There aren’t many things in life that are more rewarding than having a great time while supporting a local charity, but having a great time while supporting four amazing local charities is certainly one of them. With that in mind, I’m delighted to promote the 2nd annual Rockland Duck Derby, which will be held at 9:30am on Sunday, August 18th at Germonds Pool in West Nyack. The event centers around an aquatic race of up to 5000 rubber ducks vying to be the first to float across the length of Germonds Pool. The winning duck’s sponsor will take home a first prize of $1,000, with $750 going to the 2nd place winner and $500 for 3rd place. The real winners behind the scenes are the four local nonprofits that receive the proceeds from the fees to “adopt” a duck.
Admission is free and spectators are more than welcome, but as they say, you have to be in it to win it. Entrants just need to “adopt” a duck by contributing a charitable donation to the event, which raises money for Jawonio, Meals-on-Wheels, the Rockland County Community Foundation, and Good Samaritan Hospital. The entry fee is $10 for one duck, $25 for three ducks, $50 for a “quack pack” of six ducks, and $100 for a dozen ducks. All proceeds go to the four local organizations listed above. To “adopt” a duck, simply visit www.rocklandduckderby.com and register to select the number of ducks you wish to sponsor. Your name will be assigned to the corresponding number of ducks in a database that produces a unique tag number for each duck entered in the race. These waterproof, numbered tags are placed on the bottoms of the rubber ducks by volunteers prior to race day. After the winning duck crosses the finish line, the tag number is entered into the database and the winning sponsor is identified and announced. You do not need to be present to win, but it’s way more fun to be there!
The timing of this fundraiser also happens to take place on the same weekend as National Nonprofit Day, which occurs on Saturday, August 17th. If a rubber duck race isn’t your thing or if you have a different charitable cause that is near and dear to you, please consider donating to one of Clarkstown’s many amazing charitable organizations. There is an incredibly diverse world of nonprofits that are headquartered in Clarkstown and provide services to our community. From food pantries to organizations that help sick children and people with disabilities, there are all kinds of nonprofits out there doing important work in Clarkstown. Many of these organizations are heavily dependent on donations in order to provide their services. Any amount you can give is appreciated and helps make a difference in our community. If you can’t donate money, volunteering your time can be even more valuable. From delivering meals to the elderly and homebound to picking up litter along our roads, there are opportunities all around to contribute to a meaningful cause without reaching into your pockets.
Community is all about supporting one another, and I have always been touched and amazed by the generous and giving nature of Clarkstown residents. We tend to think of charitable giving more around the holiday season, so the timing of National Nonprofit Day in the summer helps to provide a boost to many organizations that are in immediate need of funding or volunteers. And finally, scientific research confirms that by helping others you are also helping yourself. Charitable giving has been proven to boost happiness and reduce stress. So whether it’s at the Rockland Duck Derby or elsewhere, please consider helping yourself and others by donating to a local charity this weekend.
