Association President Eileen Ferber said "The Great Howldini" has been selected as the winning float design for LCF's 2006 entry in the Rose Parade. Jacob Maitless, an illustrator and concept artist, won the community-wide contest sponsored by LCF's Tournament of Roses Association.

"Entries are considered by a committee seeking the best idea for a float, based on the criteria of ability to build it, making it humorous and highly animating the float," Ferber said.

Maitless, who receives two granstand tickets to the parade for his winning submission, is a former attraction designer and art director for Universal Studios theme parks and a graduate of the Art Center College of Design. The Pasadena resident has created two previous float designs for LCF.

"The Great Howldini" is a dog who is performing the magic of pulling a rabbit out of his top hat amidst a puff of smoke. "A shell game is being played at the front of the float while a snake performs a dance and playing cards come to life by twirling magically," Ferber said. "A dog bone levitates but how that is accomplished is known only to the construction crew led by Jim Geoghegan."

"We are proud to be one of only six self-built floats in the parade," Ferber added. "It takes so many dedicated people to get this float down the parade route; they all should be publicly thanked.

"With their help, we produce the same quality of float as the professionals do, only we do it on a much smaller budget with money raised through volunteer efforts.

"It takes over a year to produce a float when you consider the time from concept to the reality of driving it down the parade route," Ferber continued. "Once we've decided on a concept, it takes several weeks to 'de-construct' the old float. We salvage anything that we might be able to use again. As soon as we have working drawings of the new float, construction begins."

The float is built behind the Valley Water Company on Hampstead Road. "We welcome people to come down any Saturday to see what's happening with construction," Vice President of Float Development Dustin Crumb said.

"By the end of summer and early fall, we go into high gear with construction. Anyone who wants to help build the float or who wants to learn new skills to help build the float is welcome to come to the construction site," Crumb added. "We have many jobs that need to be filled, so we welcome the help."

The 2006 float will be 25 feet high, 18 feet wide and 55 feet long. Animation for the float will be achieved through a state-of-the-art animation computer, which was custom integrated by members of the Association to allow the control of multiple channels of hydraulic closed loop animation. An integrated MP3 player allows the animation to be coordinated with the float's soundtrack. The float's three engines are powered by clean-burning propane.

Sharlyn French, the decorating chairperson, said her committee has been brainstorming to turn the float into one of the most colorful parade entries the LCF TRA has produced. "Howldini will wear a red jacket created by bright red mums," French said. "We're still working on what to use for his bow tie. Our dog's fur will be a combination of various shades of pampas grass. Of course, our rabbit will be made of white mums with accents created by pink gladiolas petals. The base of the float will be covered with a carpet of around 7,000 red roses with numerous floral displays.

"It's a work in progress until the last flower is in place. Sometimes the weather will throw us a curve and flowers we were counting on don't come. That's why we have backup decorating plans, just in case."

The float's driver this year is Dustin Crumb's father, Dwight Crumb. This is one of several LCF TRA floats that three generations of Crumb family members have worked on together. (Dwight's father, Doug, is a float volunteer.)

The float will be driven by using a hydraulic drive system. Instead of a gas and brake pedal, the driver has a joystick to control the speed of the float.

"Construction would not run as smoothly as it does if we didn't have Bob Neilson and his site crew doing such a bang up job," Ferber said. "The site crew keeps the construction site in order and sees that what's needed to build the float is available to the construction crew." By the time the float departs from its decorating week home under the 210 Freeway at Foothill and Hampton, it will represent approximately 30,000 volunteer hours.

"None of this would be possible without our volunteers," Ferber said. "Our most important source of raising funds is our 'floaters' who support the Association through memberships. Without them and without the many helping hands who take on special jobs to raise money, we couldn't support the cost of the float, which is around $125,000 each year."

Claire Slaughter, vice president of administration, coordinates the fundraising effort. This year she was chairperson of the Bingo Barbecue.

Clyde Hemphill, Mike O'Connor, Jim Geoghegan, Larry Andreason, Sue Beatty and Sherrill Carbonetti are regular volunteers at the monthly Happy Hour.

Gloria Winkley arranges for the group to dine out each month at a different restaurant; proceeds from the dining out events add to the coffers to pay for float expenses. Harriet Hammons is in charge of selling the Macy's Day tickets this year and Dave Moffett handles the sale of game and parade tickets. Geoghegan and Judy Mitz stock the Association's Floatique with float memorabilia.

Sharon Boettcher, who is in charge of the annual "Evening of Wine and Roses," has planned a sit-down dinner at the La Caņada Flintridge Country Club. With many other wine tasting events scheduled, the group decided "to go a new route that should be exciting," Ferber said.

Bob Ferber keeps the history of the group and assists with publicity. Ernest Koeppen updates the float's progress in the organization's monthly newsletter and is also the Webmaster. Jack and Barbara Esterly print the newsletter; the Assistance League's Retired Service Volunteers prepare it for mailing. Clara Satterfield is responsible for its transportation to the post office in time and handles memberships, along with Sarah Marshall. Betty Jones is treasurer and Pat Hutchins sells See's candy certificates. The 2006 float will be the Association's 28th entry in the parade. (The first was "Horse Play" in 1979 after the local Kiwanis wanted to "create a project that could bring people together for a common goal," Ferber said.) Over the years, 14 major trophies have been awarded to LCF, many in the humor and animation categories.

"Membership in the LCF TRA is open to anyone," Ferber said. For information about joining, call (818) 790-2013.