Kline pool becomes duck pond

First-ever Duckie Derby raises money for American Cancer Society.

November 7, 2006

Members of the women's swim team made waves for the Duckie Derby. Clockwise from front: Ali Imhoff '10, Lilah Terwilliger '10, Rae Sacks '08, Serena Gibney '09, Jenna Resser '09 and Colleen Cook '09.

A group of nearly 50 staff members and students, who raise money for the American Cancer Society and are known as Team Dickinson, has new co-chairs with some new ideas, one of which was the recently completed Duckie Derby.

Trena Eshenour, staff associate for the Office of Religious Life and Community Services and the Office of Diversity Initiatives, and Susan Thorn, administrative assistant for facilities management, are the new co-chairs. Since September they have organized a fund-raiser every month. Their first was an Ice Cream Social on Britton Plaza, which raised $370. "Our goal this year is to shake things up and do some off-the-wall fund-raisers, stir up some new interest, get some new members and certainly to raise a lot of money," explains Thorn.

For October, Breast Cancer Awareness month, the group held a Duckie Derby. The 720 ducks sold by the group competed in 10 heat races in the Kline Center pool. The 10 winners were put beak to beak in the final race for the big prizes—$100 cash for first, won by Casey Michalski '10; a VIP massage for second; and a $25 gift certificate from Pat Craig Studios for third. But Team Dickinson was the big winner with $1,309 added to its coffers.

The monthly fund-raisers will lead up to the American Cancer Society's annual Relay for Life in May, where Team Dickinson will turn in all of its monies and participate in the 24-hour-long walking event.