Mission Viejo’s Tournament of Roses Parade float riders reflect the fabric of this 20-year-old City, which has a long, proud tradition of embracing and nurturing its cultures, heritage, history and future.

The design of  the City’s 2009 Rose Parade float, “Making a Splash,”  illustrates life in this south Orange County City of roughly 98,000 and mirrors the official 2009 “Hats Off To Entertainment” parade theme by highlighting community and recreational activities as entertainment in Mission Viejo.

The float’s key feature is a 12-foot-deep, 20-foot-long body of water, which represents Mission Viejo’s iconic landmark, Lake Mission Viejo. The float will include three members of the world-renowned Mission Viejo Nadadores, who will dive into roughly 10 tons of water as the float travels down the five-and-a-half mile Rose Parade route.

Mission Viejo has long been the training ground for Olympians and Olympic hopefuls. The four Olympians riding on the City’s float are soccer player Julie Foudy, diver Greg Louganis, swimmer Brian Goodell and long-distance swimmer Chloe Sutton. Chloe will join two other members of the Mission Viejo Nadadores in diving into a pool of water. Along with the Olympians and notorious Nadadores, a host of residents will also experience an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride atop Mission Viejo’s flower-bedecked float.

Olympian Julie Foudy
An outstanding Olympic athlete, Julie won gold medals for soccer in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. She also captured a silver medal in the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games.

Julie’s ties with Mission Viejo certainly run deep. She graduated from Mission Viejo High School in 1989 and was proclaimed the City’s “Home Town Hero” seven years later for her extraordinary achievements in academics and athletics. Julie – a first team High School All-American and stand-out student with a 4.0 GPA – attended Del Cerro Elementary and Los Alisos Intermediate Schools before graduating from Mission Viejo High School.

At 16, she debuted as a member of the U.S. national women’s soccer team. At Stanford University, Julie became a four-time All American midfielder and member of the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team that won the ’91 inaugural FIFA Women’s World Championship in China. Julie’s love for and contributions to her City has never waned. She has been a longtime supporter of her hometown serving as Master of Ceremonies for the Walk Against Drugs and for the City’s 20th anniversary celebration opening ceremonies.

Olympian Greg Louganis
Greg is known as the “world’s greatest diver” for his vast career accomplishments, which include winning a silver medal in the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games and two gold medals in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. In 1988, Greg became the first to win double gold medals for diving in two consecutive Olympics. At the Pan Am Games, he earned six gold medals.

Greg, who was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1985, spent the early days of his illustrious diving career training with the Mission Viejo Nadadores from 1978 to 1984. Throughout the years, Greg won numerous awards including the Sullivan Award as the nation’s most outstanding amateur athlete, and the Maxwell House/U.S. Olympic Committee Spirit Award as the athlete best demonstrating the Olympic spirit at the 1988 Olympic Games.

Greg, who graduated with a degree in drama from the University of California, Irvine, was also named “Athlete of the Year” in 1988 by ABC’s “Wide World of Sports.”

Olympian Brian Stuart Goodell
City resident Brian Goodell was the Olympic gold medalist in the 400M and 1500M freestyle swimming races at the 1976 Olympic Games. He set 14 world and American records, won multiple USA National and NCAA collegiate championships and was honored twice in 1977 and ’79 as the world’s top male “Swimmer of the Year.”

Brian is a member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame, the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame and was awarded the US Congressional Gold Medal of Achievement in 1980. Brian’s story – Fear and Doubt, the Evil Twins – was published in “Awaken the Olympian Within, a compilation of Olympian essays.” He was the principle subject of the “Four Champions, One Gold Medal” book and has served as a TV commentator in several broadcast sporting events.

Brian shares his motivational strategies through inspirational stories about his Olympic experiences, dedication to training and hard work ethic.

Olympian, Nadadore – Chloe Sutton
Chloe’s dedication to the sport is nothing less than inspiring. The 16-year-old athlete swims 10-15,000 yards per day, which is about 7 to 8 miles.  Her workouts last 4 hours a day and she swims 6 days a week. Her dedication led to victory in the 10K Beijing Event 10km open water swimming marathon – making her the first U.S. female swimmer to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games.

She has also captured a bronze medal in the 5K at the 2008 Open Water World Championships and gold in the 10K at the 2007 London World Cup. Chloe defended her national title in the 10K and won the 5K at the 2007 Open Water Nationals.

Nadadore – Mark Anderson
Mark, 13, is a diver who could one day see Olympic Gold. The talented youngster was runner-up in the 13-and-under platform event at the 2008 Junior Olympic Diving National Championship and was selected to participate in the United States Diving’s Talent Development Program. The program seeks to identify divers with Olympic medal potential.

Mark is elated at the opportunity to showcase his talents and be seen by more than 40 million people nationwide and millions across the globe who will tune in to the 120th Tournament of Roses Parade on January 1, 2009.

Nadadore – Patrick Early
Patrick, 12, has his sights set on one day becoming an Olympic team member, and his impressive record demonstrates that he is certainly on his way. He has more than 20 Junior Olympic career titles and Gold medals and holds three Nadadore age-group team records including the 50m, 100m, and 200m breaststroke.

Patrick is the top USA swimming power-point ranking Nadadore and is a member of 2008 North American Challenge Cup Team. The team is an age-group elite international competition.

Longtime community volunteer – Mark “Ziggy” Wilczynski
Mark “Ziggy” Wilczynski, who was named the City’s 1989 Citizen of the Year for his years of volunteer service, has been involved with the community for more than four decades. His contributions to the community are almost too numerous to mention. Ziggy was a former employee of the Mission Viejo Company and has been involved in the community since its early days. His compassion and dedication to Mission Viejo is second to none.

His volunteerism spirit has never faded throughout the years. Ziggy has been involved in projects with the Mission Viejo Activities Committee, the Mission Viejo Cultural Heritage Association, the City’s Heritage Committee and the Mission Viejo Recreation Centers.

Longtime community volunteer – Anna T. Boyce
Anna serves as a shining example for others to follow. In fact, she is known as a compassionate individual, strong advocate and community volunteer who has dedicated her life to helping others and giving back to the city she loves.  Anna, a member of the Community Services Commission, has devoted more than two decades to volunteering for organizations and championing causes she’s passionate about. She has volunteered at local, state and national levels for senior issues and served on the Senior Citizen Activities and Heritage Committee; Senior Citizens Activity Team; and the Mission Viejo Activities Committee. A registered nurse, Anna co-authored the Medical Marijuana Initiative-Prop 215 Compassionate Use Act for patients with specific illnesses to use marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Throughout the years, she has received countless awards for her volunteerism and service to the community. She has lent her services to the Mission Viejo Library and held leadership positions with South County Senior Services.  Anna has long been a devoted member of several community groups including the Mission Viejo Elks Ladies; Ladies’ Charity Sewing Group; Mission Viejo Lions Club; VFW Ladies Auxiliary; and she served as an Orange County Red Cross Disaster Nurse. She even finds time to volunteer for Fun with Chalk, and for years has served as a captain for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life Team. Because of her unwavering dedication and contributions, Anna has been nominated for the Community of Character Award.

Baseball – Cole Trussell
Cole Trussell, 11, was born in Mission Viejo on January 21, 1997 with a mild form of Autism and a learning disability. But the youngster who loves people, his younger sister, animals, riding horses and, of course, baseball has never let his challenges stand in his way. 

Since he was 3 years old, Cole, a 6th grader at Newhart Middle School, has rode horses at the San Juan-based Shea Therapeutic Riding Center and enjoys building Lego sets and reading books.  His real passion is baseball, and he has played with the Rancho Mission Viejo Little League Challenger Division since he was 5.  The experience has taught him patience and the value of teamwork. It has helped to build his self esteem and endurance.  Cole was elated upon learning he would ride atop the City’s float and is honored to meet the Mayor and City Council members. He hopes to build and design a future City Rose Parade float out of Lego’s. 

Softball: Lauren Duico 
When Lauren Duico, 11, signed up for softball, she was 7 years old and did not have high expectations other than to learn the game and have fun. Four years later, things have certainly changed for this talented and fierce young player. Through hard work, enthusiasm and drive, Lauren has embraced the game – and excelled at it. In fact, this year Lauren was selected as an All-Star. Lauren is currently playing “Fall Ball” with the Mission Viejo “Liberty Girls,” who recently took 1st Place in the Pumpkin Classic Tournament.
 
If her softball activities were not enough, Lauren, a 6th grade student at Serra Catholic School, is also a competitive figure skater at the Aliso Viejo Ice Palace. 

When told of her selection to ride on her hometown’s Rose Parade float, she was both shocked and elated. “I can’t believe it,” she said.

Soccer: Cassidy and Kendall Reid
Cassidy and Kendall, 13, have been playing soccer since the tender age of 5.  The twins started in AYSO and played a few years of club soccer but returned to AYSO because it was more fun.  Their father, Tim, coaches the girls who play in opposite positions on the field.  Cassidy plays striker (forward) and center mid, and Kendall plays stopper and sweeper (defense).  Throughout the years, the twins have won several medals and trophies at recreational and competitive levels.  The girls also recently took their first referee class and are now official youth referees for the region.
 
When not playing soccer, the 8th grade Newhart Middle School students, are busy with school work and friends.  They enjoy community-service projects such as recycling and acting as teacher’s aides.  The athletic siblings are taking tumbling classes and recently joined a cheerleading team at PAC (Pacific All-Star Cheer) and will cheer at competitions beginning in February. With the holiday season approaching, the girls are looking forward to a repeat performance as elves at the City’s Santa’s Workshop.

Tennis: Shirley Zimmer
Ever since Shirley Zimmer learned she was selected to ride on the City’s float, she’s done what many people might do – practiced her “parade-wave.” Shirley said she is honored to have the opportunity to represent two things she loves on the float – the City of Mission Viejo and tennis. 

Shirley started playing tennis four years ago and discovered that it is a great way to get some exercise and an even better way to meet friends. Shirley enjoys playing the sport three to four times a week and plays on two tennis teams. In the process, she has met some of the nicest women and has gained lifelong friends. 
Shirley, who has been married for 23 years, has lived in town for 16 years and has a daughter in college and son attending Tesoro High School. 

Mission Viejo resident: Kristin Farris Griffith
Kristin Farris Griffith, 37, is so excited to ride atop the City’s 2009 Rose Parade float that she is literally “floating.” The married mother of two, who attended kindergarten through high school in Mission Viejo, said that when she called her parents to share the news, she realized the last time she had news of such magnitude was when she discovered she was pregnant with her boys.

Riding on the float will be a memory she will treasure the rest of her life. Life is certainly busy for Kristen who spends her days working at a local water district and her spare time refereeing her son’s soccer team. The active family enjoys skiing and snowboarding and Kristin is an avid runner. In fact, she has completed two marathons, countless half-marathons and this year marked her 15th year running the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5K.

Golf – Becky Berge
Becky Berge never imagined she would be part of the Rose Parade. It was an annual event she enjoyed as a child, starting out from her hometown of Glendora in San Gabriel Valley and arriving on Colorado Blvd. while it was still dark. The thermos filled with hot chocolate helped ease the cold and early hour as she sat on the curb waiting for all the beautiful floats and marching bands to travel by.

Fast forward several years and Becky, a married mother of three and grandmother of two, is thrilled to represent her City in the Rose Parade. Becky’s passion for golf blossomed a few years ago when she decided it’s never too late to start a new sport. The goal was to have fun in the challenging game that Becky, a 40-year resident, is honing her skills in by taking a golf class at Saddleback College. She’s getting in as much play as possible and has enjoyed meeting and playing with people of all ages. Becky and her husband, Larry, enjoy playing golf together and life in this city, which they plan to retire in.
 
Veteran – Bob Ruben 
Two years ago, Bob and his wife, Audrey, enjoyed seeing Rose Parade floats up close and personal just days after the parade. This year, the couple who’ve been married for 59 years, was planning to travel to Pasadena to view the time-honored parade along the parade route. So, when Bob learned he would actually ride atop the City’s float, he was thrilled. He entered the City’s online float-rider contest figuring it was worth a shot. That shot certainly paid off in spades for the 18-year resident and veteran who served our country during World War II.

Bob’s Army career began when he enlisted in 1942. Eight months later, he was called to active duty. Bob’s duties spanned the country and globe, spending time in Central California, Texas, Georgia, and overseas in France, Germany and Austria. While in the army, he studied Russian at Stanford University. That came in handy when Bob, of the 5th Infantry Regiment, was asked to act as a Russian interpreter in Austria during the last days of the war. In March of 1946, Bob received an honorable discharge and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge. He spent the next 37 years practicing law and working as a City Court judge in Rye, New York before moving to Mission Viejo in 1990. Today, Bob, who has two kids and five grandchildren, enjoys the City because of its friendly people, great shopping and Lake Mission Viejo. The couple is active in their retirement community and Bob is an avid swimmer. Bob is a member of the Palmia Veterans Association, which is active in providing support to Marines at Camp Pendleton.