By Maria Matson / Whidbey News Group
COUPEVILLE — Unless they buy insurance soon, Coupeville residents might find their yards invaded by pink, plastic flamingos.
Never fear, the iconic, three-foot-tall decorations are part of a new fundraiser by the Coupeville Boys & Girls Club.
April Fools’ Day is the start of the five-day-long flocking season, when people can place an order for a Coupeville yard for $20. Highly trained flamingo wranglers, aka the club’s young members, will carefully place at least 10 birds in the yard the donor chooses.
They will also leave behind a prominent sign that gloats, “you’ve been flocked,” along with a letter to the homeowner, which contains further instructions.
“They can call the flamingo hotline and request a deflocking,” said Terri Driscoll, the club’s unit director.
“A friend of yours paid us to place these pink darlings in your yard,” the letter reads. “This flocking is done in good spirits. … These flamingos will roost on your lawn for 24 hours, when they will mysteriously migrate to another friend’s (victim’s) lawn.”
But for quicker removal, a donation of $10 to the club means a team of “expert flamingo wranglers” will be dispatched right away. The club’s van will transport the squad, wearing their uniform of hot pink shirts, from house to house.
There are only a few rules. Apartment complexes, public property and homes outside Coupeville aren’t eligible. Town businesses can be flocked for a donation of $150. The club will accommodate any issues with the birds that arise, so please don’t maim the birds, the club requests.
The club is trusting that people will only order flockings for people they know have a good sense of humor, Driscoll said.
Though this fundraiser is new for the Coupeville club, other Boys & Girls clubs have successfully done flockings before, including in Oak Harbor.
The club is hoping to flock at least two houses a day and will use the funds raised to support its Healthy Habits program.
The flamingos were donated to them from the Kitsap branch, she said.
To buy insurance to protect yourself from the flamboyance of flamingos, $10 guarantees you will never have to face the beaked birds.
When asked if they were excited to flock people’s houses, fourth-grader Sylar Roberts and third-grader Dillin Kistner enthusiastically answered in the affirmative.
Get involved
To order a flocking or prevention insurance, contact the club and fill out an order form, along with payment. The club, located at 203 N. Main Street, can be reached at 360-678-5640. Orders should be requested by Friday.
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