Building Dreams Together: Shriners Children’s 2026 Rose Parade Float
Illustration of woodland animals building a treehouse
About Our Float
Every January, the Rose Parade transforms Pasadena’s streets into a spectacle of color, creativity and heartfelt stories. For Shriners Children’s, the parade is more than a celebration, it’s a chance to show what’s possible when people come together with a shared purpose: building brighter futures for children.
As Building Dreams Together glides down Colorado Boulevard, we hope it brings joy and wonder to all who see it and serves as a reminder that the greatest magic happens when we come together for a common purpose. With teamwork, there’s no limit to what we can build, whether it’s a treehouse in the woods or a future filled with hope and possibility. At Shriners Children’s, dreams aren’t just imagined — they’re built, together.
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Our Theme: Building Dreams Together
Our 2026 float, Building Dreams Together, brings the parade’s theme, The Magic of Teamwork, to life through a whimsical forest scene. Woodland animals, each with a unique talent, work side by side to construct a treehouse high in the canopy. This scene is more than floral artistry – it’s a living metaphor for how collaboration shapes every child’s journey at Shriners Children’s.
The float captures the energy and optimism that define Shriners Children’s. In a sunlit forest, woodland creatures join forces to build a treehouse. The wise owl perched above symbolizes our physicians guiding each child with care. The bear hammers with determination, representing the dedication of nurses and therapists. Birds pull beams into place, and deer lift lumber skyward, echoing the steady support of our Shriners International fraternity, always uplifting our mission and the children we serve.
No single animal could build the treehouse alone, just as no single caregiver, family member, patient or donor builds a child’s future alone. The children we serve show courage and determination, which support the healing process every step of the way. The treehouse is more than a structure; it’s a dream realized through collaboration. The float reminds us that progress is built step by step, with every caring hand making a difference.
Rose Parade Theme: The Magic of Teamwork
This year’s Rose Parade theme, The Magic of Teamwork, is woven into every detail of our float and every story we share. The woodland scene is not just about animals building a treehouse — it’s about the power of many hands and hearts working together.
At Shriners Children’s, patients aren’t just recipients of care – they are active participants in their own stories, showing resilience and determination that inspire everyone around them. Every step forward is a shared accomplishment, thanks to the dedication of families, medical staff, donors and volunteers working together.
The float’s construction scene is a playful reminder that progress takes encouragement, a shared vision and belief in every child’s potential. Our healthcare facilities and supporters stretch across the globe, united by the mission to help children reach new heights. Like the sturdy branches supporting a treehouse, every service we offer helps lift our patients higher.
Rose Parade Float Rider Profiles
Riding atop this year’s float are our 2025–2026 International Patient Ambassadors, Carlota and Brandon, together with Shriners International and Shriners Children’s leadership. Their presence highlights the heart of our message: teamwork changes lives. Alongside leaders from the fraternity and healthcare system, they represent not only their own triumphs but also the collective effort that makes those successes possible.
Brandon
International Patient Ambassador, Shriners Children’s
When he was 6, Brandon was a kid in South Carolina finishing his baseball season with his parents and brothers. When he came down with a headache and runny nose, no one thought much of it. But one morning, Brandon tried to get out of bed and collapsed. His right side was paralyzed. Doctors diagnosed him with acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a rare condition that attacks the spinal cord. Where most kids might experience a mild cold, Brandon faced a life-threatening illness.
Brandon was treated at a local hospital while his family searched for answers. A family friend recommended Shriners Children’s Greenville, where Brandon began intensive physical and occupational therapy. The Pediatric Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (POPS) team crafted custom braces that helped him regain mobility. He also received care at Shriners Children’s Philadelphia from a pediatric hand surgeon known for innovative AFM treatments. There, Brandon underwent two complex surgeries: a nerve transfer to restore function in his right arm and a procedure to stabilize his shoulder.
Brandon continues to travel to Greenville and Philadelphia for therapy and checkups, managing lasting effects including scoliosis. He refuses to let AFM define him. He’s class president, owns a woodworking business that sells at a local market and stays active with his brothers. Now 15, Brandon plans to study business management in college and hopes his journey inspires others to believe that with perseverance and support, even the toughest obstacles can be overcome.
Carlota
International Patient Ambassador, Shriners Children’s
Carlota was born in Mexico City more than three months premature. Diagnosed with cerebral palsy and spastic hemiparesis, doctors told her mother, Carla, to expect a life of limits, but she refused to accept that future. A chance encounter led them to Shriners Children’s Mexico, marking the beginning of transformative care. Carlota’s early childhood included five major surgeries to correct a 12-centimeter (4.7-inch) leg-length difference, long hospital stays and intensive therapy. Through every challenge, Shriners Children’s became her anchor. “Shriners Children’s is where dreams take flight,” Carlota says. It was the first place that recognized she was a person before she was a patient.
As Carlota grew, new challenges emerged. Joint pain forced her to find creative ways to stay active. When she was 14, she discovered swimming through rehabilitation. The water quickly became her sanctuary, where her body felt powerful and free. What began as therapy soon became her passion, and she started training with Mexico’s national Paralympic team. By 18, she had become one of Mexico’s top swimmers, ranking No. 5 in the Americas and No. 9 in the world for her category.
Alongside her athletic goals, she began studying psychology in college, motivated to help fellow athletes manage the physical and mental demands of competition. This year, Carlota became Shriners Children’s Mexico’s first International Patient Ambassador. Her dreams continue to grow, and she hopes to compete for Mexico at the 2028 Paralympic Games.
Brad T. Koehn, Imperial Potentate, Shriners International
Cheryl Koehn, First Lady
Brad Koehn is the Imperial Potentate, or CEO, of Shriners International, the fraternity that founded Shriners Children’s. He also serves as the chairman of the Board of Directors for Shriners Children’s. He is serving his ninth year on the Board and previously served as Imperial Treasurer. His wife, Cheryl, serves as the First Lady of Shriners International. In her role, she leads a fundraising program called Through the Eyes of a Child, which supports Shriners Children’s care for children affected by appearance-altering conditions or injuries.
Brad is retired from Berberich Trahan & Co., P.A., where he worked for more than 37 years, the last 23 as a director and owner. He continues to practice part time for a CPA firm in Topeka and is a member of the Kansas Society of CPAs. His experience includes more than 40 years of providing audit, tax and accounting support to Shriners International chapters. Cheryl is a retired elementary school teacher. Brad is a proud third-generation Shrine-Mason and followed in his father’s footsteps as Potentate of his local chapter in Topeka, Kansas.
Brad and Cheryl live in Topeka and have two sons, Tyler and Brett, who are also Shriners, and a daughter, Courtney, who is married to Alex, also a Shriner. Together, they have six grandchildren.
Ricky Arrocha, Trustee, Shriners Children’s
Gloria Arrocha
Ricaurte A. “Ricky” Arrocha, of Panama City, Panama, is serving the second year of his second three-year term on the Shriners Children’s Board of Trustees. He is also an emeritus member of the Board of Governors for Shriners Children’s Mexico. Ricky is dedicated to expanding the healthcare system’s ability to help more children across Latin America.
He served as the first president of the Latin American Shrine Association and as Potentate of his local Shriners chapter in Panama City.
Since 2016, Ricky has been an ecommerce entrepreneur and senior advisor for CT Strategies in Washington, D.C., providing guidance on national security, supply-chain protection, cargo-risk assessment and the implementation of non-intrusive inspection technologies.
Ricky and Gloria have two children, Rachelle Sofia and Ricaurte Antonio Jr.
Brian Hagmeier, Imperial Chaplain, Shriners International
Nadyne Hagmeier
Brian and Nadyne live in Topeka, Kansas. Brian serves as Imperial Chaplain for Shriners International. In this role, he leads the invocation and benediction at all international-level Shrine events. He also served as Potentate of his local Shriners chapter in 2012.
Brian moved to Topeka in 1980 to join AAA Glass Services, becoming general manager. In 1984, he joined New York Life, earning his Registered Representative license and LUTCF designation. For decades, he helped business owners and professionals with retirement planning and asset management. He has been a NAIFA-Topeka member since 1984, serving on many committees and as board president in 2001.
Nadyne, an RN, retired in 2024 after a 22-year consulting career in quality improvement and infection prevention. She led hospital projects across Kansas, co-founded a healthcare-associated infections advisory group and coordinated the Kansas Maternal Mortality Committee. A trusted mentor and subject-matter expert, she worked closely with providers and hospital teams. Reflecting on her career, she often says she never imagined working with the CDC or speaking onstage in Atlanta.
Brian and Nadyne have built a life rooted in faith, service and community. They have two daughters, Katy and Stephanie, who both live in Kansas City. Katy lives at home with her husband, Ben, and their three sons, William, Everett and Corbin.
Over 37 years of involvement in the fraternity, Brian counts the friendships formed with families and the opportunity to witness the life-changing work of Shriners Children’s as his greatest rewards. In retirement, Nadyne enjoys quilting, her morning coffee and spending time with grandchildren, family and friends.
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