Rubber Duck Regatta

Every time I open my computer I can almost guarantee I will have e-mails about the Scholar Leader Community. Some remind us to submit agenda items for our weekly meetings, others talk about assignments for our EDL 206 class, a few are friendly reminders for us to check our mailboxes, and some are about cool things going on at Miami. While all of these e-mails can be annoying at times, I love getting them. I get to hear about all kinds of great things that are happening on campus, and I get invited to participate in cool events.

Back in August, I got an email over the listserv about volunteering for the Rubber Duck Regatta. I, along with other Scholar Leaders and other Miami students, drove to Cincinnati on the Sunday before Labor Day. Each year Cincinnati has a big festival and fireworks for Labor Day. Included in this festival is a fundraiser for the Freestore Food Bank called the Rubber Duck Regatta. To raise money, the Freestore sells rubber ducks to people in the community. On race-day the Food Bank drop them all into the Ohio River, and the “owner” of the duck that wins the race wins a car. It’s an awesome fundraiser for the Freestore Food Bank and some scholar leaders got to be a part of it.

When we arrived downtown we were given matching blue t-shirts and giant fishing nets. For the next hour we scooped 100,000 rubber ducks out of the Ohio River. Even though it was hot and we were all sore, it was a ton of fun. After we finished helping with the ducks, some of us went to Newport on the Levy to eat dinner and then later watch the fireworks on the river. I got to know some scholar leaders really well because of this experience. From waiting for food, to waiting for the fireworks, to driving home, we all spent a lot of time talking and it was a great way to meet people living in my community. The day ended up being way more fun than I ever expected. I really loved getting to volunteer with fellow scholar leaders and also get to know more people in the community. I am looking forward to more great experiences like this in the future!

- Rachel Barr