Pokémon
By BECKY KISER
Hays Post
Everywhere you looked during the first-ever Hays Duck Derby last week, there were smiling faces.
The new fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ellis County brought an estimated 1,000 adults and youngsters to the Hays Aquatic Park Aug. 10 to enjoy the fun and sun.
Even Darla Braun, Bank of Hays Senior VP, had a smile on her face although she was about to face a daunting challenge.
According to Braun, “we struggled to come up with a theme and we wanted it to be somewhat bank-related. I’ve got two teen-aged boys that love Pokemon.” So Braun dug out one of her boys’old Halloween costumes and then “we named our boat the ‘S.S. Pokémoney’,” she said with a completely straight face. Kelly Fross, Bank of Hays customer service representative and Shelby Crabill, bank teller, struggled to look fierce as they sat beside Braun in front of their boat prior to the Soggy Bottom Challenge.
Braun credited her husband Jeff for the boat design–“he has one similar to it at home, and he said this is the way to go.” The three women, their significant others, along with Bank of Hays CEO Randy Walker and his son built the S.S. Pokémoney in the Braun’s garage using cardboard and duct tape as required by the race rules.
There was no water testing of the hand-built craft ahead of time–“we were afraid it might sink,” Braun admitted with a laugh. It would also be the first time Braun had paddled a water craft.
“We think Big Brothers Big Sisters is just a great organization and that we would do anything to help them out,” said Fross, “so this is just one more way that we could have fun while trying to help them out.”
Proceeds from the 15 Soggy Bottom Challenge participants, buyers of the more 5,000 ducks in the Duck Derby and the Duck Dash for Kids, along with a hot dog feed, went to BBBS–a little more than $45,000.
“I just can’t believe it,” BBBS Executive Director Jenny Bates exclaimed. “”It was so great to see it all come together. It was amazing!”
Despite Braun’s strategy “to win,” the the S.S. Pokémoney did not win any of the three boat races in the HAP lap pool.
“Well, it didn’t go like planned,” she said, after clambering out of the boat with a hand up from Bank of Hays Loan Officer Josh Dreher.
“That’s harder than it looks,” Braun said as she panted to catch her breath. “And, you were going against the wind,” Dreher pointed out.
Although she struggled using the oars, Braun made it to the other end of the pool without taking on any water, “other than what maybe what I threw in with the oars,” she laughed.
“It’s all good, for a good cause.”
The new fundraiser for BBBS will replace the annual Christmas 4 Kids telethon held in early December.
