3-year-old Josalynne Wiley and her 10-year-old brother Sebastian check out the VFL ducks now in ‘training’ for the big swim down the Soque River at Pitts Park in Clarkesville on May 20th. Their parents are Annabelle and Adam Wiley of Cleveland, GA. (photo/VFL)
The race is on! And you don’t want to be left out since Volunteers For Literacy (VFL) of Habersham County has doubled the prizes for this year’s Sixth Annual Rubber Duck Race.
The race, which will be held during the Mountain Laurel Festival on May 20, will begin at 3:30 p.m. when as many as 2,000 rubber ducks will be dropped in the Soque River from the Highway 197 bridge at Pitts Park. The adopted ducks will “swim” for one-quarter mile to the finish line.
First place winner will receive $1000; second place $500 and third place will receive $250.
“Our goal this year is to raise $15,000 which will help VFL to offer programs to increase literacy in Habersham County,” says duck race chair Johnny Bailey.
“Statistics show that for every dollar spent on adult literacy in a community, $33 comes back to the community. With that in mind, VFL helps immigrants acquire English language skills through the VFL English Language Acquisition (ELA) Program held at Cornelia First Baptist Church, provides child care for adult students in the ELA and LiFt Program and provides GED scholarships.”
Bailey says VFL’s goal is to encourage literacy at every possible level. VFL gives dictionaries to all third grade students in Habersham County Schools each year, sponsors the annual Scripps Spelling Bee and provides reading opportunities to all ages through five (soon to be seven) Little Free Libraries in Habersham County.
While prizes have increased, tickets are still $5 each. Or this year you can get 5 for $20 or 25 for $100.
Tickets may be purchased at the Cornelia Library, Clarkesville Library, Soque Watershed office on Washington Street in Clarkesville, through email at [email protected], by phone at 706-499-7474 or from any board member.
You may also purchase your race tickets online at vflhabersham.com (online ticket sales end May 15, 2017).
VFL is a nonprofit, Habersham County United Way agency. All donations are tax deductible.
