I can remember Dippy Duck coming to my pre-school in the 1970s. He kind of looked like Napoleon with his funny hat and uniform. He wielded authority with his badge, baton and "no, no, no... you stay away from those canals" message. But he also had the admiration of all the kids, including myself. Partly because of the gifts (stickers) and the do-it-yourself Dippy uniform (complete with hat) we all made and wore home to pass the water safety message along to our parents and siblings. And partly because he was a local mascot - one of our own. At least compared to Smokey bear who said "only we could prevent forrest fires." Except there's really no forest in our neck of the woods. In any case, we heard his message and sang his song over and over for many years. "Dippy Duck says stay away. Canals are not the place to play. If you want to skip and run, go somewhere else to have your fun." Dippy's look has certainly changed a number of times over the years. For better or for worse, he has to keep up his appearance in order to be relevant to each new generation of kids. And his current approach seems more friendly and constructive than ever. Rather than just telling kids what not to do, he also provides alternatives and suggestions to help them avoid "fowl play." We know that not every child wants to swim or even get wet and not everyone has access or transportation to a pool. So how do we keep our kids busy and help them maintain a healthy lifestyle? Especially when they prefer to sit around playing video games or watching TV during those valuable daylight hours. It looks like the latest incarnation of Dippy is trying to assist us with that challenge. To help our kids get their own ducks in a row when it comes to playing it safe here in the Imperial Valley. I'm really happy to see Dippy Duck is still out there sharing his story and reminding kids why canals are off limits. It seems to be working. At least it did for me.
Thanks Dippy!