Patriot Duckie to debut

The Patriot Duckie debuts Thursday. (Photo courtesy Mason Dining)

Not too many universities — scratch that, institutions? people in general? —  can say they have their own rubber duckie. But now George Mason University can, and with "Patriot Pride," too.

After a long wait, Mason Dining will debut its Patriot Duckie, a promotional item fully resembling the school's green and gold mascot, Thursday at an event  at Southside.

The item will be the latest addition to a brood full of Chinese New Year, mermaid and “lucky duckies," promotional items that Mason Dining has used over the past two year as "collector items" throughout campus dining locations.

"Somehow I ended up on a website that creates duckies," said Daliana Gandarillas, marketing coordinator for Mason Dining. "I called and asked if they could create a mascot duckie. They said yes. Then the process started of [the company] designing, then sculpting, then producing them."

Mason Dining gives away an approximate 2,000 duckies per semester, according to Gandarillas. Unlike some of its brethren, however, the Patriot Duckie is a limited edition. A partial shipment is providing the lot for Thursday's event —  in order for graduating seniors to snag one before they leave — with the rest of the order on its way at the end of May to be given away at events in the fall.

"The whole shipment might be the only time we get them," said Daliana Gandarillas, marketing coordinator for Mason Dining. 

Most other duckies are given away with a transaction at a particular dining location (i.e., spend X dollars here at Y time, get a Z-themed duckie), but in order to get the new mascot-themed souvenir, students must sign up and compete. Sign-ups can be done either through Facebook or at the Southside Office from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday.  

"And you can't buy it, you must earn it," reads a posting on Mason Dining's official Facebook page.

Activities include "minute-to-win-it" games, where the winner of the game receives a Patriot Duckie. Contestants also have the chance to win other prizes, including shirts and a "decorate-your-own-duckie" kit.

Thursday's event, "Duckie Day 2: The Patriot Duckie Debut," is Mason Dining's second Duckie Day. The first involved a host of games and the first showing of the duckie costume, along with a competition and shirts askings participants to "Teach me how to Duckie." 

The same shirts will also be given away as prizes at Duckie Day 2.

A story of how students began collecting the rubbers duckies — and the duck in Mason Pond that inspired their creation — is included on the Patriot Duckie's box.