8th Annual Duck Drop a Success!

It was a blustery day but that did nothing to diminish the enthusiasm of those gathered to watch the 8^th annual Rotary Clubs of Morgan County Duck Drop at the Fort Morgan Municipal Airport. Spectators danced to the music provided by Melissa Johnson and Lindsey Bruntz of KFTM Radio while five planes organized by Scott Aviation dropped over 1,200 ducks over a Rotary banner target laid out in the grass next to the runway. When the distances to the center of the banner were measured, 5 of the closest ducks won their sponsors over $1,900 in prize winnings. The money raised this year through the sponsored ducks will support local youth recognition and leadership programs, local service projects, and international clean water projects.

Official judges this year were Dan Scalise, mayor of Brush, Terry McCallister, mayor of Fort Morgan, and Rotarian David Willard. After the judges were finished, spectators helped pick up the ducks from the field. Mixed in with the ducks this year were plastic army parachute figures, which could be traded for door prizes by those who were lucky enough to find one. Skydivers Rob Range and Troy Taylor then finished off the event with pinpoint landings in the field next to the target.

1^st place winner this year was Joyce Kerbs, whose duck was only 12” from center of the target. 2^nd place winner was Danielle Kiaha, whose duck was 17” off, 3^rd place went to Karla Mitchell, whose duck was 19.5” off, 4^th place went to Mike and Mary Giaque, whose duck was 21” off, and 5^th place went to Connor Vaas, whose duck was 23” from the center of the target.

Kyle Scott of Scott Aviation organized the pilots and bombardiers that flew the planes and dropped the ducks. Pilots and bombardiers were Sonny Weimer and Chris Weimer, Bob Weimer and Bob Kula, Kyle Scott and Tony Strawbridge, Justin Mook and Jason Lanyon, and Jason West, Rob Range, and Troy Taylor.

Sponsors of the door prizes were Morgan Federal Bank, FMS Bank, Insurance Connection, and Walgreens. The Rotary clubs of Morgan County wish to thank all of our sponsors, particularly Viaero Wireless for printing the duck certificates and Scott Aviation for organizing the planes, bombardiers, and pilots, and all those who sponsored ducks and attended this year’s 8^th annual Duck Drop!