Summer has been heating up and so has Derby Duck fundraising season! The Rockland Duck Derby was the first fundraising event to kickoff the month, and a new race as well! They adopted over 4700 ducks their first year which is quite the feat! This week more duck races in Chicago, Reno, and Idaho Falls will take place. Keep reading to learn about the rest of our upcoming fundraising events in the month of August!
August 10 – Chicago Ducky Derby
The Chicago Ducky Derby is a signature fundraising event for Special Olympics Illinois. This year, a minimum of 100,000 rubber ducks will race to the finish line. The winners of the ducky derby will receive prizes, including a 2024 Chevy Trax, four lifetime passes to Six Flags Great America, a Royal Caribbean cruise, and more! All proceeds from this event benefit the athletes of Special Olympics Illinois. This year’s event includes a two part family festival, a watch party, and of course the ducky derby!
August 12 – Nevada Humane Society Duck Race
Nevada Humane Society has been partnering with GAME for over 10 years and growing their race steadily in return. Last year they raced over 47,000 ducks, and we can’t wait to see how many ducks they race in 2023. All proceeds from their event benefit the animals of the Nevada Humane Society – cats, dogs, rabbits and guinea pigs too! Race day begins at 10 am and includes tons of fun activities including live music, a beer garden, fun games for kids, vendor booths, and the duck launch!
August 12 – Great Snake River Greenbelt Duck Race
On August 19, at least 10,000 rubber ducks will race down the course at Highland Park in Endwell, New York. Proceeds from every duck adoption will go to the Broome County Humane Society, an animal welfare organization dedicated to the prevention of animal cruelty and finding permanent, loving homes for companion animals. The Humane Society services the community by sheltering animals, finding them homes, investigating reports of animal cruelty, educating people of all ages and rescuing animals from life threatening situations.
August 19 – Blue Ridge Duck Race
Established in 2005, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Blue Ridge serves the children of Martinsville and Henry Counties in Virginia through their exceptional afterschool and summer programs. The proceeds from their 8th annual duck race will support these programs and continue to provide the children who participate in safe and nurturing learning environments with caring professionals from the community. The duck race is one of the club’s most significant fundraisers and symbolizes the support of the community and their efforts to empower all young people to reach their fullest potential in life.
August 26 – Center for Prevention of Abuse Duck Race
This year marks the 35th Annual Duck Race for CFPA – their longest running and signature fundraising event. In 2022 they raised more than $200,000 for survivors of abuse in their community and sold out of all 30,000 ducks! This year they are racing 35,000 ducks and definitely plan to sell out again! CFPA provides free and confidential services to victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, sexual abuse, sexual assault, elder abuse, and offers violence prevention education to students helping to prevent abuse before it begins in the tri-county area, reaching more than 38,000 young people each year.
August 31 – Gwinnett Duck Derby
The 9th Annual Gwinnett Duck Derby will be a virtual event again this year on Facebook live. As the largest fundraising event for the Rotary Club of Sugarloaf, net proceeds of more than $100,000 have benefited many local charities in the community including the Special Needs School of Gwinnett, Lawrenceville Boys & Girls Club, Annandale Village, Gwinnett Medical Center Foundation, Rainbow Village, Gwinnett County Library Foundation, Gwinnet Tech, Because One Matters, Nothing but the Truth Food Ministry, and several title I schools in Gwinnett County.
