ROCKINGHAM — Hitchcock Creek will be full of ducks on Sunday afternoon — but not those of the feathered variety.
These will be smaller, yellow and made of rubber.
5,000of the bathtub toys will be dumped into the creek for the fourth annual Duck Derby, benefiting Sandhills Children’s Center.
The nonprofit center has two campuses, one in Rockingham and another in Southern Pines, and provides educational and therapeutic services for kids up to 5 years old, both with and without disabilities. It is a United Way partnering agency and receives funding from the Richmond County Partnership for Children.
The event raised more than $35,000 in its first two years.
The “foster parent” of the Super Duck, or the first duck to cross the finish line, is guaranteed $1,500, sponsored by Griffin Toyota of Hamlet. The second place Lucky Duck will win $500 from Camina Design and Construction in Southern Pines.
There will also be more than 40 winners of gift certificates and other prizes, according to a video on the center’s Facebook page, including: a birthday party at The Hive, valued at 125; a free alignment from Maness Tire Pros; a one-month free membership at FirstHealth Fitness; a $50 gift certificate toward glasses at Hardwick Vision Center; and a gift package from Discovery Place Kids.
Several discount tickets for luxury vacation spots in Antigua, Panama and St. Lucia will also be awarded.
The event runs from 2 to 5 p.m.