Gurnee park counselors ready for cardboard boat race

Cardboard boat aficionados will want to put Gurnee on their agenda.

Gurnee Park District camp counselors and other employees will participate in a cardboard boat regatta from 9-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8.

Participants will captain approximately 20 boats crafted from cardboard, plastic drop cloths, packing tape and duct tape in an attempt to sail across Hunt Club Park Aquatic Center, 900 N. Hunt Club Road in Gurnee.

Gurnee Park District campers have been charged with building the unpredictable vessels and will observe this Olympic Games-inspired competition from the pool deck.

The regatta will be the final Special Wednesday Event and culminate another year of the park district’s summer camp.

“This is an absolutely comical event to observe and a blast for the counselors. The campers work very hard at developing what they feel will be a seaworthy ship, and definitely work together as a team using skills developed during the summer programs,” said Sabrina Hinkens, the park district’s youth recreation supervisor.

Counselors in this year’s regatta will get to seek gold, silver or bronze medals, Hinkens added.