Thousands of the popular yellow duckies will migrate to Brevard County in time to participate in the 19th Annual Great Brevard Duck Race and in recognition of this year’s race, a lucky duck adopter could be the winner of $10,000. The race will be held on Sunday, April 2nd at 1 pm at Sand Point Park in Titusville. Duck adoptions offi cially start on Wednesday, March 1st, and for the following four 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. Its not just a race, adopting ducks changes lives. Last year, Crosswinds touched the lives of 3,981 youth and their families including: 1,165 through residential and community based services, 1,526 through Street Outreach. 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. A $5 donation will get you a duck in the race and a chance at winning one of the 10 amazing prizes.

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! A new prize courtesy of Indian River Furniture is an Ekornes Consul Leather Chair and $500 gift card. Additional prizes include Big Green Egg Grill, nest and accessories courtesy of Wassi’s Learning Center; a one-year family membership at any YMCA in Brevard, beautiful flowers for a year from Bloomers Floral Design; passes to two Orlando theme parks: Universal Studios & Universal’s Islands of Adventure and tickets to the Blue Man Group; 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; an aerial tour 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, Fidelity Bank of Florida, Launch Federal Credit Union, Florida Business Bank, Florida Community Bank, Sunrise Bank, Sunshine Bank (formerly Florida Bank of Commerce), 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.

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, Atlantic Network Services, Bloomers Floral Design, 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 Power & Light, Health First Health Plans and Insurance, Indian River Furniture, Paradise Ford, RJL Auto Sales, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Southeast Aerospace, Space Coast Honda, and Wiginton Fire Systems. A complete set of rules, regulations and prize details can be obtained by visiting www.greatbrevardduckrace.com, visit and Like their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BrevardDuckRace.

For nearly 43 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