Up and Coming Weekly is a weekly publication in Fayetteville, NC and Fort Bragg, NC area offering local news, views, arts, entertainment and community event and business information.
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/815469
APRIL 26 - MAY 2, 2017 UCW 21 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM As the ducks are put into the creek, the race begins. The first seven ducks and the last duck to cross the finish line will receive prizes. First place wins a deluxe edition camper from Camping World. Second place wins a yearlong shopping spree at Food Lion; third place gets the same at Super Compare Foods. Fourth place brings $500 home in cold, hard cash. Fifth place wins a set of tires from Ed's Tire & Auto Service, a $500 value. Sixth place gets a large flat-screen TV from Wal-Mart. And the owner of the seventh duck to cross the finish line gets a one-year gym membership at Renaissance Day Spa. The owner of the last duck to make it to the finish line will get a jar of molasses and a camping tent. Ducks can be adopted online, in the mail, at a Fayetteville Duck Derby booth or at a sponsoring business. To adopt a duck online, visit http://www. duckrace.com/fayettevilleduckderby. Participants must be 18 years old to adopt a duck. While it is delightful to watch the cute little rubber ducks float down a creek, participants do not need to be present to win. Tag numbers are randomly assigned by a computer, but participants can adopt multiple ducks. Proceeds from the Duck Derby benefit 20 local nonprofit organizations and the schools in Cumberland County. There are also fundraising teams created by organizations like the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, the Child Advocacy Center, Falcon Children's Home, Fayetteville Running Club, the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Fayetteville Urban Ministry, to name a few. Participants have the opportunity to adopt ducks specifically for these fundraising organizations, and have control over where their donations go. Organizers are also accepting more teams with fundraising goals. Community members are also invited to participate by volunteering. It can take a lot of work to make sure that every duck is ready for the big race. In addition to watching the ducks race down the creek, this family-friendly event will feature live entertainment, a kid's zone, food and vendors selling merchandise in Festival Park. While the race itself is relatively short and dramatic, the festivities are intended to create a relaxing and fun event for the community in the gorgeous surroundings of Festival Park. KidStuff The Partnership for Children presents the eternally popular KidStuff. It's located in the Festival Park footprint and is filled with free child-friendly games and activities. "We host KidStuff every year because we believe children learn best through play, especially when this time is shared with significant adults in their lives. We welcome the opportunity to educate parents on available community resources while discovering what they view as their top- priority family needs. We are deeply appreciative to our sponsors and community partners whose generosity allows us to provide fun, age appropriate activities for our smallest attendees." said Mary Sonnenberg, PFC President. KidStuff includes several zones designed to make it a fun experience for children and parents alike. The infant/toddler zone is a space for little ones to break out of the confines of their strollers and backpacks and enjoy moving around. The pre-K zone features learning centers to engage preschoolers with hands-on experiences. The PNC Grow Up Great Mobile Learning Adventure is an exhibit that transforms preschoolers into pint-sized ballerinas, astronauts and veterinarians and their parents into early childhood educators. From bounce houses to bubbles, blocks, riding toys, face-painting and more, children and their grown-ups will find something fun to do at KidStuff. The entire space is built around the fact that children develop critical skills through play. When children are given quality early childhood experiences, they will be ready to learn upon entering school, require less remediation, are more likely to graduate from high school, and will grow into productive citizens and valuable employees. Fayetteville-Cumberland Crimestoppers Barbecue A sanctioned Dogwood Festival Event, the Fayetteville-Cumberland Crimestoppers Barbecue takes place on Raeford Road at Highland Centre. Crimestoppers sells delicious plates of barbecue for $7 per plate and uses the money to offer rewards to anyone wishing to report anonymous information regarding any crime. Since its inception, the Crimestoppers program has played a part in more than 4,000 arrests and 5,300 felony charges. It has helped recover more than $4,875,000 in property and $1,893,000 in narcotics. Crimestoppers has issued more than $316,000 in rewards and helped solve 2,477 cases, 67 of which were homicides. Call (910) 483-8477 to report any information regarding a crime and remain anonymous! The barbecue runs from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday, April 28. Shriner Fish Fry A sanctioned Dogwood Festival events, the Hope Mills Shriner Fish Fry is set to run from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, April 28. It takes place at the Hope Mills Shrine Club at 4461 Cameron Road. Plates cost $8 each. Guests are invited to eat-in or take plates home with them. Proceeds from this event benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. Shriners Hospitals for Children provides specialized care to children with orthopedic conditions, burns, spinal cord injuries, and cleft lip and palate regardless of the families' ability to pay. All care and services are provided in a family- centered environment. Call (910) 224-5264 for more information. Festivities and Events