NASHUA – Rotary Club of Nashua West’s annual Duck Derby was a big success Saturday, especially with some cooperation from Mother Nature.

Sunny skies and cool temperatures greeted derby-goers, who partook in fun on Main Street and at Le Parc De Notre Renaissance Francaise until the 2 p.m. main event.

With swift winds, the race was a short one, lasting just five minutes until the winning duck made it to the finish line.

In total, just over 8,500 ducks floated down the Nashua River as onlookers lined the Main Street Bridge and the riverbanks.

The club was able to raise just over $37,000, which will benefit the following local agencies:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of NH

• Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua

• Bridges: Domestic & Sexual Violence

• The Child Advocacy Center of Hillsborough County

• Corpus Christi Food Pantry and Assistance

• Easterseals NH

• Front Door Agency, Inc.

• Gate City Community Coalition

• Gateways Community Services

• Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains

• The Greater Nashua Dental Connection

• Harbor Homes, Inc.

• Home Health & Hospice Care

• Humane Society for Greater Nashua

• Lamprey Health Care, Inc.

The winning duck approaches the finish line at the Rotary Club of Nashua West's annual Duck Derby on Saturday. (Photo by MATT BURDETTE)

• Marguerite’s Place, Inc.

• Nashua Chamber Orchestra

• Nashua Children’s Home

• Nashua Prevention Coalition

• Nashua River Watershed

• Nashua Association for the Elderly, Inc.

• Nashua Special Olympics

• The PLUS Company Inc.

• Rivier Institute for Senior Education – RISE

• St. Joseph Community Services Inc.

• The Salvation Army

• Sinfonietta Strings Program/

• United Way of Greater Nashua

• Southern NH HIV/AIDS Task Force

• The Stork Project

• Symphony NH

• UpReach Therapeutic Equestrian Center, Inc.

• YMCA of Greater Nashua

• Youth Council