IDAHO FALLS – Onlookers quacked with delight at the 33rd annual Great Snake River Greenbelt Duck Race on Saturday.

Every year, the Idaho Falls Rotary Club hosts the Duck Race to raise funds for local projects.

During the race, each rubber duck has a number. Community members could pay to “adopt” a duck to race for a chance to win big prizes, including a 2024 KIA Sportage this year.

The Duck Race proceeds go towards Heritage Park. Kevin Call, spokesman for the Idaho Falls Rotary Club Duck Race Committee, says they laid five acres of sod at Heritage Park this year.

“It’s all used for the Greenbelt. It doesn’t go out of town. This is the place,” Call said.

The Rotary Club participates in international and local service projects. The club donates all of the proceeds from the Duck Race to the city of Idaho Falls, who matches the funds. Over the course of 33 years, the Rotary Club has raised $6.5 million dollars.

“We have just the most incredible community,” Call said.

In fact, the duck race has been growing every year. This year, 25,000 rubber ducks “swam” to the finish line, which is the most the Duck Race has ever had.

A man who introduced himself to EastIdahoNews.com as Logan Quack Pickens bought a “six-quack,” and could not wait to see how they would do in the race.

“Scoring a car would be cool, but I’m really just excited to see how good my kids do,” Pickens said. “I adopted some, so I’m going to see how well my kids do and I’m going to cheer them on.”

Before the ducks jumped in the water, the Rotary Club presented dedicated member, Ida Hardcastle, the Top Duck Warrior Award.

Hardcastle has been involved in the Rotary Club for 13 years. She also served on the Idaho Falls City Council for 20 years, retiring in 2013.

“Ida has worked diligently with the duck race for many, many years,” said Elaine Gray, the Director Public Image for the Rotary Club of Idaho Falls. “We just wanted to recognize her for all she does for us.”

A crane lifted up a yellow dumpster full of rubber ducks above the river. Hardcastle pulled the rope to release the ducks, and off they went.

Here is a full list of winners from the Duck Race:

• Grand Prize, KIA Sportage: Justin Henderson
• First Prize, Outlander: Rylan Ricks
• Second Prize, Tikka T3X Super Varmint gun: Tiffany Jones

Other winners:

• Gloria Miller Allen watercolor painting: Chris Albert
• Two 2022 Season Golf Passes: Brad Weeks
• Weber Grill: Elizabeth Parker-Quiafe
• Downtown Voucher Package: Peggy Dale
• $1250 Dining Package #1: Garn Herrick
• Two tickets to every Eastern Idaho State Fair Grandstand Event:Regina Stauffer
• $1,000 Sam’s Club Gift Card: Kim Michelle
• Rubber Ducky Car Wash & Thirst Burst: Jennifer Liberty
• $1000 Dining Package #2: Christie Wilson

An 89-year-old hiker is missing in Idaho after he was last seen setting off down a trail over a week ago, authorities said.

Bing Olbum left from the Hunter Creek Trailhead on Aug. 1 and never reached the exit point of the Mcdonald Creek Area, the Custer County Sheriff’s Office said. The trailhead is located within the Salmon-Challis National Forest. 

Officials said that search and rescue units were deployed and searching all possible trails for Olbum.

As of Sunday morning, search and rescue teams did not report finding any signs of the 89-year-old.

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Fox Digital has reached out to the Custer County Sheriff’s Office for more information about the search but did not immediately hear back.

Bing Olbum was described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with brown eyes and white hair.  (Custer County Sheriff’s Office)

Officials said Olbum was reported missing on Aug. 6. He was described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, with brown eyes and white hair. 

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The 89-year-old was dropped off at the trailhead by a family member, and had five days of supplies with him when he began his trek, the sheriff’s office told ABC News. 

Sunday marks 11 days since Olbum was last seen.

The Salmon–Challis National Forest spans over 4.3 million acres in east-central Idaho, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The Hunter Creek Trailhead is located north of Boise.

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“The trail follows the creek to the head of the canyon where the switchbacks become steeper and a little more difficult,” reads a description of the trail on the U.S. Forest Service website. “At the top, the timber clears and visitors have a clear view of Mount Ryan (11,714 feet) and Kent Peak.”

Dean Hagerman remembers a rocket landing right outside a building he was in just a few days after having arrived in Iraq in early December 2004.

Hagerman was one of the people who were mobilized in May that year as part of the Idaho National Guard’s 116th Cavalry Brigade Combat Team (the largest deployment of Idaho National Guard soldiers in state history, though other states are part of the team).

And this weekend in the Treasure Valley, brigade members are gathering to commemorate the mobilization, honor the fallen and celebrate the friendships forged.

“I’m not going to say it was hell, but it was rough and challenging. We bonded in that experience (of deployment).“

The United States attacked Iraq in March 2003 in part because of then-President George W. Bush’s false assertion that the Middle Eastern country had weapons of mass destruction, according to Encyclopedia Britannica.

Hagerman said their mission was to provide stability and encourage democracy.

This weekend’s events started Friday and will continue until Sunday. Former Governor Dirk Kempthorne spoke to former brigade members on Saturday.

During the weekend, people will remember soldiers such as Carrie French, from Caldwell, who died at age 19 in 2005 in Iraq.

“It’s an opportunity to heal,” Hagerman said. “The remembrance ceremonies are a more somber event, but the rest of it, it’s meant to be a party, to enjoy each other’s company, catch up on what’s going on with people’s lives.”