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For more information, contact Barb Steadman - 843.857.4199

HARTSVILLE, S.C. – March 1, 2013 – Kalmia Gardens of Coker College will host its annual Duck Cup fundraiser at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23.

For a $5 donation, participants receive a ticket that corresponds to a numbered rubber duck that will “compete” in a race down Black Creek.  The ticket holders of the first 10 ducks to cross the finish line will receive prizes ranging from assorted gift cards to the grand prize, a 27-inch flat-screen television.

“The Duck Cup is a wonderful event that involves students of Coker’s Enactus team working closely with the staff of Kalmia Gardens,” said Kaitlynn Jessup, a junior at Coker College. “My favorite parts are watching the kids’ excited faces when the ducks are released and then, again, when the ducks cross the finish line.

“With or without the prizes, the Duck Cup is an enjoyable experience for children of all ages,” added Jessup.  “It’s simply a terrific event for the community, and we’re happy to see that it has been growing bigger every year.”

Refreshments will be provided by the Midnight Rooster and La Vie Bakery. There is no limit to the number of ducks each person may purchase, and attendance at the race is not required to win.  All proceeds from the Duck Cup are used to benefit Kalmia Gardens.

Established in 1935 and open to the public, Kalmia Gardens includes an historic house and a 35-acre private botanical garden. The Thomas E. Hart House, built in 1820 with timber cut from the property, and surrounding gardens are on the National Register of Historic Places. The site boasts a wide array of rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas, wisteria, tea-olives, dogwood and the gardens’ namesake — Kalmia latifolia, the Mountain Laurel. It also features a daylily display garden that has been recognized by the American Hemerocallis Society. Kalmia Gardens is part of the scenic South Carolina Cotton Trail and is the gateway to the 796-acre Segars-McKinnon Heritage Preserve.

For more information about the duck race, contact Mary Ridgeway at 843-383-8143 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  For more information about Kalmia Gardens, visit www.kalmiagardens.org.