More than $88,000 was handed out to 34 youth groups at the Rotary Duck Race Appreciation Dinner held at The ACT on Wednesday night.

Emcee and Rotarian Fred Armstrong kept the room of about a 100 laughing with a few funny stories, including the one when at the planning stages of the inaugural duck race someone asked how the Rotary would be able to feed 10,000 ducks.

Thirteen-year-old Austin Garcia, a Grade 9 student at Maple Ridge Secondary, was given special recognition for donning the duck suit several times, including during a parade.

“It was one of the funnest things I’ve ever done. I will definitely do it again,” said the eager volunteer.

He was signed up by his mom the first year, and couldn’t wait to do it again for the second year, said mom Brenda Garcia.

“He has caught the charity bug,” she said.

Alana Wadhwani of Golden Ears Athletics, who won the second-place prize at the duck race, donated the cruise back to the cause and it was auctioned off during the event for $1,800.

The amounts awarded to each group were based on duck race ticket sales and ranged from $160 to $10,500.

Here’s the list of tickets sold, and the money each group received:

1st Albion Beavers, 281 tickets, $3,000;

1st Haney Scouts, 560, $7,000;

1st Laityview Scouts, 730, $8,000;

1st Pitt Meadows Scouts, 91, $1,000;

1st Whonnock, 234, $2,700;

1st Yennadon Scouts, 132, $1,500;

BC Girls Choir, 163, $1,900;

Big Brothers, 20, $300;

Davie Jones PAC, 66, $700;

Edith McDermott PAC, 220, $2,560;

Eric Langton PAC, 303, $3,200;

Golden Ears Athletics, 790, $8,800;

Haney Neptunes, 291, $3,470;

Laityview PAC, 83, $900;

Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows KidSport, 261, $5,000;

Maple Ridge Elementary PAC, 14, $160;

Maple Ridge Skating Club, 70, $900;

Meadowridge Knights, 390, $4,600;

Pitt Meadows Paddling Club, 63, $650;

Pitt Meadows Youth Basketball, 400, $4,400;

Ridge Canoe & Kayak, 164, $1,700;

Ridge Meadows Minor Ball Hockey, 118, $1,300;

Ridge Meadows Minor Baseball, 394, $2,500;

Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey, 146, $1,500;

Ridge Meadows Minor Softball, 1000, $10,500;

Ridge Meadows Speedskating, 250, $2,750;

Ridge Meadows Youth &Justice Advocacy, 200, $2,800;

Webster’s Corner PAC, 30, $350

Maple Ridge Fire Youth Academy, $1,000;

Pitt Meadows Fire Youth Academy, $1,000;

RCMP Youth Academy, $1,000;

Alouette River Management Society, $1,000.