Home page

Text size

E-mail this page

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
About two hundred people came out to cheer on the rubber ducks floating down the Yellowknife River at the day use area in hopes of winning a prize in the Canadian Tire Jumpstart Duck Race on Sunday, August 14.

Mayor Gord Van Tighem, one of the judges at the Jumpstart Duck Race at the Yellowknife River day use area, tries to shovel the escaped duckies back into the racing area on Sunday. - Heather Lange/NNSL photo

Jumpstart is a registered charity started by Canadian Tire in 2005, with the Yellowknife and NWT chapter jumping aboard three years ago. Jumpstart helps financially disadvantaged kids get involved with organized sports and recreation. Grants are available for children ages four to 18 for costs of registration, equipment and or transportation for up to $300. Groups or teams are not eligible, but funding is available to multiple children within the same family.

According to Jumpstart NWT chapter member Christina Jenkins from the SideDoor Youth Centre, 100 per cent of the money raised here stays in the NWT. Jenkins was happy with sales of the first duck race they had ever organized.

"We sold all of our ducks, which I believe is 1,200 ducks," said Jenkins of the rubber toys that went three for $20. Some $10,193.00 in total was raised from the rubber duck sales, barbeque and face painting that wore a part of the festivities at the Yellowknife River.

The race started well with the rubber ducks bobbing along until they got to the roped off portion of the race. From there the ducks needed to make their way to an opening in the rope in the middle of the river which was the designated "finish line." But because of the current the ducks stayed stubbornly close to the shore. Three kayaks and a boat with Mayor Gord Van Tighem, in it, attempted to make waves to get the ducks moving in the right direction, but instead the rope got stuck under the mayor's boat and the duckies escaped.

The kayakers and boaters used shovels, nets, paddles and their hands to get the ducks back into the roped-off section with one of the kayak volunteers jumping into the water. When the last duck was thrown into the roped off area about 15 minutes later, onlookers from the bridge and shore of the Yellowknife River cheered and clapped.

Duck racers weren't crying foul play and seemed pretty forgiving about the duckie escapes, because this was the first year Jumpstart was running the duck race.

"They are working out the kinks for next year," said Kent Rose, who had purchased three ducks in the race.

"It's to support the kids so we don't mind if we win or loss," said Rodney Neufeld, who was visiting from Grande Prairie, Alta.

The first place winner of the trip for two to Edmonton courtesy of First Air was Zelma McCormick. The second place winner of a BBQ set courtesy of Canadian Tire was Joe Handley, and the third place winner of a gift certificate worth $250 courtesy of Canadian Tire was Aiden Neuflea. There was also a prize for the last duck in the race and that winner was Steve Jeffery. Jeffery won a trip for two to Namushka Lodge, located on Harding Lake. Since 2005, Jumpstart has given 348,800 kids across Canada the chance to play, according to its website. There are 310 chapters of Jumpstart across Canada.

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.