Cardinal Services staff and volunteers held a duck tagging party Wednesday afternoon to gear up for the organization’s upcoming duck race.
The seventh annual Cardinal Services Duck Race is July 30 at 11 a.m. at the canal in Winona Lake.
Proceeds from the fundraiser support the not-for-profit’s programs, which include work, residential and day services for people with intellectual disabilities.
For families with young children, Cardinal offers Head Start and Early Head Start, Women Infant and Children and Healthy Families programs. Cardinal also administers the Kosciusko Area Bus Service.
Linda Scalet, volunteer and Symmetry Medical human resources director, worked with her co-worker, Stephanie Ducheteau, to tag approximately 10,000 plastic ducks for the race.
There were approximately 26 volunteers who participated in the duck tagging.
Scalet said she looks forward to the duck race each year.
“I have seen Cardinal Services employees talk about their job and get tears in their eyes when they talk about the people they are helping,” Scalet said. “That to me is amazing because you won’t find that at too many places.”
Jane Wear, Cardinal Services CEO, said this is the last year for the duck race.
“We are going to change directions and have done the same fundraiser for seven years, so we are in the process of transitioning and continuing to build our Cardinal Call luncheon fundraiser on an annual basis,” Wear said.
She said the volunteers and staff are wanting to have a successful last year of the duck race to support Cardinal Services.
“We need the funds more so than ever because we have been hit hard with Medicaid cuts and the funds raised through the duck race will go to support Cardinal Services,” Wear said.
There will be plastic ducks in the canal with numbers on the bottom of the ducks that represent the names of people who have purchased the ducks.
The winning duck that reaches the finish line first nets the owner $5,000.
Other prizes include an Amazon Kindle Reader, two tickets, dinner, an overnight stay and breakfast at Ramada/Wagon Wheel Theatre, a gas grill from Lowe’s, pizza for a year from Pizza Hut, a gas grill and whole boneless ribeye from Owen’s, a restaurant tour package, and a Motorola Droid X from Verizon Wireless.
The day of the race also will include The Duck & Run 5K, which begins at 8 a.m. in Winona Lake Park. There will be awards to both the male and female for first, second, and third places, with trophies given to the overall male and female.
For more information or to register for the 5K, visit Cardinal's Duck Race website at www.duckrace.com/warsaw
Ducks will be available throughout the morning of the race or until sold out. People may reserve their ducks in the race for $5 each by calling Cardinal at 574-267-3823, or from a Cardinal employee or Duck Race sponsor.
The duck race is sponsored by Maple Leaf Farms, Toyota of Warsaw, RR Donnelley, Symmetry Medical, Lake City Radio and Times-Union.
