By our Smarty friends at KinderMourn
One little yellow rubber ducky can teach us amazing things about the power of hope. For grieving children and bereaved parents, these adorable ducks and the Hope Floats Duck Race offer a lifeline…the assurance that in their time of greatest need, KinderMourn is there to provide support, comfort and healing. For thousands of families grieving the loss of a loved one, a little yellow duck offers hope.
KinderMourn’s 10th Annual Hope Floats Duck Race will take place on April 27th, at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Picture this…thousands of people, young and old alike, gathered together on the banks of the Whitewater Center on a glorious Carolina spring afternoon. The crowd roars as the giant crane lifts a basket with over 15,000 yellow ducks and drops them into the rapids. WCNC news personality Larry Sprinkle gives a play-by-play commentary as the ducks race toward the finish line. The general community adopts the ducks for $5 each, buying a chance to become prize winners and most importantly, supporting KinderMourn’s mission of providing a safe haven for those who have suffered an unimaginable loss. Win or lose, everyone enjoys a great afternoon filled with live music, children’s activities and a very quacky race!
The Hope Floats Duck Race is KinderMourn’s largest annual fundraiser, raising over $100,000 through sponsorships, duck adoptions and donations. These proceeds enable KinderMourn to expand programs and services in and beyond the Charlotte area, and ultimately touch the lives of children and parents devastated by loss. Not just a fundraiser, the event also raises awareness for KinderMourn and offers bereaved parents and children an opportunity to “race a duck”, remember a loved one, gather with other KinderMourn friends, and find a community that embraces those who have faced a tragic loss and found support through KinderMourn. Kelly and Anthony Burton race ducks in memory of their son Liam every year. Last year, they were crowned winners as the largest team.
Team Liam was formed for the annual KinderMourn Duck Race following the stillbirth of our son, Liam, in 2008. With the growing support of family, friends and strangers, Team Liam has expanded each and every year. We were humbled and grateful in 2013 when Team Liam became the largest non-corporate team with more than 1,300 duck adoptions, raising thousands of dollars in the process. We directly benefited from KinderMourn’s services following our tragic loss, and giving back to this critically important organization in our community will always be a priority for our family. The Duck Race provides the perfect opportunity to accomplish this through a team effort that not only honors, but celebrates, our beloved child.
~ Anthony & Kelly Burton, Parents of Liam, Abbie & Lily
Support KinderMourn and come out and join us for the 10th Annual Hope Floats Duck Race on Sunday, April 27th, from 2-5 pm, at the U.S. National Whitewater Center. Free family-friendly activities will be offered throughout the day including games, face painting & tattoos, arts & crafts and live music. The Whitewater Center will host Tuck Fest, in conjunction with the event, and offer lots of adult and children’s activities.
For more information or to adopt ducks to race, visit www.kindermourn.org or call (704) 376-2580.
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