ROTARY CLUB OF LAKE PLACID DAM DUCK RACE 2017

By Martha Spear and Tina Leonard

A sure sign that it’s Father’s Day Weekend in Lake Placid: yellow rubber ducks are pouring over the mill pond dam!   Some may wonder when you drive by Lisa G’s Restaurant why you are seeing crowds of people cheering for hundreds of little yellow rubber ducks that are rushing over the dam and through the rocks to a finish line. Most local people and regular visitors know that it’s the Annual Rotary Club of Lake Placid’s Dam Duck Race fundraiser.  It’s a great community party to kick off the summer and get us thinking about giving to help others here at home.

The 14^th annual Rotary Club of Lake Placid Dam Duck Race was a quacking success as usual thanks to a great team of volunteer and generous donors.  As always our greatest thanks goes to the magnificent Lisa Grigoriadis of Lisa G’s, who donated her fine establishment for the 14^th year in a row to help raise money for the Lake Placid community. 

First prize for first duck over the dam that gets caught of $1,000 went to Mary Gibbs with duck #588!  We actually caught the first duck over the dam this year, thanks to Randy Quayle, Debbie Erenstone and their team of professional duck-catchers.  Second prize went to Laurie George with #823, who donated her winnings back to the Rotary (thank you!!!,) and 3^rd prize to James Wasson with duck #584. Many thanks for Stewart’s for matching the Rotary’s investment of $500 in this very practical prize. 

Rotarians and event Co-Chairs Tina Leonard and Debbie McLean worked countless hours organizing the party, from counting the numbered ducks to lining up volunteers to sell duck tickets at Stewart’s.  Many thanks to the UPS Store for donating printed and graphic materials.  We sold 1,130 duck tickets and 175 gas cards this year (out of only 250!)  The approximate net income from these and related revenues is $12,581, 100% of which goes back to the community through our Donations Committee, chaired by Ray Agnew.  Past funded projects have included upgrading playground equipment in local public parks, providing bike racks throughout the community, and contributing to the Shipman Youth Center.

Businesses that donated prizes included three who chose to be anonymous, Base Camp Café, Big Slide Brewery & Public House, Café Rustica, Cornell University, Cornell University, Downtown Diner, Duncan Winter MD, EMS, Fitness Revolution, Healing Elements, High Peaks Cyclery, High Peaks Optimal Health, Jimmy’s 21, Jin Jins, Lake Placid Flower & Gift, Lake Placid Horse Shows, Lake Placid Pub & Brewery, Lake Placid Sinfonietta, Mirror Lake Inn, Placid Planet Bicycles, Players Sports Bar & Grill, Pourman’s Tap House, Pure Placid, River Rock Salon, Subway, Wiseguys Sports Bar & Grill.  Thanks to all the prize donors!

Cash sponsors included High Peaks Ford who underwrote the ever-popular bounce house,

 

Special thanks to the Saranac Lake Rotary Club who brought their wonderful cotton candy machine and a host of volunteers, and to local youth entrepreneur Holly Erenstone who earned over $100 for the project by selling lemonade.

The Lake Placid Rotary Club meets every Thursday morning from 7:20 to 8:30 a.m., usually at the Courtyard by Marriott.  The June 29^th meeting will be at the Lake Placid Horse Show Pavilion for our annual breakfast there, and the July 13^th meeting will be at the Shipman Youth Center for a potluck breakfast.  All are welcome.  Contact www.RotaryLakePlacid.org or RotaryLakePlacid@Gmail.com.

Photos by Nancie Battaglia, a Rotary spouse.