Mountain View and Los Gatos, CA - May 24, 2012 - The 5th Annual Silicon Valley Duck Race will be at Vasona Lake Park in Los Gatos on Sunday, June 10, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Proceeds from the event will support El Camino Hospital Los Gatos, the lead charity, along with 14 other local non-profits.
The Duck Race is a popular, family-friendly event and festival filled with entertainment, food, carnival games, face painting, bounce houses, and interactive health awareness activities such as golfing ergonomics and hands-only compression CPR. The event aims to raise more than $100,000 to support local charities with the money designated for El Camino Hospital Los Gatos to fund free mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women in the community.
"As a long-time Los Gatos resident, I'm thrilled with El Camino's commitment to the Duck Race," says Mishy Balaban, chair of the Los Gatos Leadership Committee of the El Camino Hospital Foundation. "The event will help fund free mammograms, allowing many uninsured or underinsured women in our community access to a critically important screening tool for breast cancer." National studies show that only half of women between ages 40 and 85 get an annual mammogram, and cost is one of the main reasons why women don't get them.
To reach its fundraising goal, the El Camino Hospital Foundation and partnering organizations are selling 15,000 yellow rubber ducks at $5 apiece (although the festival itself is free to attend). Ducks can be purchased online at www.siliconvalleyduckrace.org or via adoption papers. Adoption papers are available at the information desk at El Camino Hospital. Those who wish to volunteer at the event can email svduckracevolunteers@gmail.com. Sponsors are also welcome.
In addition to El Camino Hospital Los Gatos, other "duck buddies" to benefit from this year's race are AIM Kids, Alzheimer's Association, Blind Babies Foundation, Congregation Beth David, East Hill Preschool, Happy Hollow Foundation, HOPE Services, Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley, Junior League of San Jose, Presentation Center, RotaCare Free Clinics, South Bay Blue Star Moms, Valle Monte League, Inc and Yavneh Day School.
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How the Duck Race Works
Ducks are purchased prior to the race. Then, at exactly 1:30 p.m., the ducks will splash into Vasona Creek and race downstream. The purchasers of the first ducks to reach the finish line will receive one of many prizes, including hotel accommodations, tickets to area attractions and a $1,500 cash grand prize. One very lucky duck might even win a million dollars.