SIERRA MADRE EDITION

SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017

VOLUME 11 NO. 1

ROD AND JOAN SPEARS 
NAMED SIERRA MADRE 
2016 CITIZENS OF THE YEAR

SIERRA MADRE WINS AGAIN.......WHILE THE CAT WAS AWAY!


Surprise, Surprise, Surprise! Surrounding the Spears 
are (left to right), past COTY Recipients Joe and Jacquie 
Pergola, Judy Webb-Martin, Rod Spears, Chamber Board 
Member Carol Canterbury and Joan Spears. 

Photo by Judy Webb-Martin

 They thought it was going to be just another Thursday night out 
dining with friends, but little did Rod and Joan Spears know that 
there was a surprise waiting for them as they gathered at Nano's 
in Sierra Madre.

 Carol Canterbury representing the Sierra Madre Chamber 
of Commerce and with the help of their friends former COTY 
winners Joe and Jacquie Pergola and Judy Webb-Martin, 
surprised the couple with the announcement and the evening 
was all big smiles after that!

 The Chamber selected the Spears after receiving an overwhelming 
number of nominations for the couple.

 The Spears moved to Sierra Madre in 1999 have immediately 
became involved in activities that support the preservation of 
Sierra Madre. Rod served as a Volunteer Firefighter and set up 
the city's Community Emergency Response Team (CERT), and 
is currently on the Library's Board of Trustees. Joan became a 
volunteer for the Police Department, an active member of the 
Civic Club and is currently on the Senior Commission. They 
have five children, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.

 The COTY award is granted to outstanding Sierra Madrean(s) 
who are the personification of the town’s spirit of volunteerism. 
The Chamber has bestowed this honor upon 54 citizens since 
1966. Recent honorees include (partial listing) Clem and 
Nina Bartolai (2015), Dave Loera (2014), Joe and Jacquie Pergola 
(2013), Marlene Enmark (2012), Richard Mays (2011), Glenn 
and Amy Putnam (2010), Paul and Louise Nieby (2009), Angel 
Throop (2008), Pete Siberell (2007), Bud Switzer (2006), John 
Grijalva (2005), Hank Landsberg (2004), Rob Stockly (2003), Bill 
Messersmith (2002), Carol Canterbury (2001) and Marilyn 
McKernan (2000).

 The COTY dinner honoring Rod and Joan will be held on 
Saturday, January 28, 2017 at Nano's 322 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., 
Sierra Madre, Ca. Reception at 6:00 p.m. - Dinner at 7:00. 
Tickets are $30 per person/Tables of 10 $275.00. Tickets are 
available at The Bottle Shop, Beantown and Savor the Flavor. You 
can also purchase them online after January 10th by going to the 
Chamber's website, www.sierramadrechamber.com.

 Established in 1946, the Sierra Madre Chamber’s Mission is: “To 
encourage a healthy business environment by advancing, promoting 
and supporting the businesses serving Sierra Madre.” This includes 
providing a voice for local businesses when dealing with local 
government, creating networking opportunities monthly, supporting 
other non profit groups and sponsoring events such as the Wistaria 
Festival, Winter Festival and the COTY.

By Bill Coburn and Susan Henderson

The Cat’s Away”, Sierra Madre Rose Float 
Association’s 2017 entry in the Tournament of 
Roses Parade, was the town's 85th entry, going 
back to 1917. And, for the eleventh time in 
twelve years, SMRFA’s entry has won an award, 
this year - The Mayor’s Award described by the 
Tournament as “Most Outstanding City Entry.”

The float depicts what mice do when the cat is 
away,...play! According to the official description, 
"The mice have taken over the tea set. Three mice 
are playing with a spoon on the front of the float. 
It has become a teeter totter. One mouse is laying 
in the bowl of the spoon with a tartlet filled with 
custard, a blackberry, and a raspberry. The one 
in the middle enjoying the ride holding a sugar 
cube. And a little girl mouse on the end of the 
spoon handle is holding a petit four. In the middle 
of the float we have the teapot being poured by a 
mouse using a fork (with 2 wobbly sugar cubes 
as a fulcrum), to tip the teapot. In the rear of the 
float is a stack of 4 cups. The top cup is being spun 
by a mouse, causing the three below it to wobble 
dangerously" and comically! There were also 
sugar cubes on the inside of the tray that the 
Sierra Madre Rose Float Princesses rode on.

One of six self built floats in the parade, the hard 
work of the Association's Board and Volunteers 
brought the vision of designer Richard Burrow's 
to life. Thousands of volunteer hours created the 
masterpiece.

The float's tray is made with dark brown and 
golden flax seed accented with lime green 
buttonmums and yellow strawflower accents. 
The base of the exterior of the tray will have bunches of pink roses and 
white football crysanthemums. 

The bottom of the tray is covered in red roses. The spoon and fork are 
covered in silver leaf, with poppy seed accents. The cups are covered in a 
variety of dry (lavender statice, ground split pea, coconut, ground rice, 
and yellow strawflower) and floral (pink and yellow chrysanthemums, 
and yellow button mums). 

The teapot will be covered in lavender, yellow, and pink carnations 
with design elements covered in ground rice, strawflower, ground split 
pea, and cranberry seed. The mice will be covered in light and dark 
Ming moss. The tartlet will be natural sesame seed, hulled sesame 
seed, raspberry carnation petals and dark purple Floragene carnation 
petals while the petit four will be yellow strawflower with ribbons of 
lime green buttonmums, topped with a small bouquet of lisianthus. 

The napkins (not on the original rendering) are covered in yellow corn 
grits with wild rice stitching and the monogram is done in statice. The 
monogram, by the way, is a B and is in honor of the concept designer, 
Richard Burrow (right), whose flamingo design was used for last years 
float.

In 2006, the “Wonder of Reading”, designed by 
Charles Meier, took the Founder’s Banner Trophy, 
for the most spectacular float built and decorated 
by volunteers from a community or organization. 
In 2007, “Our Wonderful Wistaria” designed 
by Charles Meier was the winner of the Lathrop 
K. Leishman Award, for most beautiful non-
commercial float. 2008’s “Valentine’s Day”, again 
designed by Charles Meier, won the Princesses’ 
Award, for most beautiful float 35' and under. 

In 2009, SMRFA and Meier’s streak continued with 
“Bollywood Dreams”, which again brought home 
the Lathrop K. Leishman Award, for most beautiful 
non-commercial float. In 2010, “California Girls”, 
designed by Dick Sappington, won the Governor’s 
Award for best depiction of life in California. Sierra 
Madre also got the Governor’s Award in 2011 for 
“Suenos de California”, again designed by Meier.

Gorgeous as it was, 2012’s Colorful Imagination 
did not garner any awards, but 2013’s “The Sky’s 
the Limit” put SMRFA back in the winner’s circle, 
taking home the Mayor’s Trophy. The Sky’s the 
Limit was designed by Charles Meier from a 
concept drawing by Sierra Madre resident Maria 
Murray. In 2014, “Catching the Big One” was a 
winner. Charles Meier was once again the designer.

In 2015, SMRFA’s entry “I Think I Can” based on 
the little train that could, and dedicated to Robert 
Young, longtime president of SMRFA who passed 
away in July of 2014, won The Mayor’s Trophy. 
The entry included the phrase “Forever Young” at 
the back of the train in his honor. Then in 2016, 
“Rollin’ on the River” took the Animation Trophy, 
described by the Tournament as “Best Animation 
and Motion.”

And now, for the eleventh time in twelve years, SMRFA has done it again, 
with “The Cat’s Away” taking the Mayor’s Trophy! Congratulations 
SMRFA!

To see a fantastic pictoral history of how the float was 
developed, go to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/
Sierra-Madre-Rose-Float-Barn/220533438025906

Photos by Dean Lee/MVNews

RECENT SMRFA TROPHIES

2006 - “The Wonder of Reading” The Founders Banner Trophy

2007 - “Our Wonderful Wistaria”

 Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy

2008 - “Valentine’s Day”

 Princesses Trophy

2009 - “Bollywood Dreams” 

 Lathrop K. Leishman Trophy

2010 “California Girls”

 Governor’s Trophy

2011 “Suenos de California”

 Governor’s Trophy

2013 “The Sky’s The Limit”

 Isabella Coleman Trophy

2014 “Catching The Big One”

 The Mayor’s Trophy

2015 “I Think I Can”

 The Mayor’s Trophy

2016 “Rollin’ On The River

 Animation Trophy

2017 "The Cat's Away"

 The Mayor’s Trophy


Designer Richard Burrow seems to be having a little fun along 
with the mice !