PEORIA, Ill. — It’s the longest-running race of its kind.
Peoria’s Center for Prevention of Abuse is preparing 30,000 rubber ducks to compete in their 34th Annual Duck Race this weekend.
The Center’s CEO Carol Merna says all the adopted ducks will make their way down a giant “Slip n Slide” at the Eastside Centre in East Peoria this Saturday.
The race is the longest-running race of its kind, but it’s also the Center for Prevention of Abuse’s biggest fundraiser of the year, with 100% of the money raised supporting its programming.
“We’re basically a pioneer in area for all services involving gender-based violence…so, domestic violence, sexual assault and elder abuse, abuse of adults living with disabilities, human trafficking, and we also have a fantastic prevention education department, which is where we try to help stop abuse before it starts,” Merna says.
The Center’s newest program, helping human trafficking victims, was established a little over three years ago, serving 46 Illinois counties.
“We’re the lead victim service provider for the Illinois State Police, partnering with the FBI and Homeland Security, making sure that the many victims of human trafficking throughout Illinois have a place to go,” Merna says.
In 2021, the Center for Prevention of Abuse served almost 6,000 people in Central Illinois, with 2 emergency shelters in Peoria and Pekin, and programs covering an even larger area of the state.
At last count, about 3,000 ducks were still available for adoption.
Festivities for the 34th Annual Duck Race kick off Saturday at 4 p.m., the race starts at 6 p.m.
Details on adopting ducks can be found HERE.
