Winners announced in annual Optimist Day in Paradise Duck Races

The Optimist Club of South Lake Tahoe recently held a fun and successful Day in Paradise at Tahoe Paradise Park. Part of the day's festivities were the duck races with 156 decorated business entries.

The Business Duck Best of Show went to Lukin's Water Company and they chose to donate their $100 prize money to High Sierra Softball. First runner up was Base Camp Pizza, followed by SLT Mini-Storage with both of their entries in the top four, and honorable mentions went to Soroptimists International of Tahoe Sierra and Azul Latin Kitchen.

The Business Ducks ran 12 qualifying races and the finalists were: SLT Mini Storage, Singh-McLean CPA's, Tahoe Telephone Directory, Lakeside Napa, Jeff Chamberlain, DDS, Tahoe Trails & Tails, Turner & Associates, STPUD Engineers, TSI-Gary Casteel, Liberty Utilities, Ebright Construction and Rick Wharton Construction.

Optimist business duck winners Rick and Kathy Wharton of Rick Wharton Construction donated their $1,000 first place prize to South Tahoe Middle School's Spanish Immersion Class. The money will be used for books that will reach 150 students.

Little duck races were held on the Truckee River as well, with 1st place won by Payton Whalen, 2nd place to Christine Baker and 3rd place was won by TW Construction who donated his prize back to the Optimist Club.

- South Tahoe Now Staff Report