Fayetteville Urban Ministry presents the 7th annual Duck Derby Sunday, April 30 at 3 p.m. at Festival Park. 

“Duck Derby is the most fun and it is our biggest local fundraiser in the city,” said Johnny Wilson, executive director of Fayetteville Urban Ministry. “We are the closing act of the Dogwood Festival.” 

The fundraiser generates money for Fayetteville Urban Ministry and other nonprofit organizations and schools. “Anybody that partners with us can rake in proceeds, too, because folks can adopt ducks to support their favorite nonprofit or Cumberland County School,” said Wilson. 

“To adopt a duck is $10, so what happens is, if you want to support the Special Olympics, then the Special Olympics will get half of the $10 which is $5,” Wilson explained. He added that there is a competition. The school or nonprofit organization that gets the most duck adoptions in their name will win the “Best Partner Nonprofit” and will receive extra proceeds, love and recognition. 

The cost of one duck adoption is $10. Adopt six ducks for $50, 12 ducks for $100 and so on. “Our goal is to race 5,000 or more ducks,” said Wilson. “The ducks will race in Cross Creek in Festival Park under the walkover bridge.” The first place duck will win a 2017 25-foot Toy Hauler camper; second place will win free groceries for a year from Food Lion; third place will win free groceries for a year from Super Compare Foods; fourth place will win $500 cash; fifth place will win a new set of tires from Ed Tire’s; sixth place will win a large flat-screen TV from Wal-Mart; seventh place will win a free one-year membership to the Renaissance Spa Fitness and Wellness Center; and the duck that comes in last place will win a camping tent and a jar of molasses. “The theme behind the camping tent and a jar of molasses is to get your camping tent so you can go hang out with the folks who won the camper, so they can show you how to do it, because you are slow as molasses,” said Wilson. “Winners do not have to be present on the day of the race to receive prizes.” 

Fayetteville Urban Ministry is a nonprofit organization that consists of four programs that provide faith, love, hope and security to Cumberland County residents free of charge. These programs are the Find-A-Friend Youth Program, an Adult Literacy Program, the Nehemiah Project and Emergency Assistance. 

If you would like paper duck adoption forms, you may go to any of the nonprofit organizations and they will have the forms on hand so you can mail in your duck adoption. Purchase ducks online by visiting www.fayurbmin.org/ and clicking the icon. For more information, call 483-5944 or visit www.fayettevilleduckderby.com.