Duck, Duck, Donate: Rotary releases 10,000 ducks into Fireman’s Park, reaches fundraising goal

The Rotary Club of Graham and their 10,000 rubber ducks made their way to Fireman’s Park Saturday afternoon for the Duck Derby. For the first time in four years since the rubber duck race fundraiser began the course had a flowing stream to push the ducks along, which ended at Salt Creek.

The event serves as a fundraiser for the Rotary Club which benefits area scholarships, an area coat drive, the Graham Chamber of Commerce Teacher Appreciation Breakfast, Gear Up Graham, Habitat for Humanity, Spivey Hill Challenge, Graham Crisis Center and other local organizations and causes.

After kicking off duck sales in August, the club achieved over 50% of its total goal Wednesday, Sept. 15, with over 5,000 rubber ducks sold. The club was able to achieve their goal of 10,000 ducks sold for their fundraiser by the start of the event Saturday, Sept. 25. Graham Rotary Club President John Brown said their fundraiser was able to hit their goal and provide for local area groups.

“We sold 10,000 ducks, so we hit our target,” he said. “So a lot of local groups benefited from those duck sales. It will also help us (...) to do our work helping out to do local scholarships and helping out with the (Graham) Crisis Center, (Graham) Habitat for Humanity and these other groups (that) we are going to be able to help (...) the rest of this year because of the success of this event.”

For the rest of the story, see the Sept. 29 edition of The Graham Leader.