The 3rd Annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby on Friday, August 8, 2008, was a huge success due to the outstanding support of all the sponsors, duck adopters and volunteers! Proceeds from the event will directly benefit the more than 21,000 athletes served by Special Olympics Illinois.

Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush sponsored 400 of the 20,000 rubber ducks that splashed down from the Columbus Drive Bridge into the Chicago River. The odds proved overwhelming, however, as one of the MOR ducks was not the first to cross the finish line near Michigan Avenue.

Today, there are Special Olympics programs in more than 150 countries. Illinois grew from one area program in 1968 to the 17 area programs of today, offering year-round training and competition in 19 sports for more than 20,000 Illinois Special Olympics athletes. The Special Olympics mission is to provide year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympic athletes and community.

View photos from the Windy City Ducky Derby

For more information, visit the Illinois Special Olympics website at www.soill.org.