Quack for Habitat: Duck race, 5K fun run/walk Sept. 24

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Photo: Karen Faust, left, and Tiffany Faust are shown at a Hillsboro Rotary Club meeting this summer describing the upcoming Quack for Habitat events coming up Sept. 24.

By Jeff Gilliland – [email protected]

At least $3,500 will be awarded, with a chance to win $50,000, when Habitat for Humanity holds its inaugural Quack for Habitat Duck Race and 5K Duck Scavenger Run/Walk on Saturday, Sept. 24 at Southern State Community College in Hillsboro.

There will be 3,000 numbered, rubber ducks released into Clear Creek with the finish line located at the bridge spanning U.S. Route 62 near the college. The owner of the first duck to reach the finish line will win $2,000, the second place duck will be worth $1,000 and the third place duck will be worth $500.

“If one of the first 10 ducks to cross the finish line matches a number determined by the race’s insurance company, the owner of that duck could win $50,000,” said Tiffany Faust, executive director of Habitat for Humanity of Highland County, the organization that the race will benefit.

The duck race, and several other events that will be held in conjunction with it, will be the first fundraiser for Habitat for Humanity of Highland County’s most recently project – building a new Habitat home in Lynchburg’s Glenavy Hills subdivision.

Faust said the village of Lynchburg has already donated the land for the home to be built on. She said it costs roughly $50,000 to $60,000 to build each Habitat home, and that the organization would like to start construction on it next spring, but that will depend on how long it takes to get funding in place.

In addition to the duck race, there will be a family-friendly 5K run/walk, a 1K Duckling Dash for children 10 and under, children’s games, pedal carts, a fire truck to view and food available for purchase.

Duck Race tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at several locations throughout Highland County including the Lynchburg, Leesburg and Greenfield branches of Southern Hills Community Bank until Tuesday, Sept. 20. Tickets can also be purchased at the main branch and Kroger branch of NCB in Hillsboro, Speed of Light Laser Tag, and from the Lynchburg-Clay and Mowrystown FFAs until Wednesday, Sept. 21.

Tickets can also be purchased at the Habitat for Humanity Store located at 160 W. Main St. in Hillsboro on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Tuesday from 4-7 p.m., and at the event site on the day of the race until 9:30 a.m.

“The Duck Scavenger 5K Run/Walk is going to be a family-friendly event. Individuals will pick up numbered ducks along the route and at the end of the race will see if their duck number matches one of the many door prizes including massages, gift certificates and merchandise. Registrations can be found on our website at www.highlandhabitat.org or our Facebook page,” Faust said in a news.

Founded in 2000, Highland County Habitat is a locally run affiliate of Habitat for Humanity International, a nonprofit, ecumenical Christian housing organization. Habitat for Humanity works in partnership with people in need to build and renovate decent, affordable housing. The houses then are sold to those in need at no profit and with no interest charged.

Volunteers provide most of the labor and individual and corporate donors provide money and materials to build Habitat homes. The partner families that will live in the homes invest hundreds of hours of labor that Habitat calls “sweat equity” into building their homes and the homes of others. Their mortgage payments go into a revolving fund for Habitat that is used to build more houses.

As part of the duck race event, Habitat is seeking tax deductible donations from local businesses and/or individuals. The customary sponsorships are divided into the following categories: Diamond level, $2,000-plus; Platinum Level, $1,000 to $1,999; Gold Level, $500 to $999; Silver Level, $250 to $499; and Bronze Level, under $250.

Depending on an organization’s sponsorship level, the organization will be labeled as a duck race sponsor with an opportunity to market the organization. The organization logo will be printed on publications, banners, programs, signs in high traffic areas, etc. that will be circulated and viewed throughout Highland County and beyond as a supporter of Habitat for Humanity.

“We were just looking at different ideas to try for a new fundraiser that we’d never done before,” Faust said. “One of our board members was part of a duck race somewhere he lived before and it was very successful, so we decided to give it a try.”

For more information call 937-403-1257.

Reach Jeff Gilliland at 937-402-2522 or on Twitter @13gillilandj.

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