The good folks of the South Mountain YMCA were not deterred by the dismal weather forecast on the morning of May 30, despite the fact that it was the day the Y would be hosting the iconic Memorial Day Duck Race for the first time, taking over the reins from the Maplewood Kiwanis.
With a deft pivot, Y staffers decided to transform the duck race into an indoor Duck Fest at The Woodland — and turned what could have been a disappointment into a high-spirited day of fun, games, music and ducks. Instead of racing down the river, tickets were chosen randomly from a bin and winners were announced. Between each “race” a DJ and YMCA employees kept everyone entertained, with activities including duck pond hoop skills, “Duck” limbo, the duck version of the chicken dance, giant duck pond games with the large parachute, duck giveaways, raffles, snacks, and more.
Although the weather hampered same-day sales a bit, the YMCA still sold 4,200 tickets in total, drawing roughly 900 people and raising more than $18,000, said the Y’s Kate Cestar Epstein.
Maplewood resident Mike Summersgill and his family graciously stepped in buy all the remaining tickets, which numbered around 1,500. Summersgill donated $3,750, which his company matched, “to ensure we hit our target goal,” said Cestar Epstein.
“We didn’t want to see the South Mountain Y’s annual fundraiser negatively impacted by the weather,” said Summersgill. “Our family has benefited from the Y’s services and they serve people of all ages in our community. The Duck Race Team worked hard selling tickets and we were happy to help them get over the finish line. We love the staff and our friends at the Y!”
“It was so heartening to see the community come out and support the efforts of all of the volunteers and staff,” said James Goodger, Executive Director of the South Mountain Y. “The Duck Race, that became a ‘Duck Fest’ due to the weather this year, is an event that from the start of pre-event planning to the finish of heat 6, relies on everyone coming together in a show of support for kids and community. It’s also a time for us all to have some fun together and be duck lovers for the day!”
Goodger continued, “Now that we have got our ‘webbed feet’ wet, we are super excited about getting on the river in 2017. We were also very blessed to have friends in Mr. Summersgill and his family.”
Money raised helps support DYFS trips, Togetherhood programs and scholarships for camps and youth programs at the YMCA. Togetherhood encourages social responsibility and volunteerism with YMCA volunteers by supporting projects that benefit the larger community.
“We are huge fans of the duck race and were anxiously watching the weather, hoping for sunshine,” said Allyson Murphy. “Although disappointed that it was relocated, I was amazed at the fantastic event the Y staff whipped together in a matter of hours. It was engaging and well organized… the perfect Plan B to keep the Duck Race spirit alive! My two little guys had a blast and danced up a storm.”
“Congratulations to the South Mountain Y staff for their creative response to the difficult weather,” said South Mountain YMCA board chair Rob Harrigan. “They stepped up and overnight turned the Duck Race into Duckfest at the Woodlands. We’re grateful to everyone who purchased tickets and sponsorships. The crowd was enthusiastic and came out in force to support this community tradition. I’d also like to thank the efforts of our many volunteers in making Duckfest a rousing success. Here’s looking forward to sunny weather next year!”
The YMCA sends a huge thank you to its sponsors, who helped to make Duck Race 2016 a rousing success. “Being our first year at the helm, we are thrilled with the support of local business, individuals and vendors in our community,” said Cestar Epstein. “When we invest in our youth, we impact our communities, and the Duck Race was a prime example of that.”
See a full list of sponsors attached below as a PDF:
