CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — A Champaign-Urbana organization dedicated to assisting individuals with disabilities in funding sports activities is launching a new fundraiser this summer, with a unique spin on the traditional duck race.
The inaugural “Flamazing Race,” coordinated by the Champaign-Urbana Special Recreation (CUSR), is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 10. Before the event, people from the community can purchase rubber flamingos online, which will then be raced down the lazy river at the Sholem Aquatic Center.
“Join us poolside as flamingos float, race, slide, and spin their way down the winding waterway, all vying for victory at the finish line in the pool,” the Champaign Park District detailed on their website. “Cheer on your favorite feathered friend and see who floats to the front and who flounders in the flock!”
Winners will receive “exclusive prizes,” according to organizers.
All money raised from the flamingo sales will go towards the CUSR Scholarship Program. The CUSR was created from a partnership between the Champaign and Urbana Park Districts and is meant to provide recreation programs for people with disabilities. The scholarship program allows residents with disabilities to register for programming at half the usual cost.
“Recreation is essential in everyone’s lives,” Christina Mott, CUSR Program Manager, said in a news release about the event. “The Flamazing Race is a fun way to make recreation more accessible to individuals of all abilities.”
Flamingos can be purchased here. They are $5 per bird or $40 for 10. Participants who buy a flamingo will get free entry into the Sholem Aquatic Center for the day and are invited to swim once the event is over. But, the CUSR added that you don’t have to be present to buy a flamingo to race.
Participants will be notified of their flamingo’s number before the race so they know which bird to root for. The event will take place from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
