Donna Fouts is a Kailua resident who has spent many years working for various non-profit organizations in Hawaii and on the mainland, but for a quarter of a century she worked with the United Cerebral Palsy Association of Hawaii.
"Being with the organization 25 years, I have been the Executive Director, big title but pretty much means you get to do everything."
UCPA of Hawaii has been around since 1959 and now assists close to 3-thousand people living with cerebral palsy in Hawaii…and Donna has been instrumental in fundraising. She started the infamous Great Hawaiian Rubber Duckie Race.
"We are the first in the United States to ever do a rubber ducky race and so I take great pride in that."
At $5 a donation per duck the fundraiser has taken off like a duck takes to water.
"We just tapped a million dollars."
As the Rubber Duckie Race has grown so has an unexpected collection in Donna’s office.
"The first year you know ba boom, you know people said oh thats the cutest thing, you need a duck in your office. You know pretty soon I not only had a duck I had dozens of ducks"
Ducks, ducks and more ducks as far as the eye can see.
"We’ve got necklaces, ear buds, duck whistle."
"Before you knew it it was 100, 200 and little did I realize 811 today…so wow."
The Kailua High graduate and mother of one son says people from all over the world give her ducks as a sign of support.
"Actually I am so touched that people, one, would remember cerebral palsy and even think of us."
The 62 year-old has about a thousand ducks total…more than 800 in the office and over a hundred at home as the collection continues to grow.
"Do you feel like you are a collector of ducks? Donna: You know if you asked me that I would say no, but when I look at my office I guess I would have to say yes and when I do go on trips to the mainland I must confess that when I look and I see something that’s ducky I’ll go yes I guess I do collect ducks, ok I’ll take it."
Some of her prized ducks include a crotched duck made by a friend and a quilt sewn by a board member which took 6 years to make.
"I think it really represents UCP and the beauty of one bright little yellow shining thing that can have such an impact on peoples lives."
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
