The Leading Manufacturer Of Irrigation Products Wins The Tournament of Roses® Sweepstakes Trophy For Most Beautiful Float Entry In The 120th Rose Parade; Float Focuses On Bringing Awareness To Environmental Preservation Through The Intelligent Use Of Water™
Rain Bird, the leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services, was awarded the Tournament of Roses Sweepstakes Trophy today in recognition of its 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade entry, Entertaining Expedition. Awarded to the float entry deemed the most beautiful by a panel of expert judges, the 2009 Sweepstakes Trophy win marks the 12th time in 13 years that Rain Bird has been awarded for its Rose Parade float entry, and the second consecutive year (eighth overall) in which the company has won the parade's top honor.
Building on a tradition of communicating the importance of water conservation and environmental preservation through its participation in the Tournament of Roses Parade, Rain Bird's Entertaining Expedition paid tribute to the central role that water plays in sustaining all of the Earth's inhabitants. In accordance with this year’s Rose Parade theme, “Hats Off To Entertainment,” Rain Bird's 2009 float entry, Entertaining Expedition, showcased an African safari as Earth’s purest form of entertainment while promoting water conservation and the preservation of endangered species and the habitats in which they live throughout the world.
"As has been the case with all of Rain Bird's previous floats, Entertaining Expedition focused on bringing awareness to the fragile ecosystem and inspiring the public to think about the actions we can take towards preserving our natural surroundings for the enjoyment of future generations," said Rain Bird's Director of Corporate Marketing, Dave Johnson. "We always set out to make an impact with every one of our float entries, and are delighted to be recognized by the Tournament of Roses judges as we continue to bolster awareness of the need to use water more efficiently through the world's most watched parade."
On board Entertaining Expedition as float riders were animal enthusiasts Jack Hanna (who has ridden on Rain Bird’s floats since 1999), Director Emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Columbus, Ohio and host of Into The Wild; and Walter Crawford (who joined Mr. Hanna on Rain Bird’s floats beginning in 2001), Founder and Executive Director of the World Bird Sanctuary in St. Louis, Missouri. They were also joined by Dewey, a bateleur eagle rescued by the World Bird Sanctuary.
The 2009 Sweepstakes Trophy is Rain Bird's 12th award in 13 years as a participant in the New Year's Day classic, having previously won the parade's top honor in 2008, 2005, 2003, 2002, 2001, 1999 and 1998; Judge's Special Trophy in 2007; Grand Marshal's Trophy in 2004; President's Trophy in 2000; and Director's Trophy in 1997.
Rain Bird’s participation in the annual Tournament of Roses Parade is only one example of how the company’s focus on water conservation extends beyond products and services. Rain Bird devotes significant resources to its Intelligent Use of Water public education initiatives, which include a series of white papers, public service announcements, membership on the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the steering committee advising the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its WaterSense product labeling program, biannual Intelligent Use of Water Summits, The Intelligent Use of Water Film Competition, partnerships with nonprofit organizations, development and support of elementary and middle school curriculums and The Intelligent Use of Water Award program that recognizes leaders in water conservation.
ABOUT RAIN BIRD CORPORATION
Based in Azusa, Calif., Rain BirdCorporation is the leading manufacturer and provider of irrigation products and services. Since its beginnings in 1933, Rain Bird has offered the industry’s broadest range of irrigation products for farms, golf courses, sports arenas, commercial developments and homes in more than 130 countries around the world. Rain Bird has been awarded more than 130 patents, including the first in 1935 for the impact sprinkler. Rain Bird and The Intelligent Use of Water™ is about using water wisely. Its commitment extends beyond products to education, training and services for the industry and the community. Rain Bird maintains state-of-the-art manufacturing assembly facilities in the United States, France, Sweden and Mexico http://www.rainbird.com.
Contacts:
The Pollack PR Marketing Group
Stefan Pollack/William Ostedt,
310-556-4443
spollack@ppmgcorp.com
wostedt@ppmgcorp.com