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New
float and co-grand marshals announced at 2010 America's Thanksgiving
Parade Preview Party
Farmington
Hills, Mich. native Makayla McCoskey
native named parade queen
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
Parade Company's President & CEO Tony Michaels, Parade Co-Grand
Marshal Dick Purtan and Steve Kurmas (representing Co-Grand Marshal
Tony Earley, Jr.)
DETROIT
-- The
Parade Company revealed its new DTE Energy float "Energy and
Our Future" at its annual parade preview party, which is held
one month before the parade begins. In addition, longtime radio
broadcaster Dick Purtan and DTE Energy's Executive Chairman of the
Board Anthony Earley, Jr. were announced as co-grand marshals of
the parade. Farmington Hills, Mich. native Makayla McCoskey was
introduced as this year's parade queen and the winner of a scholarship.
Four other parade princesses were named; they also went home with
college scholarships.
"I
have the privilege of being with one of America's greatest teams,
the team here that puts on America's Thanksgiving Parade and the
Target Fireworks," said Tony Michaels, President and CEO of
The Parade Company. "We have the greatest sponsors in the world.
We can't thank everybody enough. I would also like to introduce
right now the queen of America's Thanksgiving Parade, Makayla McCoskey.
Makayla will be in the parade on Thanksgiving morning. We hope you
enjoy what is really a revitalized Parade Company."
The
parade preview party included a performance by the Mid American
Pompon team, the band AMINAL from the Detroit School of Rock &
Pop, the DSD Frequency Dancers and AM 910 Radio Disney's D-Tour.
"It's
a real honor to do this thing," said parade co-grand marshal
Dick Purtan. "We used to take our kids down when they were
young all the time. Right in front of the Hudson's building and
Coleman Young was the mayor. I would give the key to Coleman who
would then give the key to Santa Claus. This year, the key will
be given to Santa as the parade is moving. This is the first time
that will be done in 84 years. They want to keep the parade moving
so that spectators can enjoy the parade at that end. I can't tell
you what an honor it is to be co-grand marshal."
One
of this year's new floats, Energy and Our Future, was unveiled
during the event. It is being sponsored by DTE Energy. Another new
float will be announced in the beginning of November at the pancake
breakfast. There will be a total of four or five new floats in this
year's parade.
"We're
really excited to be here to introduce our first new float in six
years," said Steve Kurmas, president of Detroit Edison, who
spoke on behalf of the other co-grand marshal Anthony Earley, Jr.
"The float features a group of characters on a float powered
by entirely by renewable energy; five different forms of renewable
energy. Our float's central character holds a world in one hand
and a banner in another hand. The banner reads, 'The future is in
our hands.' It reminds us all that children are driving our future.
If you like these characters, you can see more of them on our new
website at DTEKids.com."
"I
will be riding on the Princess Fairytale float with the rest of
my corps., I'm so excited," said Parade Queen Makayla McCoskey.
"I get to be involved in all of the Parade Company's events.
After this, I'm doing the pancake breakfast, Hob Nobble Gobble,
the parade itself, the Target Fireworks. I get to throw out a pitch
at a Tigers game and so many more things I haven't found out about
yet. I've been watching the parade forever, but this will definitely
be my first time in the parade. I was given a $1,500 scholarship
along with the crown and the banner and all the amazing events that
go with it. I'm working on submitting my apps right now. I'm looking
at some east coast schools, but I will always be a hometown girl,
I'd love to go to U of M. I want to major in cell molecular biology."
Each year,
The Parade Company holds a competition to select the official parade
queen and the four princesses to support her. All girls between
the ages of 17 and 23 who live in the state of Michigan are eligible
to apply. A panel of judges selects the queen and the princesses
based on academics, campus, community involvement, personality and
knowledge of the parade. Each of the four princesses receives a
$250 scholarship while the queen gets a $1,500 scholarship.
"You
had to have an overall of a 3.0 or higher GPA, be very involved
in your community and you have to be a well-rounded person,"
said Kelsey Hall of Detroit, one of this year's parade princesses.
"The princesses are there more for the parade. Santa's always
the best part for me, most definitely. We're there to support the
queen and what she does. We're just there as a backup for her I
think it's wonderful that there's so many things to offer. There's
so many opportunities for young people to have a good time at a
place like this. I plan on going to New York University for a major
in broadcast journalism and a minor in music."
The 28th
Annual Fifth Third Turkey Trot will take place on Thanksgiving morning
before the parade. It includes a 10K, 5K or one mile race. It begins
in front of the Coleman A. Young Municipal Center, heads north on
Woodward, then west on Michigan Avenue and east towards Cobo Center.
It all begins with the Mashed Potato Mile at 7:30 a.m. The turkey
trot and S3 Stuffing Strut begin at 7:45 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., respectively.
The 5K walk begins at 8:10 a.m. on Woodward near Congress. Click
here for information on how to register for all of the races.
"I
volunteer here at the Parade Company and I help paint the floats,"
said Shannon Antuschevich of St. Clair Shores, Mich., who dressed
up as an apple pie for the preview party. "Yes, it's very good
apple pie. Apple pie is delicious, go buy some. I go to Macomb Community
College. I'm a volunteer at the Parade Company and they dress up
as an apple pie and hand out these flyers. I will be a V.I.P. escort,
so I will not be on the floats. But I will be helping out whoever
our V.I.P. escorts are."
Tickets
for the Hob Nobble Gobble and grandstand seating for America's Thanksgiving
Parade are still available. Tickets for the Hob Nobble Gobble range
from $200 to $1,000 and can be purchased by clicking
here. Grandstand tickets range from $25 to $45 and can be purchased
by clicking
here.
For
more information on The Parade Company, visit www.theparade.org
or call (313) 923-7400.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
new Energy and Our Future float sponsored by DTE Energy.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
Michaels
poses for a photo with the parade queen and three princesses.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
band ANIMAL, from the Detroit School of Rock and Pop, provided the
entertainment for the evening.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
The
Mid American Pompon team performed during the parade preview party.
PHOTO
BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com
Attendees
played video games like Guitar Hero.
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