WebDoThousands of the popular yellow duckies will migrate to Brevard County in time to participate in the 18th Annual Great Brevard Duck Race. The race will be held on Sunday, April 10th at 1 pm at Sand Point Park in Titusville. Duck adoptions officially start on Tuesday, March 1st, and for the following five weeks ducks can be adopted throughout Brevard County and online at www.greatbrevarduckrace.com. It’s all for a great cause – the annual duck race is a major fundraising event for Crosswinds Youth Services. Last year, Crosswinds touched the lives of 5,174 youth and their families. Homeless youth spent 7,003 nights in the shelter and over 18,000 meals were served. Also, Crosswinds responded to 1,322 requests for crisis counseling, information and referrals and more.

This year, the goal is to get all 10,000 ducks adopted and make history. Every duck adopted will help hundreds of Brevard County’s most vulnerable children and youth. These are the young people who because of their situation are often disconnected from their community programs and traditional supports and are therefore at high risk of “falling through the cracks.” Take a “quack” at winning one of the 10 amazing prizes for a $5 donation, or get the popular Quack Pack, and receive one free duck in the race and a souvenir duck to keep.

The Grand Prize valued at over $2,000 is a 4-night cruise for two guests to the Bahamas in an oceanview stateroom aboard the Disney Dream! Additional prizes include a large Big Green Egg Grill and stand courtesy of Your Backyard Superstore; a one-year family membership at any YMCA in Brevard, beautiful flowers for a year from Bloomers Floral Design; passes to three Orlando theme parks: Universal Studios, Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and Wet ’n Wild; a full-day of fishing for two, as well as an evening of shark fishing from Obsession Charters Deep Sea Fishing from Port Canaveral; a two-night stay for two at the Hilton on Cocoa Beach; and two aerial tours from Servant Air Ministries. All prizes have been generously donated.

Participants do not have to be present to win. Ducks can be adopted at the following duck locations: Community Credit Union, Florida Bank of Commerce, Fidelity Bank of Florida, Launch Federal Credit Union, Florida Business Bank, Sunrise Bank, Florida Community Bank and at select Shell, BP and Sunoco stations throughout the county. Also, when ordering pizza from Papa John’s in Titusville, Cocoa, or Merritt Island, an adoption paper will be attached to the pizza box.

Ducks can also be adopted online up until race day at www.greatbrevardduckrace.com, or by mailing the adoption paper to Crosswinds Youth Services, Inc., 1407 Dixon Boulevard, Cocoa, FL 32922, or you can adopt ducks at the Duck booth on Sunday before the race begins.BallBounce

The duck race is supported and underwritten by numerous sponsors. The Top Duck sponsors include WFTV 9 Family Connection, Publix Super Markets Charities, Lite Rock 99.3, Walmart, Victory Casino, Elusen Inc., Massey Services, Ivey’s Construction, Jack and Yvette Parker, All Aboard Florida, Atlantic Network Services, Cantwell & Goldman P.A., Cocoa Beach Optimist Club, Community Credit Union, Copytronics Information Systems, Dr. Bob & Bunny Lehton – Family Pediatric Clinic, Southeast Petro Distributors, Fidelity Bank, Florida Bank of Commerce, Florida Power & Light, Health First Health Plans and Insurance, Paradise Ford, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Southeast Aerospace, Space Coast Honda, and Wiginton Fire Systems. For more information about the Great Brevard Duck Race, visit and Like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BrevardDuckRace.

For over 41 years, Crosswinds has been a safety net for young people and families in Brevard County, Florida, who have nowhere else to turn. For more information about Crosswinds Youth Services, call (321) 452-0800 or visit www.crosswindsyouthservices.org.