Bridgeport Park is one of the best places in Santa Clarita to spot ducks, and on Saturday afternoon over 3,000 of a new breed descended into the park. The species – the rubber duck.
The 15th annual Rubber Ducky Festival was held on Saturday to raise money for the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers.
Participants ‘adopted’ rubber ducks which were then entered into races along a slip-n-slide from one large tank to another. The winners of each heat were placed into a final race at the end of the event in which the owners of the victorious ducks received cash prizes.
“This is our only fundraiser that we do,” said Philip Solomon, CEO of Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers. “You adopt these particular ducks, then they are entered in various races, and we take the groups of winners of each race and do one final race.”
In addition to the competitive aura of races, the Rubber Ducky Festival also featured over 40 local vendors, live music and a rock climbing wall.
Many of these vendors were chosen by the Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers for the services they offer to local families.
“We try to bring vendors that have resources for families and children, so that when they’re out here the booths that they go to may have some resources for them to tap into,” Solomon said.
The Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers is a local charity aimed at providing healthcare and services for those who cannot afford them on their own accord.
“The cost of healthcare is very expensive so we specialize in getting resources to those that are either under-insured, uninsured or don’t have the financial resources,” said Solomon.
The Rubber Ducky Festival, Solomon described, is instrumental in ensuring that the charity’s three facilities, all located in the Santa Clarita Valley, are adequately funded.
Solomon, wearing a rubber ducky patterned shirt and hat, cited the community’s support as one of the chief reasons the unique event has been able to thrive for 15 years.
“We appreciate the community support that we get year in and year out,” he said.
“We’re very appreciative of that.”
