Nonprofit profile: Fun for everyone at Leadership’s annual Duckie Derby event
Money raised helps fund program that develops future leaders
Published in the October 4 – 17, 2017 issue of Gilroy Life
A lot of “wise-quacks” were heard by the lake at Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park as Leadership Gilroy held its eighth annual Duckie Derby Sunday, Sept. 24, to raise funds and awareness of the nine-month training program. Competitors’ legs burned as they churned the water in the duck-themed paddle boats for a chance to win prestige and a trophy.
“It was exhausting. My legs feel like Jell-O right now,” said Claudia Sandoval, who was in the boat with Mike Luevano competing for the Leadership Gilroy Class of 2017. “It takes a lot of stamina. I tried to get into different positions just to try to use different muscles for my legs, but it didn’t work.”
Luevano did the steering and Sandoval shouted out directions. “’We have to go right. No, we have to go left.’” At one point, their boat got pinned between the two other ducks and just kind of coasted to a second-place finish. Families and friends cheered them on from the lake side.
“It was good teamwork,” she said. “It’s a great opportunity to bring awareness to Leadership Gilroy but also have some fun.”
The hardest part of the race was making the sharp turn to return to the finish line, Luevano said.
“When you have this much power behind it, it’s hard to steer. We made the turn,” he said. “It’s fun competing against all those people for a good cause — and we know where it goes. I would do it again, but I would train for it next time.”
Money was raised through a $250 entry fee to compete as well as $5 donations for adults to enter the park and receive raffle tickets for locally-donated prizes such as wine and movie tickets.
Besides Leadership Gilroy Class of 2017, other teams competing were the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, the Gilroy Welcome Center, Randy Elder & Company, Old City Hall Restaurant, the Gilroy Fire Department, St. Joseph’s Family Center, Rebekah Children’s Services’ Kneaded Bakery, Sakata Seeds, Susan and Tom Valenta, Gilroy Sunrise Rotary, and James Sunor. The Gilroy Chamber of Commerce took the championship and Gilroy Sunrise Rotary came in second.
“The Duckie Derby brings out the fun in everyone,” said Amparo Mendoza-Patino, a member of the Leadership Gilroy board. “It focuses on the kids who can’t afford to come in here on a general basis. If their parents can’t bring them in, this is a perfect way for them to come into Gilroy Gardens for $5 for parents. Kids are free.”
Leadership Gilroy is currently accepting applications for the class of 2018 and encourages people who live and/or work in Gilroy and want to get more involved with the community to consider joining. For more details about the nonprofit organization, visit www.leadershipgilroy.org.
Carlos Pineda, a chef with the Kneaded Bakery at Rebekah’s Children’s Services, graduated in the 2014 class and is now on the group’s board of directors.
“I was able to learn more in-depth about what Gilroy has to offer and things that are going on in Gilroy,” he said. “It’s good for people who live or work in Gilroy to broaden their knowledge of the community — or someone who has just moved to the area to get to know the community better.”
