one by one®: Fuquay-Varina Ducks
The origins of Fuquay-Varina Ducks—aka Fuquay-Varina Duck Duck Jeep—trace back to 2020, when an act of kindness by a Canadian woman named Allison Parliament kickstarted a trend that’s now gone worldwide. Parliament, a Jeep owner, left a small toy duck on a stranger’s Jeep as a friendly gesture. The act became a viral trend, and four years later the evidence of what’s known as “Duck Duck Jeep” can be seen displayed on vehicle dashboards worldwide.
Jamie Morris of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, was inspired by this story and began leaving ducks on vehicles too. Brightening a stranger’s day with this fun activity eventually resulted in the creation of a Facebook® group, which then led to fundraising events for local charities. This group of Jeep enthusiasts now calls themselves the Fuquay-Varina Ducks, a nonprofit established for the purposes of organizing community fundraising events.
Momentum keeps rolling
The Facebook group now has about 1,500 members, and as many as 400 Jeep owners assembled for its largest fundraiser in 2023. Its fundraising events usually feature an all-Jeep car show, family-friendly games and activities, food trucks and live music. Other events have included an arm-wrestling contest, cornhole tournaments, raffles, DJs, merchandise sales, a costume parade and much more.
Fuquay-Varina Ducks has raised money for several causes, including St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital®, Special Olympics North Carolina and a local family that experienced a tragedy. Since 2022, the organization has collected about $27,000 for different causes.
“We try to bring a spotlight to local nonprofits who do great things in the community,” Morris said. “We try to highlight them and raise money for them.”
Offering fundraising thank-you gifts
In May, Fuquay-Varina Ducks held its annual summer kickoff event and raised money for Special Olympics North Carolina. At the event, attendees were given emergency hammers as a fundraising thank-you gift. Purchased with a one by one grant, the items were chosen because they provide brand exposure and functionality.
“We wanted to do something Jeep related that would get attention,” Morris said. “The emergency hammers had a double benefit: They promote what we do with our logo on it, but they also are something people can keep in their vehicles, and if they’re ever in an emergency situation, it’s there to help them out.”
A note from Cheryl
It’s amazing how one single act of kindness can turn into many, many more. Fuquay-Varina Ducks found inspiration to make a difference in its community, and we were proud to play a small part in that work by providing fundraising thank-you gifts. If you’re interested in a one by one grant, visit onebyone.4imprint.com.
TRADEMARKS
FACEBOOK is a registered trademark of META PLATFORMS, INC., 1601 WILLOW ROAD, MENLO PARK, CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES 94025
JEEP is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC, 1000 Chrysler Drive, CIMS 483-02-19, AUBURN HILLS, MICHIGAN UNITED STATES 48326
ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL is a registered trademark of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 ST. JUDE PLACE, Memphis, TENNESSEE UNITED STATES 38105