What sound does a duck make?
“Quack! Quack!,” Janae Glasper told her mother, Markeisha Glasper, who had asked her as they raced the young girl’s rubber duck in the 3rd annual Cenla Duck Derby races. The event was held Saturday at the T.R.E.E. House Children’s Museum, 1403 Third Street, in downtown Alexandria.
This is the museum’s big fundraising event, said board President Luis Cintron.
The hands-on educational center features exhibits that encourage children to ask questions, learn and use their imagination.
“We have some new exhibits that we’re working on, new technologies that we want to bring in here,” Cintron said.
During Saturday’s event, children could adopt a rubber duck for a fee and race it for cash prizes on the Cenla Duck Derby ramp. Rubber ducks could also be purchased for $5 or 5 or $20 and entered into a raffle to win prizes like an Oculus Rift, $250 gift cards, American Girl dolls or boy’s bicycles.
“This our first time. This is exciting,” said Glasper, who was having just as much fun watching and helping Janae race her rubber duck down the derby ramp.
Though the day got off to a rainy start, that didn’t keep the Glaspers or others away from the event, which included food, arts and crafts booths and other activities.
Petrus Feed & Seed Store had a booth where children could pet real ducklings and see them slide into a small pool and swim around.
“She got a chance to pet a real duck but she didn’t like it,” Glasper said about Janae, laughing.
“It’s just another avenue for kids to come out and enjoy the T.R.E.E. House, have some fun, play some games, visit some craft booths,” Cintron said.
It’s another way for the museum to give back to the community while also raising revenue to accomplish its goals, he added.
“I’m not sure why, the ducks just kind of stick with the kids,” Cintron said. “They can all relate. Maybe it’s a childhood thing of ours, but for some reason, these kids just resonate with these little ducks and they have a really good time with them.”
