Kokomo — The 12th annual Samaritan Caregivers Duck Derby is 5 to 9 p.m. Thursday at the Kokomo Beach Family Aquatic Center, 804 W. Park Ave.
Tickets cost $5 and admit an adult and child, said Samaritan officials.
The ticket also includes pizza and soft drinks. For an additional charge, there will also be carnival games, inflatable and other activities available.
Throughout the evening, there will be giveaways, face painting and other family-oriented activities.
However, because of limited space, officials said when the beach closes to the general public at 7 p.m., only 1,400 Duck Derby ticket holders will be allowed to swim with a bracelet.
Nevertheless, there will be special seating available for fans watching 2,500 yellow, rubber duckies wind their way down the beach’s Lazy River.
The fastest duck will win $500 and there will be 10 other prizes worth $200 or more. Winners do not have to be present to win.
“I’ve never had anyone tell me they didn’t know what they could do with the money. We used to hold this at Highland Park in the Wildcat Creek, but the Lazy River is the perfect place for us,” said Samaritan’s executive director Jamey Henderson. “The ducks are in a closed loop and in clean water in the Lazy River. At Wildcat Creek, we had to scoop [ducks] out and clean them up. It’s wonderful to have the ducks in the Lazy River.”
From the creek to the river, Henderson said some of the ducks are more than 20 years old, and as a result, they need replacing.
This year, Henderson said Leadership Kokomo sponsored a Team Lucky Duck project in which the group raised enough money to buy 100 dozen, or 1,200 ducks.
Again, for the second year, there will be a chance to win $50,000 if a pre-selected duck crosses the finish line in one of the first 10 places.
“It’s like hitting a hole-in-one, but the odds are better than playing the lottery,” said Henderson. “The number for the selected duck is in a sealed envelope. We didn’t have a winner last year, but for a $5 ticket, it’s a chance to win $50,000. That’s a really lucky duck.”
In addition the regular duck race, there will also be a corporate Papa Duck race. Businesses are paying $100 for a duck that is decorated and then placed into the beach’s Lazy River to race.
There will be three winners in that race and each will receive a free pizza party from Papa John’s.
“This has really gotten popular. We have 57 Papa Ducks this year,” said Henderson, adding the Papa Ducks will also be judged in four categories including “most whimsical” and “most attractive.”
“Businesses really get into this. We’ve had people put dentures on a duck. I mean, really, who puts dentures on a duck?”
Besides the Samaritan’s “Chocolate Celebration” fundraiser, the Duck Derby is the non-profit organization’s largest fundraiser, said Henderson, and proceeds from the event support the organization’s programs.
Established in 1996, Samaritan Caregivers utilizes volunteers who provide free non-medical assistance to county residents 50 and older to maintain independent living, Henderson said. The organization is a member agency of the United Way Howard County.
Last year, Henderson said volunteers gave more than 3,000 rides to residents needing assistance and 400 people donated a total of 9,610 hours of community service.
Furthermore, 259 people received assistance from Henderson’s organization and most of those services went to single women — living at home alone — and most of those women were 85 years old or older.
But for one day a year, people get to have some fun supporting the organization, said Henderson.
“There are duck derbys and regattas like this all over the U.S., but we have turned this into four hours of family fun for $5,” said Henderson. “Last year, we had a very good derby, and this year we hope to net $20,000 or very close to it.
“It’s great family fun and it a great cause to help the people here in Howard County.”
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