The 15th annual Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers’ Rubber Ducky Festival and Race was held Saturday afternoon at Bridgeport Park and featured live entertainment, a rock wall and, of course, the rubber ducky races.

“This is the 15th year for this group and their one fundraiser a year,” said Alan Ferdman, chair of the Rubber Regada Event for the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers. “We try to have a really good time, while at the same time making sure we can help out our community.”

For the last 15 years, the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers have helped the low-income, uninsured and underinsured residents of Santa Clarita receive health care.

Related: Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers Recognized By NCQA

“We’ve grown a lot over the years, because we started in Val Verde but have since opened up clinics in Canyon Country and Newhall and are looking to open up a fourth,” said Gloria Mercado-Fortine, chair of the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers’ governing board. “We really are the only community health center that is homegrown, and we want to continue to grow in order to make sure we can cover the entire Santa Clarita Valley.”

For the last 15 years, the duck race has drawn donors and support from community institutions and individuals alike, organizers said.

“It all started at the Castaic Lake, but the lake was so big that the ducks got lost during the race,” said Ferdman. “So we moved it here to Bridgeport, and have been very successful since building our own racetrack thanks to the Glendale Club.”

Those supporters who “adopt” a duck can come and watch their rubber racers charge down the flowing track, and “duck scoopers” at the end determine the various winners of that heat. Those who win progress own to the next rounds, with a chance to win a grand prize of $2,500.

“We used to have another event, but we just wanted to focus on this and it’s become our primary event for the last 15 years,” said Philip Solomon, Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers’ CEO. “Health care is expensive, and we’re able to do this work and provide that quality healthcare within the Santa Clarita Valley, because we have an event like this and (a) community that comes out and supports us.”

Along with the rubber duck races, attendees were treated to rock climbing walls, inflatable bounce houses, live entertainment and vendor booths featuring games and free giveaways.

Related: Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers – September 26, 2016

“Many people in the community think that others in the community do not need help but they do,” said Mary Hulbert, Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers’ Office Manager and Public Relations Coordinator. “Samuel Dixon provides a service and that’s health care.”

This year, over 2,000 ducks had been pre-adopted by teams and individuals, with many more being claimed during the event.

“We hear about some people that say they want to help the community, but this is a group of people that actually does help the community,” concluded Ferdman. “Every duck adopted translates into additional health care services for people that would normally be overlooked and now have an opportunity for a better life and are able to give back to our community better than they ever have before.”

For more information about past, present and future Duck Festivals, or for more information about the services and locations provided by the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers, visit their website here.

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