Pluck nets 34 winners

Duck Derby breaks foundation records

Dan Wilder Jr. pulls the winning duck from a Wilder truck at the 34th annual Great Olympic Duck Derby on Sunday. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)

Dan Wilder Jr. pulls the winning duck from a Wilder truck at the 34th annual Great Olympic Duck Derby on Sunday. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)

PORT ANGELES — Kay Hermann of Port Angeles won the top prize, a 2023 Toyota Corolla from Wilder Auto in Port Angeles, at the 34th annual Duck Derby on Sunday.

Sunday’s event broke the record for revenue for the Olympic Medical Center Foundation.

Once a race on a waterway, the derby has evolved into the selection of yellow ducks from Toyota pickup trucks parked at Pebble Beach in Port Angeles.

This duck pluck made the most money ever for the OMC Foundation — $117,050 after expenses. The old record was $115,000 in 2021.

Sales groups in Port Angeles and Sequim sold 27,002 ducks this year, according to Bruce Skinner, executive director of the OMC Foundation, which has given $10.8 million to, or on behalf of, OMC in the past 10 years.

Thirty-four prizes were won on Sunday. Dan Wilder Jr. plucked the winning duck. Wilder Toyota has donated a vehicle every year of the race.

In addition to the top prize-winner were:

• Ken and Heidi Simpson, Port Angeles, $1,000 in cash from 7 Cedars Casino.

• Jack and Terri Harmon, Port Angeles, box seats for a Port Angeles Lefties home game from Matt Acker.

• Jim and Jen Halberg, Port Angeles, $250 Sunglasses Gift Certificate from Bec’s Specs.

• Patsy Hunt, Port Angeles, Four Cases Bedford’s Local Sodas — Value $300 from Ed Bedford.

• Rob Onnell, $250 in Cash from Port Angeles Fraternal Order of Eagles #483

• Bob and Sherry Phillips, Port Angeles, $150 Gift Certificate from Bec’s Specs.

• Patty Sayer, Port Angeles, $100 in cash from 7 Cedars Casino.

• Nancy Bluestan-Johnson, Port Angeles. $100 gift card from Safeway.

• Michael and Genny Ellen, $100 gift card from Rebel Heart Coffee.

• Harrison Fulton, Port Angeles, $100 gift card from Bella Italia Restaurant.

• Bradley Edwards, Port Angeles, $100 gift certificate from Fiesta Jalisco.

• Dee Gardner, Port Angeles, $100 gift card from Starbucks.

• Eran Kennedy, Sequim, $100 worth of gasoline from First Street Chevron.

• Port Angeles Hardwood, $100 gift card from Amazon.

• Margaret Katz, Port Angeles, $100 gift certificate from Over the Fence in Sequim.

• Erika Ralston Word, Port Angeles, $100 gift card from Amazon.

• Dirk and Kelly Gouge, Port Angeles, $100 gift card from Safeway.

• Mike Maxwell, Port Angeles, 2023 Clallam County Fair package valued at $75 from Clallam County Fair.

• Rob Tulloch, Port Angeles, dinner for two at 48 Degrees North valued at $75 from Red Lion Hotel.

• Kathy Beztz, Sequim, $50 gift certificate from Woodfire Grill.

• Shirley Clark, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Blackberry Cafe.

• Bill Hoagland, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Swain’s General Store.

• Issac Lahrane, Sequim, $50 gift card from Toga’s Soup House.

• Laurie Szczepczynski, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Swain’s.

• Judy Playter, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Next Door Gastropub.

• Ashely Bystrom, Clinton, $50 gift certificate from Westside Pizza.

• Ben Davis, Port Angeles, dinner for two at 48 Degrees North valued at $50 from Red Lion Hotel.

• Salina Treider, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Next Door Gastropub.

• Lorraine Wall, Sequim, $50 gift certificate from Applebee’s.

• Jim Rogers, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Applebee’s.

• Monte English, Port Angeles, $50 gift certificate from Silver Lining Cafe.

• Jasmeen Sandhu, Port Angeles, $50 gift card from Home Depot.

• Michael Morgan, Port Angeles, 34th Anniversary Prize — $340 in cash from 7 Cedars Casino.

The gathering began at 11:30 a.m. Sunday, when the Edie Beck Kids Pavilion opened to provide children with arts and crafts activities, face painting and the antics of the Happy Tymers Clown Group.

Just prior to the main event was the Bub and Alice Olsen Very Important Duck (VID) Pluck — an opportunity for businesses and individuals, including those from off the Olympic Peninsula who do business with local companies, to purchase special V.I.D. ducks emblazoned with their logo, for $350 each.

All plucks were operated under the rules of the Washington State Gambling Commission. The duck pluck was presented by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe.

Each duck ticket cost $7. For $35, adopters received an extra duck (six chances to win).

The top selling individual duck salesperson was Esther Littlejohn of Sequim for the third straight year with 1,530 ducks sold.

The top selling Port Angeles salesperson was Sandy Sinnes with 1,309 ducks, 8,662 all-time. Between her and her late father Bub Olsen, they have sold 24,536 ducks, Skinner said.

The top selling partnership was Larry and Sylvia Strohm, who sold 2,479 ducks. They now have sold 21,379 ducks all-time.

Most VID Ducks were sold by Esther Littlejohn with 25.5, followed by Jim Leskinovitch with 20, Larry and Sylvia Strohm 13.5, Gail Ralston with 13, Gay Lynn Iseri with 12.5, Karen Rogers 10, Pam and Chuck Lockhart with 10, and Jean Hordyk and Lindsay Fox with 9.

Top team was Quackerbackers captained by Gail Ralston. It sold 5,695 ducks.

No. 2 selling team was the Wilder Ducks led by Larry and Sylvia Strohm, Dick Kent and Delores Bamer and Bill Schlichting with 3,220.

No. 3 was the Olympic Medical Center Mandarin Duck Team with 2,937 led by Gay Lynn Iseri, Jim Leskinovitch and Jean Hordyk.

The team of Dick Kent and Delores Bamer, Gail Ralston and Scooter Chapman are the only persons who have sold for all 34 events.

For more information, call the Olympic Medical Center Foundation at 360-417-7144.

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