The United Way of Prince Edward County gave out $15,000 Wednesday, June 20, bringing to $50,000 its yearly allocation to its 20 partners.

The $50,000 allocation for the fiscal year was the most in the 10 years of the group’s records that United Way President Rucker Snead reviewed. The previous high was $47,000 in the 2015-2016 fiscal year, Snead said.

“We’ve had a great year,” Snead told the United Way’s partners during a luncheon meeting in the Centra Southside Community Hospital’s first floor conference room.

The United Way gave out $35,000 during its first distribution of funds in January. The luncheon and allocations were the highlight of a good year for the United Way.

Months ago, the group announced another achievement: meeting its fundraising goal of $55,000. Snead commended the United Way’s all-volunteer board for being ambitious and setting a goal of $55,000 – especially since the year before the group raised $48,000 and fell just short of its $50,000 goal.

This year their fundraising efforts got a boost in large part because of the success of the United Way’s inaugural Great Derby Duck Race. The event raised $9,000, Snead said.

“It really helps when you try something new and it works,” Snead said. Not that it was smooth sailing, for the ducks or the board. “It’s more than just dumping 5,000 ducks in the Appomattox River,” Snead said.

First, the United Way incurred the expense of buying 5,000 ducks, and had to have them numbered. “We made an investment,” Snead said. “They are in the duck farm training for next year.”

The United Way and its partners ended up selling (actually renting) approximately 1,800 ducks. The ducks were released behind One Mill Street and a viewing party was held at The Virginia Wine Tasting Cellar.

“What are we going to raise next year,” Snead asked the luncheon gathering rhetorically. “That’s a good question. My guess is there’s going to be pressure to take (the goal) even higher.”