Butternut Creek will run yellow with rubber duckies at the Union County Farmers Market this Saturday, Aug. 30, for the Blairsville Police Department’s Seventh Annual Duck Derby Fundraiser benefiting the Shop With A Cop for Christmas children’s program.
Although 2025’s ticket sales are not as high as this time last year, plenty of opportunities remain for generous members of the public to purchase tickets before the race, and Police Chief Michael “Bear” Baxter still considers this a successful season.
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“Fundraising has worked pretty good,” Baxter said. “We’re about 2,300 ducks in; last year, we sold about 3,300, so I think we’ll be close to 3,000, which will be good by the time we’re done.”
As noted above, folks can continue to buy the $10 tickets right up until the race begins, and Baxter anticipates that some sales will happen at the Farmers Market when the big day rolls around.
On the line are 150 prizes for lucky winners, but in this race, even the loser – the last-to-cross “lame duck” – gets a nifty consolation prize in the form of a gas grill. And with the help of some new anonymous sponsors, there are now two $500 cash prizes.
Gift baskets, gift cards, and gift certificates are also on the table to please a wide variety of winners, but this year features new spoils as well.
“We just have all kinds of stuff, not just for guys, but for ladies, too,” revealed Baxter, adding that some gift baskets are geared toward more feminine interests.
On the day of the derby, the community is invited to the Farmers Market to watch the event. Some 200 to 300 people showed up last year, setting up blankets and chairs and allowing children to play in the water before the release of the ducks.
“It’s a pretty neat sight if you’ve never seen 2,500-3,000 ducks come down the creek. It’s kind of exciting,” Baxter laughed, jokingly adding, “And I guess the biggest thing, I would say, is you get to see me and Sheriff (Shawn) Dyer in shorts.”
Safe Pet Project, as it turns out, acts as heroes on behalf of toy critters as well as the real ones. The organization will resume its role of “duck wranglers” by unsnarling the fake fowls from branches and rocks. Along with clearing the way of snags, volunteers will keep the racers from floating under the bank and, as Baxter put it, keep the ducks “in the playing field.”
Although prizes and a fun family outing are excellent reasons to enter the derby, it’s important to remember the actual purpose behind the race.
The Duck Derby directly funds the Shop With a Cop Program, which involves the Blairsville Police Department, Union County Sheriff’s Office, and many more volunteers.
Money raised during Duck Derby season goes into a bank account specially set aside for Shop With a Cop, with 100% of the funds from duck purchases going toward providing a memorable Christmas for Union County kids who may not otherwise have the chance.
“This is a fundraiser that this community supports us with,” Baxter said. “As I tell everybody, we manage it, they make it happen.”
Many community members, from local businesses, organizations and churches to individuals and families, contribute donations to the charitable program by purchasing ducks or sponsoring prizes that inspire others to participate.
“I wouldn’t want to name everybody (involved) because I’m afraid I’d miss somebody, but there is not an organization in this county that doesn’t have some part in this Shop With a Cop program, and I can’t thank them enough,” Baxter said.
As for why so many people participate, Baxter has a hunch. With officers continually demonstrating a willingness to do good on the part of vulnerable families and total transparency about where Duck Derby funds go, people can see action more than words.
“Nobody gets paid a penny to do this program; there’s no officer gets any pay or anything else, even the day that we go shopping, these people donate their time,” Baxter said. “I couldn’t be prouder of a bunch of dedicated law enforcement officers who are willing to spend a Saturday and take a kid shopping and hopefully change their lives in a positive manner.”
Last year, 155 well-deserving students went shopping as part of the program. Children are taken to Walmart to buy things for themselves and family members so long as their total fits into an allotted amount of money, which, again, is raised primarily through the Duck Derby.
“It takes a lot of logistics to make this thing happen, but it’s well worth our time,” Baxter said. “This is a project where we’re proud to do it. We love our community, and most of all, we love these kids that we get to help.
“I’m glad to be a part of it. It makes me proud to be a law enforcement officer, but it also makes me proud to be a Union County resident and a native of Union County.”
