Duckie Derby Day 2010

2011 Duckie Derby will be on May 21st at the Mill River

2011-02-23T16:34:00.000-05:00

Hello Duckie Derby friends. We are excited to be planning the 2011 Fairfield County Duckie Derby. Save the date om May 21st. We now have a website and will no longer be using this blog. Please visit us at www.FairfieldCountyDuckieDerby.com for information

This yea we are promoting "Decorate Me" Ducks as wonderful gifts during the Easter Season. It is a part of our "Less Candy, More Fun" campaign. This adorable duck fills a basket, becomes an ART Project, gets entered into the free to attend family fun Duckie Derby Event and then is a memento of the great day. Plus the full $15.00 donation goes to help children with Special Needs at St. Catherine Academy school in Fairfield.

2010-05-29T22:57:00.002-04:00

Ducks race for special needs (Video) - Fairfield - Minuteman News Center

2010-05-27T20:38:00.003-04:00

By Andy Hutchison

More than 1,000 rubber duckies cluttered the Mill River along Brookside Drive this past Saturday afternoon. Spectators of all ages cheered as the ducks made their way toward the finish line in an exciting race for a good cause.

No, this wasn’t just for duck racing bragging rights, the race was only a part of the celebration — the Ducky Derby, a fun-filled family fundraiser to benefit St. Catherine Academy, a school for children with special needs here in town.

Approximately $8,000 was raised for the school through ticket sales, raffles and other event-related fundraisers, along with the help of event sponsor The Bank Of Fairfield, according to Kelly Weldon, who co-chaired the event along with Liz Tamarkin.

The money — much of which was raised through $10 participation donations and $15 contributions for a 10-inch non-racing duck for the event’s decoration contest – was collected for supplies for the school’s media center.

Weldon said the school requires adoptive technology to help children with special needs, such as hearing or vision impairment, effectively learn. The Ducky Derby not only benefits the school but also facilitates volunteer opportunities since community members qualified to assist the students are given an opportunity to donate their time and help the children learn, she added. “That’s a win-win,” Weldon said.

Weldon’s late sister, Valerie Luff, had special needs and did not have an opportunity to attend a school that specialized in working with children such as herself. Their late father, Jerry Luff, was instrumental for securing funds for building the new St. Catherine Academy in town. The school originated in Bridgeport and relocated to Fairfield a few years ago, Weldon explained. It provides an opportunity for 20-plus students from in and out of town an opportunity to get educated.
“We really wished there was a school like this that could have helped her,” Weldon said.
Now, Weldon is helping to do something in her sister’s memory that will help today’s students with special needs.
This was the third Ducky Derby in the last handful of years, and Weldon says what makes this fundraiser so special is that it caters to families. People of all ages are able to participate and have fun, Weldon notes.
Five of the school’s 21 students were on hand and honored at the event. “They were smiling ear to ear – loving every minute of it,” Weldon said.

Sister Robert Marie and Sister Henry of Trumbull won first place in the duck race.
Nate Snyder and family took second,
and Sister Mary Marchand of Wilton came in third.

The duck decorating contest winners were as follows:
In the 10 and Under Age group:
Best Dressed- Ruby Fortman with Lulu Duck
Most Original- Noah Beiger with Mardis Gras Duck
Judge’s Choice- Caitlyn Mitchell with Hawaii Duck O
Best in Show- Mason Coudert with Thomas The Tank Duck
In the 11 and Older Age Group:
Best Dressed- McCalay Debryza with Abby Duck
Most Original- Andrew Aoyama with Duck Tape
Judges Choice- Bridget and Alana Murphy with Duckies in Space
Best in Show- Erin Bonner with Olympic Duck

Quackatular! The Winners are.... drum roll please....

2010-05-23T10:15:00.008-04:00

May 22nd 2010-Duckie Derby fans cheer on their ducks in the big race; smiles and joy all around.
In the race to a narrow finish (literally) the big duck race winners are:

First Place - Sister Robert Marie and Sister Henry of Trumbull
Second Place - Nate Snyder and family
Third Place- Sister Mary Marchand of Wilton

CONGRATULATIONS!
Decorator Duck Contest winners: (All entries were amazing!)

10 and Under:
Best Dressed- Ruby Fortman with Lulu Duck
Most Original- Noah Beiger with Mardis Gras Duck
Judge's Choice- Caitlyn Mitchell with Hawaii Duck O
Best in Show- Mason Coudert with Thomas The Tank Duck

11 and Over:
Best Dressed- Mary McCalay Debryza with Abby Duck
Most Original- Andrew Aoyama with Duck Tape
Judges Choice- Bridget and Alana Murphy with Duckies in Space
Best in Show- Erin Bonner with Olymic Duck

The 21 ducks entered by the students of St. Catherine Academy were all ribbon winners! Five students recieve Duckie hats, pictured above.

Thank you TBF- our event sponsor~

For The Young At Heart-The Big Race is Finally Here! DUCKS LAUNCHED AT 1:30

2010-05-22T07:11:00.001-04:00

See you at the Mill River at 1:00. (GPS Directions 834 Bookside Drive, Fairfield CT)

Blessing of the fleet and Duck Launch is scheduled for 1:30. This event will fill you with joy! We will post the race winners as well as the Decorated Duck Contest winners with lots of pictures here for all to enjoy. Thank you!

SCA Students filled with anticipation for the Duckie Derby

2010-05-17T22:18:00.002-04:00

Today the students of St. Catherine Academy were filled with anticipation for this weekend’s Duckie Derby race and Decorator Duck contest. Each of the 21 students has a race duck number and each of the 21 students have tapped into their creativity and decorated a duck for the upcoming beauty contest. Perhaps their excitement and anticipation runs deeper then the fun of yellow rubber ducks. They know this event is for them because they matter to us. For years these beautiful children have been struggling with disabilities. For all of them, mainstream public education was not the best fit. On the kindness spectrum, these students have perhaps the biggest hearts, the quickest smiles and the deepest compassion for one another. On the educational spectrum, they also have some of the greatest challenges often compounded by physical limitations.

St. Catherine Academy has a wonderful approach to the elementary, middle and high school programs. The combination of academics and life skill training prove to be a powerful combination as evidenced by the stories of the students’ growth. These success stories are deeply emotional and inspiring. St. Catherine Academy is a school located here in Fairfield where learning and caring lead to personal best for children with significant special needs. On Saturday May 22nd, the Duckie Derby proceeds will go to purchase supplies for their media room at the school. This media room is a place where students, staff and volunteers can come together and work on individual educational projects, ranging from computerized flash cards to resume writing for job placements. Just down the hall is another special class room where the students work with volunteers to make the “Perfect Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches” that they then carefully wrap and donate to homeless people at Merton House in Bridgeport. It is a school where “learning and caring lead to personal best.”

Please join us at Mill River at on Saturday, May 22nd at 1:00. The event is free to attend but we encourage you to sponsor a $10 race duck and help us meet our goal to supply the SCA students’ media room with equipment that will facilitate their learning and develop caring relationships with each other and community volunteers who will tutor them. Let’s all join the SCA students on the kindness spectrum by showing that we too have big hearts, quick smiles and deep compassion for one another! For more information on SCA, please visit www.stcatherineacademy.org or call Helen Burland 203-540-5381 to arrange for a visit.

One Week To Go!

2010-05-15T07:25:00.000-04:00

The BIG count down is on!!!! We have one week, just seven days until the Duckie Derby Day. People are putting their finishing touches on their Decorator Ducks. Race Duck Tickets are selling at record rates. The rubber ducks are counted, numbered, well trained and reving up for a pasta party Friday night. Get your race duck numbers at TBF up til Friday Afternoon.
After Friday, Race Duck numbers will only be available at Mill River at 11:30-1:15.
Decorator Ducks will be registered from 12:00-1:00
There will be a BLESSING OF THE FLEET at 1:25 by Father Dunn
The Ducks will be launched at 1:30
The race will take approximately 30 minutes -depending on the river flow
Bring a camera to snap a shot of our adorable duck mascots.

Quack, Quack!

You will FLIP over this Duckie Derby Promo!

2010-05-09T22:17:00.002-04:00

Made by kids, for kids and lots of fun. You have to check this OUT! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHJPcF_qAH0

St. Catherine Academy Students Decorate Ducks for Duckie Derby Day!

2010-04-29T09:24:00.002-04:00

As the Fairfield County community gears up for the Duckie Derby Day on May 22nd, these amazing students from St. Catherine Academy join in on the fun. Art Teacher- Gina Barber (lower left) has been encouraging creativity and it shows! These ducks were donated to the students from The Bank of Fairfield-TBF the event sponsor! If you would like to decorate a duck too, just stop by the TBF branch offices to get your very own duck for a $15.00 donation.

Duckie Derby Day Mascot Makes a Special Easter Appearance

2010-04-05T20:11:00.000-04:00

Baby Riley was all smiles on Easter when Kaysie Daysie Duck made a special surprise appearance at her Grandma's home. Riley's big sister, Caitlyn will be decorating a duck for the Decorated Duck Contest and baby Riley will be cheering on ducks #222 and #223 during the Duck Race, both happening on May 22nd at the Mill River at 1:00. To sponsor your own race duck simply click on the form to the right. To get a big duck to decorate, visit TBF - The Bank of Fairfield. Proceeds will benefit a school for children with special needs.

It's Duck Season!

2010-03-02T22:03:00.004-05:00

We are happy to announce race duck tickets and Decorator Ducks are now available. We invite you to visit the Bank of Fairfield for walk in purchases. Please feel free to share the blog with others who would enjoy this great day.

Need to brighten someone's day? Nothing does it as well as sending our 5 foot Duckie Derby Day mascot to their office. Check out theYou've Been Goosed and Whatta Quack Order Flier, for inspiration, located in the right column under Duckie Derby Day Forms.

The Duckie Derby Day has a sponsor!

2010-02-23T21:32:00.000-05:00

A special thank you to our new sponsor, The Bank of Fairfield. TBF is the place to go to get your duck numbers for the big race and to purchase your decorator ducks for the Decorator Duck Contest. TBF is located in Fairfield at 2248 Black Rock Turnpike or at 2150 Post Road. All proceeds will benefit St. Catherine's Academy, a school in Fairfied that serves children with special needs.

Celebrating Our Third Family Fun Duckie Day!

2010-01-21T19:07:00.002-05:00

Back by popular demand is Duckie Derby Day! We plan to float 1000 plus rubber duckies down Mill River for an exciting race to the finish. This family fun day is free to the community to attend. For $10 you can sponsor a duck in the derby race. For $15 you can purchase a BIG duck for the Decorated Duck Contest. Stay tuned as the details and information on the event sponsor are shared. http://www.stcatherineacademy.org/

Come and Join the Fun!

2010-01-17T01:02:00.001-05:00