Ducks To Splash Down, Rain Or Shine, May 27 In Sandy Hook Center

Can’t you hear them quacking? Can’t you see the Pootatuck alive with little rubber ducks floating merrily down its waters?

Residents surely won’t want to miss the fun and excitement of the Newtown Lions’ Club Sixth Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race. To be held on Saturday, May 27, from 10 am until 2 pm, the bulk of the activities will take place in Mike Porco’s newly developed large lot on Glen Road.

Many community groups will be handing out fliers about their organizations or selling items. As the proceeds will benefit Canine Advocates of Newtown in their drive to create a new dog pound, the Great Pootatuck Duck Race this year will be alive with furry friends brought by Spay and Neuter Association of Newtown, The Animal Center of Newtown, and Canine Advocates of Newtown.

In addition, FISH, Newtown Neighbors and Newcomers, Women Involved in Newtown, Flagpole Photographers, Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Fire Department, Newtown Historical Society, Newtown Friends of Music, Newtown Youth Services and Newtown’s Relay For Life will all have booths during this year’s event.

The Newtown Bridle Lanes will be on hand with their wonderful miniature horse, Skippy. Representatives of the Newtown Forest Association, Friends of the Library, Al’s Trail, Newtown Boosters Club, and the Newtown Lions Club will also be on hand.

Newtown Underwater Search and Rescue will be present as will advocates for Trout Unlimited, VNA, and The Children’s Adventure Center.

In addition to all these good community organizations, kids will enjoy the Moon Bounce and other games available. Face painters will work the crowd as will Magician Marry Steinberg. John Voket, a Newtown Bee associate editor, will serve as master of ceremonies and will also sing occasionally.

Mike Porco’s Newtown Karate Academy will also demonstrate. At 1 pm students from The Graceful Planet will reprise their production of Peter and the Wolf, and 2 will be the big event of the day: the dropping of the ducks into the Pootatuck from the bridge in Sandy Hook Center.

Raffle tickets to correspond with the ducks being dumped into the water are being sold up until about 15 minutes before the ducks take their plunge. At last count there are 59 prizes available this year, beginning with a Cub Cadet tractor as first prize. Second place is a weekend in New York with hotel, dinner and theater tickets, and an X-box game cube will go the third place winner.

Additional prizes include a Betty Christiansen print of The Budd House, a family pool pass from Parks & Rec, ten movie passes to Edmond Town Hall, a two-year subscription to The Newtown Bee, a Krups II Caffe Duomo Coffee/Espresso Maker, a month of lessons at Newtown Karate, and a 25-inch television.

There are also gift certificates to Ricci’s, Mona Lisa, The Villa, The Inn at Newtown, Video Movie Corner, Newtown Car Care, Gym at Newtown, Style, Newtown Computer, Shell, Avancé Esthétiques, Sal e Pepe, Red Brick Tavern, Subway, Lexington Gardens, El Coyote, Tre Regazze, Villarina’s Gift Basket, Newtown Color Center, The Toy Tree, George’s Restaurant, Firehouse Restaurant, Clock Shop, Hollandia Nursery, Bethel Tan and Body, Newtown Pizza Palace, Bagel Delight, Ritz Camera, and Newtown Nails. Additional prizes may be forthcoming.

Tickets are available from any Lions Club member, or they can be purchased at Drug Center, the library, The Toy Tree, Sandy Hook Wine & Spirits, Yankee Spirits, Porco’s Karate, and Coach’s Deli among other places. Tickets are $5 each.

“The Great Pootatuck Duck Race is a yearly event many Newtowners look forward to,” said event chairman Matt DeAngelis. “It is really a community happening. Come on down! We know you won’t be disappointed.”