Duck race helps families join Carol Stream park programs

Anyone who's raced down the tube slide at Carol Stream's Coral Cove Water Park knows the thrill of being carried on the rush of water and plunged into the pool below.

This weekend, a few hundred rubber ducks will make the trip in a race to help families in need take part in park district programs.

The third annual Duck Race, organized by the Carol Stream Parks Foundation, raises money for the Carol Stream Park District scholarship programs to offer the opportunity for children from lower-income families to participate in park district sports or other programs.

The foundation is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization dedicated to developing additional financial support for public parks and recreation programs of the park district.

Those who want to support the cause can buy entries in the duck race for $5 each. With an entry, participants can choose the rubber duck that will represent them in the race.

The ducks come in an array of colors and themes. After selecting a duck, participants will be given a ticket with the duck's number while the duck gears up for competition in the "ready for the race" bin.

At 8 p.m. Saturday, June 30, the duck entries will be dropped into the large tube slide at the water park, 849 W. Lies Road. The first duck to make its way down the slide and whoosh across to the wall opposite the end of the slide earns a berth in the final, while the remaining ducks will be collected for second and third qualifying heats.

Ducks in the final will race down the slide once more to determine the grand winner, as well as the second- and third-place winners. The grand prize is a getaway at Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa in Galena, which includes lodging, golf and breakfast. The second-place winner receives $250, and the third-place winner receives a large pool inflatable.