Ducks Dash Through the Creek this Summer
Captina Conservancy will race rubber ducks again this year through the Captina Creek at its fourth annual big fundraiser.
The Duck Dash event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. June 28 with the duck race getting underway at 1:30 p.m. on conservancy owned property at Bend Fork and Captina Creek. To get to the race, take State Route 148 to Township Road 114/Steele Road, just west of Armstrong Mills. Head north on Steele Road.
Captina Conservancy will also have food, music and children’s games before the race. The ducks will race along the main stream of Captina Creek.
The Captina Conservancy’s largest fundraiser of the year is now a four-year tradition.
Captina Conservancy sells tickets to people who adopt a duck with a number on it. Staff members dump all of the rubber ducks into the creek at once where they will float to the finish line.
The first place winner will receive $500, second place will receive $250, third at $150, fourth at $100 and $50 for the fifth one across the line.
People can buy tickets at captina.org for one for $10 or three for $25. Participants may adopt ducks up until 1 p.m. the day of the race at the event or online.
“We just want to give people something fun to do,” Executive Director of Captina Conservancy Ellie Ewing said. “It’s a family friendly event, so it’s great for kids.”
Children will also be able to take a dive into the creek if they wish to as well.
Ewing said staff thought of the Duck Dash fundraiser instead of a big dinner, so the organization can raise some money while people spend time at Captina Creek.
Staff planned the first Duck Dash event during the peak of COVID-19, so Ewing said this was something where people would be able to get outside. The conservancy also videoed the race and posted it online, so it was something people could access even if they couldn’t be there in person. Races are still filmed.
Ewing added the event was so much fun the conservancy decided to keep it going each year since then.
Last year the Duck Dash had about 350 rubber ducks racing down the creek. Ewing is hoping to get closer to 500 this year.
The money raised from the event will go toward Captina Conservancy’s general operating funds, which include staff salaries, rent and insurance.
“That’s the overall goal but also just to help get the word out about Captina Conservancy. We’ve been around for 15 years, but people are still learning about us and who we are and what we do,” Ewing said. “So the more types of events we can have, the more people we can reach out to, the better opportunity to help people learn who we are.”
Other events planned this year include the Captina Island Paddle, a two-hour paddle from Powhatan Point Marina upriver and around Captina Island and back July 20, Dysart Woods hiking series, the first Sunday of every month at 61961 Dysart Woods Road, Belmont and the Captina Creekin’ Festival in October.
Barnesville Area News Needs Your Support!
We're dedicated to providing coverage of the local happenings in Barnesville and the neighboring communities.
As a non-profit entity, we rely on the donations of readers like you.
Make a donation today and you'll be helping keep local news alive in the Barnesville area.