Michael Porco, Jr, stepped onto the sidewalk where parents and children gathered to peer over bridge rails into the Pootatuck River in Sandy Hook Center Saturday, May 23. He urged them to make room for a bucket loader that was rounding the corner from Glen Road onto Church Hill, also heading for the railing.

The bucket loader carried 3,458 bright yellow rubber ducks purchased by the community in anticipation of this year’s 15th annual Great Pootatuck Duck Race. They were seconds away from their annual splash into the water 20 feet below.

A few moments later, Mr Porco counted down with the crowd from 10, and slowly ducks began to spill in a cascade. Quickly the current grabbed pooling ducks and pulled them downstream, where the first few to cross the finish line would win their owners a host of prizes. The event is an annual fundraiser for the Newtown Lions Club.

The prizes, their value and this year’s race winners were: $2,000 check, Al Sparaco, Brookfield; weekend getaway ($400 gift card, $200 TicketMaster card), Alicja Kerner, Manchester; Porco Karate Academy three-month membership ($450 value), David O’Sullivan, Sandy Hook; Xbox One ($348.29), Bob Davis, Beaver, Penn;

Treadwell Park Pass ($200), Joanna Hoha, Newtown; Carminuccio’s Pizza gift certificate for $100, Kiera Deweese, Middlebury; Figs $75 gift certificate, Brett Peterson, Sandy Hook; Club NewFit one-month membership ($65.93) or a class membership, Jacquie Dachenhausen, Sandy Hook; Sal e Pepe $50 gift certificate, Gary Frey, Sandy Hook;

My Place Restaurant $50 gift certificate) Gary Bristol, Troy, N.Y.; Foundry Kitchen & Tavern $50 gift certificate, Rita Levon, Newtown; Tambascio’s Restaurant $50 gift certificate, Jim Zarifis, Newtown; Naser’s Hair Salon $42 gift certificate, Monica Maresca, Sandy Hook; 20 Edmond Town Hall movie tickets ($40), Hailey Avari, Newtown;

two Little Theatre tickets ($40 value), Chad Brand, Washington, DC; one-year subscription or renewal to The Newtown Bee ($40 value), Josephine Cowen, Newtown; Berkshire Motors $40 gift certificate, Gary Fillion, Sandy Hook; The Toy Tree $25 gift certificate, Amanda Marchese, Sandy Hook; Blue Colony Diner $25 gift certificate, Matt Robinson, Rhode Island; and a  Pizza Palace $20 gift certificate, Julie Schwartz, Sandy Hook.

The breezy, sun-filled afternoon’s crowd filled the lawn at 5 Glen Road, and guests also created heavy foot traffic at the intersection of Glen and Church Hill Roads. One young man, Brighton Karvoski, wore a plastic firefighter’s hat and stopped to pet Sprout, a small dog sitting with his owner Dee Davis. Sprout is a Newtown Strong therapy dog in training, Ms Davis said.

Haly Quesenberry twirled a long length of ribbon that fluttered as she spun on the grass. Boy Scout Matt Majeau demonstrated how a boat’s sails carry it across water by blowing through a straw toward the paper sail of a toy boat. He and his friends watched it cross a shallow pool. 

Selling last-minute duck tickets for late-comers to enter the race was “The Most Important Lion,” George Arfaras. He stood near the sidewalk bordering the river, making several sales.

Near the upper parking area and in a small corral in the shade was Romulus, a large brown horse with his nose poking out toward curious hands. Owner Deanna Ray, with Newtown Bridle Lands Association, kept him company.

Nearby Lions Club members Doug Body, Mike Savinelli, Ray Keegan, and Tom Evagash were among the members to help place all the ducks into the backhoe bucket before they made their short journey around the corner, over the railing, and into the river.

Following the event, Duck Race Chair Bob Schmidt wrote to The Bee, “The Newtown Lions would like to express our gratitude to the following groups who made the Duck Race Event possible: Mike Porco for allowing us to use his property and the beautiful stage. He has been a great supporter of this event for many years and a true friend to the Newtown Lions.

“The Entertainers who donated their time, including Chuck & Larry, Lathrop School of Dance, Magic Marty, Grey’s School of Irish Dance, Graceful Planet, and Porco Karate Academy. The members of SHOP (Sandy Hook Organization for Prosperity), The Newtown Bee for the publicity they provide for the event, the people of our town who come and support us every year.”

He also thanked “The stores, schools and restaurants in Newtown who donated 17 of our the prizes.”

Mr Schmidt noted that people often ask how much money the Lions Club makes doing the Duck Race or if the club made more one year than another.

“We won’t know exactly, for another week or two when we’ve paid all the bills,” he said, adding that the money is secondary.

“The most important thing is that the people coming to the Duck Race have a good time, meet friends and get to learn about some of the community groups. I think we accomplished that this year. The Duck Race is the closest thing Newtown has to a town fair and I am just proud to be a part of this wonderful event,” he said.