PORT ANGELES — One lucky duck will win someone a Toyota Corolla.
Presented by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, the 34th-annual Duck Derby — an event that raises funds for local health care through the Olympic Medical Center Foundation — is set for Sunday, May 21. Duck tickets went on sale on Friday.
Each duck ticket will cost $7. For $35, adopters get an extra duck, or six chances to win in the race.
Get duck tickets from the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, Sequim High School leadership class members, OMC Foundation staff, Olympic Medical Center employees, Port Angeles High School football, soccer and basketball teams, Franklin Elementary School’s Parent-Teacher Organization and students from Peninsula College who are raising money to support medical education and treatment in Clallam County.
Ducks also will be on sale daily at all Safeway stores in Sequim and Port Angeles, QFC, Port Angeles’ Grocery Store Outlet, Wilder Toyota, Swain’s General Store, Sound Community Bank, First Federal and several other locations.
Duck “racers” have the opportunity to win a 2023 Toyota Corolla, provided by Wilder Toyota, as well as 33 other prizes.
The main event will be at 1:30 p.m. at Pebble Beach Park, located at Front and Railroad streets in Port Angeles, where all “adoptive parents” will have a chance to win prizes. The event is operated under the rules of the Washington State Gambling Commission.
For each duck that’s adopted, the purchaser receives a ticket with a printed number, which corresponds to a number on the duck. All of the numbered ducks will be placed in the back of Toyota pickup trucks, and the first ducks drawn will win prizes.
Just prior to the main race is the Bub and Alice Olsen Very Important Duck (VID) Pluck — an opportunity for businesses and individuals, including those from off the Olympic Peninsula who do business with local companies, to purchase special V.I.D. ducks emblazoned with their logo, for $350 each.
Proceeds will benefit the OMC Foundation, which has given $10.8 million dollars to or on behalf of OMC in the past 10 years.
“The time, effort, labor and equipment that various groups put into the Duck Derby, to make this event successful year after year, shows how each of us contributes to make this area such a great place to live,” said Bob Lovell, who co-chairs the race along with Rick Smith.
“So many individuals and organizations are tireless with their donations and work in this community to help make it what it is.”
Said Smith, “It’s a pretty awesome sight to see 30,000 ducks. It’s not really about expecting to win, it’s just knowing that you’re donating to a worthy causes that matters. Winning is secondary.”
For more information, call the Olympic Medical Center Foundation at 360-417-7144.
