Arthur Abelowitz and Louisa Roof dine in South Aftrica. (Courtesy photo)

Last year the Rotary Club of Ayer, Harvard, Shirley and Devens held its 20th annual Ducky Wucky River Race. More than 5,000 little rubber ducks bobbed down the Nashua River, hoping to be the first across the finish line. At stake was dinner for two—anywhere in the world. At the end of the race, the victorious red-billed winner belonged to Woodside Road's Louisa Roof.

Roof, who purchased her tickets last year on a whim while in line at the Transfer Station, was taken aback at her good fortune. Roof and her husband, Arthur Abelowitz, spent almost an entire year researching and planning where they would journey. In the end, they chose South Africa. They departed in mid-January, and after a brief stop in Amsterdam, headed for Cape Town.

January is the high season in South Africa, so the weather did not disappoint them. They spent 12 days visiting exotic locales, like a lush botanical garden and a private game reserve, where they experienced a safari. They saw Africa's "big five"—lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and buffalo. They sampled wines from native vineyards in the Stellenbosch region. They walked on the beaches of Cape Town suburb Fish Hoek. Roof says she and her husband were in awe of the beauty in the coastal town, but they decided not to venture into the water after their tour guide advised them to beware of great white sharks circling around.

Truly, the icing on the cake for the lucky couple was the nine-course meal they indulged in at Bosman's Restaurant at the Grande Roche Hotel. Roof, a vegetarian, had notified the restaurant about three months before their arrival to ensure they would be able to accommodate her dietary needs. She was delighted with the results. "My entire meal was vegetarian and it was delicious!" she says. "We ate for three solid hours. We had so many varieties of wine that I lost track. A small army of waiters served us. We were so full we didn't even make it to coffee."

Roof wasn't sure she would enter the race this year, due to "the guilt" she would feel if she won again. However, she does encourage others to buy their ducks. "Your odds of winning this race are a lot better than the lottery, and it goes to a worthy cause," she says.

And she's right. The Ducky Wucky River Race is the Ayer Rotary's largest fundraiser, according to Rotarian treasurer, John Gervais. "The race allows us to support so many great things, including our scholarship program for local high school students from Ayer, Shirley, Devens and Harvard, said Gervais."

Rotary President Jason Kauppi concurs. "I literally picked up three applications from our post office box today from scholarship applicants," he says. "The Rotary is truly a community organization, both locally and internationally. We help organizations like the Fire Department purchase new equipment. We support groups like Nashoba Valley Unlimited Sports Program with uniforms and balls. And, we are working with Rotarians in Nepal to provide much-needed clean water."

Kauppi encourages folks to come out to the 21st Ducky Wucky Race this weekend. "We will be selling tickets for the race at the 59th annual Apple Blossom Festival on May 7," he says. "The race caps off a day of live music, food, children's activities, fire truck rides, and craft vendors. This year Animal Adventures will be there, with wild animals."

The festival is free and is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Harvard Common. The Ducky Wucky River Race is at 4:30 p.m. at the Nashua River entrance on Still River Depot Road. Tickets are $5 for one duck, $10 for two, $20 for five, and $40 for a box of 13. You can also purchase them at www.AyerRotary.com.