Rexburg’s coin operated duck dispensers to help orphanage

A local non-profit organization wants to install coin operated duck dispensers in Rexburg to help an orphanage in Ecuador.

Executive Director of the Orphanage Support Services Organization, Rex Head, said a quarter can go a long way to help kids who need it.

“A quarter will buy a handful of food for the ducks, but it will also feed a child in a orphanage or pay for a days worth of school,” said Head.

The non-profit organization has been in Rexburg for 15 years and helps kids in Ecuador.

“We adopted a little boy and there was this moment where we wanted to see what we could do to help other children without parents,” Head said.

Head has the approval from the city of Rexburg, but still needs money to get the dispensers up and running in Nature Park. Each one has a price tag of $500 to $1,000.

Head said once he raises the money to buy the machines it will be placed in three areas throughout the park. One will be placed in front of the pond at Nature Park and the other two will be located throughout the park.

Right now, people are feeding the ducks bread and this can be detrimental to their health. Head said if ducks get fed improperly they can get angel wing. Angel wing is a syndrome that affects the duck’s wing. The wing is twisted with the wing feathers pointing out laterally, instead of lying against the body.

Head’s machines will dispense food pellets that can float in the water. The pellets can also feed geese and fish.

Head said the machines may be installed by the end of January. If successful, he wants to put them in parks throughout Idaho.

If you would like to make a donation towards the purchase of the dispensers, call (208) 359-1767. You can also click here : http://orphanagesupport.org/.

It is important to remember that waterfowl are capable of feeding themselves and do not require human handouts to survive.