. The vote to place it on the March ballot was 4-1 with McCarthy dissenting.
Actually she's reprising the same honorific role she performed for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. At that time, for her part, she jogged 3/10 of a mile along Glendale Blvd. in Echo Park. This time (she doesn't know yet where she'll light her torch) all runners will negotiate only 2/10 of a mile.
Ploessel, who retired in 1980 after 40 years of teaching physical education, couldn't escape her Olympian connection even if she wanted to. Back in 1936, the year Jesse Owens won gold and glory in Berlin to the utter dismay of a thoroughly vexed Adolf Hitler, Monrovia-born Ploessel carved a name in Olympic history for herself by winning silver in women's platform diving, edged out of the gold by a mere 0.3 points by Dorothy Poynton of Los Angeles. Ploessel was 17 at the time. (At the track and field events, she saw Hermann Goehring, too, and the rest of the German High Command).
She was preparing to mount another challenge for the gold in 1940 when Hitler's tanks rumbled into Poland, dashing her hopes for another shot at glory.
It comes as no surprise that someone like Ploessel, who's used to competing and winning and channeling her enormous energies to good use, has over the years kept in top shape physically and mentally by diving into myriad community activities. She's very active, for instance, in the Retired Teachers Association, Whittier Area Division 31, which she has served as president. (She is their current "silver star.") Ditto with A.A.U.W. - she has served it as president for 3 years. She also served as president of the Downey Coordinating Council for 2 years, and was Downey Alumni Association president as well.
An active member of the Downey Adult School's OASIS, Ploessel is scheduled to address the group Jan. 7 about her experiences as an Olympic medalist and torch runner.
A torch runner, she says, has several choices when carrying the torch: walk, run, skate, sled, or whatever, as long as an earnest attempt to keep the flame lighted is made. Free from any ailment and looking physically fit at 83, Ploessel is still weighing her options.
She says keeping active, weeding the garden, cutting the lawn, and planting rosebushes has something to do with being in good physical shape.
Ploessel says she started out as a swimmer but she didn't like the going back and forth, back and forth the length of the pool. "It was too boring," she said. Looking around for a more interesting, and more enjoyable, alternative, she was introduced to platform diving and her Pasadena High coach, Aileen Allen. Needless to say, her rise was nothing short of spectacular. Chosen to represent the U.S. after a few short years in her new specialty, she undertook a full year of intensive training with her Olympic coach, Fred Cady.
Not too long after, the Berlin Olympic Committee sent Ploessel 5-6 books commemorating the Olympics. In one volume she saw a photo of her by the pool with the gold medal winner as well as the German bronze medalist, smiling together. (This picture was to be reproduced in all its glory in a later larger book published in 1996; it was picked up by chance in the Colorado Springs training camp store by her son who at one time also went as far as the nationals in swimming. There, in the commemorative issue covering the XI, XII, and XIII Olympiads, was the trio's picture, on page 74.)
Ploessel said the original pictures taken in Berlin were all handpasted, thus the quality of the pictures hadn't suffered much. Also featured in the volume is a portrait of Adolf Hitler in profile. Another of her treasured volumes contain the signatures of all the gold medal winners. On top of the page is that of Jesse Owens, followed by one of fabled Glenn Morris. The autograph of Margie Gestring, women's springboard champion, is there, too.
Ploessel, picture of health, says her secret is: "Keep active."
Homeowners and business owners can nominate their homes or business or their neighbor's property through this program which is designed to give recognition to those that take proper care of their properties.
The categories in which homes can be entered are: Home Beautiful, Home Improvement and Multi Family. Businesses can be entered into the following categories: Religious, Lending, Special Recognition, Restaurant, Service Station, Commercial Building, Retail Center, Industrial Building and Institutional Building.
The program receives a good response each year. Keep Downey Beautiful receives about 70 applicants each year of which there are about 25 winners. "People that participate just love the program. Those that do not win re- apply," said Carol Rowland, Keep Downey Beautiful coordinator. She adds that the people that win are very proud and flattered because they receive recognition for their properties.
"This is a good program. It's the City's way of recognizing people who take good care of their property," Rowland added.
Applications can also be obtained at the Information Center at City Hall or by calling Rowland at 904-7159. They should be mailed to: City of Downey, Keep Downey Beautiful, 12324 Bellflower Blvd. Downey, CA be received by April 5.
For information, call 904-7159.