Mighty Viking Boat race moved
It's back to the river for the Mighty Viking Boat race.
Last year's Geneva Academic Foundation fundraiser was held in Wheeler Park, because its normal finish line, at Island Park, was damaged by Fox River flooding. Instead, they launched the toy boats through the air using a sling shot.
But this year, the boats will once again float from the State Street bridge.
The fourth annual event is from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13. Besides the boat race, there is a silent auction and a raffle. Food will be sold, and two Geneva bands will perform. Kids, including teenagers, can jump to their heart's content in inflated bouncy houses. Parking is available at the Kane County Government Center, 719 S. Batavia Ave., near the southern end of the park.
"All I've been doing is painting numbers on boats this week," said GAF chairman John Shogren, who processes the orders. He has about 1,000 of the plastic toys in his garage, as of Wednesday afternoon.
It costs $5 to enter a boat in the race, or $20 for a fleet of five. Raffle tickets are $10. The grand prize is a 42-inch plasma television set; second prize is $700, and third prize is $500. To buy a boat in advance, visit the Geneva school district's Web store, www.geneva.revtrack.net.
Boat and raffle tickets can be bought at the race, through 2:30 p.m.
At 3 p.m., the DuPage Credit Union rubber duck race starts. Eight ducks (one for each school) will be dropped. The winner nets $500 for that school's PTO. (The credit union has donated $3,500 to the foundation.)
Then, there's the dumping of the boats over the railing of the bridge. Down by Island Park, Superintendent Kent Mutchler and elected city officials will stand in the river to catch the boats and determine the winners.
The money is used to purchase non-budgeted items for Geneva public school students. Last year, the foundation gave $63,000 in grants for items and programs suggested by teachers, including a traveling Dance Dance Revolution device for physical education classes and an addition to Geneva High School's "virtual library" online reference service for students to use at home. It also has an endowment fund.
The foundation's next fundraiser is a shopping night Nov. 21 at Crate and Barrel at Geneva Commons. Shoppers purchase tickets for $50. Crate and Barrel plans to donate 10% of the evening's sales to foundation. The foundation gets $25 per ticket.
If you go
What: Mighty Viking boat race
When: 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13
Where: Island Park in downtown Geneva
Cost: Toy boat race entries are $5 each, or five for $20. Raffle entries are $10 apiece
To order in advance: Visit www.geneva.revtrack.net