Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL (1888PressRelease)
February 14, 2009 - Lakeland, Florida-The Tradition continues. The Lakeland Derby announces today the official kickoff of the Running of the Ducks campaign. The Running of the Ducks is a key fundraising component of the annual Lakeland Derby event and raises additional monetary support for LVIM.
The Running of the Ducks will be staged prior to the main race and will provide an opportunity for many in the community to experience the thrill of attending the Derby and adopting their own duck in the race. Over one thousand rubber duckies will be adopted by people in the community, including school children and youth groups. The minimum adoption donation is $10.
Our goal is to have all 1000 ducks adopted prior to the race on April 24, 2009 at Lake Mirror. It's an extremely fun aspect of the Lakeland Derby and really ties in the community support from many levels states Kathy Burch, Running of the Ducks committee chair. The rubber duckies provide for a fun event, but also mean a tremendous support source for LVIM, she added.
Duck adoptions will begin on Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at Lakeland's Pancake Festival at Tigertown and will continue at several locations throughout Lakeland leading up to Friday, April 24th, 2009 when the Derby takes to the waters of Lake Mirror.
Duck Adoption Locations:
Duck Central -The General Store–125 South Kentucky Ave., Downtown Lakeland
Lakeland Gift Basket Boutique–1469 Town Center Drive, Lakeside Village
LVIM–Lakeland Hills Blvd.
Twistee Treat–225 South Florida Ave.
Ducks will also be available for adoption at Lake Mirror on Derby day until 5:30pm.
For more information about the Running of the Ducks, contact Kathy Burch kburch6621 ( @ ) aol dot com or by calling LVIM at (863) 688-5846, ext 118 dot
About The Lakeland Derby:
The Lakeland Derby is scheduled for Friday, April 24th, 2009 downtown at Lake Mirror. Presented by Rooms To Go Children’s Fund, The Lakeland Derby is a Derby Style event staged on beautiful Lake Mirror in downtown Lakeland just one week prior to the famed Kentucky Derby.
This event attracted over 3,000 race fans in 2008 and LVIM looks to increase that total for 2009. “It’s our biggest and only fundraising event and 100% of the proceeds go toward our operational budget here at LVIM”, stated Bobby Yates, CAO of LVIM.
Open and free to the public, The Lakeland Derby features ten beautifully hand-crafted swan paddleboats in a thrilling race to the finish line. Each swan will have an owner/breeder who will designate and train their own jockeys to compete for the prestigious annual Lakeland Derby Trophy.
This annual event offers something for everyone. From thrilling races to live entertainment, fun activities to exhilarating fireworks display, The Lakeland Derby has the right mix of ingredients to showcase the great Lakeland community and highlight one of the most worthy of organizations. By attending the 2009 Lakeland Derby, derby attendees are supporting the medical volunteers, their community, and their neighbors.
For more details, visit www.lakelandderby.com.
ABOUT LVIM:
LVIM provides free medical, dental and mental health services to eligible working uninsured residents of Polk County through the volunteer participation of doctors, various health specialists, technicians and administrative volunteers. Now in its eighth year of operation, LVIM has more than 14,900 patients enrolled and has totaled more than 160,000 patient visits. In addition, LVIM has provided 45,000 lab tests, 13,000 x-rays, 1,000 screening mammograms and has filled more than 155,000 prescriptions. These astounding numbers have been accomplished through the generous donation of time from volunteers and financial support from donors and community.
FOR SPONSORSHIP AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Please call Claudia Jordan for sponsorship information at 863-688-5846, ext.118
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