Emmett Rogers has been collecting rubber ducks of all shapes and sizes for years. He loves ducks so much, a room in his home has been transformed into a miniature metropolis he calls Duck City, where more than 300 ducks are on display. “I collect ducks because, honestly, who doesn’t love ducks?” said Emmett. “After looking at my collection, I realized they could do more than just sit around my basement. They could help people.” So the fifth-grade student at Rundle College used his supersized flock for a good cause, raising funds for the Rundle Academy Redesign Project through a “Duck-a-Thon.” The idea for Emmett’s Duck-a-Thon was inspired by the famous Chicago Ducky Derby, with Emmett renting out his ducks to fellow students and faculty members at $5 a duck. He ended up selling out his entire personal collection, so more ducks were procured to meet the demand. On May 29, an excited crowd of dozens of students and faculty members gathered at the base of the slip-and-slide set up on the school grounds. A whopping 339 ducks made the official racing roster, with the winner walking away with a massive gift basket packed with school swag. The Duck-a-Thon ended up raising $1,750, with every dollar being directed toward the expansion project, which will provide a state-of-the-art environment for students with diverse learning needs. “This event proved no idea is too small, and no collection is too quirky to make a real-world difference,” Emmett’s mother, Sarah Dunsford, said with pride. So what’s next for Emmett and his brood of rubber duckies? “The ducks are going back to Duck City for now,” Emmett said. “Maybe we will do this all again next year!”
