Rubber ducks are a simple trinket, but for Anna Withers they represent much more. 

The little yellow birds have, on many occasions now for Anna Withers, come to mean opportunity, purpose and a way to give back to something much bigger than herself. 

Since the 2024 homecoming parade, Anna Withers and her mother, Lynette Withers, have been designing and hand-decorating hundreds of small rubber ducks to raise money for causes closest to them. 

In the spring, to commemorate childhood cancer awareness day, the pair raised money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which specializes in pediatric cancer care and research as well as treatment for other difficult diseases. 

Anna Withers’ father died of cancer when she was younger, and she said that these personal reasons shifted her focus onto charities like St. Jude. 

“Cancer runs in the family, and so we care about it a whole lot,” she said. “Doing our part, we can make even the smallest difference.” 

The hospital relies heavily on donor contributions to fund its research and care. The pair has moved to Tennessee, where the hospital is based, and it’s important to them that they can see the impact of their financial contributions.   

Anna Withers, a senior digital media technology major, is also president of the Women Exploring Business and Technology (WEB@) RSO. The group hosted a fundraising event in Coleman Hall on Thursday and Friday in order to raise money for their organization.  

WEB@ aims to empower women in tech and business-based fields by creating networking spaces, offering opportunities and inviting local female professionals to speak at the organization’s events. 

From a former FBI agent to Kim Uphoff, CEO of Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Center in Mattoon, Withers said that money raised from sales like this one can go toward hosting events with professionals in a range of industries.  

Funds also go toward the general maintenance costs of running the organization as well as to support setting up future charity events, said Withers. 

So, why ducks? 

Lynette Withers said that the inspiration came from her daughter’s love of country musician Alex Miller, who threw rubber ducks into the audience at a concert that the pair attended. 

“They’re cute, they look cool,” she said. “And I drive a Jeep, [Anna] drives a Jeep, and so that probably helped us decide on them too.” 

She said they usually bulk buy the ducks and then decorate them themselves, sometimes using kits and props, and Linette Withers even hand-stitches capes and clothes for some of the more theatrical-looking products. 

The styles change each season. 2024’s Western-themed homecoming saw the ducks in cowboy hats and sheriff badges; in spring, the February fundraiser had them in Valentine’s themes; and looking forward to March, Anna Withers suggests that they’ll take on a greener complexion in favor of St. Patrick’s Day. 

With Alex Miller’s duck-driven fan antics sparking opportunity for Anna Withers to raise funds in a unique and novel way, it was only fair, she said, to return the favor — getting the opportunity to work at the merchandising tent for the Kentucky singer’s tour, which she described as “a lot of fun, but a lot of traveling.” 

Anna Withers, who is graduating at the end of this academic year, said she hopes that this semester’s money can go toward a field trip for WEB@ and that the fundraising system she has set up will continue to be an initiative for the organization.

Ethan Vine can be reached at 581-2812 or ejvine@eiu.edu.