Corn Ducky Derby Organizer Gives Preview of Saturday’s Event

Matt Brooks: [00:00:00] Matt Brooks here on X101 Always Classic, and with me in the studio. Well, it’s just that about the time of the year where you hear the ducks quack. And it’s Tom Dumas from the Cortland Community Service Club. Thank you for joining me today, Tom. 
Tom Dumas: You’re welcome, thanks Matt. And it’s duck season, you’re right.
Matt Brooks: I know it’s hard to believe, 29th Annual Corn Ducky Derby right around the corner. May 3rd at Suggett Park. Now, it’s been going on for almost three decades. It’ll be three decades next year. But if somebody hasn’t heard about the Corn Ducky Derby, what’s it all about? I mean, this is a fundraiser that benefits many nonprofits and groups in the area. Tell me about it, Tom. 
Tom Dumas: Okay. It’s great. And you know, if you drive around Cortland at all, you’ll see big signs and banners that are saying ‘It’s Duck Season!’ 
Matt Brooks: Yep. 
Tom Dumas: And it’s all about helping youth groups, uh, earn some money for themselves. At the same time, it’s helping us raise money so that we can give it to the youth groups. Uh, and we started 29 years ago. And so at this [00:01:00] point, the, uh, many of ’em we got like 30 different groups that are selling tickets. Can you believe? 
Matt Brooks: Wow. 
Tom Dumas: Uh, so if it’s a Boy Scout troop or 4-H group, uh, a team, uh, they sell the tickets, we give ’em half their money back immediately. They have nothing invested but selling a ticket. Uh, and then if they need something, and a good example, I think down here in, in Homer was the, the baseball team needed, uh, some extra support to put a backstop in, or they needed like $5,000. We gave it to ’em. 
Matt Brooks: Wow. 
Tom Dumas: And, and so those are the kind of things that we’ve really been able to benefit. Uh, we’ve given away, Matt. Nearly, well actually as of right now, over a half a million dollars.
Matt Brooks:  Yeah, that is amazing. You, you gave me a sheet with the, uh, the financial things and it’s just the number keeps going up and up. And as of right now, over half a million and it’s all to benefit the nonprofits. That’s the thing. And money goes right back in the community.
Tom Dumas: Isn’t it great? I mean it’s, and uh, the sheet I gave you only takes us up to last June, and so we’re, we’re just, it’s just, I just, in fact, last night we had a little meeting and [00:02:00] gave away another couple of thousand dollars or so to, uh, a couple of youth groups, uh, that needed, it actually we’re more like $10,000 last night.
Matt Brooks: Wow. 
Tom Dumas: Uh, so it’s nice. It’s nice to be able to, to help somebody, help themselves and at the same time help the community. 
Matt Brooks: And I think the cool thing about this is, is it’s not just. A great fundraiser where it’s, it’s community based and community funded and supports the community all in one place. It’s also just a fun and interesting fundraiser.
’cause I mean, the, it, you’re, you’re putting a duck in the race. You, you get to name the duck, you get to have a whole, uh, whole group of ducks if you’d like. And, uh, you get to see, uh, them in action at Suggett Park. 
Tom Dumas: It’s so true. And to make it even bigger, almost every business in the county, uh, has a big duck in it that has a little sign that said, “We sell tickets here,” or something like that.
Uh, because they, they want to be a part of it. They it. So it’s not just the youth group selling, but the businesses are a part of them. 
Matt Brooks: And you get tickets. [00:03:00] Not tickets. You can get ducks right here at the station as well. And I think the, the kicker is, is that it’s all this. Fundraising, all this stuff we’re talking about supporting local groups, but by participating you have a chance to win, not a duck, a cash prize.
Tom Dumas: Yes. And you know, most people say, well, I probably, my duck probably will only come in second. Well, if it comes in seconds, you only get a hundred dollars. 
Matt Brooks: Darn. 
Tom Dumas: Yeah. Matter of fact, if it comes in fourth, fifth, six, seventh, uh, you still get a hundred dollars. So we paid the first nine ducks after the first one.
The first one of course gets 2,500. Uh, that’s a pretty good start. That’s a pretty good start. 
Matt Brooks: And considering like the, the price of the duck, I mean, it hasn’t changed. It’s what, five? 
Tom Dumas: Since the beginning, $5 a duck, uh, last year I think was like 9,400 ducks. 
Matt Brooks: Wow. 
Tom Dumas: Almost 10,000 ducks. And so that makes a day. Uh, there’s nothing like having a a thousand people come down to watch the race with their, with their, with their children. And watching the children stand there, say, hollering out, you know, “Come on Donald! Come on Mickey! Come on, run!” They each [00:04:00] got their name naming their duck and cheering for their duck. And it, and it doesn’t take long, but it’s a fun family day. 
Matt Brooks: And speaking of the family day at Suggett Park, there’s, it’s year 29 and there’s some more stuff coming up. I understand there’s events coming up in conjunction with the YMCA as well? 
Tom Dumas: Yes. We’re, we’re partnering this year, partnering, uh, with the YMCA and they’re going to have their 5K race there. Uh, it’ll start a little earlier and, uh, not only would they have a 5K race, but they’re gonna have a 1K waddle. 
Matt Brooks: Mmm. 
Tom Dumas: Uh, that means you and I might be able to waddle their way down there. Oh yeah. 
Matt Brooks: Oh yeah yeah. I mean, I think running is outta my days at this point. 
Tom Dumas: No, I think it’s outta my days too. I passed that, uh, that I think, what is it that, that big 80 number this year. That’s not fair. What’s happened here? But, uh, yes, come on down and, and watch the kids run. Uh, cheer ’em on and then, uh, we’re make a little bit of money for them. At the same time. We’re gonna have lots of vendors. There’ll be a food truck, there’ll be vendors selling some of their, [00:05:00] their artistic supplies, and this just makes a fun day.
Matt Brooks: It’s a fun day. Helps community, helps these nonprofits. We are unfortunately running a bit outta time, Tom, but I do wanna make sure that we get the event itself. May 3rd, Suggett Park start time for the race is?
Tom Dumas: 11 o’clock. 
Matt Brooks: 11 o’clock. And then, and you can buy ducks. Anywhere, pretty much in the community. If you see a rubber duck, they’re probably selling ducks for the Derby.
Tom Dumas: And if you didn’t get it there, come right down to the race. We’ll sell ’em right up to the seconds before the ducks run. 
Matt Brooks: And then stick around. ’cause there’s gonna be vendors, there’s gonna be, I mean you said the, the race starts earlier, but there’s gonna be a lot of events. It’s gonna be a whole family fun day. Suggett Park, May 3rd and, I can’t believe 29 years and just how much money this one little race has raised over them. 
Tom Dumas: Fantastic. And I’ll just challenge you, Matt. Well maybe I’ll outrun you in a walk? 
Matt Brooks: Uh, we, we’ll, we’ll see. I mean, do I get to get my morning stretches in first? 
Tom Dumas: Uh, me too. [00:06:00] We’ll both be waddling someplace. Thanks. And, uh, come on down and see us. 
Matt Brooks: Alright. Yep. Again, May 3rd, Suggett Park. Again, thank you again, Tom, for coming in another year talking about this great fundraiser. 
Tom Dumas: You’re welcome, and may your ducks swim fast. 
Matt Brooks: Hopefully they do. This is X101 Always Classic. I am Matt Brooks.