The Ducks are Coming

On the first Saturday in May, Rotary Club of Estes Park holds its annual Duck Race. Over 6000 small plastic ducks will be dumped into Fall River for a three mile journey ending at the confluence of the Fall and Big Thompson Rivers in the heart of Estes Park. They are scooped out of the river at that point and the numbers on the ducks' bottoms indicate the prize winners. Each duck costs $20 and, of that amount, $19 goes to one of over 60 charities and non-profit organizations (chosen by the buyer) in the local area. The more ducks a charity sells the more money it makes. The 5% kept by the Rotary Club is used for printing, prizes, and other costs of running the race, which is in its 22nd year. My husband is the Rotarian in the family and for the past few years he's been on the Duck Committee serving in various roles including Big Duck (chair of the event.) I've helped on a much smaller scale mostly entering ticket information into a computer at Duck Central.

Race day, with its carnival-like atmosphere, is loads of fun. Click here to see a video of the 2009 Duck Race. The best part of the Duck Race is the way we all work together for the benefit of our community and it's charities. Go Ducks!