This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Half Moon Bay Woman Working the Rose Bowl for 25th Time

Klove explained there are 935 volunteers on 16 separate committees helping run the Tournament of Roses.

 

Half Moon Bay resident Carole Klove will be rooting for Stanford to win Tuesday's Rose Bowl football game against Wisconsin, but she won't be able to do much cheering.

Klove will be up in the press box, helping deliver in-game statistics as a volunteer. This will be her 25th consecutive Rose Bowl and her first with the communication committee.

Klove, born and raised in Los Angeles, began volunteering while living in Pasadena. She moved to Half Moon Bay eight years ago but still makes the trip, at her own expense, to the Rose Bowl every year.

"It doesn't really get old," Klove said. "We change our committee assignments every two years."

Klove was recruited by Stanford to become its Chief Compliance Officer at the Medical Center. She currently works at the UCSF Medical Center and volunteers with the San Mateo Coastside Medical Rescue Corporation. In addition, she serves as an elder at the Menlo Park Presbyterian Church on Santa Cruz Ave.

Klove was on the transportation committee during her time at Stanfiord, and issued a Honda with a large rose on it. She drove it around Stanford before taking it down to Pasadena.

"People were wondering why this car was around the campus," Klove said. "It was fun, though, because it generated some interest in the event."

She also had an additional reason to root this year. Her nephew is a member of the Leland Stanford Junior Marching Band. Freshman Jeffrey Harris will, hopefully, be trumpeting Cardinl success with his trumpet.

Klove explained there are 935 volunteers on 16 separate committees helping run the Tournament of Roses.

"It is a large operation and volunteers are key," she said. "The staff is important too, of course. It takes a lot of people to make sure things are organized."

She hasn't served on all 16 committees yet, though Klove has been around long enough to serve two years on the executive committee, which oversees the entire operation.

"The Tournament of Roses does a great deal of good for the community," Klove said. "With the 'Tournament of Roses' Foundation, there are several agencies who benefit from the revenue."

Klove will arrive in the press box at 6 a.m. and will be there until the final story has been written and delivered. A long day maybe but rewarding.

The first several years of volunteering is walking the streets, putting flowers on the floats and generally working with the parade. After about six years a volunteer graduates to one of the organizing committees.

The 2014 game will feature the BCS championship game, and will be the 100th bowl game played at the Rose Bowl. Klove, who spent her childhood attending parades, is already looking forward to it.

Find out what's happening in Palo Altowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?