Natural Balance Pet Foods 2013 Rose Parade

Natural Balance Pet Foods 2013 Rose Parade Float Celebrates Military Working Dogs

Just prior to the Rose Parade this year, I was able to visit the Fiesta Float facility in Irwindale, Calif. to see the Natural Balance MWD memorial float being decorated and met Joey Herrick, CEO Natural Balance Pet Foods.

Dogs from all services and from WWII to the present were the focus of this floral tribute that will lead to a MWD monument at Lackland AFB in Texas later this year, and also hopefully, a similar one on the Mall in Washington, DC.

Also riding on the float would be Marine Gunnery Sergeant Chris Willingham, Corporal Juan Rodriques and retired Marine SSD Lucca. Lucca was the MWDTSA Hero dog in 2006. Natural Balance arranged for Chris and Lucca to fly first class from Helsinki Finland to LA for the parade…yes Luuca had her own seat up front!

The float is a replica of The National MWD monument, rendered in flowers and seeds. An 18-wheeler with trailer will crisscross the US with the actual bronze statues for the next six months, promoting the memorial. It will be at the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb 3 and end in Wash DC on July 4. Herrick wants another similar memorial to WWII, Korea, VN and current era MWD teams on the Mall in Wash DC. The Lackland monument is scheduled for completion and dedication in Oct 2013. Itinerary will be listed on the Natural Balance website. NB had t-shirts made for the parade float and memorial as well as enameled pins. Ask Dixie to model hers! Look for the truck and trailer at an event near you soon.