17 years is an awful long time for a local charity event to keep growing, but that's what's happening with the Great Hospice Duck Race.  I have to admit that around 18 years ago when Pete Barone brought me the idea of racing plastics ducks down the Sauk River and actually making money I was skeptical.  Over these past 17 years though, thousands has been raised for Hospice programs.  What a great tribute to our community!

I do miss the competitive Ducknitary Race (we used to throw our own ducks into the water), but it does bring out more people.  Branch County Commissioner John Houtz won the race (he said his duck had been in training), while Circuit Judge Bill O'Grady came in dead last.