GUERNSEY – The annual Guernsey Duck Daze celebration for 2020 went forth even in the midst of COVID fears and the unmasked ducks were no worse for the wear as they made the 20 minute swim from the west bridge to the south bridge on the Platte River.

Duck Daze began at dawn as volunteers began to prepare Davis Park for the vendors and set forth cones and signs for the annual Duck Dash 5K that took off from Heimbuck Park and returned to the same spot.

Registration for the 5K and T-shirt sales began at 7 a.m. and at 8 a.m. a field of 23 runners were at the starting line. The youngest runner was Joshua Foggie of Guernsey who ended up winning the overall race with a time of 19:55, two seconds ahead of Colorado runner Joel Glassett. Guernsey Economic and Tourism Development president, Craig Frederick said that it was the closest race ever run in the Duck Dash 5K.

The winners in each category for the men were:  Joshua Foggie age group 10-14 19:55; 

Brody Harriman, age group 15-18 28.57;  Brandon Werner, age group 19-29  33:52; 

David Glassett, age group 30-39 38 21:58; Wes Reyher, age group 40-49 30.07;

Mark DeLap, age group 50+ 32.03 

The winners in each category for the women were:  Gabby Foggie, age group 10-14 24:23; 

Cara McCauley, age group 19-29 25:40; Lakiesha Foggie-Harriman, age group 40-49 30:16; 

Lori Fine, age group 50-59, no recorded time given.

After the race, excitement was high at Guernsey Landing where over 200 people had gathered to watch the much-anticipated duck drop. Let by Frederick who was a first-timer in dropping the ducks kept the time and at exactly 10:30 a.m. 1,200 ducks were dropped from the west bridge over the Platte River where they plopped down in a large raft of ducks.

As the current began to swirl, the duck conglomeration began to spread out and the race was on to the south bridge where the rubber ducks would be recovered by kayakers and rafters in the water designated for duck recovery.

People had been purchasing ducks for weeks, some purchasing a single duck, some purchasing what has been come to be known as a “quack-pack” which was a package of 5 ducks. 

When it was all said and done, the 1,200 rubber duckies passed under the south bridge in what took approximately 20 minutes and may of the spectators who watched the dump jumped into vehicles and headed to the south bridge which was the finish line.

The first prize winner was Laura Moore who won the big prize of $750. Coming in second was Perry Statham’s duck which earned him $500. The third-place duck was owned by Misty Jones-Lacy who was awarded the prize of $250. Fourth and fifth place ducks owned by Mark Borders and Rod Smith earned each of the men $100 apiece.

Duck Daze had over 20 vendors for the farmers market which ran from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and in the midst of that were children’s games, a corn hole tournament and a horse shoe tournament which endured the 100-degree temperatures.