Celebrities sign ducks for silent auction - Murfreesboro Post

Actress Jennifer Lopez signed this rubber duck to be auctioned off at the Derby Bash on Friday night.

Get your pens ready for the silent auction at the annual Duck Derby Bash.

Ducks signed by American Idol finalist Colton Dixon, Lady Vols Coach Emeritus Pat Summitt and actress Jennifer Lopez just flew in Thursday morning for the Derby Bash's silent aucition thanks to volunteer Holly Hutchinson, leader of the team Holly's Quackers.

Hutchinson, a pilot for AirTrans Airline, has been taking wing and selling ducks in the air to her passengers. So far she has sold ducks to people from Afghanistan, Dubai and Switzerland.

“I love kids and I love ducks,” Hutchinson said, adding she's sold around 220 rubber racing ducks so far with a goal of selling 300 by derby day.

“There's something about rubber ducks that is just so innocent and it's fun and for a good cause,” she said.

Held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, June 8, at the home of Shane and and Ashley McFarland, the Derby Bash is the official kick-off to Rutherford County's Derby Season. The McFarlands' home is located at 2911 Longford Drive in Murfreesboro.

The Kentucky-Derby style party benefits The Child Advocacy Center of Rutherford and Cannon Counties and will be catered by Carrabba’s Italian Grill with music from Bobby Howard.

It also includes an auction of celebrity-autographed ducks and other memorabilia.

Holly's Quakers and about 10,000 other numbered ducks will race down the Stones River beginning at 4:23 p.m. June 23 at the Sportsman’s Club at 1231 Medical Center Parkway. The person who adopted the winning duck will receive $5,000 from presenting sponsor Sudsy’s Car Wash.

People who adopted the next 15 winning ducks will receive a total of about $18,000 in prizes.

All Duck Derby proceeds benefit The Child Advocacy Center, which is a nonprofit agency that serves victims of child abuse, child sexual abuse, and drug-endangered children, along with their non-offending family members.

In the last 12 years, the Child Protective Investigative Team consisting of the Child Advocacy Center, the Department of Children’s Services, law enforcement, mental health counselors, and the District Attorney’s Office have investigated and prosecuted over 7,500 child abuse cases in Rutherford and Cannon counties.

Event tickets for the Duck Derby Bash are $60 in advance and $65 at the door.

Contact Rachel Bunn at rachelbunnaflac@gmail.com for more information or to reserve tickets for the event. For more information about the Child Advocacy Center or the Duck Derby, call 615-867-9000.