P.O. Box 595 · 230 East Maple Ave. · Wildwood, NJ 08260 · (609) 729-2002
Time for all ducks to be counted
Wednesday, April 2nd, 2008
The United Way of Cape May County needs volunteers to count and sort piles of ducks in preparation for this year’s Rubber Ducky Regatta on Aug. 10. If your school group, scout troop, civic club or business would like to lend a hand, call Executive Director Suzanne Nardi at 729-2002.
The “duck days” of summer will soon be here, and the United Way of Cape May County is already making plans for its 15th Annual Rubber Ducky Regatta on Sunday Aug. 10. The regatta has become a community tradition where local businesses donate prizes, and hundreds of ducky fans crowd around the lazy river at Mariner’s Landing water park to see which ducks will float to victory. The 2007 Rubber Ducky Regatta raised over $50,000 to fund valuable health and human services in Cape May County.
More than 11,000 ducks participated in the 2007 race, and now it is time to get those ducks in a row. Sorting the ducks is a big job, but it is a fun one, as well, and the United Way is looking for a community organization, a business, or a youth group that would be willing to help.
On a typical duck-sorting day, volunteers arrive early to transport the ducks from a Cape May County storage facility to a large meeting room, gymnasium or warehouse. Once there, the huge bags of ducks are unloaded, opened and spread out on the floor into huge piles, to be sorted according to number. The process takes about half a day.
“Each duck must be counted every year to ensure that everybody gets a fair shot at winning on race day,” Executive Director Suzanne Nardi said, and in addition to manpower, Nardi said the United Way is looking for a convenient place where volunteers can sort the ducks and a vehicle to transport them.
“It’s a lot of work, but it’s a unique chance to surround yourself with thousands of cute little friends, and it’s fun way to spend a morning helping out in the community,” Nardi said.
For more information or to join in the fun, call 729-2002 or send us a message.