Lamar Rotary Club’s “Ducky Dash” makes a splash during Lamar Days celebration

“Quackers”, the Lamar Rotary Club’s Ducky Dash mascot is ready to oversee the race

The Lamar Rotary Club’s annual fundraising event, the “Ducky Dash”, is always a crowd favorite at the Lamar Days celebration in Willow Creek Park and this year was no exception.  Nearly all of this year’s 2500 tickets were sold.  Tickets were sold individually for $5 each or in “six quacks” for $25.  As a reminder for next year, tickets can be purchased in advance from any Rotary member or at the park the day of the event, but there is a noon deadline before the 12:30 race so that all entry numbers can be registered.

Big winners this year were Darren Stroh winning the $750 first place prize and John Stulp placing second with a prize of $250.  There were five $100 winners as well:  Rupp’s Towing, Frontier Bank, and Foster Page had winning ducks while Maggart and Sons had two lucky ducks.

Judy Turpin, Rotarian, wanted to thank all the people behind the scenes who make the Ducky Dash as well as the float in the parade possible. She stressed that an event this size takes the help of many people and she wanted them to know how much they are appreciated. The Lamar FFA boys built the duck stop to corral the ducks after the race.  A-1 Rentals every year provides a flatbed trailer for free to haul “Quackers”, the inflatable duck who is always a big hit during the parade.  Unfortunately, this year it was too windy during the parade to inflate Quackers, but she was inflated at the park at the end of the parade for all to see and take pictures with.  She also wanted to thank Ron Cook and Rick Robbins who are the “magic behind the water”, making what is normally a dry creek bed flow so that the ducks can race.  Jeff and Isaiah Hillman, Brady Turpin and Tammy Martinez also help in several ways, as did the Rotary’s three newest members.  New members Patty Valenzuela, Sydney Warman, and Courtney Neuhold are “fantastic” said Turpin, adding that they have helped out on many different Rotary projects already and that the club is “blessed to have them”.  The Valenzuela children also got involved with the Ducky Dash, offering to collect the ducks from the water at the end of the race.  Lillie Warman and Mazie Neuhold, students at Alta Vista, helped by throwing out candy during the parade. David Northrup provided the “Call to the Race” voice, adding to the pre-race excitement.

The Ducky Dash is the Rotary Club’s sole fundraising event and the money raised from the sale of tickets is used throughout the year for their many philanthropic endeavors.  Each fall, the club provides dictionaries to Southeast Colorado 3^rd graders in 19 schools throughout Prowers, Bent, Baca and Kit Carson Counties.  The yearly kids’ Christmas party is funded by Rotary.  Local students are able to attend leadership conferences with Rotary funding.  This year, the club also contributed to the Lamar Lions Club flag project as well.  If you missed out on purchasing a chance to get a winning duck in the race this year, remember to get those tickets early next year!

By: Barbara Crimond