COLDWATER, MI — The 33rd John Rohloff Duck Race made minor changes, but a record 4,050 yellow rubber ducks raced down the Sauk River on Saturday afternoon, June 6, to raise funds for community projects.
The Coldwater Exchange Club organizes the race, along with a large number of community volunteers and sponsors.
Ducks were sponsored for $5 each or five for $20.
Each numbered duck floated down the river from the Sprague Street Bridge, with help from wranglers over the spillway and into a gate that limits entrance to one duck at a time.
The first 25 ducks win mostly cash or donated prizes ranging from $125 to $2,026, with the top prize donated each year by Dutcher’s Funeral Home.
The Exchange Club said, “We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to the success of this fundraiser. Your generosity, support, and dedication made an incredible difference and helped us exceed our goals.”
Because of morning storms, including hail, the 30-basket raffle and silent auction were moved inside to the Hope Café downtown.
Recent races support a mix of local nonprofit programs, including the Royal Family Kids Camp, which helps children in foster care, the Branch County Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Violence, and Oaklawn Hospice.
The event began around 1992–1993 as the “Great Hospice Duck Race,” organized by Pete Barone and a volunteer committee.
That original group ran it for about 30 years, raising money for hospice and health programs until ProMedica Hospital eliminated the hospice programs, after which the Coldwater Noon Exchange Club took over the event.
The remaining funds are distributed to approximately 20 community organizations to meet local needs.
While the number of ducks sold was a record, the final total raised won’t be known until the raffles and auction funds are tallied.
The announced winner was Christian Griffits.
Contact Don Reid, dReid@USATodayCo.Com
This article originally appeared on Coldwater Daily Reporter: Record number of rubber ducks race down Sauk River
Reporting by Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter / Coldwater Daily Reporter
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By Don Reid, Coldwater Daily Reporter | USA TODAY Network
