The Weyburn United Way received a cheque for $4,045 from the staff of the City of Weyburn on Sunday, which were the proceeds from the City’s annual Duck Derby fundraiser held to help kick off the 2017 campaign for Communithon.
City staff sold a total of 2,390 ducks for the derby, and the numbered ducks were dumped into the Souris River from the Third Street bridge by a city-owned front-end loader, with the first four ducks to cross the line winning a cash prize.
“I thought it was a great turnout. There were a lot of families out,” said Sabrina Kraft, president of the United Way and chair of the Communithon event to be held in October.
She noted there were many features at the event held on the hot and sunny afternoon, including a petting zoo provided by the Therapeutic Animal Park, bouncy houses, face-painting, balloon animals by Richy Roy, and a hot dog barbecue held by the United Way to help raise additional dollars. There were also prize draws for those who were in attendance for the derby.
The cash prize winners for the derby included first-place winner Marg Briltz, who won $809; Art Stinson was second, winning $566.30; Tracey Salisbury was third, winning $404.50; and Leslie Branvold was fourth, receiving a prize of $242.70.
The ducks were able to move with the river current and the gentle breeze blowing without any outside help as was needed last year to get the ducks moving.
Communithon will be held this year on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 20 and 21 at the Cugnet Centre, with local school and community talents on the stage to be held on Friday, and the first-ever Communithon Concert Jam on Saturday.
“Our volunteers and friends are all ready to start helping our member agencies and work towards a weekend of fun and community spirit,” said Kraft. “‘Let’s Work Together’ with us and help reach our goal of $140,000.”
The United Way has 13 member agencies they will be raising funds for, and are asking for volunteers to step up and help them out for this annual major fundraiser.
The member agencies include Big Brothers Big Sisters Weyburn, Canadian Red Cross, Care-A-Van Society, Canadian Mental Health Association, Canadian National Institute for the Blind, Community Low Income Centre, Envision Counselling, Saskatchewan Association for Community Living, Sask. Abilities Council, Spinal Cord Injury Saskatchewan, Sun Country Kids Club, Weyburn Special Care Home and the Weyburn Youth Center.
Volunteer and entertainment forms are available online at www.weyburnunitedway.com.
