Rafts, rubber ducks and mustaches cruise down Kalamazoo River

Jeremy Lahr was flipping burgers, brats and hot dogs on a grill that sat atop a homemade watercraft built mainly of wood.

He wasn't troubled by the prospect of the vessel catching fire.

"We’re surrounded by a fire extinguisher," he joked.

Lahr was on the "rat raft" as it cruised, slowly but surely, down the Kalamazoo River as part of the sixth annual Battle Creek Metropolitan Area Moustache Society Raft Race on Saturday. An estimated 900 people turned out for the event, which raised $5,000 for Kambly Living Center, a nonprofit home for adults with developmental disabilities.

The rat raft - one of four do-it-yourself rafts on the water - was made by a group calling themselves "The Creek Rats." According to member Travis Coy, they are, "a bunch of 40-somethings that decided, if there was going to be something fun to do, we were going to do it."

There was no room for a grill on the raft built by Ben Garberick and his family. But, unlike the last time they participated, their raft made it down the river in one piece.

"This is our third raft. Just got down and dirty," Garberick said. "Some sticks out of the woods and ropes and slapped it together, using some of the same materials every year. The first one was the biggest. It’s gotten smaller each year."

Garberick, who helped clean up the area around the river in advance of the event, added, "We really like being out in the community and what the BCMAMS are doing in town, just something positive in Battle Creek."

Members of the Battle Creek Fire Department sprayed the rafts and people riding inflatables from a fire truck on the bridge over Helmer Road, a tradition that began when the Battle Creek Jaycees held an annual raft race from 1978 until the early 2000s.

“It’s great for community relations to let people know we don’t sit inside the fire station all day like they think we do," said firefighter David Wabindato. "You can’t fully charge the hose. You just open it, and there’s a little pressure to get them wet. You don’t want to knock them off of the raft. Just a little squirt."

The event, located at the corner of Helmer Road and Jackson Street, included food and beer vendors, live local music and a pie-eating contest. Mustached rubber ducks were also purchased and poured into a closed course for a race down the Kalamazoo River, with the owners of the top five ducks receiving prizes.

A rainy-day forecast as well as other weekend events happening around Battle Creek may have kept some potential rafters landlocked, but BCMAMS president Kyle Labrecque was happy with the turnout. 

“Everybody had a fun, and most importantly, safe trip down the river," Labrecque said. "We always want the weather to be nice and cooperative and as many people as possible, but there’s a few other events going on in the county today, and that’s good. That’s good there are more people out doing things, and whatever we can do to help create more culture in Battle Creek and raise some money for a charitable organization, we’re all for out."

Nick Buckley can be reached at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley