Thousands of yellow rubber ducks will float down Vernon Creek this summer to raise funds for a guide dog to be given to a local youth in need.
The Vernon Lions Club’s fourth annual duck race and family day goes June 22 at Polson Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with a barbecue lunch.
The free event will feature entertainment and games for children. BC and Alberta Guide Dogs will be on hand with a guide dog to take people through a maze to experience what it’s like to be blind.
All proceeds from the event will be used to sponsor a service dog for an autistic child in the Vernon area. The dogs are raised and trained by BC and Alberta Guide Dogs.
The fundraiser is simple: from now until June 21, people can purchase duck numbers at booths in Vernon and Coldstream grocery stores. Each ticket corresponds with a rubber duck that will be entered into the duck race on June 22 at 1 p.m. At the end of the duck race, the ticket holder for the first duck to make it down Vernon Creek and across the finish line wins $1,000; second place is worth $500; third gets $250; and the Lame Duck (the last one to cross the finish line) is worth $100.
The Lions will be at grocery stores selling tickets on a rotating basis from now until the event. Here’s where and when to find them during the month of April, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.:
• Friday, April 5 - Save-On Village Green
• Saturday, April 6 - FreshCo
• Sunday, April 7 - Buy Low Customer Appreciation barbecue (11 a.m. - 1 p.m.)
• Friday, April 12 - Safeway
• Saturday, April 13 - Superstore
• Thursday, April 18 - Butcher Boys
• Friday, April 19 - Save-On Polson
• Saturday, April 20 - FreshCo ( 9 a.m. - noon)
• Sunday, April 21 - Autism Walk, Polson Park
• Friday, April 26 - Superstore
• Saturday, April 27 - Safeway
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