It was a scene that would have made Ernie, of the Muppets, jealous.

A flock of more than 2,000 rubber ducks filled the lazy river at Kokomo Beach where they raced around the aquatic track Thursday during Samaritan Caregivers’ 2009 Duck Derby.

The rubber ducks, some of which were actually plastic, raced along the lazy river, bobbing in the currents as they floated around the turns picking up speed as they hit the jets.

A small, yellow, plastic duck belonging to Tim Hewlitt hit the finish line to claim first place and a $500 Wal-Mart gift card as a reward.

Each duck was entered in the race with the $5 entry ticket for the park that evening.

Every ticket was a donation toward Samaritan Caregivers.

Jamey Henderson, executive director for the non-profit agency, said the total raised from Thursday’s derby would not be ready for another day at least, but she predicted the event had raised more than last year’s total of $15,000.

The event began outside Kokomo Beach with inflatable rides, games, free food and activities from other organizations.

The Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital’s Project 18, an anti-child obesity program sponsored by Peyton Manning, the Howard County Library and Baby Fest were also at the derby to promote their programs.

While people lined up to enter the swim park, a row of more than 60 Papa Ducks, which are oversized ducks sponsored by local businesses, decorated the ground near the entrance.

Judges handed out awards to the top three businesses with the most creative ducks and the ducks that best reflected the businesses.

Judge Eric Sommers, owner of Sommers General Contractors, said he was most impressed with the samurai duck from the Kokomo Academy of Martial Arts as he perused through the line up.

Sommers said he came out to the Duck Derby to show his business supports the local community.

“We’re a small start-up company, so we don’t have a lot of money to spend, but I can volunteer my time,” he said.

The first-place award for most creative ultimately went to City of Firsts while American Health Network of Kokomo won the top honor for the duck that best reflected the business.

After the judging, the ducks were taken into the water park where event staff stripped them of some of their decorations and placed them in the lazy river for the Papa Duck race, which is named after corporate sponsor Papa John’s Pizza.

As event staff and lifeguards corralled the ornately decorated ducks, the drone of a Lifeline helicopter from Howard Regional Health System drowned out Henderson’s voice as she gave orders. The helicopter landed in a neighboring patch of grass, and out came a late entry for the Papa Duck race.

Craig Grimes, executive director for Jefferson Manor, said staff from the retirement community made a last-minute decision Monday to take the creativity competition up another level.

Howard Regional offered to transport the late-arriving duck free of charge to the derby so Jefferson Manor could make a major entrance; however, an emergency call caused the helicopter to arrive two hours later than scheduled and miss the judging for the creativity competition.

“We asked ourselves ‘How can we have her show up in style?’” Grimes said referring to his organization’s Papa Duck decorated as a “hip granny.”

“We thought to have her drop out of a parachute, but that was more of a liability thing with Howard [Regional.] We contacted the marketing people at the hospital, and when they talked to the higher-ups, they were thrilled about landing in the helicopter.”

The hospital planned to land and do demonstrations for children, but the late arrival disrupted its plans.

Jefferson Manor’s duck made it to the race at last minute, but it could not keep up with an organization that is already known for its duck mascot — Aflac.

In a topsy-turvy finish, the pink-clad rubber duck from the Kokomo branch of the insurance company crossed the finish line capsized.

The feature race came immediately after as crowds of hundreds gathered around the lazy river to watch the ducks bob their way around the pool.

Henderson said Samaritan Caregivers would contact the top 10 winners from the race today to let them know about their prizes.

• Daniel Human is a Kokomo Tribune staff writer. He can be reached at (765) 454-8570 or at daniel.human@kokomotribune.com.