Komatsu Makes a Splash at Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby

Rubber duck races are a popular pastime at Compact Equipment magazine — especially when it’s for a good cause. For the fourth year in a row, Komatsu America Corp. proudly helped launch more than 20,000 rubber ducks into the Chicago River in the annual Windy City Rubber Ducky Derby to benefit the Special Olympics.

On July 30, a Komatsu HM300-2 30-ton articulated dump truck dumped the ducks into the river from the Columbus Drive Bridge, signaling the start of the race. The names of Komatsu distributor Roland Machinery Co. and Komatsu customer Beemsterboer Slag Co. were included on the truck because of their significant support of the event this year. Each year for the Rubber Ducky Derby, ducks are “adopted” by sponsors (for a monetary donation) and the ducks are dumped into the Chicago River to “race” downriver. Prizes are awarded for the first ducks to cross the finish line with all event proceeds benefiting the Illinois Special Olympics. The first three Rubber Duck Derby events have raised more than $550,000.    

Komatsu has been part of this Special Olympics event since its inception. For several months leading up to the duck derby, employees of Komatsu held a variety of fundraisers to support the event and the company then matched those funds. The Special Olympics focuses on improving the lives of individuals eight years of age and older with intellectual disabilities through year-round training and athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports.