United Way of Central WV sells out of ducks for Great Rubber Duck Race 2024

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS) — As of Friday afternoon, all rubber ducks for the 2024 Great Rubber Duck Race are sold.

The race is an event that helps raise money to be used for the community. Eyewitness News spoke with Margaret O’Neal, president of the United Way of Central West Virginia, shortly after the rubber ducks sold out.

“We’re all a little bit hysterical and in tears because 10,000 ducks is a whole lot, and we have literally sold about 2,500 in the last 24 to 36 hours,” she said.

Selling 10,000 rubber ducks was the goal for the organization.

“We live in a wonderful community and tomorrow when all 10,000 of those ducks get dumped off the south side bridge, everybody that bought one should just know that you contributed to buying shoes for kids and making sure seniors have what they need and that healthcare is accessible and education is important,” O’Neal said.

O’Neal told Eyewitness News volunteers have worked hard to get the ducks ready for their big race on Saturday. She said they rent the rubber ducks from a company.

“We received them in town about three weeks ago from the last race they were in. We take the tags off from that race and then we put new tags on for our race. After they’re dumped off we have a bunch of volunteers, Kanawha River Navy, lots of strong backs that’ll help us get the ducks back out of the water,” O’Neal said.

The first 10 ducks will win prizes, with the first duck winning $4,000. If your duck comes in last, no worries. O’Neal said you will get 25 ducks in next year’s race.

“We didn’t really think we’d get there,” she said. “We didn’t think we’d sell out. It’s just a really happy day for the United Way today.”

The Great Rubber Duck Race will start around noon on Saturday. To see the ducks get dumped into the water, you can sit in the Hadad Riverfront Park stage area.