SAN DIEGO, Jan. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The UPS Store
debuted its second float in the 2018 Tournament of Roses® Rose
Parade today, and proudly took home the Extraordinaire Trophy for
its float "Books Bring Dreams to Life," designed to capture the
magic and imagination that come alive when diving into a good
read.
The Extraordinaire Trophy is awarded to the most extraordinary
float for its entertainment value. This award category includes
floats 55 feet in length and greater.
The float was designed to highlight the Toys for Tots® Literacy
Program, developed by The UPS Store and the Marine Toys for Tots
Foundation in 2008. The program strives to provide books and
educational resources to economically disadvantaged children in
communities throughout the country, aiming to leverage the impact
literacy has on children's success.
"The UPS Store is honored to receive this year's Extraordinaire
Trophy, and have the opportunity to shed light on childhood
literacy to a national audience for the second year in a row," said
Karen Kelly, Director of
Advertising. "We believe our mission to provide reading materials
to economically disadvantaged children across the country ties in
beautifully to the Rose Parade's 'Making a Difference' theme."
The UPS Store® float made waves at this year's parade with
custom-built hydraulics powering the movement of the float. The
float's main feature was a spectacular sea monster that appeared to
swim down the parade route in a life-like way. Fresh flowers gave
The UPS Store's sea monster its color, texture and brilliance. Her
scales were made up of green and yellow chrysanthemums, magenta and
coral carnations and intermixed with grapefruit, oranges, lemons
and limes. Iris petals created the sea monster's eyes and imported
hydrangeas provide bright blue accents throughout the water she is
swimming in.
The float's animations blew standard Rose Parade dimensions out
of the water – her neck and head animated beyond the standard
55-foot length while her tail animated beyond the standard 18-foot
width.
Since its inception the Toys for Tots Literacy Program, The UPS
Store has raised more than $4 million
dollars and distributed more than 39 million books to help
children across the United States.
For more information visit theupsstore.com/roses.
About The UPS Store
With approximately 5,000
locations across North America,
The UPS Store network comprises the nation's largest franchise
system of retail shipping, postal, print and business service
centers. The UPS Store locations in the U.S. are independently
owned and operated by licensed franchisees of The UPS Store, Inc.,
a subsidiary of UPS (NYSE: UPS). Services, products, pricing and
hours of operation may vary by location. For additional information
on The UPS Store, visit theupsstore.com. For information
on franchise opportunities for opening a The UPS
Store location, visit https://www.theupsstorefranchise.com/.
Follow The UPS Store on Twitter at @TheUPSStore and like
The UPS Store on Facebook at facebook.com/theupsstore.
About the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation
The Marine
Toys for Tots Foundation is a not-for-profit organization
authorized by the U.S. Marine Corps to provide fundraising and
other necessary support for the annual U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
Toys for Tots Program. Now in its 70th year, Toys for Tots provides
joy and a message of hope to less fortunate children through the
gift of a new toy or book during the Christmas holiday season. For
more information, visit www.toysfortots.org.
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SOURCE The UPS Store