Lamar Rotary Club’s “Ducky Dash” makes a big splash at 2026 Lamar Days

Lamar Rotary Club’s “Miss Quackers”

The Lamar Rotary Club had another very successful event for the “Ducky Dash” at the Lamar Days Celebration in Willow Creek Park on May 16, 2026.  “Miss Quackers” strutted her stuff in the parade, adorned with patriotic pride.  Rotarians, Interact (student Rotarians), and children of Rotarians all joined to accompany her to the park for the long-awaited splash of 2500 ducks swimming to the finish line in Willow Creek.

After David Northrup’s trumpet blasted “Call to the Races”, the Rotary Club’s new partners at Century 21 (John Deere) released the ducks.  Jason Reedy and his grandson Lincoln Adame engineered the event with the direction of Rotary’s constant, Rick Robbins.  The Rotary Club wishes to extend a big thank you to the City of Lamar and Rotarian Ron Cook for managing the water for the creek, A-1 Rental for the flatbed for Miss Quackers, and  Mr. Williams of the Lamar High School FFA and his students who have been instrumental the past couple of years to help with the final capture of the ducks so that they don’t float past the finish line.

Rotarian Rick Robbins watches as Jason Reedy and grandson Lincoln Adame release the ducks for the 2026 Ducky Dash with Maise and Kaylen cheering them on

This year’s winners were: First Place – Nora Curley who won $750.  Second Place – Rick Francis who won $250.  Five third place winners each received $100 and were: Jill Rushton, Bonnie Hume, Andrea McCartey, Mike Bellomy, and Jameson Curley.  The Rotary Club also wants to thank all of the children and grandchildren of the Rotarians by helping retrieve all of the straggling ducks downstream from the water.

 “It truly takes a village to pull this event off” said Rotarian Judy Turpin.  “Everyone is so appreciated.  The behind-the-scenes people are our heroes.  Striking down Quackers, loading the ducks in totes for next year, etc.  Thank you to President Meagan Hillman’s husband Jeff Hillman and Isaiah Hillman – our ‘honorary Rotarians’.  A great big thank you to all who purchase our famous 6 Quacks every year.  This annual fundraiser contributes to the young people in our community to promote literacy and leadership, as well as being a part of special projects.  We really appreciate Rotarian Mike Renken and Miss Frankie for keeping track of all of our sales to help us ‘keep our ducks in a row’.  We are a proud village”.

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