Two student organizations will try to prove that rubber ducks are good for more than just bath time this weekend.
Ball State’s first ever Adopt a Duck Race takes place from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the Park Hall Pond.
The event hosted by Epsilon Sigma Alpha and Ball State Student Government Association will focus on community outreach.
“We invited the Muncie community to come too, [because] we want to bring community kids on campus,” said Ashley Noga, fundraising chair for ESA.
Participants can adopt a rubber duck for $1 which they can cheer on at Sunday’s race. Prizes are $200 for first place, $100 for second and $50 for third. The event also features inflatables, games such as “chuck-a-duck,” a lucky pond as well as a fluffy duck craft.
Noga said this event came about because she wanted to establish a yearly event that included the sorority’s mascot.
“Other organizations have different annual events that are well established, and [ESA] lacked that,” she said. “We wanted to create something completely different that we could have every year.”
All proceeds go to Camp Riley, a summer camp associated with Riley Children’s Foundation, which allows children 8-18 with physical disabilities to attend a summer camp to help them become independent.
More than 250 ducks have already been adopted to raise money for Camp Riley. Those interested can adopt a duck before the event.
ESA will have booths at the Atrium from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, as well as at the Muncie Mall outside Macy’s Friday from 5-9 p.m. and Saturday 2-7 p.m. Students will also be able to adopt ducks at the event Sunday.
“We hope to dump 500 ducks into the pond, [but] we still have a ways to go though,” Noga said.
Noga said ESA has focused this event to bring a spirit of community between Muncie and Ball State by advertising the event throughout the Muncie community, which has only helped the group.
“We have run a lot of support from several different Muncie sponsors. It’s so nice that the community has supported us,” she said.
