“Budweiser 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade Float to Salute America's Heroes - Earthtimes” plus 1 more |
| Budweiser 2011 Tournament of Roses Parade Float to Salute America's Heroes - Earthtimes Posted: 21 Dec 2010 08:06 AM PST ST. LOUIS, Dec. 21, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Budweiser will carry on a long and proud tradition this New Year's Day when it pays tribute to America's heroes with a patriotic float in the 2011 Rose Parade® presented by Honda. The float, titled "Proud to Serve Those Who Serve," will be pulled by the world renowned Budweiser Clydesdales, whose appearance is always one of the most eagerly anticipated entries in the parade. "For more than 75 years, the Budweiser Clydesdales have been a symbol of heritage, teamwork and quality, and together we're proud to salute our nation's heroes," said Lori Shambro, senior brand manager for Budweiser. "We hope those watching the parade both in Pasadena and on television around the country will join with us in recognizing the sacrifices made by our nation's veterans and those currently serving in the military." Designed by Dave Pittman, the Budweiser float will feature representatives of the American Legion, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans of America, United Service Organization and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Budweiser also has selected five Anheuser-Busch employees who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Marines to ride on the float. In addition, one lucky adult consumer (and three guests) will ride the float as part of Budweiser's "Celebration of Freedom" sweepstakes held during the month of November. Each of the parade participants and their guests also will receive tickets to the big game. Anheuser-Busch and its employees' support for America's armed forces dates back to the Civil War, when the company's co-founders, Adolphus Busch and his father-in-law Eberhard Anheuser, served in the Union Army as members of the Missouri Volunteers. Since then, more than 5,500 Anheuser-Busch employees have served in World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom and other military campaigns. "This is really a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride on a float in the Tournament of Roses Parade, and it's especially gratifying to be part of one that pays tribute to the men and women of our nation's armed forces," said Richard Eubank, Commander-in-Chief of the VFW. "We hope that everyone takes a moment this holiday season to remember our veterans, those who continue to serve, as well as their families." The Budweiser Clydesdales have been a part of the Rose Parade since 1953. To qualify for a hitch, a Budweiser Clydesdale must be a gelding at least four years of age, stand 72 inches at the shoulder when fully mature, weigh between 1,800 and 2,300 pounds, have a bay coat, a blaze of white on the face, four white stocking feet, and a black mane and tail. Highlights of the float design include a majestic eagle crafted from palm bark, poppy seed, cream pampas grass and ground orange lentil seeds, as well as an American flag bedecked with red roses, carnations and daisies, blue iris and white carnations and chrysanthemums. Finally, daisies, roses and carnations in selections of red, yellow, orange, plum, purple and hot pink will create the "bombs bursting in air" that will serve as the backdrop to the eagle. About the USO The USO (United Service Organizations) lifts the spirits of America's troops and their families millions of times each year at thousands of places worldwide. We provide a touch of home through centers at airports and military bases, top quality entertainment and innovative programs and services. We also provide critical support to those who need us most, including forward-deployed troops and their families, wounded warriors and their families, and the families of the fallen. The USO is a private, non-profit organization, not a government agency. We rely on the generosity of our volunteers and donors. In addition to individual donors and other corporate sponsors, the USO is supported by Worldwide Strategic Partners American Airlines, AT&T Inc., BAE Systems, The Boeing Company, Clear Channel Communications, The Coca-Cola Company, Gallery Furniture, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Procter & Gamble and TriWest Healthcare Alliance. We are also supported through the United Way and Combined Federal Campaign (CFC-11381). To join us in this patriotic mission and to learn more about the USO, please visit www.uso.org. About Disabled American Veterans The 1.2 million-member Disabled American Veterans, a non-profit organization founded in 1920 and chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1932, represents this nation's disabled veterans. It is dedicated to a single purpose: building better lives for our nation's disabled veterans and their families. For more information, visit the organization's Web site, www.dav.org. About Paralyzed Veterans of America Paralyzed Veterans of America was founded by a band of spinal cord injured service members who returned home from World War II to a grateful nation, but also to a world with few solutions to the challenges they faced. They made a decision not just to live, but to live with dignity as contributors to society. They created an organization dedicated to veterans' service, medical research and civil rights for people with disabilities. And for more than 64 years, Paralyzed Veterans and our 34 chapters have been working to create an America where all veterans and people with disabilities, and their families, have everything they need to thrive. We represent thousands of veterans in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. (www.pva.org) About Anheuser-Busch Based in St. Louis, Anheuser-Busch is the leading American brewer, holding a 48.9 percent share of U.S. beer sales to retailers. The company brews the world's largest-selling beers, Budweiser and Bud Light. Anheuser-Busch also owns a 50 percent share in Grupo Modelo, Mexico's leading brewer. Anheuser-Busch is a major manufacturer of aluminum cans and has been a leading aluminum recycler for more than 30 years. The company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch InBev, the leading global brewer, and continues to operate under the Anheuser-Busch name and logo. For more information, visit www.anheuser-busch.com. SOURCE Anheuser-Busch This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| Holiday heroes: Boatsie's Boxes lift troops spirits - USA Today Posted: 22 Dec 2010 04:11 PM PST By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY This Christmas, thousands of military men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan will receive special Christmas stockings filled with candy, socks, DVDs, toiletries and other small presents. At Valentine's Day, they'll receive handmade cards. At Easter, jelly beans. During the summer, they'll get supplies to help them beat the heat — bug repellant, energy drinks, sunscreen, lip moisturizer. And every week, they receive boxes filled with deodorant, body wash, socks, toiletries and other needed items that are often in short supply. All this is thanks to Gail "Boatsie" Van Vranken, 70, and the volunteers for Boatsie's Boxes, a nonprofit group that she operates out of her garage in Wheeling, W.Va. It has been providing supplies to the troops since 2004. (boatsie.com) "Christmas is such a difficult time for them to be away from home," Boatsie says. "They are so thrilled to be getting something from the United States. "They do so much for us. Their sacrifice is absolutely enormous. This is just one small way for us to show our gratitude for all they do to protect our freedom." Boatsie and the volunteers who work with her have been selected to be featured in USA TODAY's Holiday Heroes series — weekly stories about people who go to great lengths to serve others during the holidays and all year long. This is the final story in the series. Boatsie — a nickname she got from her husband, Jim, who served in the Navy — is the mother of four grown children and grandmother of five. She began her volunteer work for the troops in 2004 when her son, Patrick, 40, a senior master sergeant in the Air Force, told her that there was a tremendous shortage of supplies for the troops who were patients in the Baghdad hospital. They needed toiletries, towels and sheets, socks and underclothes. Through donations she was able to fulfill their requests. One thing lead to another and she formed Boatsie's Boxes, a nationally recognized charity. Her group now ships an average of 50 large boxes a week to points of contact in Iraq and Afghanistan. She was honored by former President George W. Bush. Other groups do work similar to hers, she says. Boatsie gets contributions from people, groups and businesses from across the U.S. The generosity is "amazing," she says. The supplies help fill in the gaps on items like toiletries, snacks, DVDs, phone cards and microwave dinners that military personnel have to buy for themselves, she says. Sometimes those kinds of supplies are "wiped out" when a unit comes into a base. In addition to sending weekly boxes of supplies, she and her volunteers have four special projects a year — Hearts for the Troops with Valentine's Day's cards that are made by children; Operation Jelly Bean Express; and Operation Beat the Heat, which gives them supplies for summer. The biggest special project is Operation Christmas Stocking. All of these projects "are sending love from home," she says. This is the seventh Christmas that her group has packed stockings. Volunteers stuffed 10,000 of them. People from around the country sent in another 8,000 stockings for a total of almost 18,000. She shipped them all a few weeks ago. She often gets letters from those who have received this Christmas surprise. "The letters are so heartwarming that it's unbelievable. "One letter was from a young Marine who said this was his first time away from home, and he had missed his second wedding anniversary. He said he had been very blue on Christmas but then he got the Christmas stocking and it made him feel so wonderful." A Catholic, Boatsie says she prays for the troops "every single day of the year." She feels honored to be of some help. "There's something about a man or woman in a uniform that makes me stand a little taller and feel a little prouder. "The heroes in this whole thing are the men and women in the military — not those who in some small way participate in giving them things from home." Guidelines: You share in the USA TODAY community, so please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent. Use the "Report Abuse" button to make a difference. Read more. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
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