Published: May 31, 2019 07:30 AM
A large flock of 3,003 yellow rubber ducks poured over the Church Hill Road bridge for the Newtown Lions Club’s 19th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race on Saturday, May 25, in Sandy Hook Center.
Throughout the afternoon, the free event had a variety of vendor presentations, activities, live music, food, and booths hosted by local organizations to entertain the hundreds of residents and out-of-towners who came.
Attendees were encouraged to purchase a $5 raffle ticket that corresponded with a numbered duck to be part of the race that took place at 2:30 pm. Nearly $4,700 in prizes were gifted to the winners of the first 20 ducks to make it across the finish line. (See sidebar for list of winners.)
“It was a great weather day for the race, and I believe that led to one of the bigger crowds I have seen in the last several years,” said Jim Ondak, Newtown Lions Club duck race publicity representative.
All proceeds raised at the Great Pootatuck Duck Race fundraiser went to the Newtown Lions Club, whose members work diligently to support the community through donating to charitable efforts.
For more information about the Newtown Lions Club, visit newtownlions.com. New members are welcome.
Lions Club member Gary “MacGyver” Fillion looks on from the storefront as, from left, Lydia Field, Hunter Giannelli, Vivie Tisi, P.J. Tisi, Cameron Tisi, and baby CeCe Tisi in the tub celebrate before the start of the 19th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race on May 25. Newtown residents Oscar De Los Santos and Kelly Goodridge have been donating ducks and giving them away with a ticket of purchase for the past two years, and the children were the last recipients of the day. —Bee Photos Silber
At the 19th Annual Newtown Lions Club Great Pootatuck Duck Race, on May 25, yellow rubber ducks descended to the river below to begin the journey to the finish line. —Bee Photo, Silber
Pictured from left are Newtown Lions Club members Walter Schweikert, Richard Kovacs, and Ray Keegan selling Great Pootatuck Duck Race tickets on Church Hill Road on May 25.
Chloe Nachbar, 9, and Corey Nachbar, 3, of Litchfield were all smiles in the front seat of the Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue truck on May 25. The siblings got to tour the fire truck in the Newtown United Methodist Church parking lot during their first visit to the Great Pootatuck Duck Race.
United States veteran Stephen Gribosky manned the Veterans of Foreign War (VFW) Post 308 booth and handed out poppies at the 19th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race that took place Memorial Day weekend.
In Sandy Hook Center, 2-year-old Harper Goodson got a higher vantage point to see the rushing water of the Pootatuck River below while in the arms of her father, Justin Goodson, on May 25.
A large crowd gathered around for the Lathrop School of Dance performances, which included the ladybug dancers pictured left on stage, during the 19th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race.
As the Great Pootatuck Duck Race began, spectators all around the perimeter of the waterway watched with hopes that the duck they had purchased would be one of the 20 winners to cross the finish line first. To make sure everyone had a fair chance, members of the Newtown Lions Club were waiting in the Pootatuck River to dislodge any ducks caught on rocks.
The mighty ducks of the 19th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race floated down the river, occasionally tumbling around from the strength of the current.
Pictured from left are Maddie Boroskey, Will Boroskey, Annabelle Conroy, and Jack Conroy at the Newtown Lions Club’s 19th Annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race on May 25.
