This spring the Parkland High School Leo Club organized a duck race as a fundraiser for a school employee who has major expenses due to a medical condition.

Lion Jim Osmun, who has assisted with the Leos for 17 years, reported on the successful event.

"The Leo Club did something phenomenal," Osmun said. "The kids presented $10,000 to the employee and his family."

Leo Adviser Jack Mondschein conceived the idea of a duck race last year.

Plastic ducks were sold for $10 each, and four prizes, $1,000, $200, $100 and $50, were given to winners.

After the 2013 duck race, the Leos had $3,800 to present to the Lymphoma and Leukemia Society.

The Leos staged the duck race in the Jordan Creek at Covered Bridge Park, South Whitehall.

The ducks were placed in the creek at the walking bridge and were taken out at the iron bridge.

This year, the creek was moving fast due to a recent heavy rain, and the ducks swam along at a rapid pace.

Osmun reports the recipient's church and family helped publicize the fundraiser and purchased ducks contributing to the sizeable outcome.

What really helped things along was all prize winners donated their money back to the Leo Club to give to the family.

"This was a huge success," Osmun said. "They raised more money to give away than a lot of our smaller Lions Clubs do.

"It's been such a wonderful relationship, Lions and Leos,"

Margaret Buell is the new Leo Club adviser for 2014-15, replacing Mondschein, who retired from his Parkland teaching career, which included 11 years with the Leos.