Crowsnest Pass Fire and Rescue to host second annual duck race
PRIZE DONATIONS STILL BEING ACCEPTED
For the second year in a row, members of the Crowsnest Pass Fire and Rescue department are getting ready to make a splash with this year’s duck race.
In previous years the Boys and Girls Club of Crowsnest Pass have hosted the annual event in hopes of raising funding for their club, however last year the Fire and Rescue department made a bid to host the event themselves.
“For the past four or five years the Boys and Girls Club have done the event, but we offered to purchase it last year to run the show and this year we’re going to make another go of it again,” says Kurtis Stevens, fire and rescue worker.
The duck race is an annual event where thousands of yellow rubber ducks are released into the river. Members of the public choose a duck to purchase and hope their ducks are winners of donated prizes.
This year, Stevens says a number of prizes have been donated by local and other businesses alike.
“We have gift cards from many local vendors that have been donated as well as ski passes, acupuncture treatments, helmets from Alpenland and so much more.”
However, not all the prizes that have been donated are from the local area. Calgary has also invested an interest by donating Calaway Park theme park passes.
Stevens says with this year’s event they are working to raise money not only for the Boys and Girls Club, but also for the Fire Rescue Society within the Crowsnest Pass.
“The money we raise will go towards rescue tools, like the jaws of life, rope rescue and other efforts necessary to keep saving lives, but a portion of what we do get will still be donated back into the Boys and Girls Club like previous years,” adds Stevens.
The Fire and Rescue department is just starting to gear up for the event, setting a hopeful time with weather permitting of Aug. 13 at 2 p.m. for the beginning of the race.
They hope to drop the ducks at the Blairmore bridge at the central access, and have swift water rescue workers some ways down the river to ‘rescue’ the ducks at the end of the race.
Stevens says last year didn’t see the largest turnout, but they are hoping to make the race into a bigger event this year in hopes to attract a larger crowd.
“We had a fair amount of locals come out and watch or participate last year, but we’re thinking of building it into a bigger event this year, hopefully have a barbecue or something of an all-day event.”
The Fire and Rescue department of Crowsnest Pass is still looking for donations from local business owners or franchises that would like to be involved with the cause.
They ask for anyone looking to donate to the Duck Race merchandise or prize list to phone the CNP Fire and Rescue team at 403-562-8600.