Willowridge Wanakafest is an annual 3 day cultural festival, set in the beautiful lakeside town of Wanaka New Zealand. The festival attracts a large number of visitors as well as bringing together the local townsfolk. One of the major activities at the festival is the "Rotary Duck Race" which was first launched in 2010; This year the Rotary Club of Wanaka expanded the event to include sections for both individual and corporate purchase. The duck race is the first event early in the morning on day 3 of the festival programme. This year, a large crowd of excited children and parents gathered to watch the race in perfect weather.
The spectators were lined up along Bullock Creek, a fast flowing stream which runs through the town. The finish line was set where the stream flows into Lake Wanaka and where the local Wanaka Rotary Club members were stationed to judge the winners and collect the ducks.
A major effort by club members to sell the ducks in the 2 weeks prior to the festival resulted in the club meeting its target of raising over $8,000. After 10% of the proceeds were returned to the Wanakafest organisation to help towards their 2012 programme, the balance was set aside for Rotary community projects.
The annual Wanaka Rotary Club "Duck Race" not only serves to raise the profile of the Wanaka Rotary Club in the local community, but has also established itself as a successful and valuable fund raising activity for years to come. (extracted from the December 2011 District 9980 Newsletter)Contributed by Kerry Suckling
