Local Nonprofits To Benefit From Duck Race Raffle Ticket Sales

When thousands of rubber ducks drop into the Naugatuck River during the 14th Annual Naugatuck Duck Race & Festival on Sunday, June 2, 2019, it won’t be just holders of winning raffle tickets who benefit.

While 30 ticket-buyers will win prizes, more than twice as many nonprofit organizations from throughout the region will raise money for their causes. That’s because half of the proceeds from every ticket sold benefits the nonprofit organization selling the ticket. In fact, over the event’s first 13 years, more than 340 nonprofits have received more than $383,000 from the sale of Duck Race raffle tickets.

“We’ve been participating since its inception,” Lisa Shappy, executive director of the United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls, said of the Duck Race. “We’ve probably received over a couple of thousand dollars, and that goes into our general campaign fund.”

Money from that fund is distributed to organizations that provide services to the community in both Naugatuck and Beacon Falls, including the Salvation Army and Naugatuck Youth Services, Shappy said. “We’re grateful for the opportunity to participate,” she said. “It’s really easy and a nice, simple fundraiser.”

As of May 9, 70 nonprofit organizations have signed up to sell raffle tickets. They include everything from major nonprofits like the United Way and Staywell Health Center to Boy Scout troops, Girls Inc. of Greater Waterbury, religious groups, animal rescue organizations and more.

Courtney Ligi, director of the Naugatuck Chamber of Commerce, said the annual event offers nonprofits both an easy way to raise money and a great opportunity for publicity. “The Duck Race & Festival is a fun, family-friendly event that attracts thousands of people to downtown Naugatuck,” she said. “They look forward to it every year because they know it’s a fundraiser that helps local nonprofits and offers an opportunity to win some great raffle prizes!”

Shappy agreed. “The Duck Race brings so many people to the community, they get to hear about us and learn more about us,” she said.

Each ticket sold has a number that is placed on the bottom of a rubber duck. Prizes are awarded to ticketholders of the first 30 ducks that cross the finish line after being dropped into the Naugatuck River from the Whittemore Bridge in downtown Naugatuck.

First prize is $5,000 cash. Second prize is a $500 gift certificate for dinner for up to eight guests at The Station Restaurant on Water Street in Naugatuck. Third prize is a Nintendo Switch 32-gigabyte console with the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Game donated by DroneVideoCT.com, Family FootCare PC and Rhino Garage Doors CT.

Tickets are available through any of the nonprofits listed below. They also are available online via www.cometoduckday.com. Here are the participating nonprofit organizations:

Acts 4 Ministry Inc.; Animal Rescue Foundation; Animals for Life; Annie C. Courtney Foundation Inc.; Blessed Sacrament Children's Theatre; Boy Scout Troop 41 of Waterbury; Brass City Rescue Alliance; Bucks Hill Community Club; Carolyn Finch on behalf of the Naugatuck YMCA; Catholic Academy of Waterbury; Children's Community School; Coco's Animal Rescue Efforts of Seymour (CARES); Companion Pet Rescue; Connecticut Partnership for Children; Cub Scout Pack 20; Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Forever Young Society of OLMC; Fraternal Order of Eagles No. 640;

Also: Girls Incorporated of Greater Waterbury; Hidden Acres Therapeutic Riding Center; Holy Savior Church;Holy Trinity GOYA; Howard Whittemore Memorial Library; John Trumbull Primary School PTO; Kitty Kat Rescue; Kitty Quarters; Kiwanis Club of Greater Waterbury; Knights of Columbus Council 24342; Literacy Volunteers of Greater Waterbury; Main Street Waterbury; Maple Hill PTO; Mass General Hospital - Pediatric Oncology Team; Muscular Dystrophy Association of Connecticut/New American Ride Team; My Eye Dr. on behalf of Naugatuck Ecumenical Food Bank.

Also: Naugatuck Beacon Falls Campership; Naugatuck Community Choir; Naugatuck Day Care; Naugatuck Dog Park; Naugatuck Elks Lodge; Naugatuck Garden Club; Naugatuck High School Chamber Singers; Naugatuck High School Girls Basketball; Naugatuck Lions Club; Naugatuck YMCA; Naugatuck Youth Services; Naugatuck Youth Soccer; Northern CT Black Nurses Association/The Ungroup Society; Polish American Club; Pomperaug High School Interact Club; Profnet of Waterbury; Project Purple; Safe Haven of Greater Waterbury Inc.; Salem School PTO; Seven Angels Theatre; Shepherd-Salem Masonic Lodge #78; St. Blaise Parish; St. Vincent Ferrer Church; Staywell Health Center.

Also: Temple Beth David; The Father's House; Together We Shine; United Way of Naugatuck & Beacon Falls; Waterbury Association of Insurance Professionals; Waterbury Emblem Club #552; Waterbury Exchange Club; Waterbury Lions Club; Wolcott Citizens Against Substance Abuse; Wolcott Grange 173; Woodland Regional High School Class of 2020, and Woodland Regional High School Timber Team.

For information, contact Alison Amato at aamato@waterburychamber.com or 203-747-0701.

S
Submitted by Southbury, CT

Become a Local Voice in Your Community!

HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected.

Read Next