Florida Special Needs Color Guard and Dance Program brings heart and artistry to Macy's Day Parade
By Victoria Colette Reynolds, Special Olympics Incoporated

Perhaps no one loves a parade more than the Florida Special Needs Color Guard and Dance Program - the first special needs color guard and dance program in the world.

Throughout the 80th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade - billed as “the longest-running show on Broadway”- the weather outside was frightful. But the unrelenting downpour did not dampen the star quality of this very special color guard, which comprises 22 Special Olympics Broward County (Florida, USA) athletes.

Cheered by millions who lined the New York City streets, the dynamic team helped usher in the holiday season, sharing the same “stage” as Julie Andrews, Gloria Estefan, Hall & Oates, Barry Manilow, Sarah McLachlan and many others.

Chosen from more than 300 parade applicants, the color guard displayed "heart, dedication and artistry," according to Bill Schermerhorn, Vice President and Creative Director for the Macy's parade. That explains why the group led the way for "The Polar Express" float, followed by the float carrying The Man in the Red Suit (Santa Claus).

“It was an amazing, 'once-in-a-lifetime' experience,” exclaimed Ellen Kleinert-Cohn, Founder and Director of the color guard.

"Our Special Olympics athletes are very talented, versatile and unique! We were well prepared, had a phenomenal night rehearsal in New York City [and also] had a well-known videographer following us around the entire time, for a documentary in the works about our experience."