If you’ve ever thought about purchasing a decorated wooden duck for yourself or a loved one, you’ll have a chance this weekend.

Keep Athens-Limestone Beautiful will host a silent auction in an effort to let fly all 31 ducks painted by businesses and organizations as part of a fundraiser. Ducks were on display at participating organizations, and members of the community could vote for their favorite for the price of $1 per vote.

Lynne Hart, executive coordinator of KALB, said she was shocked by response to the contest, especially considering it was the first.

“I was hoping we’d get 10 or 15 entries, but I was blown away to get 31,” she said. “We’ve already made over $1,000 on the voting and haven’t even had the silent auction yet.”

To help sweeten the silent auction draw, participating organizations included incentives with some of the ducks, including gift cards, coupons and subscriptions. The Girl Scouts included a case of cookies as an incentive with their duck, but the person who wins the auction will have to wait until the cookies come in to collect.

The ducks will be on display at the KALB tent at the Tennessee Valley Old Time Fiddlers Convention on the campus of Athens State University. KALB’s tent is on the Beaty Street side of the convention, next to the information booth.

On a side note, Hart said KALB is responsible for litter control and recycling at this year’s convention. Recycling barrels will be available and litter bags will be handed out at the gates.

“KALB is most grateful to all of our sponsors and volunteers for everything we have going on this weekend,” she said.

Judge’s choice

Hart said the winner of the Judge’s Choice Award was the Athens-Limestone Public Library. The book-themed duck is wrapped in pages and features hand-painted book covers of works by Alabama authors.

“It was a unanimous choice,” Hart said.

Wacky Quacky Ducky Derby

Also slated for this weekend is the Wacky Quacky Ducky Derby, another KALB fundraiser.

“We’re in a feathered frenzy,” Hart said with a laugh.

The group adopts out rubber ducks, which then compete in heats before a championship race. Prizes are determined based on the order the ducks come through a trap.

Ducks are $5 each. A $25 Dunkin’ Donuts Quack Pack contains six ducks and a guarantee to have a minimum of one duck in up to six heats. Ducks can be adopted until 2 p.m. Saturday. They can be adopted online at kalbcares.com until 11 a.m. or at the KALB Fiddlers Convention tent until 1 p.m. if there are enough ducks available.

Heats begin at 4 p.m. Saturday at Big Spring Memorial Park in Athens. There will be six heats prior to the championship race. The first duck into the trap in the championship race will win $1,000, courtesy of American Leakless Co.

Other prizes are as follows:

• Four one-day Disney Park Hopper passes ($648 value);

• Canebrake golf package and cart rental ($340 value);

• Osborne’s Jewelers $250 gift card;

• Marriott Shoals hotel and spa one-night stay;

• $100 gift card from Hobb’s Jewelers;

• $100 gift card from Publix;

• $100 cash from Distinctive Landscaping Inc.;

• $100 cash from Morell Engineering Inc.;

• $100 cash from Limestone Drug;

• $100 cash from Brody Jackson, State Farm Agent;

• Three-month membership to the Athens Wellness Center;

• Lamp and $50 gift card from Inline Lighting;

• Gift package worth more than $100 from SK Salon;

• $50 gift certificate for beef purchase from Limestone County Farmers Federation;

• Four passes to U.S. Space & Rocket Center;

• Theatre Huntsville flex tickets for four;

• Theatre Huntsville flex tickets for two;

• Theatre Huntsville flex tickets for two;

• Birmingham Zoo family pack for four;

• MaggieMoo’s Ice Cream monthly for one year;

• One of two $50 gift certificates from Eastside Pharmacy;

• $25 gift certificate for pork from Limestone County Farmers Federation;

• “Not So Perfect Tins” photo frame from Pimentos; and

• Decorative candle and herbal melts from Trinity’s.