caption, page 1:
'Duck Master'
Abby Poirier of Hale YMCA Youth and Family Center corralled all the Pluck-a-Duck "contestants." The fund-raiser brought in more than $24,000. More photos on page 4 and expanded photo gallery Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.

caption, page 2:

Above: Krupa Shah, owner of Putnam Spirits, left, gives a $200 donation to Beth Markowski-Roop for the Pluck-a-Duck fund-raiser. Top right: Jenn Lowell gets ready for another dunking in the Pluck-a-Duck Dunk Tank held Aug. 20. More photos on page 8. Expanded photos Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photos.

caption, page 8:

Last Two 'Ducks'
Mayor Barney Seney, left, and Thomas Borner, president of the Putnam Business Association, went into the Hale YMCA pool to fetch the last two ducks in the annual Pluck-a-Duck fund-raiser. Expanded photos Wed. night on our FB page: Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger. Linda Lemmon photo.



'It’s so heartwarming
how the community
embraces this event'
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
Records were broken yet again during this year’s Pluck-a-Duck fund-raiser, according to Putnam Business Association Pluck-a-Duck chair Beth Markowski-Roop.
The number of ducks sold for this, the fifth year of the fund-raiser, was 6,758, she said, smashing the record by a stunning 1,300.
She said the 17 non-profits earned themselves $11,610. Non-profits sell duck tickets and get to keep half the amount they raised.
Donations are still coming in and Roop believes the grand total to the Putnam Business Association will be around $24,000.
New this year and likely to return every year was a Dunk Tank at the “duck’s” Kid Zone during the Main Street Car Cruise the day before the ducks went for a swim in a secret location. “It was so heartwarming,” she said. “No one said ‘no’.” The Dunk Tank raised more than $1,500.
The top 10 winners included: 7500 Watt Generac Generator with Electric Start. James Mansolillo; $500 VISA Gift Card. Sharon Barnes; 25 Tons Sand Stone Gravel with delivery. Ruth Richardson; 6-Month Family Membership Hale YMCA Youth & Family Center. Joe Blanchard; Newport RI Getaway, Justin Ryan; Yeti Cooler with $50 Gift Card, Richard Tremblay; Foursome round of golf with carts at Connecticut National Golf Club, Judy LaRoche; $250 Gift Card The Inn at Woodstock Hill, Terry King; Foxwoods Getaway, Jill Exley; Round-trip airport transportation to Bradley, Logan or T.F. Green for 4 passenger in Chevy Suburban, Michael Maturi.
Roop said the committee works for six months on the fund-raiser with the busiest months being March, April and May.
“We would not be able to coordinate such a detailed two-day event if it wasn’t for the tireless efforts of our small, but mighty volunteer Pluck A Duck Committee, that includes: Lynn Converse, RE/MAX Bell Park Realty; Jennifer Lehto, PBA Coordinator; Ashley Grant, Gerardi Insurance; Jo-Ann Chenail, TEEG; Rosemary Carminati, Healthy Connections; and Tayler Shea, NOW.
She also thanked Event Sponsors including: Jewett City Savings Bank – Media Sponsor; Byrnes Agency – Top Cash Prize Sponsor; Event Sponsor – Hale YMCA Child and Family Center; # Of Ducks Sponsor – Westminster Tool; Arts & Crafts Tent Sponsor – Tom & Kathy Borner; Duck Mobile Sponsor – Centreville Bank; Wall Of Wishes Sponsor – Day Kimball Healthcare
Celebrity Dunk Tank Sponsor – WIN Waste Innovations. The top three celebrities that raised the most funds will have a $100 donation made in their name to the charity of their choice; Jennifer Brytowski, Chase Graphics; Andrew Morrison, Real Custom Training; and Carly DeLuca, Town of Putnam Economic Development Office).
Other sponsors: Mid-Stream Mallards Sponsors – Berkshire Bank, Gerardi Insurance & Linemaster; Kids Zone Sponsor – Colonial Health & Rehab of Plainfield and The Learning Clinic ;Bounce House Sponsor – Castinetti Realty Group; Photo Booth Sponsor – Creamery Brook Village; Lame Duck Prize Sponsors – Hope Lodge Venue and New York Pizza Company; Final Prize Sponsor – Putnam Rotary Club; Go Shopping! Sponsor – Christopher Heights Assisted Living Community of Webster; Refreshments Sponsors – Soleil Bakery & Foster Corporation.
The 2023 Pluck A Duck Corporate Duck Winner was Luxe & Nature Apothecary/Taraesthetics.
“We also appreciate the efforts of Putnam Spirits who created a unique way to support the PBA Pluck A Duck Raffle Event. For the month of July, owner Krupa Shah donated 10% of sales for a Terranoble Sauvignon Blanc to the PBA Pluck A Duck Raffle Event, yielding a $200 donation,” Roop said.
“It’s so heartwarming how the community embraces this event,” she added.

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