The Great Duck Race

Three-thousand yellow rubber ducks will race down Westport’s Saugatuck River for $10,000 in prizes in the third annual Great Duck Race, on Saturday, June 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sponsored by the Westport Sunrise Rotary, the family oriented event takes place in Parker Harding Plaza, Westport. Admission is free and open to the public.  In addition to the duck race, there will be family activities, children’s arts and crafts, games and music, plus refreshments.

First prize is a $5,000 Visa Gift Card; second prize, a $1,000 Visa Gift Card; third prize through tenth prize are $500 Visa Gift Cards. Tickets to sponsor a duck are $20 each and may be purchased at Westport locations of Fairfield County Bank, Christie’s Country Store, or from any Westport Sunrise Rotary member. Proceeds from the fundraiser help support many local community organizations and international charities.

“By purchasing a duck for $20, you help support almost 60 long-standing Westport, Norwalk and Bridgeport charities as well as international aid efforts,” said Steve Violette, event chair.

At about 12:00 noon, 3,000 ducks, each with a number corresponding to a ticket, will be launched into the Saugatuck River just north of the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge.  The ducks are kept in line with 400-foot booms.  As the booms are pulled away, the race is on and the current carries the ducks, made of an environmentally-sensitive compound, along the river toward the finish line.  The first 10 ducks to cross the line win prizes.  Ticket holders need not be present to win.

“While The Great Duck Race is all in fun, the serious business of providing much needed services and donations to worthy charities is its priority,” added Violette.

The Great Duck Race sponsors are Westport Downtown Merchants Association, MXenergy, Melissa & Doug, Fairfield County Bank, A. J. Penna & Son, Servicemaster Clean, Pieka Construction, Bluewater Homebuilders, Fite Shavell & Associates, Stew Leonard’s Children’s Charities, Black Duck Café, The Russell Agency, Down Under, KMS Partners/Coldwell Banker, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Whole Foods Market Westport.

For more information, visit www.TheGreatDuckRace.org.

Sunrise Rotary invites all who are interested in camaraderie and community service to join them for breakfast at Bobby Q's, on Main Street, Westport, Fridays at 7:30.  Members share and enjoy meetings featuring a buffet breakfast, high jinx, serious conversation and a timely and informative speaker.  For more information about Westport Sunrise Rotary, visit the club's website at westportsunriserotary.com; contact Sheila Keenan, membership, at 203-856-9172, sheilafkeenan@aol.com; or attend a meeting any Friday at 7:30 a.m. at Bobby Q’s Restaurant, 42 Main Street, Westport.

The members of the Westport Sunrise Rotary Club are a diverse group of business and professional leaders who contribute their time, talents and financial support to aid local charities, youth programs and international humanitarian programs.  They are dedicated to encouraging high ethical standards in all club activities and to helping Rotary International build goodwill and peace in the world.  The club participates with 1.2 million fellow Rotarians in 33,000 clubs around the world to uphold Rotary’s motto of "Service Above Self."