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Thousands of rubber duckies race for Huntington Beach shoreline to benefit philanthropic health care provider

by in News

Ducks normally don’t take to the ocean, but on Saturday, June 1, thousands happily paddled about en masse.

  • The 27th annual Duck-a-Thon was held at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Around 3,000 ducks float in the surf during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

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  • Hundreds of people line the pier and the beach as around 3,000 ducks are dumped into the surf during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Sue Watts has been writing the names on the ducks for 27 years as the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon was held at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Huntington Beach Princess Saige McCluskey, left, and Queen Lily Orlando walk with Papa Duck onto the pier leading a bucket loader with around 3,000 ducks to dump during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Sisters Marley, right, and Rylie Serino pose for a photo for their mother during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Duck wrangler Lexi Peters on vacation from Wichita, Kansas, carries a large load of ducks as she tries to get the ducks to shore during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • One lucky duck sits with around 3,000 others in a bucket loader during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Around 3,000 ducks float north past 17th street during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Around 3,000 ducks ride the wild surf as they make their way to shore during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Some of the roughly 3,000 ducks are decorated after they return to shore during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Duck wrangler Landon Borgstedt, 8, gets hit by a wave as he tries to get the ducks to shore during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Duck seller Donna Richardson yells for people to buy some ducks during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. Richardson has been yelling for 26 years she said.(Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

  • Duck wrangler Landon Borgstedt, 8, gets hit by a wave as he tries to get the ducks to shore during the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon at the Huntington Beach Pier Saturday, June 1, 2019. The event benefits AltaMed Medical and Dental Group, which provides medical and dental services for underserved families in Orange County. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

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A dump-turned-duck truck released a yellow blur of smiling bathtub toys off the end of the Huntington Beach Pier for the 27th annual Duck-a-Thon. Then it was a nail-biting race for shore. The first ducky to make landfall won its sponsor a cool grand, while the next 60 also nabbed prizes.

The colorful Duck-a-Thon raises money for AltaMed Medical & Dental Group, a nonprofit that provides health care for Orange County families in need.

Participants purchased their lucky ducks for $15, or a bit more for collectible ducks.

After winners were declared, dozens of volunteers scampered about the beach collecting the losers so they would not become ocean debris.

The three-day event includes an arts and crafts festival and a “Kid Zone” with inflatable slides and jumpers. A second wave of duckies, these bankrolled by businesses, will fly into the water at 1 p.m. Sunday.

Founded 50 years ago, AltaMed provides primary, prenatal and dental care, as well as breast cancer screenings and counseling.