Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers, Inc. (SDFHC) announces the prizes for the 11th Annual Rubber Ducky Festival to be held on Saturday, Oct. 5, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Bridgeport Park on Newhall Ranch Road in Valencia. The grand prize will be a $2,500 gift card, second prize will be a $1,500 gift card and third prize will be a $500 gift card. All prize amounts represent cash value and winner does not need to be present to win. Ducks can be adopted between now and race day.
New this year is two early duck adoption drawings with special drawings for additional prizes. Early Duck Drawing One for adoptions by August 30 are eligible to win four Disneyland Parkhopper Tickets valued at $500 plus a $250 gift card. Early Duck Drawing Two for adoptions between now and Sept. 13 will be entered to win a $250 gift card. All prize winners will be announced at the festival.
PRIZE LIST:
— GRAND PRIZE: $2,500 gift card (cash value)
— Second Prize: $1,500 gift card (cash value)
— Third Prize: $500 gift card (cash value)
— Early Duck Drawing One: Four Disneyland Parkhopper Tickets (value $500) plus $250 gift card
— Early Duck Drawing Two: $250 Gift Card
At the festival, ducky regatta races begin at 12:00 p.m. Several heats will be held throughout the day and winning qualifiers from each race will compete for prizes during the Grand Regatta, the final race of the day. In addition to duck races, games, activities and vendor booths, the event features entertainment and food trucks including In-N-Out Burger and Tango Mango Italian Ice Co.
Rubber duck entrants are available for adoption at $5 per duck, making the event affordable for everyone. For more chances to win, other adoption opportunities include: Quack Family (5 ducks plus 1 free duck for $25); Quacker’s Dozen (10 ducks plus 2 free ducks for $50) and Duck Flock (20 ducks plus 4 free ducks for $100). Visit www.duckrace.com/scv for more information on duck adoptions. Ducks can also be adopted at the event or by calling the SDFHC office at 661.257.2339.
Last October more than 4,000 ducks competed for prizes raising more than $90,000 for the non-profit that went directly toward patient care at the organization’s three health centers.
“Last year the Board of Directors agreed to underwrite event expenses with general operating funds so that all money raised from Rubber Ducky goes toward patient care, not to pay for the event,” said “Papa Duck” Ed Bolden, vice president of fundraising and festival chairman. “We are going to do the same this year.”
All proceeds from this year’s event go toward patient care at SDFHC, which offers affordable, quality primary health care for residents of the Santa Clarita Valley. SDFHC makes a special effort to serve the uninsured and underinsured.
“Our goal this year is to raise even more funds that will allow us to continue to provide health care services to anyone in need through our community health centers and outreach programs,” said Cheryl Laymon, executive director of SDFHC.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich serves as this year’s Honorary Chairman. City of Santa Clarita Mayor Bob Kellar serves as Master of Ceremonies.
SDFHC thanks sponsors of this year’s event: Desert Drugs, Newhall Pharmacy, Kaiser Permanente, SCV Rotary, Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, Point of View Communications, SOS Entertainment, C.A. Rasmussen Inc, Hands On Santa Clarita, Burrtec, Andel Engineering and Glendale Kiwanis. Media partners for this year’s event include: The Signal; The Magazine of Santa Clarita and elite Magazine; SCVTV; KHTS AM 1220; Smart Shopper; Inside SCV Magazine and Our Valleys Magazine.
The annual Rubber Ducky Festival, also known as the Rubber Ducky Regatta, is SDFHC’s signature fundraising event providing operational funding throughout the year. SDFHC operates three health centers in the Santa Clarita Valley—Canyon Country Health Center, Val Verde Health Center and Newhall Health Center—as well as outreach sites at College of the Canyons and California Institute of the Arts. SDFHC offers a full range of health care services— physicals, immunizations and vaccines, screenings and diagnostic tests, well baby care, and family planning. Patients pay based on their income. This past year, SDFHC provided service for 11,000 patient visits.
ABOUT SAMUEL DIXON FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS, INC.
SDFHC was established in 1980 and named for long-time Val Verde resident and minister, the late Reverend Samuel Dixon. As the only non-profit health center founded and based in the Santa Clarita Valley, SDFHC serves the greater Santa Clarita Valley and is governed by a board of directors, all of whom are Santa Clarita residents. The mission of SDFHC is to enhance wellness by providing quality primary health care services and health education to unserved and underserved residents, with a special emphasis on serving the uninsured. Easily accessible services are available for the entire family in both English and Spanish. Medi-Cal, Blue Cross and Healthy Families are all accepted, and a sliding fee scale is offered, keeping health care affordable for all. SDFHC is supported by countless individuals as well as corporate sponsors who help make affordable health care possible. Tax-deductible contributions are welcome. Health services are available at the Val Verde Health Center (661-257-4008), the Canyon Country Health Center (661-424-1220) and the Newhall Health Center (661-291-1777). www.sdfhc.org