National Rubber Duck Day: Meet Dave Kirkle, Prairie Wind’s “Duck Distributor”

This week—on Tuesday, January 13—it was National Rubber Duck Day, and at Western Home Communities we have the perfect resident to celebrate: Dave Kirkle, a Prairie Wind resident whose rubber duck hobby has become a full-on joy-spreading tradition—all across Western Home Communities Cedar Falls Campus.

It started with a Jeep tradition… and a Bronco mix-up

If you’ve ever seen rubber ducks sitting on Jeep dashboards, there’s a reason: it’s a fun Jeep tradition called “ducking,” where people leave rubber ducks on other Jeeps as a friendly surprise.

Dave heard about that tradition and thought it would be fun to buy some ducks for his family—his oldest daughter and son-in-law drive Broncos, and he figured, “Why not?”

Turns out… Broncos don’t do the Jeep duck thing. (Different vehicle culture!) And to make it even better, Dave’s son-in-law hates ducks. 😂

So Dave did what Dave does best—he pivoted.

From “a few ducks” to a full collection

Dave started browsing online, found ducks with all kinds of looks and personalities, and before long the collection took off. Now he estimates he has 200+ ducks, and he’s only been collecting them for a little over a year.

Duck drops: a WHC tradition in the making

Dave doesn’t just collect—he shares.

Dave’s neighbors enjoy finding a new duck around the holidays.

Around major holidays, he’ll pick out themed ducks and quietly deliver them as surprises, leaving them on doors for neighbors and friends—sometimes even matching a duck to someone’s interests or celebrations (including Hanukkah). The response is always the same: lots of smiles, laughs, and “Dave, I saw the new duck!” comments.

And if you’ve ever spotted a duck “floating around” Jorgensen Plaza—there’s a good chance it came from Dave.

A lifetime of collecting… and why dragon ducks are his favorite

Some of Dave’s collection of Asian items

Rubber ducks are just Dave’s latest collection. Over the years, he’s gathered all kinds of things that caught his interest—doctor statues (he used to be a physician), stained glass, Legos, and unique items he picked up while traveling through Asian countries (like masks and small statues). He even collected Japanese swords and practiced Iaido (Japanese sword fighting) when he lived in Japan.

Dungeons & Dragons themed rubber ducks

Dave also has a long-time love of dragons and Dungeons & Dragons, so when it comes to picking a favorite duck, he has to go with dragon ducks—because they combine two things he enjoys most: dragons and rubber ducks.

When asked why he collects at all, Dave’s answer is wonderfully simple:
“It makes me happy.”

“It makes me happy”

-Dave Kirkle

Why Dave “ducks” Jeeps when he’s out and about

Because the Jeep duck tradition is what kicked this whole thing off, Dave keeps a stash in his car—especially little Jeeps with a duck inside—so when he spots a Jeep he likes, he can leave a duck as a cheerful hello.

He even ducked a student’s Jeep after a CAPS meeting once, and said her reaction was unforgettable: her eyes lit up.

The takeaway

Dave’s duck collection isn’t just about cute little ducks (though they are adorable). It’s about connection, surprise, and the kind of small kindness that makes a community feel like home—whether you’re at Prairie Wind, walking through Jorgensen Plaza, or grabbing a bite at Gilmore’s Pub.

So in honor of National Rubber Duck Day… here’s to Dave Kirkle—resident collector, holiday “duck dropper,” and Western Home’s unofficial duck ambassador.