MOUNT GREENWOOD — The eighth annual Rubber Duckie Derby will return to Mount Greenwood Park from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Sunday to raise money for Special Olympics Chicago.
Participants can buy a rubber duck for $5. The ducks will compete in a race at noon, and the owner of the winning duck will get an Xbox One video game system.
Speed skater Tommy Shimoda of Mount Greenwood is sponsoring the food at the event as a way to thank the community for their support. He is just one of the athletes in Mount Greenwood that compete year-round in more than 22 different sports.
In fact, Shimoda, 24, won a gold medal March 23 in the 500-meter speedskating race at the Special Olympics World Winter Games. He also won a bronze medal in the 777-meter event March 21 at the games in Austria.
The duck derby is sponsored by Advanced Eye Care Professionals in suburban Oak Lawn. The event benefits the more than 7,500 athletes involved in Special Olympics Chicago's programs citywide.
Organizers of the Mount Greenwood fundraiser reached out to students at the Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences in Mount Greenwood, Leo High School in Auburn Gresham, St. Cajetan School in Morgan Park as well as Beverly's Christ the King School, Kellogg Elementary School and St. Barnabas School.
Students at all of these schools bought ducks, several in exchange for being able to dress out of their required uniforms for the day.
Besides the race, the festivities also include face painting, jump houses, a petting zoo and more. Other prizes donated by local businesses will also be awarded throughout the day. For more information, call 708-229-2200.