Cardboard boat races launch Fox Valley United Way campaign
“Peace, man.”
That's what Ryan Dowd's Hesed House hippie boaters will be saying in the few seconds before their sinking cardboard boat will have them yelling “S.O.S.” instead.
“We're pretty much guaranteed to sink in like 45 seconds,” said Dowd, executive director of the organization that helps the homeless, describing how six grown people in 1970s attire plan to climb into a boat made of only cardboard and duct tape built to resemble a VW bus.
“Let's just say we're not likely to win the race,” Dowd said of this year's ninth annual Fox Valley United Way “What Floats Your Boat” cardboard boat race Saturday — the kickoff to its annual fundraising effort. The races begin at 10:30 a.m. at Mastodon Lake in Phillips Park.
The Fox Valley United Way donates money to organizations in southern Kane and Kendall counties that provide social services for those in need.
An example of organizations that benefit from United Way donations include Hesed House, Aurora Interfaith Food Pantry, Kendall County Food Pantry, Mutual Ground and the Quad County Urban League.
Saturday's event brings together the army of people who make the United Way funding possible — corporations such as Caterpillar, private donors, office campaigns and those organizations that receive funding — like Hesed House.
“It's full circle,” said Deborah Collins, the Fox Valley United Way's director of administration and community events. “It's a community celebration. It brings together everyone who is invested.”
For the Hesed House boaters, this year's throwback to the peace, love and rock 'n' roll is a pretty tame theme, Dowd said.
Three years ago, Dowd was the bride atop a cardboard wedding cake boat. Other recent themes include a boat in the shape of the state of Illinois with passengers wearing prison jumpsuits and Blagojevich wigs. Another theme was Hesed Idol, an “American Idol” spin, that had Dowd dressed as Lady Gaga.
The cardboard boat race isn't your average fundraising effort, he said.
‘It's far messier. Normally, I don't have to swim through a muddy lake in a dress,” he said. “But it's just a heck of a lot of fun.”
Boat check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. with the first races beginning at 10:30 a.m. Awards will be issued at 12:30 p.m.
Awards include best in race for human-powered boats; best in race for mechanical boats; team spirit award; people's choice award; judges' choice award; and most spectacular sinking.
Boaters received free cardboard courtesy of Aurora's Cano Container Corp., which is donating eight sheets of 4-by-8-foot corrugated cardboard.
Although there's a solid chance Hesed House won't win the boat race, with funding raised by the United Way, it will win in the long run.
“We're thrilled to come out boating in support of United Way for everything that they do for us and the solidarity with other corporations that recognize that we need to pull together in these times,” Dowd said. “There's no reason why you can't have a good time and get wet while doing it.”
If you go
What: Fox Valley United Way Cardboard Boat Race
When: 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20
Where: Mastodon Lake in Phillips Park, 1001 Hill Ave., Aurora
Cost: Free
Info: uwfoxvalley.org