By Cathy Keen
Special to the News-Press
Glendale Kiwanis past Presidents (from left) Stacey Nishi, Patricia Larrigan and Cathy Keen, Vice President Kim Guard, and incoming President Monica Sierra attended a previous year’s Kiwanis Duck Splash. This year’s virtual fundraiser will be held Saturday, Oct. 24.
If you have lived in Glendale any length of time, you are probably familiar with the family event held each fall at Verdugo Park, the Kiwanis Incredible Duck Splash.
Sponsored banners promoting the fundraiser will line the streets of Glendale and Montrose for 30 days before the splashdown of about 20,000 rubber ducks. Along with the ducks, racing the Kiwanians provides fun, games and food for the hundreds of people who attend. It’s been happening for 15 years and hundreds of thousands of dollars in proceeds have been directed to stocking food pantries, serving meals to the clients at Ascencia, Glendale Arts, the Glendale Police Foundation, Bringing Up Grades program in elementary schools, scholarships to graduating seniors, CV’s Prom Plus, Book Boxes around the city, the YWCA domestic violence shelters, the YWCA’s Camp Rosie, Glendale Parks and Recreation, and more.
Now it is 2020, and the rules are different. The 16th Duck Race is scheduled to be held Saturday, Oct. 24. With the COVID restrictions not letting up, the steering committee realized that the event would not be able to happen in person. So, this year’s event will be the Virtual Kiwanis Incredible Duck Splash on Oct. 24 from 2-4 p.m., streaming live on Facebook and YouTube. The group is planning an action-packed two hours of online fun, entertainment, and rock ’n’ roll.
Just as in previous years, the colorful banners will still adorn the streets of Glendale and Montrose, and you can still adopt ducks with a chance to win $10,000 and other cash prizes. Go to ducks4kids.org to adopt ducks at $5 each. All expenses are paid by sponsorships, so 100% of the duck sales will go right back into the community.
The Kiwanis Club of Glendale invites everyone to participate. Nonprofits serving children are invited to become Duck Buddies and have a duck team of their own. Fifty percent of their sales will be awarded to their organization. At this time, there are already 23 Duck Buddy teams participating, and more are welcome.
For more information about becoming a Duck Buddy, send an inquiry to glendalekiwanisducks@gmail.com.
Visit the Facebook page at Kiwanis Incredible Duck Splash to learn more about the big event. You might win $10,000. One thing is for sure, the children of this community will be the big winners.
Author Cathy Keen is past president of Glendale Kiwanis.
