Newport names 8 parade riders

Four former Rose Queens will be on city float, along with councilman and donors’ daughters. Four former Rose Parade queens, two young Newport Beach residents, one City Council member and a top donor are among those who will be riding on the City of Newport Beach Rose Parade float when it cruises through Pasadena on Jan. 2.

The names of the riders were unveiled Thursday evening at a reception sponsored by the city of Newport Beach Centennial steering committee to honor float sponsors. The event was held at Roger’s Gardens in Corona del Mar.

Four of the five Rose Parade queens who reside in Newport Beach will ride on the main section of the float, which pays homage to the city’s nautical past and present.

Nancy Skinner, who was the Rose Queen in 1952, said a city official called her last week to invite her aboard the float.

“My first thought was, at this stage of life, it’s exciting to be in the parade again,” said Skinner, who is making her third appearance in the Rose Parade. “Being able to represent the city is an honor.”

The other former Rose Queens who will be stationed on the float are Ann Hall, 1957; Robin Sanders, 1975; and Anne Wortmann, 1976.

The first faces parade-goers will see aboard the Newport Beach float are those of Tess Hezlep and Kathleen Saunders, who are riding atop the moving dolphins in the front section. They are the daughters of the two lead float donors.

John Saunders and his company, Saunders Property Co., donated $25,000 for a space on the float. Bruce Hezlep and family donated $35,000, according to city recreation director Marie Knight, who is heading up centennial activities.

Bruce Hezlep will join his daughter on the float. Newport Beach Councilman Don Webb also will be riding in the parade.

Knight said a ninth rider will soon be identified.

She said the main focus is continuing to raise money for the float and to find volunteers to decorate it with roses.

About $100,000 of the $220,000 cost has been raised for the float, Knight said.

“We would have liked to raise more money,” Knight said. “We gave it a shot, tried a bunch of things, and now we’re working with what we have. There’s still time left.”

Among the fundraising efforts the city attempted was an eBay auction for a spot on the float. The centennial committee hoped to raise at least $50,000, but the offers were well short of that mark.

Knight said auctioning off tickets to the Rose Bowl Game is in the works. She has spoken to Newport Beach service clubs and crowds at city events in an effort to drum up more support for the float.

The former Rose Queens recently did a local television spot where they asked for more community involvement, Skinner said.

About 500 volunteers are signed up for float decoration, Knight said. That leaves more than 200 slots to be filled. The first decorating trip is Dec. 17. Subsequent trips are planned between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

“The momentum is starting with the volunteers,” Knight said. “We want to keep getting the word out.”

Webb shares in Knight’s optimism.

“In the overall budget for the centennial, things are pretty well taken care of,” Webb said. “We’d like to get more for the float at the present time, but it’s not a problem.”

The float, designed and built by Fiesta Parade Floats, has been taken on a test driven. Webb was there to watch it as has monitored the float during construction.

He said he is confident when it comes time to decorate the float, city residents will be up to the task.

Those interested in volunteering or donating can visit www.newportbeach100.com or call (949) 718-1856.