Community Corner

Duck Race Raises $15K for Farmington-Farmington Hills Foundation

The Farmington Public Safety duck won the corporate race upside down.

(FPS) Director Bob Schulz looked pretty happy about his department's painted duck winning the corporate title at Sunday afternoon's Rubber Duck Race at Shiawassee Park.

The FPS duck was in the lead heading into the home stretch, even though it floated upside down for most of the way. It got caught up along the bank, allowing a few of the other ducks to move within striking distance, but at the last minute, it floated past the finish line.

"It was a very strenuous day," Schulz joked, chalking up the win to "great teamwork." He said the duck is one of several the department has entered; Sgt. Jeff Brow takes responsibility for decorating them.

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Businesses and organizations that made donations to the event, which benefits the , dressed up their race ducks with paint, flags, jewelry and even feathers.

Second place went to The Old Winery Winter Farmers Market; 's duck placed third. The Farmington Public Safety duck also won the best decorated contest.

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A group of children launched the 40 large coporate ducks into the River Rouge branch that runs through around 3 p.m. Once that race wrapped up, more than 3,000 numbered yellow rubber ducks were dumped into the water for the main event.

The foundation has been selling duck race tickets for months. Each numbered duck corresponded to an entry; the duck across the finish line first earned its ticket-holder, Amanda Balogh, the grand prize: $50 to spend at each week for a year.

"I think it went very well," foundation Director Barbara Yuhas said after the event. "The heat didn't keep people away. It's amazing how the adults get caught up in it."

Yuhas was encouraged by the number of corporate ducks, which was around the same as last year. "Despite the economy, people are still supporting us," she said.

She intends to retire in February, but Yuhas said there are plans to make some changes in the event for next year, which will be announced later.

Other prize winners:

  • Second place (one night each month for a year at ) — Marci Schumacher
  • Third place (fitness package from , , ) — Petra Blair
  • Fourth place (Downtown Farmington package) — Laurie Dowd
  • Fifth place (portrait by ) — Dawn Mitolaj
  • Sixth place (golf at Western Golf & Country Club) — Dennis Pheney
  • Seventh place (gifts from Power Road Winter Farmers Market vendors) — Lori Heiden
  • Eighth place ( 10-person party) — Alexis Blizman
  • Ninth place (Oral B Sonic toothbrush from Smile Innovations) — Joanne Smith
  • 10th place (mystery package) — Jogadish Munagapati


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