Some 150 children and parents participated in the first annual Lucky Ducky Derby, near Klein’s Bridge in the Little Lehigh Parkway, in a fundraising benefit held recently for the Children’s Integrated Center for Success, which is headquartered at 1247 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., in Salisbury Township.

CICS was established in 2014 by Amy Edgar, nurse practitioner, of Coopersburg, as a new and innovative service for children and young adults with autism spectrum, ADHD, anxiety and mood disorders. As a mother of a daughter with autism, Edgar has dedicated her life to bringing technology and science care options to families seeking help for their children.

More than 3,000 families receive care at CICS. The CICS Foundation was created earlier this year to seek funding to help support the work of CICS.

About 250 numbered rubber ducks, both donated and purchased by supporters, were dispersed from Klein’s Bridge into the Little Lehigh by volunteers from the Western Salisbury Volunteer Fire Company. Firefighters monitoring the finish line scooped up the race winning duck, with an IronPigs game pass for a family of four being the first prize. The volunteers also scooped up all the other ducks to comply with Allentown park system regulations.

Proceeds from the event will benefit the center’s community education and research activities and provide scholarships for children without medical coverage.

Children enjoyed face painting, animal balloons, a meal from Smokehouse BBQ and ice cream treats from the So Cool Bus Ice Cream.

GenoMind, Albarell Electric, Plantique, Embassy Bank and Univest Bank sponsored the event and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs baseball organization provided prizes for the duck race.