Family YMCA and Rotary Club Describe Their Combined Events as “Huge Successes”

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"And they're off! Mama Ducks Godwin and Murray launch the contestants as the floodgates open

May 6, 2022

By Robert Kimmel–

The Rotary Club of the Tarrytowns and the Family YMCA are both using affirmative, matching appraisals of their events, the Rotary’s Duck Derby and the Y’s Healthy Kids Day which together drew substantial crowds last Saturday to Patriots Park.

“Healthy Kids Day 2022 was a huge success and our biggest event ever,” is how the Y’s Associate Executive Director, Lesa Dalton described its activities. “We had over a thousand attendees at our annual community friend-raiser,” she added. “Hundreds of children enjoyed rides, games, arts and crafts, face painting and the Y Dance Party & Y Cheer. There was great music on hand by The Barn Vultures, led by Tom Schumacher and dance music from DJ Henry Morel,” Dalton said

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JoAnne Murray, an organizer of the Rotary Derby every year, offered a similar

assessment of that activity. “Overall, the 15^th Annual Rubber Duck Derby was a huge success,” she declared. All 2,200 available little rubber ducks, were adopted, and participated in the six race heats prior to the grand final race. Adopters of the heat winners each received $100, and the grand final race winner took home a $1,500 prize.

Both current Rotary Club President Mimi Godwin, who is credited with introducing the Derby idea locally, and Murray don large duck costumes at each event, parading around Patriots Park to the amusement of both young and old attendees. “There were so many more young families at the park this year and it was fun taking photos with the young children,” Murray observed.

The racing ducks got an extra boost moving along Andre Brook during April’s races. “Tarrytown’s Hope Hose & Conqueror Fire houses are the mastermind of the water flow in the stream and continue to perfect it every year,“ Murray said. “This year they added another net at the mouth of the stream to insure all the rubber ducks would flow downstream immediately upon hitting the water,” she explained.

Attesting to the heavy turnout this year, Murray said the firefighters, who grill hamburgers and hotdogs at the event, “ran out of food!” She also credited a number of local organizations for making the day successful. “The Girl Scouts were a huge help in the stream helping to remove the rubber ducks after they went through the finish line,” she stated. “We thank the Village Parks Department, which was an important part of preparing the park for the event and cleanup and the Tarrytown Police who were there to keep everyone safe,” Murray said.

“We are so appreciative to our Presenting Sponsors, Phelps Northwell and Kendal on Hudson,” Murray added. “All sponsors, many of whom have supported us from year one, are listed on our website, www.tarrytownrotary.org.” The Rotary will have netted “close to $30,000 after expenses” from its ducky event, according to Murray. All monies raised will go back to the community in the form of grants and scholarships.

Tarrytown’s Recreation Supervisor Joe Arduino, ranging through the Park, kept the attendees apprised of happenings with periodic announcements via loud speakers spaced throughout the park.

“Families visited with the 20-plus vendors, enjoyed ice cream, burgers and more from food vendors, got their faces painted, tried their hand at archery and practiced their dance moves with students from Y Dance,” reported the YMCA’s Dalton. “Many tried a little tumbling with our Y Cheer Elite team,” she said. “Children expressed their creative side by making pompoms, sand art and cards for Mother’s Day.”

“We hosted even more children from Abbott House than expected,” Dalton noted. “Thirty-five refugees spent an afternoon just being kids, going on rides, having fun with arts and crafts and playing.” She offered. “Thanks to our sponsor, Barrier LLC, in providing a Rock Climbing wall for older kids, FunFlatables for the terrific rides and sponsorship and all of our Y Board that came out to support us.”

Kids crowd the vendors’ tables on Healthy Kids Day

“The Y was thrilled to host some of our favorite vendors,” Dalton added. She mentioned “Furrr 911 with their sweet kittens up for adoption.” She added: “The Y welcomed so many new vendors this year including the Westchester County Department of Emergency Services, TaSH, the Department of Health, Con Ed, Boy Scouts, TUFSD’s Board of Education, TEAC, and the Village Tree Commission Committee.”

“Even Assemblyman Tom Abinanti was on hand to give out COVID test kits and speak with attendees,” Dalton stated. “Vendors had a variety of giveaways and activities for the children and we so appreciate our community partner in this event, the Rotary Duck Derby.”

“When our Chief Executive Officer, Gerry Riera, came up with this idea of a combined effort 15 years ago, who could ever have dreamed it would become one of the biggest events in the community?” Dalton asked. “We were thrilled to see everyone come out on this beautiful spring Saturday and put some play in their day.”

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