Team’s use of birds to raise Relay for Life funds, has many local residents seeing pink

Despite the recent cooler weather in the area, some species of birds haven’t yet made it south for the winter. Instead, they have found warmth living in people’s yards through out Clinton County.

These birds aren’t really a bother to people … much, but they stand out and they have been all the talk around town and it looks like they are here to stay.

If you have ever been “flocked” then you completely understand why these particular birds have roosted in your yard. If you’ve not been “flocked” yet, well, your time is surely coming.

AMPYSS, a medical coding company in Clinton County, has come up with an idea to raise money for its Relay for Life group.

So far, the group has raised more than $700 just by putting pink flamingos in people’s yards along with a sign that says “You’ve been Flocked by Relay.”

Phyllis Amonett, team member of AMPYSS’s Relay for Life team, said this has been fun.

“We all thought it sounded like a good idea,” Amonett said. “It’s been really good. We’ve been booked everyday since we started it.”

The group first started “flocking” people on October 12 and Amonett said they have been busy with the fundraiser ever since.

“We have 72 birds total and it’s been an everyday thing,” Amonett said. “Depending on how many birds we have going out depends on how many we do in a day. We didn’t really set a goal, but they are just so cute sitting out there in the yards.”

In order to “flock” someone, a call to Amonett is all you need to do to start the process. Eight birds are $10, and 16 birds are $15. Some people have had up to 32 birds in their yard. The flock of birds remain in the “flockees” yard for 24 hours then are picked up and moved to the next yard.

The sender of the flock of birds can remain anonymous to the receiver of the birds.

“In some places you have to pay to get them out of your yard, but we decided against that,” Amonett said. “I’m sure we would be missing a few flamingos if that was the case.”

AMPYSS is also selling “anti-flocking” insurance for five dollars. This is to ensure the birds will not make it to your yard.

“We have several mystery ‘flockers,’” Amonett said.

Amonett said she has received good feedback from Facebook also. After the “flocking” photos were posted on Facebook, the idea has been well received throughout the county.

The response for the birds has been overwhelming and she said they will continue to do the fund-raiser as long as they have someone to “flock.”

“We will continue to do it. I would love to see them in the snow,” Amonett said. “For a while we didn’t do them on the weekends. We would just pick it back up on Monday. When they get left on Friday they stay the whole weekend.”

Regardless of the weather, if it’s time for the birds to move into someone else’s yard then they move.

“That’s been the worse part. doing it on a day like last Friday when it was so cold and rainy,” Amonett said. “The rest of the time it’s just fun … It’s fun to put them out.”

Amonett said she hasn’t come across anybody who has acted against putting the pink flamingos in their yard.

“We’ve had a really good response from it,”Amonett said. “We will probably do this for another month or so and then maybe pick it back up in the spring.”

Amonett has been a part of the Relay for Life event for more than 10 years.

“It’s a good event … I love it,” Amonett said. “They do more for the county than people really give them credit for. If you need wigs, the Hope House in Lexington, KY, is wonderful and it’s free. There is no charge for that. Those things mean a lot to somebody who is in the middle of it. They help in many, many ways. They just need to call and ask.”

Last year’s event saw several teams stay the entire night and AMPYSS was one of those teams.

“We stayed all night last year and our kids stayed all night and they loved it,” Amonett said.

This year’s Relay for Life event will be held on Friday, April 27, which is somewhat early in the year compared to past events.

It will be held at Lindle Castle Gymnasium at Clinton County High School.

If anyone you know needs to be “flocked,” contact Amonett at 387-9317 during the day and 387-8134 during the evening.

Ampyss Relay for Life team members Phyllis Amoniett, left, and Samantha Bowlin, are shown placing pink flamingos in a recent “flocking” victim’s yard.