The first Lucky Ducky Rubber Duckie Race on Belleville Lake was held on Thursday in conjunction with the Taste of Belleville, and was deemed a huge success by volunteers.
Spectators saw 1,000 rubber ducks race across Belleville Lake from the Denton Road Bridge.
The race, co-sponsored by the Belleville Area Museum and the Belleville Rotary Club, raised about $4,000 for the organizations.
Crowds along High Street and on the dock at Johnny’s Bar and Grill cheered as the race course was towed into position under the supervision of Officer Christopher Hayes, Van Buren Township Police Marine Patrol Division.
And they cheered even more when the ducks were dumped en mass into the lake.
“We weren’t sure they were going to go at all because the river current there runs far below the lake surface,” said race organizer Cathy Horste, “but they sure did go!”
It took about 20 minutes for the ducks to complete the course. Winners are: first place, #920, Ray Fleming, $250; second place, #557, D Rigdon Smith, $75 gift certificate from Perfect Image Salon; third place, #457, Lorrie Everett, $50 gift certificate from Johnny’s Grill; fourth place, #797, David C. Brown, $25 gift certificate from Main Street Flowers; fifth place, #370, Mike G., $25 gift certificate from Perfect Image Salon; sixth place, #894, Dean Payne, $25 gift certificate from Frosty Boy; and seventh place, #043, Rick Dawson, copy of Water Under the Bridge – A History of Van Buren Township by Cathy Horste and Diane Wilson.
Plans are already under way for Lucky Ducky Rubber Duckie Race on Belleville Lake II.
Independent photographer Bob Mytych, who was on the duck boat, reported Fleming’s duck was in the lead from the beginning and was an easy winner.
On Monday, Fleming took credit for his duck’s racing expertise: “I taught my duck well.”