The 2nd Annual Silicon Valley Duck Race & Family Festival
June 22nd, 2009 Posted by Pam Kelly Posted in Blog
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak launched the 15,000 Rubber Ducks That Raced to the Finish Line for Local Charities
On Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, more than 3,000 people attended the 2nd Annual Silicon Valley Duck Race and Family Festival where 15,000 numbered “adopted,” rubber ducks raced to the finish line for local charities at Vasona Lake County Park in Los Gatos, CA.
The Silicon Valley Duck Race—a partnership between Jewish Family Services of Silicon Valley and twenty-one other local non-profits—raised money to help provide the increase in services needed by families in this economic downturn.
Each adopted duck was numbered and entered into the Duck Race. The top placing ducks won thousands of dollars worth of prizes for their holders including the Grand Prize—a trip for four to Trocones, Mexico valued at $8,000. The Duck Race was supported by more than 100 local businesses and individuals who donated more than $30,000 worth of prizes and services to support the race.
Other prizes included a $3,000 “Year of Shoes” shopping spree from Footwear, etc., jewelry from Vardy’s Jewelers valued at $1,200, a $2,500 one-year family membership from the Addison-Penzak Jewish Community Center, a $1,000 “Way to Monterey” package including a foursome of golf at Poppy Hills in Pebble Beach and much more!
Local companies and individuals supporting the Duck Race as Gold, Silver and Bronze sponsors included Mel Cotton’s Sporting Goods, Footwear, Etc., Dr. Gordon Levin, El Camino Hospital, EBay, Jon and Marsha Witkin, Kragen Properties, Wells Fargo Bank and Allied Waste Services, to name a few.
Media partners included PRx Communication Strategists, Silicon Valley Community Newspapers, KBAY & KEZR radio stations and the Camera Cinemas.
PRx Communications Strategists has been the major media relations sponsor for the Duck Race since its inception in 2008. For this year’s festival, PRx was able to generate major TV, radio and print coverage for the event including KGO TV Ch 7 (ABC), KPIX TV Ch 5 (CBS) and KNTV Ch 11 (NBC) and the front cover of The Valley section in the San Jose Mercury News. The stories were picked up in other major markets in California including Los Angeles, San Diego and Palm Springs.
San Jose Mercury News [6/22/09]: Woz wades in
Los Gatos Weekly-Times [6/16/09]: Ducks taking over Vasona Lake this weekend
San Jose Mercury News, Sal Pizarro [06/13/09]: Adopt a duck for a good cause this month
