By: Anaya Milller
Two ducks sit on the front desk in City Hall, alerting the community of the event currently taking place.
Collegedale’s Parks and Recreation invites the community to participate in “Waddle It Be?: Best Dressed Duck Contest.” The event was started by Christina Clark, the Parks and Recreation supervisor.
On the event website, participants were instructed to pick up a rubber duck from City Hall on Monday, April 6, and Tuesday, April 7, between the hours of 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
At the last grab-and-go event, the City-Wide Mini Canvas Art Contest, about 30 community members participated. For this event, Parks and Rec. have enough supplies for a much larger crowd.
“We will provide 80 rubber ducks,” Clark stated, “in two different sizes, for first come first serve.”
After community members sign up to participate, they take their duck home to decorate it. The event website gives a few guidelines: “The Mission: using any craft supplies, dress them up, create an environment, give them names and bring them back to join the flock and be judged by the public.”
Clark added that “submissions must be individual work;” everyone decorates their own duck with limited assistance.
Participants have up to 10 days to dress up their ducks. The deadline to return them to City Hall is Thursday, April 16, at 7 p.m. Several community members have already picked up their ducks. Gretchen King and Rebecca picked up their ducks on Monday.
“I like the new activities that (Parks and Rec. are) having to get the community involved,” King said.
“I joined in on the contest for the fun and feeling of being a part of something in my community,” Rebecca said.
Violet Fawnna, a third community member, was especially excited to participate.
“I’m entering this contest because it sounded like a fun activity,” Fawnna said. “When I first heard about it, I already had in mind what I wanted to do. I missed the deadline on the last contest, so [I] jumped at the opportunity when I heard about this one.”
Ducks will be displayed in the lobby of City Hall starting on Monday, April 20, to Tuesday, April 21, from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. According to Clark, “winners will be selected via an in-person voting poll.”
