FLOCKING TO THE FINISH : `LIGHT-HEARTED' FUND-RAISER COLLECTS $60,000 FOR CANCER RESEARCH, SERVICE PROGRAMS.Byline: Sherry Joe Crosby Daily News Staff Writer It was a benefit for the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society, n.pr established in 1913, this national volunteer-based health organization is committed to the elimination of cancer through prevention and treatment and to diminishing cancer suffering through advocacy, scholarship, research, but Adrienne and Kevin Rosenberg came for the rubber ducks - 12,000 of them floating down a man-made river at Six Flags For the national flags of Texas, see . Six Flags (NYSE: SIX) is the world's largest chain of amusement parks and theme parks and is headquartered in New York City. There are 20 such parks run by Six Flags. California's Hurricane Harbor. ``We love ducks,'' said Adrienne, 9, as she and her 13-year-old brother gazed admiringly at the yellow-and-orange fowl. ``It looks like a swarm of duckies.'' The Castaic siblings were among dozens of people who attended the American Cancer Society's Rubber Duck Regatta, which raised $60,000 Friday for cancer research, advocacy, education and patient service programs. Those who adopted a duck for $5 had a chance to win various prizes, including T-shirts, a season pass to Six Flags Magic Mountain Six Flags Magic Mountain is an amusement park located just west of the Valencia neighborhood of Santa Clarita, north of Los Angeles. It opened on Memorial Day weekend on May 29, 1971 as Magic Mountain, by the Newhall Land and Farming Company,[1] or a two-day trip to Six Flags over Texas. ``It's to help raise dollars to continue the services we provide,'' said Patti Devine, senior field services manager for the Santa Clarita Valley The Santa Clarita Valley is the valley of the Santa Clara River in Southern California. It stretches through Los Angeles County and Ventura County. Its main population center is the city of Santa Clarita. The valley was part of the 48,612-acre (19,672. unit. The amusement park amusement park, a commercially operated park offering various forms of entertainment, such as arcade games, carousels, roller coasters, and performers, as well as food, drink, and souvenirs. decided to host the event for the first time to benefit the society's units in Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. and the Santa Clarita Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, and San Fernando valleys. ``We think this event lends itself perfectly to the Hurricane Harbor Water Park,'' park spokesman Palmer Moody said. ``It's an excellent fund-raiser for the American Cancer Society.'' Daffy Duck Daffy Duck is an animated cartoon character in the Warner Brothers Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies series of cartoons. Daffy was the first of the new breed of "screwball" characters that emerged in the 1930s to supplant traditional everyman characters, such as kicked off the race at the River Cruise attraction, which features a 3-foot-deep water channel. Volunteers, sporting Daffy Duck hats, used poles to corral corral a small fenced-in enclosure with high, wooden fences, suitable for holding cattle or horses. corral system a management system in which range cattle are put into corrals and fed hay for a period when the environment is most the ducks before releasing them down the 1,300-foot-long course. Afterward, they scooped up the ducks in plastic bags and cartons. ``This is a fun event,'' said Bob Arb, chairman of the Rubber Duck Regatta. ``This is an event the whole family can come to, and it's light-hearted. Cancer can be a scary thing for many people.'' According to the society, 1.3 million Americans will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Of those, 554,740 or more than 1,500 people a day will die from the disease. ``Too many of our family and friends have passed away from cancer,'' said Julie Rosenberg, Adrienne and Kevin's mother. ``This is a great cause, and it's a lot of fun. It's a good way to raise money.'' Carole Thornbrough, a breast cancer survivor, hopes the regatta brings attention to the Santa Clarita Valley American Cancer Society office, which opened in January. ``We want people to know we're here,'' the Newhall resident said. ``We really need the community to get behind us and support us.'' CAPTION(S): 4 Photos Photo: (1--color) The American Cancer Society's Rubber D uck Regatta set 12,000 of them afloat at Friday's fund-raiser. (2--color) Parkgoers watch the first ducks approach the finish line at Six Flags California's Hurricane Harbor River Cruise waterway. (3--color) Santa Clarita Valley American Cancer Society unit President Gloria Mercado holds the winner of the rubber duck derby. (4) American Cancer Society volunteer Bob Arp is engulfed by the 12,000-duck field before the start of the Rubber Duck Regatta on Friday. Shaun Dyer/Special to the Daily News |
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