Rotary Duck Race is most successful in years

POTTSTOWN » In the wake of a successful parade, festival and fireworks on the Fourth of July, the Pottstown Rotary Club has announced the 118 winners of the 27th annual Duck Race.

This year, the club is celebrating its 100th anniversary and “we had about 50 units participating (in the parade this year) plus many fire trucks. As the Grand Marshal, we honored retiring Police Chief Rick Drumheller for his 30 years of service to the community. Our faithful and tireless Bob Thomas, Steve Smith, and Hank Saylor organized the big yellow duck float and the decoration of the club float,” wrote P. Richard Frantz, one of the parade organizers.

Jean Spotts was the organizer and contact person for the 25 participating agencies in the Duck Race, in which hundreds of number ducks are put into Manatawny Creek and float down in random order to a finish line. Agencies which sell ducks receive a portion of the money raised.

Robin Smith did the accounting and Kelly Myers worked to obtain 118 prizes worth about $10,000, Frantz wrote.

Several members including Roger Baumann’s friend Robin and Kelsey Gofus sold certificates and put numbers on the ducks. We sold 185 certificates at the park to a steady stream of hopefuls. Bob Thomas and Steve Smith led the team that put the ducks in the water and created the finish line.

“Eight of our members plus Kelsey Gofus, Lauren McClosky’s son, and Daniel Price were in the water determining the winners and retrieving the ducks. They mayor did several beautiful water ballet dances.” according to Frantz.

The group also waited for the last duck whose owner, Deb Lee, received a $50 gift certificate to downtown Pottstown stores.

“We had a total of 3843 ducks in the water. This is by far the highest number that we have had for the past several years,” Frantz wrote.

Here are the prizes, duck numbers and winners:

• $1000 in Cash, 2232, Ellen Whitfield

• 49” HDTV Television, 2275, Karen Davidheiser

• Apple Smart Watch, 2350, Kenneth Cusamano

• One Hour Hot Air Balloon Ride for Two ($200 value), 3938, Richard Slimmer

• Comp Round of Golf for Four at Gilbertsville Golf Club, 4985, Bindy Gibson

• Round of Golf for Four at Brookside Country Club, 2989, River Goode

• Free dining membership at Brookside Country Club, 68, Ken Frantz

• Golf Twosome at Water Gap Country Club, 5331, Eric DeMarte

• Golf Twosome at Water Gap Country Club, 129, Amber Bechtel

• $25 Gift Card Coventry Pub, 47, Matthew Stingone

• $50 Gift Card to Freeds Market, 3123, J Green

• Seaglass Picture by: Godwinks by Mona, 5140, Friends of the Library

• $50 Gift card to Giant, 3686, Beverly Oehlert

• One free day use of Canoe at Marsh Creek Lake, 4717, Tom Hildebrand

• One free day use of Canoe at Marsh Creek Lake, 1062, Sandi Seifarth

• $25 Gift cert to DowntownFourth CD, Tape, Records, 2853, Michael Benner

• Bird House, 4233, Travis Grosser

• Bird House, 2823, Janice Bauer

• $25 Gift card to Funky Frets Music store, 12, Richard Martz

• Gift cert Complete car detailing at Wheels in Motion, 89, David Moore

• $25 Gift Card Wawa, 127, Sylvia Landis

• $25 Gift Card Wawa, 3168, Cheyenne Simmons

• $25 Gift Card Wawa, 125, Sylvia Landis

• $25 Gift Card Wawa, 92, David Moore

• $50 Gift Card Wawa, 5349, Neal Fleischood

• $50 Gift Card Wawa, 2857, Aram Ecker

• $50 Gift Cert Downtown stores (last Duck in), 4308, Deb Lee

• $25 Gift Card to Redners, 6001, Marijane Bethard

• $25 Gift Card to Redners, 3914, Alice Hager

• $20 Gift Cert to The Schnitzel Haus, 113, Kim Knoll

• $20 Gift Cert to The Schnitzel Haus, 137, Thomas Hudak

• $20 Gift Cert to The Schnitzel Haus, 821, Corrine Dietrich

• $20 Gift card T&N Hair Salon, 1253, Zach Davidheiser

• $20 Gift card T&N Hair Salon, 3321, Earl Groendyke

• $25 Gift card to Camelot Salon, 2822, Jon Widdicombe

• $25 Gift card to Camelot Salon, 6353, Dee Pollock

• $25 Gift card to Camelot Salon, 4691, James Whisler

• $25 Gift card to Camelot Salon, 4721, Karen Schutt

• $25 Gift card to Camelot Salon, 6340, Michael DellaGore

• $25 Gift Card to Applebee’s, 6055, Karen Carrich

• $25 Gift Cert to Pottstown United Brew Pub, 4704, Terry Baker

• $25 Gift Cert Craft Ale House, 6010, Marijane Bethard

• $15 Gift card for Wawa, 1371, Alvin Garner

• $15 Gift Card for Wawa, 2827, Jeffrey Cascino

• $20 Gift Card to Wawa, 6020, George Brazier

• $20 Gift card to Wawa, 2098, Marine Corp

• $20 Gift card to Wawa, 2893, Frank Henry

• $25 Gift Card to Ice House, 6012, Maureen Mason

• $25 Gift Card to Ice House, 149, Dave Hildebrand

• $25 Gift Card to Wawa, 2992, Erin Hein

• $25 Gift card to Wawa, 18, Ken Frantz

• $15 Gift Cert to Wawa, 5315, Frank Blatt

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 6263, Roger Baumann

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 181, Carol Ruyak

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 130, Lisa Cooper

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 50, Emily Hui

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 74, Vada Lutz

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 6039, Ann Lentz

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 830, Corrine Dietrich

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 86, David Moore

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 5370, Adam Reppert

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven,1994, Marine Corp

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 5147, Friends of the Library

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 1166, Gene Wentzel

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 3922, Robert McCarty, Sr

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 1127, Cecilia Yerger

• $25 Gift Cert to Mike’s Brick Oven, 2949, Bill Robertson

• $50 Gift Card to TJMAXX, Marshalls & Home Goods, 570, Jessica Grater

• $50 Gift Card to Gatsby’s, 4155, Thomas Yonkovitch

• $25 Gift card to Palermo’s Pizza, 3301, Bruce Pollock

• $25 Gift card to Palermo’s Pizza, 182, Michael Burnett

• $25 Gift Card to Eleanor Russell, Ltd, 1727, Teresa Diena

• $25 Gift Card to Eleanor Russell, Ltd, 143, Margie Kizina

• $30 Gift Card to Lilly’s Grill, 3426, Brody Fronheiser

• $25 Gift Cert to Juan Carlos Pottstown, 1230, Jeannie Mammarella

• $25 Gift Cert to Juan Carlos Pottstown, 1178, Haley Kandrick

• $25 Gift Cert to Starbucks, 5223, Mike Tufarolo

• $25 Gift Cert to Regal Entertainment Group, 6500, Elyse Conti

• M&M Lube Gift Cert, 1911, Tom Tanner

• M&M Lube Gift Cert, 1037, Lynnie Dawns

• $25 Gift Cert for Brookside Family Rest, 2147, Marine Corp

• $25 Gift cert to Brookside family Rest, 2134, Douglas Forsythe

• $50 Gift Cert to Applebees, 5142, Friends of the Library

• $50 Gift Cert to Applebees, 1613, Shirley Shearer

• 30-Minute intro to flight — $99 value, 1633, Perry Wentzel

• $25 Bath & Body Gift Card plus extra gift, 1752, Tri County Auto Group

• Basket of Wine, 6149, Ruth Koch

• $50 Gift Cert to Roller Mills, 3308, Marisa Pollock

• $25 Potts & Penn Diner, 1081, Cathy Bloomfield

• $50 to Olive Garden, 4336, Sally Shirk

• $25 to Olive Garden, 1929, Marine Corp

• $50 to Home Depot, 2887, Travis Grosser

• One free Weekend stay at Happy Tails Activity Center, 6184, Houck & Gofus

• $20 Gift Cert to Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe, 2160, Carol Griffith

• $20 Gift Cert to Shorty’s Sunflower Cafe, 6148, Ruth Koch

• Two Undated Reading Phillies Tickets, 4545, Norman H Ritter, Jr

• Two Undated Reading Phillies Tickets, 4156, Thomas Yonkovitch

• Two Undated Reading Phillies Tickets, 2427, Laura McCarthy

• Two Tickets to see the Grease Band, a $50 value, 21, Sarah Schubert

• One Gift Cert to Infinity Chiropractor, 3640, Dan Kerr

• One Gift Cert to Infinity Chiropractor, 4654, C Wililnam

• $25 Gift Card to Target & Water Bottle, 2121, Marine Corp

• $25 Gift Card to Target & Water Bottle, 3919, Rand Tressler

• $25 Gift Cert to Lilly’s Grill, 6339, Greg Ziegler

• $25 Gift Card to Gatsby’s, 3122, J Green

• $25 Gift Card to Gatsby’s, 1169, Linda Wentzel

• $25 Gift Cert to Potts & Penn Diner, 2807, Dominic Viscardi

• $25 Gift Card to Wawa, 1666, Jon Detterline

• $25 Gift Card to Wawa, 2530, Kevin Morgan

• $25 Gift Card to Wawa, 1698, Jacob Asman

• $25 Gift Cert to Jack Cassidy’s, 5228, Craig Stump

• $25 Gift Cert to Jack Cassidy’s, 3578, Lou Deery

• $10 Gift Cert to Friendly’s, 3721, Caitlin Smith

• $10 Gift Cert to Friendly’s, 190, Brad Noecker

• Two Free Burgers, Fries and Choc Shake, 852, Julie Sweitzer

• Two Free Burgers, Fries and Choc Shake, 1173, Derek Favinger

• $25 Gift Cert to Potts & Penn Diner, 1576, William Knox

• $25 Gift Card to Ruby Tuesdays, 1622, Tina Mendel

JESI YOST — FOR DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA It’s hard to miss the Pottstown Rotary Club’s 16-foot-tall duck at the annual Pottstown of July Parade.

EVAN BRANDT — DIGITAL FIRST MEDIA A Pottstown Fourth of July classic, some people wait until the last minute to buy their tickets to the Rotary Club Duck Race, held in Manatawny Creek. This year, 185 people bought duck tickets in the park.