Great Cardboard Boat Race hosts 'Let's Party Like It's 1776' fundraiser event

ELKHART, Ind. -- The Great Cardboard Boat Race just took place in Elkhart. The event is a major fundraiser that has been held since 2009 to help support the community in need for Elkhart, LaGrange, Noble, and Steuben counties.

This year's theme is "Let's Party Like It's 1776" to celebrate the U.S.'s 250th birthday. The race features 59 cardboard boats sponsored by businesses, with proceeds benefitting local nonprofits and emergency assistance. A new feature is a special silent auction. The event draws participants from across the region and a chaotic "Crusader Award" race for the least successful boats.

"So we've been doing this since 2009, and again, it's become a real tradition for the community, for the business community, for the nonprofit community, for not just Elkhart County, but we have people here from LaGrange County, people that came all the way from St. Joe County, and we actually have United Way directors that came from Evansville and Columbus, Indiana, today because they wanted to see what we do." says Bill Purcell, President CEO of Crossroads United Way.