Zach Coppel Courtesy Special Olympics Illinois

Longtime Special Olympics athlete and Hoffman Estates native Zach Coppel will be front and center at this year’s Special Olympics Chicago Ducky Derby on Thursday.

Now in its 20th year, the Chicago Ducky Derby raises funds for thousands of athletes with intellectual disabilities, through the purchase of rubber ducks. More than 75,000 rubber ducks will be dropped into the Chicago River from the Columbus Drive Bridge at 1 p.m.

Coppel was named this year’s official Chicago Ducky Derby Ambassador. The selection reflects his role in the Special Olympics community over the past 31 years.

Keeping the secret was hard,” Coppel stated, “I was surprised and happy and I’m honored to do it.”

Coppel is a natural leader, and is known for his enthusiasm

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