Arnold Rotary Club members have two fundraisers in the works – its first-ever four-on-four sand volleyball tournament and its annual duck race.
The sand volleyball tournament is slated for 8 a.m. Saturday at Ferd B. Lang Park, 1820 Old Lemay Ferry Road, in Arnold.
The duck race is set for noon Sunday in Rock Creek at the Mastodon State Historic Site, 1050 Charles J. Becker Drive, in Imperial.
It costs $250 for a team of six to enter the sand volleyball tournament. The winning team will go home with a $500 cash prize.
People may pay $5 to enter a duck in the race. The first-place prize for the duck race is $1,000.
The money raised from the two events will be used to fund Rotary events and charitable efforts throughout the year. Also, a portion of the funds raised from the volleyball tournament will be donated to the Confluence Preparatory Academy girls volleyball team of St. Louis to help cover the cost of a trip to play in a tournament in Orlando, Fla., said Erika Pavelko, the Rotary Club’s secretary.
Pavelko, who is organizing the volleyball tournament, said she hopes it becomes an annual event.
She said she hopes to have 15 teams for the tournament.
It is a co-ed tournament, and teams will be required to have two women and two men on the court for each game. Teams will begin the competition in pool play, guaranteeing everyone at least three games. The top three teams from each pool will then participate in a single-elimination tournament.
The event is sponsored by Balk Realty of St. Louis.
Those interested in playing in the tournament may contact Pavelko at 636-215-9222 or by email epavelko0502@gmail.com.
“Ferd B. Lang has these volleyball courts, and I take my kids there often and I don’t ever see anyone out there playing volleyball,” Pavelko said. “I would like to see more happening on those sand volleyball courts. I also think it could be a great way to bring people into Arnold and show them all of our great parks.”
Pavelko said the duck race had been held in the Meramec River at an access point in Arnold City Park, but lasty year the club moved the event to Rock Creek because the river level was too low, and the members decided the new site worked better.
Those interested in purchasing a duck can enter by filling out a form on the Arnold Rotary Club’s Facebook page, or they can purchase ducks during the sand volleyball tournament.