BONNERS FERRY — Hundreds of rubber ducks took to the Kootenai River on Saturday, Aug. 15, as the Bonners Ferry Rotary Club brought back the Great Kootenai River Duck Race, turning months of planning into a successful afternoon of fun and fundraising for the community. 

The ducks were released from the downtown Kootenai River Bridge at 3 p.m., beginning their journey downstream toward the finish near Rocky Point and the Boundary County Search and Rescue boat launch. 

Rotary Club members had spent months preparing for the event, selling ducks throughout the community while working out the logistics of returning a tradition that had not been held locally for many years. 

At the club's Tuesday meeting following the race, Rotary members celebrated the event's success and recognized those who helped make it happen. 

"The team that came together to make this duck race happen was absolutely incredible," one Rotary member said.  

Rotary President Sandy Johnstone also praised the support the event received and the work of the committee. 

"The ducks were dumped at exactly 3 p.m. Five minutes later, the large ducks were dumped," Johnstone said. "Everything went exactly as we had planned. So, kudos for the whole committee." 

Committee member Pam Barton said the first year also provided organizers with some lessons they can use as they look toward the future. 

"It went well, and I think it's going to build on what we started," Barton said. "We've learned from our experience, and now we have some better ideas for next year." 

The race included two categories. Community members could purchase small ducks for $5, with cash prizes of $200, $100 and $50 for the first three ducks to cross the finish line. A limited number of large ducks were sold for $100 each, with a $1,000 grand prize. 

The small duck winners were Jon VanGesen in first place, Natalie Adams in second and Tanya Morgan in third. Morgan announced during the meeting that she would donate her winnings back to Rotary's scholarship program. 

Then came the announcement of the $1,000 big duck winner. 

Big duck No. 81 belonged to none other than Johnstone herself. 

Johnstone said she had purchased the ticket with the fundraiser, rather than the prize, in mind. 

"I bought a ticket thinking I made a $100 donation to Rotary," Johnstone said. "I'm hoping that's what most people thought as they bought the tickets. That was the fundraiser, and that was the focus." 

Johnstone ultimately chose to put her unexpected winnings right back into the community, donating the $1,000 prize to the Community Restorium. 

The gesture brought the event full circle. Rotary members have emphasized from the beginning that the Great Kootenai River Duck Race was about much more than sending colorful rubber ducks down the river. 

Money raised through Rotary fundraisers helps provide scholarships for local students and supports organizations, projects and individuals throughout the community. The club awards approximately $10,000 to $12,000 in scholarships annually while also providing assistance to local causes throughout the year. 

With the first revived Great Kootenai River Duck Race now behind them, Rotary members are already looking at what they learned this year and how the event can continue to grow. 

For a race built around giving back, even the biggest prize of the day ultimately found its way back into the Boundary County community. 

    Some of the winners of the Great Kootenai River Duck Race, Jon VanGesen, Ema VanGesen, and Sandy Johnstone.