South Fork shares duck race winners

SOUTH FORK — Following are the list of prizes and award-givers, by position of finish in the race.

Three small duck finishers, first, eighth, ninth and nineteenth place, were found to be assigned duck numbers to which no ticket had been sold.

So the prize awards and finishes were adjusted slightly, with the Mason family being moved up to first place finisher (duck number 1144), and awarded $500 South Fork Chamber Bucks “Good at any Chamber business.”

The following duck numbers, place finishers and prize winners were:

2. Duck No. 1219 "adopted" byAbby Boyd – Original water color by Barbara Ivey on display at the visitor center.

3. Duck No. 225 "adoppted" by Catherine Bergeron — One night stay for 2 with dinner at the Windsor Hotel in Del Norte.

4. Duck No. 951, Tucker Drouin —Two rounds of golf at the Rio Grande Golf Club.

5. Duck No. 786, Brian Spain — Four person 1/2 raft trip with Mountain Man Tours.

6. Duck No. 464, Rita Mills—  Two rounds of golf at the Rio Grande Golf Club.

7. Duck No. 446, Sharon Leissner — Raft trip for up to six from Alpine Bike and Ski

10. Duck No. 853, Jacob Moon — Rod and reel fishing combo from Rainbow Grocery

11. Duck No. 1056, Mel Semrad —$50 gift certificate from La Garita Nursery

12. Duck No. 1223, Abby Boyd — $50 gift certificate from Avon/Karen Miller

13. Duck No. 862, B.J. Lale — $25 gift certificate from Mountain Lighthouse and Gallery.

14. Duck No.705,  Thom Than — Gift certificate from Keri at Heavenly Touch Salon

15. Duck No. 879,  Kathy Klicheloe — $25 gift certificate from Rockaway Cafe.

16. Duck No. 967, Todd Whitehead — $25 gift certificate from South Fork Lumber

17. Duck No. 367, Chris Walker — $25 discount at Wolf Creek Jeeps

18. Duck No. 543, Craig Williams —$20 gift certificate from the Malt Shoppe

20. Duck No. 302, Larry Heersink — $20 gift certificate from Wolf Creek Liquors

21. Duck No.1065, Lisa Wild  — $10 gift certificate from Feelin’ Good Cafe

22. Duck No. 424, Patty Powers — $25 gift certificate from Twin Pines Motor Sports.

23. Duck No. 682, Glynn Polter — $25 gift certificate from South Fork Lumber

24. Duck No. 849, Bill Stonaker — $25 gift certificate from South Fork Lumber

25.Duck No. N/A, Susan Ginani — $25 gift certificate from South Fork Lumber.

Duck adoption (small toys, not the real thing) was available prior to the race at 2 p.m, July 3 for $5 each, or a “six-quack” for $25 with a form and payment taken to either the South Fork Visitor Center, Alpine Title on Colo. 160, Wolf Creek Liquor, or Two River Realty, on Colo. 149 next to the Feelin’ Good Cafe.

Checks were to be made out to the South Fork Chamber of Commerce. The race finished by the Colo. 149 bridge over the Rio Grande, in about a six- to 15-minute period afterward.  

One of the hazards was warning young enthusiasts up river before the finish not to snatch any participating duckies out of the water with what would normally be fish-catching nets.  

Attendance was duck-ticket buyers and families of all ages, crowding the parking area by the future home of the Boyd and Millie Brown Memorial Park by the state highway and County Road 15.

Standing by the river and wading in to rescue the duck finishers was a major participant project, where the nets were put to more wholesome (and fair) use.