Flamingo Flocking: Feel-Good Fundraiser

Behold, the pink flamingo. Not normally native to Nashua, you may have noted this tropical bird's persistent presence of late – unsuspecting Nashuans are being randomly "flocked," all for a good cause.

Who's behind this flocking fundraising frenzy?

It's the Souhegan Valley Rotary, aka the "Happy Hour" Rotary, which has an easy-to-flock web-based order form you can use to flock your friends. It will cost you $20 to send 20 flamingos to someone's lawn; $40 for 50 flamingos.

And $10 to sign up for "Flock Block" insurance, to keep your lawn flamingo-free.

Rotary Club President Marshall Tulley said the fundraiser has been a "fittingly fun and irreverent" project for the club,  which is primarily comprised of younger professionals from the greater Nashua area.

"The community has been very supportive and almost everyone who has been flocked has passed on the favor. The monies raised will be applied to international relief efforts and a final push by Rotary to eradicate polio. The flockings will continue until the end of September," Tulley said. 

Nashua resident June Lemen was among those flocked this week. Her husband, Bill, told her to look outside because they had a "visitor." 

"We've had various critters in our yard  – skunks and opossums, for example, as well as finding things that kids drop on their way to school, so we had no idea what to expect. And then to find such a lovely flock was a delightful surprise. Made my morning," Lemen said.

Just as mysteriously as the flock arrived, it fled, the next day.

"I already miss them," Lemon said of their departure. 

The flamingos had flown the coop, on to congregate on the next designated lawn, to raise funds for the Rotary Club. Although this is the first-ever flamingo fundraiser, it's one of several annual fundraisers the group organizes, which is how they support their philanthropic mission.

Another stop on the short-list of flock-ees this week was Mayor Donnalee Lozeau's lawn, which was in full flock formation by the end of the week.

"Pink is not my color, but Rotary is my kind of organization," Lozeau said of the flocking.

Souhegan Valley Rotary formed in 2010 and is part of Rotary International. It's  a volunteer organization of business and professional leaders who provide humanitarian service,  and help to build goodwill and peace in the world, according to their mission statement. 

There are approximately 1.2 million Rotary club members belonging to 34,000 Rotary clubs in more than 200 countries and geographical areas.

In Nashua, new members are always welcome. The group meets Monday nights at the Hampton Inn, 407 Amherst St., Nashua. You can learn more here.

Click here to find out more about the flamingo flocking fundraiser, or to flock a friend's lawn.

Souhegan Valley Rotary Club: happyhourclub.org.