- Michael Picarella
Over 2,500 rubber ducks made their way down the big water slide Sunday at the Santa Clarita Aquatic Center to raise funds for the Dixon Family Health Center’s medical, dental and behavior health programs.
According to Philip Solomon, the center’s chief executive officer, the ducks came down the slide in a total of six rounds throughout the afternoon with about 150 ducks in each round. Volunteers then scooped up about 20 ducks each time they came down, and then at the very end they randomly picked the top three from those that remained.
“All the proceeds,” Solomon said, “help support those individuals that either can’t afford health care insurance, that maybe are underinsured because of the health care insurance they were able to purchase, and this helps cover the cost for the care we provide. It’s either very little out of pocket or zero out of pocket.”
Sunday’s 21st Annual Dixon Duck Dash attracted people from as far away as the Antelope Valley, one of them being Palmdale resident Elizabeth Dunbar, who came with her two kids. She said this was the first time she’d ever been to a Duck Dash, and her son and daughter were excited to see the rubber ducks come down the water slide.
Santa Clarita resident Billie Abreu came with her husband and their three kids. She said it was their first time going to a Duck Dash event. They were there for the first round of ducks to come down the water slide at almost noon. Abreu said she wasn’t feeling lucky and probably wouldn’t stay until 2 p.m. when the winners would be announced.
First-place winners received four tickets to Disneyland, second place won two season passes to Magic Mountain and third place won a Jersey Mike’s-catered party for 50 people.
Before the event kicked off, Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, spoke to participants about the event and the importance of the work that the Dixon Family Health Center is doing for the community.
“I am so happy to be supporting Samuel Dixon and the Duck Dash, which may be the funnest event of the year,” she said. “Samuel Dixon does amazing work to make sure that we provide health care to those who need it the most in our community. I’m a nurse advocate, I’ve worked on health care for nearly 20 years, and it’s so deeply important to me. I’ve been so happy to bring back resources to support the work of Samuel Dixon, and we’ll continue to do that.”
Gloria Mercado-Fortine, chairperson of the Dixon Family Health Center board of directors, said she was hopeful for a successful day, with each year usually bigger than the last.
“If we would raise $40,000, our business would be wonderful,” she said in an interview. “It’s not expensive to purchase a duck, so, a lot of people will buy 50 or 100 ducks.”
Solomon added that the Duck Dash has been instrumental over the years in helping to fund the services that the Dixon Family Health Center provides.
“In the last 12 years, we’ve grown from a volunteer to now having two separate mental health locations, plus mental health offices in two of our health centers,” he said. “We have multiple licensed clinicians on staff, we have multiple associate clinicians on staff, and we just got a grant to expand for substance-use-disorder treatment, so we’re going to add specialty care to psychiatric services.”
Most participants paid for their ducks online at $5 a piece. Those who came to the aquatic center on Sunday each bought a duck to be admitted. Some guests had come just to swim on the aquatic center’s last day of operation for the season. Little did they know they’d also be entering a duck race.
The event also included activity booths, balloon twisters, an interactive photo booth, giveaways and more.
For more information about the Dixon Family Health Center, go to SDFHC.org.
Michael Picarella
Michael Picarella is a features writer and general assignment reporter for The Signal. He joined the staff in Feb. 2022 and previously worked as a columnist, features writer and beat reporter for The Acorn newspaper group in northern Los Angeles and Ventura counties. He’s a graduate of the Academy of Art in San Francisco with a degree in screenwriting. Additionally, Picarella has written and directed two feature films, and he’s the author of two books, one being a collection of stories from his award-winning family humor column, “Family Men Don’t Wear Name Brands.” Email him at [emailprotected].
Related To This Story
Candidates discuss Sacramento, DC at Signal forum
October 11, 2024
Faces of the SCV: Stuck on helping those with diabetes
October 11, 2024
Ayala, Burkhart talk issues in Signal candidate forum
October 11, 2024
Deputies investigating officer-involved shooting in Castaic
October 11, 2024
Sulphur Springs school board chooses a school site plan, praises state test scores
October 11, 2024
Photos: Garcia visits Single Mothers Outreach
October 11, 2024
Latest NEWS
Candidates discuss Sacramento, DC at Signal forum
October 11, 2024
Faces of the SCV: Stuck on helping those with diabetes
October 11, 2024
Ayala, Burkhart talk issues in Signal candidate forum
October 11, 2024
Houthis strike Liberian-flagged tanker in Red Sea
October 11, 2024
Afghan national arrested in Oklahoma for alleged ISIS-linked Election Day attack plot
October 11, 2024