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There’s probably a much easier way to raise money for a good cause, but somehow chasing 960 toy ducks down the Nenana River seemed like the perfect event to add to the Nenana River Wildwater Festival last weekend.

The Great Denali Duck Race — conceived and put together in about two weeks — and the huge community barbecue hosted by the Denali Park Salmon Bake at the Healy RV Chevron raised more than $8,000 for local youth programs.

Winners of the first five ducks across the finish line promptly donated $800 worth of the $2,000 in prize money to youth programs.

In true Alaska style, the weather did not deter festival goers, who cheered river racers during the day and later enjoyed live music by Jeff Kanzler at the barbecue.

A rousing game of water polo pitted local and Fairbanks kayakers against Anchorage boaters on the calm waters of Otto Lake on Friday night. The lesson learned here was that those Anchorage boaters are serious about their water polo.

The Anchorage team won both games: 10-5 and 10-6.

A festival this diverse requires lots of help, and it came primarily from the Denali Park Salmon Bake, Denali Outdoor Center, Kids In Motion, the Denali Water Safety Team, Fairbanks Paddlers, Life More Natural and Healy Hockey.

Healy Hockey volunteers sold the bulk of the ducks, at $10 each, in just two weeks and helped number them as well. Denali Education Center provided tents and picnic supplies. Local students washed cars and raised $381. Many other folks, too numerous to mention here, pitched in.

And only Barb Walters of Healy could create the incredible one-of-a-kind “duck” hat presented to Jason Motyka at the barbecue to commemorate his leadership in getting the duck race and barbecue going. He has strict instructions to share it with his business partners Dave Coleman and David McCarthy.

Organizers are already looking toward next year.

The Great Denali Duck Race is just the start. In 2010, this event will become the Denali Outdoor Festival and will include a marathon and a bike race, in addition to the wildwater events.

“We’ll raise even more money for charities,” Motyka said.

School starts next week

School starts at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 26 and goes until 3 p.m., which is a new ending time this year. The first Thursday of every month will be an early dismissal day at 1:30 p.m.

Tri-Valley School is hosting a back-to-school night from 6-7:30 p.m. Sept. 2.

Anderson School will celebrate the beginning of the new school year with a back-to-school community potluck at the pavilion at Riverside Park. Railbelt Mental Health will host this event at 4:30 p.m. Aug. 27.

Bring chips or side dishes to go with the hot dogs and hamburgers they will provide.

Preschool begins

Preschool also begins Aug. 26 at the Denali Preschool and Learning Center.

The morning class is full, and the afternoon class is starting to fill.

The new preschool teacher for the morning session is Katie Stainbrook. The afternoon preschool teacher will be Amy Reisland-Speer.

Neither of those ladies can begin teaching until mid-September, so Kaymbra Mortenson will be filling in until then.

New GCI tower

The equipment working on the microwave road in the McKinley Village area is installing a 180-foot-high free-standing tower for GCI, as well as a small building for electronics.

Brush disposal

Residents in the McKinley Village area, who need to dispose of brush, are reminded that the McKinley Village Volunteer Fire Department will be doing a controlled burn in the gravel pit across from the community center, once snow falls.

If you add to the pile, please add to the top, not the sides. The pile is getting a little too wide.

The Fire Department asks that you take advantage of this opportunity, instead of dumping brush on private property elsewhere.

Congratulations, Cody

Cody Hamma of Healy received a second-place award in the Lego contest at the Tanana Valley State Fair. Ask him about the four vehicles he built.

Kris Capps is a freelance writer. Her column appears weekly in the News-Miner. Contact her at kcapps@mtaonline.com.