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Camp Kesem hosts duck derby fundraiser

April 26, 2012

Animals of a different sort will be floating down the Red Cedar River on Friday afternoon.

MSU’s chapter of Camp Kesem, a student-run summer camp for children of cancer patients, is scheduled to host a rubber duck derby to benefit the camp, sending hundreds of yellow rubber ducks floating down the river in a race for MSU-related prizes.

“Adopting” a duck costs $5, with funds going toward camp operations, co-chair and criminal justice senior Alex Monyhan said.

The group has sold about 450 ducks so far and expects to sell the remaining 150 during the event, which kicks off at 1 p.m. with a barbecue outside the Auditorium.

The derby is scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m. and is expected to end at 4 p.m.

Ducks will enter the river at the Bogue Street bridge and float down to Farm Lane.

A hockey stick signed by MSU head hockey coach Tom Anastos and women’s basketball head coach Suzy Merchant will be given to the owner of the winning duck, with additional incentives passed out to the top five finishers.

Other prizes include a women’s basketball T-shirt signed by Merchant and gift cards to various East Lansing restaurants and businesses.

Raising funds for the summer camp is a critical part of the group’s operations, Monyhan said.

Camp Kesem needs to raise about $42,000 to put on the camp, she said.

Monyhan added Camp Kesem hopes to raise about $3,000 through sales of the ducks.

Last year, the camp hosted about 30 kids, but this year, that figure is expected to double.

About 35 counselors also are expected to accompany the campers to Camp Pinewood in Twin Lake, Mich.

The camp provides a sense of connection for children who might not know anyone going through a similar experience, Monyhan said.

“Most of these kids who come to our camp … don’t have people whom they can turn to,” she said.

“Several of our kids’ parents have passed.”

Serving as a counselor at the camp last summer was a life-changing experience for human biology and nutritional sciences senior Justin Wintman.

“It’s an amazing program,” he said. “You get to see these kids coming out of their shell.”

Without fundraisers such as the Duck Derby, Wintman said it’s nearly impossible to give children opportunities through the camp.

Political science junior Carley Kocks said the fundraiser sounds like an unconventional way to drum up support for the camp, but added the group could incorporate more on-campus activities.

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“I think they should even bring the kids here,” she said. “(They could) even extend the camp program to an after-school program.”

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