The Parade Company Volunteer Newsletter

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Daisy York
5 years ago
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the end of September. A Special Message From CEO Tony Michaels!

to your friends, family and thousands of spectators along Woodward Avenue? This Parade season, TPC is offering you a chance to do just that!

!! Volunteer your time and earn a chance to win one of the coveted rider spots on our beloved Mother Goose float at this year's Parade.

1 Clownie Connection The Parade Company Volunteer Newsletter Sept./Oct Issue #5 Volunteer Parade Day Application Be a Part of the Magic! Enter to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience of riding on top of the Mother Goose Float on Thanksgiving morning! Volunteering is easy as 1,2,3! 1:Go to: 2:Click "Volunteer" 3:Complete & submit the online application Once you submit your application, your Parade Day assignment will be ed to you by the end of September. A Special Message From CEO Tony Michaels! Mother Goose: 2016 America's Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van Ever dreamed of sitting atop a beautiful float on Thanksgiving morning, and waving to your friends, family and thousands of spectators along Woodward Avenue? This Parade season, TPC is offering you a chance to do just that! The Parade Company Volunteer Float Drawing is back!!! Volunteer your time and earn a chance to win one of the coveted rider spots on our beloved Mother Goose float at this year's Parade. Click on the play button above to view Tony's special message to our volunteer family. To enter, fill out an entry ticket each time you volunteer at The Parade Company Studio. Each day you volunteer, you earn another entry into the drawing! Contest starts September 19 and ends on October 20. Winners will be selected randomly and announced on The Parade Company Facebook on October 21. Last year's lucky winners! Reminder: Volunteers must be at least 16 years old in order to be eligible to volunteer and enter the contest. Good luck!!

2017 Volunteer Drop in Late Night & Weekend Schedule SEPTEMBER: Late Nights Tuesday, September 19 Kick-off event; Studio open 9 AM - 8 PM Thursday, September 21 Studio open 9 AM - 8 PM Tuesday,

2 2017 Volunteer Drop in Late Night & Weekend Schedule SEPTEMBER: Late Nights Tuesday, September 19 Kick-off event; Studio open 9 AM - 8 PM Thursday, September 21 Studio open 9 AM - 8 PM Tuesday, September 26 Studio open 9 AM - 8 PM Thursday, September 28 Studio open 9 AM - 8 PM Saturdays Saturday, September 23 Saturday, September 30 OCTOBER: Late Nights October 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19, 24, 26 Studio open 9 AM until 8 PM **Studio will be closed on October 31 ** Saturdays October 7, 14, 21, 28 NOVEMBER: Late Nights November 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21 Studio open 9AM-8 PM Saturdays November 4, 11, 18 PARADE SEASON IS HERE! LET'S GET BUSY!! Volunteer Late Night Kick-off Event September 19, 5-8 PM Fall is just around the corner, and you know what that means... It's me to get busy preparing for the 2017 America's Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van! Mark your calendar for Tuesday, September 19th, as we kickoff The Parade season and begin our extended volunteer hours (9AM-8PM every Tuesday and Thursday; 9AM-2PM every Saturday). At the Late Night Kick-off event, you will have a chance to work on floats, sewing or other special projects. We'll have food, beverages, fun raffles and giveaways to celebrate the official start of the season. Addi onally, our Costume Director, Arlene will host another fabulous Costume Sale during Kick-off. Prices start at $5. Feel free to bring your friends and family. Please keep in mind that volunteers must be at least 16 years old. TO RSVP, go to: h ps:// ckets Drop in hours are for art studio and sewing only. Please call ahead for office work Late Night Kickoff

3 WE OUR VOLUNTEERS! Parade Volunteer Orientation (Mandatory all Parade Volunteers) November 13, 6:00-7:00 PM Parade Studio November 14, 6:00-7:00 PM Parade Studio Training - Float Driving Another spectacular event! Big thanks to all of our wonderful volunteers who helped with registration, food service, course marshals, directions and medals! Great job!!!! October 14, 10:00 AM-Noon October 21, 10:00 AM-Noon November 4, 10:00 AM-Noon Training - Balloon Handling October 28, 9:30 AM-Noon Events (We start recruiting for the following events in late September/early October; watch your !) Parade Preview Party October 18, 3:30-9:00 PM Pancake Breakfast November 3, 6:00-10:00 AM Hob Nobble Gobble November 17, 2:30-11:30 PM (this event requires a minimum of 20 volunteer hours in 2017)

to Karen Andrusiak who was recently honored as this year's Rose Award Winner in the volunteers category for her service as an Airport Ambassador for the Wayne County Airport Authority!

4 Congrats Karen and Maggie!! Glenda Lewis (WXYZ-TV news reporter) & Karen Andrusiak Wayne County Airport Authority Rose Award Winner (Volunteers) Maggie Prong The Parade Company Rose Award Top 3 Finalist (Volunteers) BIG KUDOS to Karen Andrusiak who was recently honored as this year's Rose Award Winner in the volunteers category for her service as an Airport Ambassador for the Wayne County Airport Authority! Karen volunteers for many organizations including: the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix, Detroit Sports Commission and The Parade Company! Karen is one of TPC's awesome tour guides. She and her husband, Gary, have also served as co-captains for Hob Nobble Gobble, presented by Ford. BIG PROPS also goes to Maggie Prong, who earned her place as one of the top three finalists for the Rose Award (volunteer category) for her service with The Parade Company! Maggie serves as one of TPC's rockstar tour guides, float drivers, Big Head Handlers (and wearers), and she served as volunteer captain for the Ford Fireworks and Hob Nobble Gobble, presented by Ford. As a Rose Award top finalist, Maggie received a $100 Visa gift card, two Tigers tickets and a bottle of champagne. As the 2017 Rose Award winner, Karen received a $100 Visa gift card, dinner for two at the London Chop House, two Detroit Tigers game tickets, one dozen red roses and a bottle of champagne. Well done and well deserved!! We thank you both for all you do to help our community. Keep up the great work!!!

Have you ever wanted to learn the ins and outs of float demoli on? Want a quick lesson in chicken wire 101?

Harvey Miotke Steve Hackett Evan Hackett Al Zitny (the chicken wire guru) Harvey, Steve and Evan love to help build floats.

There's one thing that they love just as much (or maybe even more) than building floats... demolishing floats! In fact, that's how the trio met and became fast friends.

"Dave, the former art studio manager, was looking for 'bulls in his china shop'," explained Harvey. "We were the only ones who showed up that day.

" That was four years ago, fast-forward to today: Harvey, Steve and Evan s ll come in every week to help build, tear apart floats or offer help wherever they're needed.

Who knew that tearing things apart could bring people together?

5 Have you ever wanted to learn the ins and outs of float demoli on? Want a quick lesson in chicken wire 101? All you need do is ask volunteer experts: Harvey Miotke, and father son duo: Steve Hacke and Evan Hacke (also affec onately known around the Studio as "the terminators"). Harvey Miotke Steve Hackett Evan Hackett Al Zitny (the chicken wire guru) Harvey, Steve and Evan love to help build floats. Visit our studio on any given Wednesday and you'll spot Harvey, Steve and Evan either working on floats or talking about working on floats. There's one thing that they love just as much (or maybe even more) than building floats... demolishing floats! In fact, that's how the trio met and became fast friends. TPC was in need of volunteers to help demolish re red, old floats. Harvey, Steve and Evan answered the call. "Dave, the former art studio manager, was looking for 'bulls in his china shop'," explained Harvey. "We were the only ones who showed up that day. That's how we met and we had a blast destroying stuff... we just hit it off!" That was four years ago, fast-forward to today: Harvey, Steve and Evan s ll come in every week to help build, tear apart floats or offer help wherever they're needed. Over the years, TPC staff and ar sts have come to know and love them. Something else special happened throughout those years... Harvey, Steve and Evan have become the best of friends. Who knew that tearing things apart could bring people together? Well, that's exactly what happened - they invite each other to cookouts and gradua ons, and other special celebra ons like Evan's annual Halloween party. "Working together and coming in every week to the Studio to volunteer... we just became friends - it just happened that way," said Steve. "We learned that we have a lot in common and we just clicked. Our kids are good friends... he watches out for Evan and I watch out for his daughter, Stacey." "We are very close," said Evan. "You know you are good friends when you can make fun of each other!" This is just one of the many benefits of volunteering - making a las ng impact in the community, all while developing las ng friendships. Read the following Q&A to learn more about the "terminators" and their volunteer experience. Q: How did you get involved with TPC? Who or what inspired you? A: Evan: "My father and I were at the Detroit Auto Show when we first saw a Parade Company float on display," explains Evan. "We were so excited when someone from The Parade Company showed us what was underneath the float. We were even more excited when we found out that we could sign up as volunteers. The first volunteers we met were Al Zitny (who is the chicken wire guru) and Harvey." Harvey: Someone from the Detroit Zoo told me that if you wanted to try something new and different, volunteer for The Parade Company!

Volunteer Spotlight con nued... "I came in the studio and met Barb Trombley, one of TPC's legendary volunteers. Barb was an elderly lady, but she had a li le kid's spirit.

6 Volunteer Spotlight con nued... "I came in the studio and met Barb Trombley, one of TPC's legendary volunteers. Barb was an elderly lady, but she had a li le kid's spirit. She had been a TPC volunteer for decades, and she was excited about everything Parade. You couldn't help but to get excited too! I also met TPC volunteer icon, Al Zitny, another big kid who never grew up. Both Al and Barb inspired me to chase a er that same joyous spirit. I try to incorporate that spirit in everything I do - especially when I give tours." Q: How do you like volunteering with your son? A: Steve: "I do like volunteering with him. I love watching him grow - he's matured so much while he's been volunteering here." Q: Favorite Parade Memory? A: Steve: "My favorite Parade memory has to be our first Parade and watching Evan crawl into the Tin Man (he was the animator that year on the Wizard of Oz float!) Harvey: "I was giving a tour and one li le girl asked if she could hug me. I agreed and hugged the li le girl. Soon a er, another one of her classmates shouted 'group hug!' Then suddenly, 30 li le kids were coming at me for a group hug. We almost fell over!" Q: Favorite thing about being a volunteer: A: Evan: "While volunteering, I've learned a lot! I learned how to use the power saw and the hi-lo forkli. I've learned very interes ng stuff!" Harvey: "I love sharing the magic of what we do with others. I get to interact with people and impart a child-like joy with others - that's why I love giving tours." Q: Any advice for new volunteers? A: Steve: "Don't be afraid to ask ques ons - everybody is helpful!" Great advice, Steve! There are a couple of fresh volunteers who have recently joined Steve, Harvey and Evan's pack - and they are all amazing. Brad Williams and Ed Paddock are now part of the weekly crew! You can join too - There's always room for more in the Parade Company Volunteer Family! Thanks for all you do, guys!!! The 'terminators' in action: (l-r) Steve Hackett, Mike Sweeney, Harvey Miotke & Evan Hackett

If you can help out, please send an email to to volunteers@theparade.org. TOUR OUR STUDIO!

! Experience a behind the scenes look at America's Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van.

Call for details or to book your tour! Ask for Sharon: 313.432.7833.

at our studio on Saturday, Sept. 16. Volunteer positions include: costume greeters, Big Heads and Big Head handlers, and tour guides.

org, if you have not yet joined Volgistics.

7 CALLERS NEEDED!! Volunteers are needed to help make calls to schools, senior centers and local organizations to help spread the word about TPC's tour program. Callers are needed to come in to our Studio, during the week anytime after 9 AM and before 4 PM (Anytime you can donate is appreciated). If you can help out, please send an to to volunteers@theparade.org. TOUR OUR STUDIO!! Family friendly fun - Perfect for kids and kids at heart!! Experience a behind the scenes look at America's Thanksgiving Parade presented by Art Van. Prices are $12 per adult; $8 per child and $10 per senior. Discount pricing for schools/special needs groups. Call for details or to book your tour! Ask for Sharon: th Birthday Celebration Saturday, September 16, 1:30 PM-6:00 PM Parade Company Studio Volunteers needed to help with a birthday event at our studio on Saturday, Sept. 16. Volunteer positions include: costume greeters, Big Heads and Big Head handlers, and tour guides. If you are interested in helping, please sign up on Volgistics. Send an to volunteers@theparade.org, if you have not yet joined Volgistics. Boy Scout Event Thursday, September 21, 5-9PM Parade Company Studio Friendly, outgoing volunteers wanted!! We are in need of costume greeters for a Boy Scout event on Sept. 21. If you are interested in signing up, please go to Volgistics or send an to volunteers@theparade.org. Clownie Call Out! We are in need of volunteers to wear the Clownie mascot costume and represent TPC at events during Parade season. If you are interested, please volunteers@theparade.com. You'll need to come to the Studio to be fitted and receive training. Greeters Needed!! Volunteers are needed to dress in costume and greet tour guests during our busy Parade season (mid-sept.-nov) during the week and Saturdays. If you can help out, please send an to volunteers@theparade.org. STAY CONNECTED!

Clownie Connection. SHINY NEW CARS & TPC's SHINING VOLUNTEER STARS. The Parade Company Volunteer Newsletter

Clownie Connection. SHINY NEW CARS & TPC's SHINING VOLUNTEER STARS. The Parade Company Volunteer Newsletter Clownie Connection The Parade Company Volunteer Newsletter Mar/Apr 2017 Issue #2 Thank you to those who have joined Volgistics, our online volunteer management system. We really appreciate all of you who