Celebrating its 18th year of participating in the parade, the Donate Life Rose Parade float is the centerpiece of a national effort of more than 50 organizations to reach a broad audience with the simple, life-giving message that donation saves and heals lives.
(Provided photo)
A message from Penn Highlands Healthcare will be a part of the 2020 Tournament of Roses® parade that will take place in Pasadena, Calif. on New Year’s Day.
The presidents at Penn Highlands Healthcare hospitals each wrote a message of hope and signed it recently.
With help from CORE, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education, the messages will then be attached to vials to hold flowers on the 2020 Donate Life Rose Parade® float.
The theme for the 131st Rose Parade® is The Power of Hope, envisioned by the Tournament of Roses’ first Latina president and organ donation advocate, Laura Farber. “With hope – anything, in fact, everything is possible,” shared Farber.
“Hope is more than simply the possibility of fulfillment. Hope is dignity and respect, joy and happiness, aspiration and achievement.
“Hope never, ever quits. Through hope, we can aspire to be our best and in turn inspire those around us to reach higher.”
The 2020 Donate Life Rose Parade float, Light in the Darkness, highlights the power of unity, light and love, as celebrated during Southeast Asia’s Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, a celebration of light shining in the darkness. The many lives touched by donation embody the hope inherent in this festival.
Now on its 18th year, the Donate Life Rose Parade float is the centerpiece of a national effort to reach a broad audience with the simple, life-giving message that organ, eye and tissue donation saves and heals lives.
It is sponsored by many organ donation awareness entities, including CORE which is one of 58 federally designated not-for-profit organ procurement organizations in the United States.
CORE has its headquarters in Pittsburgh and an office in Charleston, W.Va., and oversees a region that encompasses 146 hospitals and more than 5 million people throughout western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Chemung County, N.Y.
It is the hope that the float will inspire viewers to help the over one million people in need of organ, eye or tissue transplants each year. Register today to become an organ, eye or tissue donor by visiting www.core.org.
