Duck race is coming back

Where is Lake Glendale? Everybody always asks me that question.

The Glendale Kiwanis Club will transform Verdugo Park into a very large lake full of rubber duckies on Oct. 20. Each of the rubber duckies will have a number painted on it, and the ducks will be ready to go round and round and down the slides to see who is the fastest ducky.

Remember your rubber ducky from early bathtub days? These are the very same rubber duckies, and now they are all ready to race. You can adopt a duck or a whole flock of ducks that might win you a prize from the Kiwanis Club.

Lake Glendale will be filled, and concession stands, booths and entertainment will begin at 10 a.m. and go till 3 p.m. There will be six preliminary duck races starting at 11 a.m., with the final race and close of duck adoptions at 2 p.m.

The club estimates from prior fundraising experience that they should be able to raise $100,000 to $200,000 for our schools and charities.

The Kiwanis Club goal this year is to reach that $200,000 from a combination of corporate sponsorships for the event and individual donations to adopt one of the 50,000 rubber ducks in the races. Ducks are priced from $5 for a single duck up to $5,000 for a Duck Flock sponsorship of 250 ducks.

Glendale Kiwanis Club meets at noon every Friday at the Glendale Elks Club, 120 E. Colorado St., Glendale. For more information, call Vic Legerton at (818) 354-8838.

NEW OPTIMIST CLUB ?HAS BIG PLANS

Optimist International has a purpose of “Bringing Out the Best in Kids.”

To kick off the start of the new Jewel City Optimist Club, a giant barbecue was held at the end of July at the Optimist Youth Home campus in Highland Park. They had a great turnout of 142 people, including current Optimist members, their families, potential members of the Jewel City Club and students from the Optimist Youth Home.

Now the work starts to build the Jewel City Club membership to be ready for its chartering event possibly as soon as November. Ron Villachica has been named interim president of the club.

Villachica invites residents to be his guest at their meetings on the first and third Wednesday nights at Foxy’s Restaurant to learn what an Optimist Club is all about.

Club members are already planning their first major event. The Jewel City Club plans to host the first March Madness Basketball Tournament at the Youth Home for students from around the city.

Jewel City Optimist Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays at Foxy’s Restaurant, 206 W. Colorado St., Glendale. For more information, call Villachica at (818) 763-1283.

LIONS, KIWANIANS HONORED BY SCHOOL DISTRICT

The Glendale Board of Education recognized the Northwest Glendale Lions Club and the Jewel City Kiwanis Club during a community service luncheon on Aug. 3.

Both clubs were honored for their outstanding efforts in “Dedication to Making a Difference in the Lives of Children of the Glendale Unified School District.”