It’s duck season at the Pier

Rubber ducks aren’t just for bath time anymore.

This weekend, thousands of the yellow toys will be thrown into the surf at the base of the Huntington Beach Pier for the 14th Annual Duck-A-Thon, which benefits the Community Care Health Centers of Huntington Beach.

“We put it on because I think this is just something the community absolutely loves,” said Donna Cross, a founder of the clinic and a member of the organizing committee. “It’s a family weekend ? and it’s just the most fun.”

The fun begins Friday with an evening of wine tasting for the adults and continues through the weekend when the ducks will take the plunge, Cross said. Wine ? Clos du Bois and William Hill Estate ? will be poured and hors d’oeuvres will be served from 6 to 8 p.m. for $50.

The event has been a staple in Surf City, drawing in thousands of people and dollars for the health center, Cross said.

“Everyone keeps hearing more about the cost of health care skyrocketing,” said Selina C. Hudgins, a spokeswoman for the clinic. “There still is an opportunity for the working class to receive affordable care.”

Last year, the Duck-A-Thon raised about $200,000 for the health center to help offset the center’s fees, which work on a sliding payment scale. This year they’re hoping for more.

Ducks that get hurled over the pier Saturday will cost donors $10 or more. Volunteers will work to gather the ducks after the race and will return them to their owners, along with a prize to the winners.

The corporate bigwigs come out to play on Sunday, when the cost of a larger yellow duck starts at $100. Some of the major corporate sponsors include Huntington Beach Hospital, Fountain Valley Hospital and Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian.

“They really care, and it’s just one way that a kindhearted business can support ? the Community Health Center, and they do believe in this,” said committee member Marilyn MacAllister who is in charge of the event’s corporate sponsorships. “They provide money and know where it goes, and it’s part of the community.”

Throughout the weekend, residents can traipse around the pier area and feast on food provided by donors, like the Kiwanis Club of Huntington Beach. There will also be vendors selling their wares, including clothes and jewelry. This festival area will also cater to the little ones, with bounce houses and other kid-friendly activities.

“On Saturday and Sunday, there’s a big children’s festival ? with arts and crafts and foods,” Cross said.

The Community Care Health Centers is a nonprofit clinic started in 1969 by teachers and mental-health interns who raised $200 for a storefront office to provide affordable health services on a small scale. The center’s services include pediatrics, dental care, mental health, pharmaceutical services and obstetric and gynecological services. This event serves as the clinic’s only fundraiser.

“The clinic is providing over 9,000 Orange County residents, Huntington Beach residents, with medical, dental and counseling services,” Hudgins said. “It’s community awareness. We’ve been in existence for 36 years and some folks don’t even know we exist.”