BASE holds annual Duck Race, Day for Kids

The annual Duck Race and Day for Kids fundraising event was held on Saturday, Aug. 13, at Lorman-Bicentennial Park in Fort Atkinson. 

Badgerland After School Enrichment Program (BASE), formerly the Boys and Girls Club of Fort Atkinson, raced its flock of ducks down the Rock River. 

According to information released in advance of the race, the event included “racing our iconic rubber ducks down the Rock River.” The event started shortly after noon. 

Free kids activities available during the event included a bounce house and dunk tank. 

The top four finishers in the duck race were awarded cash prizes, ranging from $75 to $500. 

This year’s first-place winner was Don Hausz.  

Monies earned during the event will be used to support BASE programming, according to the nonprofit. 

BASE corporate sponsored participating in this year’s event included: Ipec, JM Carpets and Flooring Design Center, Madison Area Technical College, Badger Bank, Cloute, Inc., Fort HealthCare, MSI, Jones Farms, Spacesaver, Day Insurance Agency, Ball, The Generals Baseball Team, Paddy Coughlins’ Irish Pub, FCCU, Premier Bank, W&A, Michael Stade of Thrivent Financial, and the United Way of Jefferson and North Walworth Counties.  

For more information about BASE, visit www.basefortatkinson.org, Like BASE on Facebook and follow it on Instagram.

Ariana Roth-Aguilar, 12, is dunked in the tank by Megan Roddy, 8. Roddy improvised after missing the target with a softball.

Flanked by her parents, Alex and Seth Staude, Lenni points to her choice to receive her vote in the Duck Beauty Pageant. Ducks, festively decorated for the event, were each provided by a corporate sponsor of the Badgerland After School Enrichment Program (BASE). The pageant was one of several activities provided Saturday during the annual Duck Race and Day for Kids. 

BASE Director of Operations Melissa Willkomm, at left, and BASE staff member Laura Thomas stand near the display of ducks offered in the Duck Beauty Pageant.

Beatrix Altschwager, 7, casts her vote in the Duck Beauty Pageant.

A duck decorated by W&A Distribution Services, Inc., is the winning entry Saturday in the Duck Beauty Pageant.

Graysen Jones, 9, sits while his face is painted to look like a tiger. The artist is Olivia Dieter. 

Momentarily suspended, 4-year-old Hayden enjoys time in the bounce house.

Event-goers gather along the shore of the Rock River in anticipation of the duck race. 

The race commences from the Main Street Bridge as ducks are introduced into the Rock River. 

Waiting near the finish line, Bob Norris collects the duck which is the first-place winner. The entry belonged to Don Hausz.

Linsey Bickle celebrates with her daughter, Amya Channing, 10, whose duck placed third in Saturday’s race.

Tom Ganser photos. 

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