Lions Getting Ready For Great Pootatuck Splashdown

The Lions Club is getting ready to once again put all of its duck in a row… in the river, anyway.

On the corner of Church Hill Road and Glen Road in Sandy Hook, approximately 4,000 rubber ducks will be dumped into the Pootatuck River at 2:30 pm on Saturday, May 26, the culmination of a day-long event that will be the 12th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race.

For four hours prior to that, beginning at 10 am, the public is invited to visit the park at 5 Glen Road, where more than 40 local businesses and non-profit organizations will have booths and tables set up.

There will be a food booth, face painting, a magic show by Magic Marty, singers, dancers and a karate demonstration, and for the kids, a moon bounce will be set up. Performers this year will include The XY Chromatones, Solid Gold Times Two, Dr Coopersmith’s Duo and students from Lathrop School of Dance and Newtown Academy of Karate.

Meanwhile, the rubber ducks have been sorted and numbered, and Those holding tickets that correspond to the first 20 rubber ducks will win prizes. This year’s top prize is $2,000 cash.

Second prize is a package of gift certificates for an overnight on the town thanks to $250 for Sheraton Hotels, $200 redeemable at TicketMaster and a $150 American Express gift card; third prize is a $450 gift certificate, or dinner for six, at Stone River Grille in Sandy Hook; and fourth prize is a Sony PlayStation 3 game system. Another 16 gift certificates and prizes ranging from $25 to $100 in value will also be awarded that afternoon.

Duck Race tickets are still $5 each and are on sale now, available at the following locations: Cork N Barrel and Stop and Save Liquor, both within Sand Hill Plaza; Queen Street Cleaners and Village Barber Shop, in Queen Street Shopping Center; as well as Bagel Delight, Berkshire Motors, C.H. Booth Library, demitasse café, Dodgingtown Liquor Store, Fun Kuts, Hawleyville Liquor Store, Sandy Hook Deli & Catering, Sandy Hook Diner, Sandy Hook Hair Company, Sandy Hook Wine & Liquor, The Toy Tree, World of Wine and Spirits, Yankee Discount Liquor, and Your Healthy Pet.

On the weekends, Newtown Lions Club members will be selling duck race tickets in Newtown, with stations set up at Andrea’s Bakery, Bagel Delight, Carminucccio’s Restaurant, Franco’s Pizza, Hawleyville Plaza, My Place Restaurant, Newtown Deli & Catering, Newtown Hardware Store, Panera Bread, Salon Michelle, Stop & Save Liquors, Stop & Shop and Yankee Discount Liquors.

The Lions Club will be at the Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 29, and all club members also have tickets available for purchase. Remaining tickets will also sold the day of the race, until 1:45 or as supplies last.

Proceeds from The Great Pootatuck Duck Race allow Newtown Lions Club to continue supporting dozens of charitable efforts in and around Newtown.

For additional information contact Duck Race Chairman Bob Schmidt, 203-426-1222.