If you’ve never been to a Sunrise Rotary Great Duck Race, here’s the poop:
You pay $20 for a toy duck — one of these:
They’re dumped in the Saugatuck River. The one that races fastest downstream earns a $5,000 Visa gift card. Nine other prizes are worth $5,000 more.
This year’s winner was American Pharoah. (Just kidding.)
There was lots more going on at Jesup Green today too. Staples’ Interact Club — a community service organization that works with the Rotarys — sponsored a 5K race.
A dunk tank featured celebrities like Planning & Zoning Commission chair Chip Stephens:
Non-profits, local businesses, even the Fire Department staffed booths. Here’s Charlie Colasurdo, student liaison at Wakeman Town Farm, showing off (of course) ducks (lower right) and an egg:
There was a climbing wall too:
It’s all for a good cause. Before the race, Sunrise Rotary handed out $34,500 in grants, to 26 area organizations and charities.
Recipients include Andrew’s Army, CLASP Homes, Connecticut Challenge, Earthplace, Mercy Learning Center, Positive Directions, Project Return and the Susan Fund.
So even if your duck didn’t win, there was plenty to smile about downtown today.