The Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby has been held in downtown Chicago now for the last eight years. For seven of those years, a group of very special athletes, Global Messengers whoâve dubbed themselves the Darling Ducklings, have been selling âadoptionsâ to raise funds for a program near and dear to their heartsâSpecial Olympics. (Global Messengers are Special Olympics athletes who help spread the message and vision of the movement as well as the benefits they have gained by participating in Special Olympics.)
This year, these athletes have aimed high by setting a goal to sell 5,000 adoptions and raise $25,000 for Special Olympics Illinois. Their team leader, Leona Brescher, works with this group throughout the year, identifying marketing and sales opportunities and encouraging the athletes to really put themselves out there. âThe athletes are our best fundraisers, they can outsell me 5 to 1,â Brescher said. âHaving athletes out front and center makes supporting Special Olympics Illinois much more ârealâ to the average person. They have a better understanding of who benefits and are more apt to âadoptâ a duck as a result.â
Katelyn Gruenwald of Palatine was chosen as the Duck Ambassador for this yearâs race. She is currently the top seller on the team. Our Darling Ducklings are a competitive bunch. Sales have been set up at Area events and numerous places of business such as Family Video, K&M Printing, Walgreens, Baxter and Northshore Hospital. Moms, dads, siblings, aunts and uncles have all bought into their athleteâs goal and are doing what they can to make additional sales for the team.
At this yearâs Duck Race Kick-Off event at Maggianoâs of Chicago, emcee Allison Rosati was presented with a large rubber ducky with autographs and personal messages of gratitude from each team member. Rosati had actually presented this same duck to the athletes the year before. They thought it would be fun to sign it, emblazon its side with the Athlete Oath, wrap it all up with a Unified gold medal and then present it back to her. She was very touched.
“Overall, it has been a very positive event for the athletes to be involved in. Their fundraising techniques get better with each passing year as their rising goals can attest to,” Brescher said.
Click here to adopt a duck from the Darling Ducklings team.