Rubber duckie, you’re so fine; I’d like a river of you
by Brian Wainstein, Editor-in-Chief

   Waddle down to the Trinity Park in Fort Worth Saturday, Oct. 19, and the sheer numbers of people in the flock of duck-watchers will astound you.
   This TCC Cowtown Trinity Duck Stampede is the second annual event sponsored by the TCC Foundation.
   The Duck Stampede, the main event of the day, features thousands of rubber ducks racing down the Trinity River, starting at 3 p.m.
   Each of the ducks will have a number corresponding to the person who “adopted” it. The first ducks to cross the line will win prizes for their sponsors.
   Last year’s $1,000 prize was won by Noemi Vela, academic advisor.
   “I was at home babysitting and [Noemi] was working at the duck stampede with enrollment services,” Richard Vela, academic advisor and husband to Noemi, said. “We bought the ducks primarily to support the foundation. We ended up putting [the prize money] in the bank.”
    The first Duck Stampede exceeded expectations and proved to be more than it was quacked up to be.
    “Last year was the first year, and it went exceptionally well. We had a great turnout, and the weather was beautiful,” Pamela Smith, TCC coordinator of public information services, said.
    This year’s big prizes include a Kawasaki sports bike, donated by Kawasaki West of Fort Worth; a guitar, signed by several country music legends, donated by Billy Bob’s of Fort Worth; and a fur coat. Sponsors will waddle away with those and numerous other prizes.
    “The purpose of the Duck Stampede is to provide money [to the TCC Foundation] for scholarships,” Smith said.
    The TCC Foundation was created to help students financially by putting resources toward scholarships.
   “Last year was the first year we had TCC Foundation scholarships, and 20 were given, each one worth $700 a semester,” LaDawn Fletcher, grants and resource coordinator for the Foundation, said.
    “We needed a way of funding scholarships and found a group called Leadership Fort Worth which works with non-profit organizations to help maximize profits, she said.
   “We wanted to do something different and fun,” Fletcher said. “It was a great success; over two thousand people showed up. We dumped thousands of ducks off of the Lancaster Bridge from a cement mixer. They raced along (as fast as rubber ducks can race) to the finish.”
    Each campus, including the community campus, will have tents to showcase its programs.
    Between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., visitors can enjoy main stage entertainment, visit campus booths for free activities and learn moe about the colleges, its campuses and its academic programs.
    Food and artist booths will provide refreshments and shopping experiences.
    Headlining this year’s Stampede is Country and Western star Rick Trevino. The native Texas will perform at 2 p.m.
    Trevino will sing old favorites as well as songs from his latest CD. His musical style draws from traditional and contemporary country and his Hispanic heritage.
    “Last year South [Campus] brought its Viper (donated car to the automotive program),” Smith said.
    Festival sponsors include The Paulos Family Foundation, Fort Worth Star Telegram, WFAA-TV Channel 8, KPLX-FM 99.5 and the Wolf Radio Station.
    Ducks cost $5 for one, $20 for a Quack Pack (five ducks) and $100 for a flock (25 ducks).
    One can adopt ducks at Tarrant County Bank One and J.P. Morgan Chase Banks until Oct.19, and the registrar and student activity offices on each campus. One can also adopt ducks at the festival itself.