By: Lynne Hart
At 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 8, hundreds of specially designed rubber ducks will race down the spillway at Big Spring Memorial Park in Athens competing to win one of several great prizes, including the $2,000 GRAND PRIZE!
Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful, a non-profit affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, has been holding this “fun”draiser annually since 2001. “Participants can have fun naming their ducks if they wish,” said Lynne Hart, acting Executive Director. “We have had lots of Quackers, several Speedies, and a few Donalds. Some have fun getting creative with names like Quick Draw McQuack, Duck Norris, Steve McQuack, Moby Duck, and James Pond. Others will name their ducks after family members who will take the prize home if their duck wins.”
Ducks can be adopted for $5.00 each, or a Papa Murphy’s Quack Pack of 6 ducks can be adopted for $25.00. Each Quack Pack purchased comes with a 25% off coupon for any size Papa Murphy’s order, with no expiration date. The name of the purchaser and their duck numbers are entered into a spreadsheet so winners can be identified.
The ducks are then raced in heats down the spillway at Big Spring Memorial Park in Athens locally known as “The Duck Pond.” The number of winning ducks in each heat will be determined by the number of prizes on race day. Heat winners will then be placed in the Championship Race. The first duck through the duck trap in the Championship Race will win the Grand Prize of $2,000! All ducks in the Championship Race will take home a prize based on the order they come through the trap. All prizes are donated, so every dollar spent to adopt ducks goes directly to the KALB organization and supports programs which include community cleanups, Adopt-A-Spot, classroom and community education, annual Earth Day & Outdoor EXPO, household hazardous waste collections, and more.
Current list of prizes:
- $2,000 Grand Prize
- Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa – 1 Night Stay + Dinner for 2 at 360 Grille
- Canebrake Golf Package for 4 + Cart
- $250 Osborne’s Jewelers Gift Card
- $250 Cash – Morell Engineering
- $200 Cash – Athens-Limestone Hospital
- $100 Cash – First National Bank
- $100 Cash – Morell Engineering
- $100 Cash – Athens-Limestone Hospital
- $100 Hobbs Jewelers Gift Card
- $100 Publix Gift Card
- $100 Visa Gift Card – Limestone Pediatric Dentistry
- 4 Flex Tickets – Theatre Huntsville
- $50 Cash – Athens-Limestone Hospital
- 2 Flex Tickets – Theatre Huntsville
- 2 Flex Tickets – Theatre Huntsville
- Lazy Duck Award for last duck in each heat provided by Dub’s Burgers
HOW TO ADOPT DUCKS
- Visit KALBCares.com. Find the Wacky Quacky Ducky Derby under the events tab. Online adoption and printable forms can be accessed at the bottom of the page.
- Stop at the KALB office at 125 East St. in Athens to pick up an adoption form.
- Visit KALB’s booth at the Fiddlers Convention at Athens State University on October 7 and 8. Ducks can be adopted until 1 p.m. on October 8th.
- Call (256)233-8000 for more information.
By: Lynne Hart
April 19, 2024
