Sacred Heart Guild to Host Emerald Coast Duck Regatta Oct. 11

Save the date for this year’s fourth annual Emerald Coast Duck Regatta benefiting the Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast Guild. On Saturday, Oct. 11, approximately 4,000 ducks will begin their race across the Lagoon at the Village of Baytowne Wharf at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. Prizes will be awarded to the owners of the first ducks to cross the finish line, including a $5,000 first-place prize! 

The event will have fun activities for the whole family, including Abrakadoodle face painters, crafts, scavenger hunts, and more beginning at 10 a.m. A new addition this year is Nonie's Ark Animal Encounters! From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., children will have an opportunity to get up close and personal with some exotic animals, including a parrot, toad, tarantula, turtle, snake, hissing cockroach and a surprise fuzzy animal. The Baytowne Carousel will offer free rides for children 12 and under from 11 a.m. to noon. Thanks to Mr. Russ Scott, owner of Baytowne Adventure Zone, all net proceeds from the Baytowne Zip line between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. will be donated to the Sacred Heart Hospital Guild. The duck race will begin at 1 p.m.
 
Make a donation of $10 or more to the Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast Guild to adopt a duck. Ducks are available for adoption at the Sacred Heart Gift Shop in Miramar Beach or online at www.emeraldcoastduckregatta.com. Duck adoption fees include one duck for $10, three ducks for $27, six ducks for $50 and 12 ducks for $100. Additional prizes include two roundtrip tickets on Southwest Airlines, Walt Disney World passes, a $400 Best Buy gift card, iPad2s, and more.
 
The Emerald Coast Duck Regatta is generously supported by several organizations in the community, including event sponsors, gift-in-kind sponsors and community sponsors. A full list of sponsors and information about how to support this exciting event are listed at www.emeraldcoastduckregatta.com. 

Proceeds from the Emerald Coast Duck Regatta benefit the Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast Guild. The Guild was established in 2002 as an auxiliary organization to support Sacred Heart Hospital on the Emerald Coast. The Guild is comprised of more than 250 members who regularly volunteer in areas throughout the hospital. Members also assist with fundraising efforts and community outreach programs.

 
The Guild’s fundraising activities are used to fund medication assistance, hospital capital projects, and to award scholarships to nursing and healthcare professionals for continuing education. For more information about the Guild or volunteering at Sacred Heart, visit www.sacredheartemerald.org. 
 
For more information about the Emerald Coast Duck Regatta or to adopt a duck, visit www.emeraldcoastduckregatta.com.