In an effort that stands out literally, a massive rubber duck took over Farmington’s Shiawassee Park this week, all for a good cause. The enormous inflated yellow fowl, believed to be the largest duck in the world, was staged to raise funds for a local food pantry!
The duck, which weighs in at an astounding 15 tons, is the property of a traveling owner. This week, the bird found its temporary nest in Shiawassee Park, catching the eyes of those passing by with its towering six-story stature.
But the giant bird wasn’t the only duck on the scene. The highlight of this fun-filled event was a rubber ducky race in the nearby Rouge River, where an approximated 8,000 tiny rubber ducks were released on Wednesday. This quirky spectacle was the main event of this week’s fundraising drive organized by CARES, a social service agency based in the local Farmington Hills community.
CARES consistently strives to support those who need it most in the community, providing a food pantry service to nearly 750 families across Farmington, Farmington Hills, Livonia, Northville, Novi, Redford Township, Southfield, and West Bloomfield Township. They aim to raise $14,000 every month to cover the costs of the food bill associated with this noble work.
The organization runs a small grocery store and food pantry on the site of the former St. Alexander’s Catholic Church on Shiawassee Street in Farmington.
While the final funds raised from this week’s event are yet to be counted, one thing’s for sure: this enormous duck made a big splash, both in the water and in the hearts of the Farmington community, in their unyielding pursuit to squash food scarcity.
