Have you ever wondered why some people leave some pink plastic flamingos in their yard, which could be a decoration meant to beautify the place?
Is it a sign that someone’s birthday or any other celebration for that matter is on? Guess what? It might be a charity stunt meant to raise money for a course.
Flamingos are iconic animals symbolic of many things, from beauty to feminine charm. This article will look at how the plastic version of these animals plays certain roles in society.
How Did This Pink Flamingo Fab Start
The history of pink flamingo started back in the 1950s, which was an era that loved bright and bold colors, especially pink.
Since flamingo was also the bird associated with beauty and elegance, it was not so surprising to find many pink flamingo articles: from wallpapers, paintings, color paper, to flamingo plates and what have you.
The pink flamingo started as a yard décor that beautified the environment, it was also thought to represent posh and style, but an event in 1957 drastically popularized this fab.
The first pink flamingo to be ever designed and made was named Diego, and it was done by Donald Featherstone, who was an American.
It didn’t a surprise when the public took to the pink flamingo, and lots of these plastic birds were made and bought by the public.
To buttress the importance of that work, Donald Featherstone received the prestigious Nobel Prize for Art in 1996 just for that pink flamingo.
Down the years, especially in the 1960s, many detractors sought to discredit the pink flamingo and labeled it cheap and without class; this saw the public detesting that piece of work that they used to love.
In 1972, a movie called ‘pink flamingo’ was produced by John Waters, which saw the public falling in love with their beloved plastic animals again even though the movie had nothing with flamingos.
Many prominent people, especially in the movie industry and pop culture, had had their views for or against pink flamingo, which has impacted how the general public saw the animal.
But for what it is worth: pink flamingo is the rave again. Hate it, or love it, it is not going anywhere soon. It has come to become an integral part of our way of life.
Symbolism of Flamingos
Flamingoes as a bird is a very intriguing animal. Its most famous feature is its feathers, which are blood-red in color, which symbolizes a lot of things from poise to elegance, boldness, and beauty.
One of the gestures for which flamingoes are famous is its mysterious one-leg-standing and one-leg-tucked under the body. This pose makes these animals different from the rest.
The flamingo symbolizes a few things; animists believe this animal has much more spiritual and metaphysical significance. Since we don’t need to diver into such areas, we will stick to the very obvious ones, and they include:
1. You Are What You Eat
This maxim was popularised by people who follow a diet to maintain a given weight and remain fit.
Flamingoes typify this maxim because they are elegant and fit, and it is believed that this can be attributed to the fact that they eat diets rich in nutrients and so can maintain their elegant look.
This is a call that tells us to eat eight to remain trim and fit like flamingoes.
This symbolism is so apt in our world today, where lots of junk food is fattening and keeping people unhealthy.
2. Stand Tall
Flamingoes are elegant animals because they are tall; in fact, some are as tall as 5 feet, and you will always see them standing tall.
This is just a reminder to people to always stand straight, square their shoulders, look good and confident despite the challenges they face. We can change how we feel about things by being confident and bold, like flamingoes.
3. Safety in Numbers
You hardly find flamingo goes alone in nature; they always eat, swim, and live together in groups and is belvedere to be the reason why they thrive.
This living together helps them look out for each other and have each other back. Humans, too, can learn a thing or two from this animal by keeping a closely knitted relationship with friends and family who will always be there for us when we need them most.
4. Beauty, Luxury, and Rarity
In ancient times, flamingos depicted beauty and luxury symbolized in Ancient Greek art.
Plastic Pink Flamingo In The Yard Significance
There are a few reasons people have plastic pink flamingos in their yards; it could be a decoration for celebrations and fundraising events.
Pink Flamingos In The Yard As A Décor
This is the original reason the pink flamingo was designed; it was meant to make people’s yards more aesthetically pleasing. They succeeded in transforming people’s spaces despite the paparazzi that engulfed the whole thing.
Flamingos In The Yard For Birthday Meaning
These days, flamingos in the yard can symbolize a forthcoming birthday celebration. This is a way of giving an occupant of a house a surprise birthday party.
It is done by simply ordering flamingos that correspond to the celebrant’s age. For instance, if you are giving a surprise birthday to a 20-year-old, you flock to the yard with 20 pink flamingos, and when they come into the yard, the pleasant surprise on their face is your reward.
Pink Flamingo In The Yard For Raising Funds
These days, it is becoming a rave for charities and fundraisers to use a flock of pink flamingos to raise funds. Even pranksters use these plastic animals to play a fast one on people.
How this is done is that under cover of darkness, an organization will set up a flock of pink flamingos in someone’s yard or a yard of a business owner and then leaves a note that into dues the organization, what they do and the fact that the flamingoes were left there as a means of soliciting funds and that the flamingos will only be removed if the “victims” pay a fee.
The note is usually clear, concise, and quite cheerful. It is not meant to be blackmail or sort. It is only meant to solicit funds in fun and relaxed way from people you believe are willing and able to give.
The beauty about this is that once the donor pays to have the flock of flamingoes removed, he determines the next person be flocked, and if he never wants to get flocked again, he must make extra donations.
Consideration Before Flocking
Choose Your Targets Wisely to avoid the problem. Before you decide to flock to someone’s house with pink flamingoes, ensure that they are people who are willing to participate in this fun way of raising funds.
Some people are killjoys and curmudgeons who will take offense and will not donate or even turn it into a fiasco.
You have to determine if you will be flocking one person per time or have multiple flocks placed in people’s yards all at the same time. This will help you determine how many pink flamingos you will be buying and how much you will need to pay.
You also have to decide the number of people you will be flocking to and how much you will be asking as per flamingo or give a blanket fee for the flamingos you flock.
This helps you prospect how much money you will be making at the end of the fundraising. The idea is that you don’t charge so high an amount that it becomes a big challenge for people to pay.
While the original Don Featherstone flamingos will be pretty expensive, you can find cheaper versions that are not complete knock-offs because it will make no sense to buy flocks of flamingos that will get cracked or broken at the first time they are used.
Steps To Raising Funds Using Pink Flamingos
1. Contact The Local Authorities
It is a good idea to contact the police and local authorities to inform them of what you are doing; this ensures that you get full approval, especially as you will be getting into people’s yards without permission. It is just good to legitimize your fundraising gimmick.
2. Set The Price
It is a good idea to set the price for the flamingos you sent out before time. Generally, the more flamingos you send out, the more the fees you charge ( all within good reason). You could, for instance, charge $15 for a flock of 20 flamingos.
3. Now set dates that the fundraising will last. It is always better that it doesn’t go for too long or lose its novelty.
4. You should then create a form (Flock a friend form) that you will send out with your flock of flamingos. This form should include information like the name of the individual and their contact info, the name of the person they will nominate to be flocked, the price for the flock, and the dates the fundraiser will be on.
5. Also, create a “Flamingo Insurance Form”, which is sent to individuals who do not want to be flocked; this insurance is given at a “premium”, the amount paid depends on you. This form should include the buyer’s name and address and all such info.
6. You should also get the word out there. You should create as much publicity as possible about the fundraiser; flyers and posters are a good way to get the public aware of your organization, fundraising purpose, and activities.
7. Order the right number of flamingos based on the number of people you intend to flock to and recruit volunteers to help you with the job. Also, organize a schedule for when the flock of flamingos will be moved from house to house.
8. You should go ahead and flock people’s yards following the schedule you drew up. You should remember to include the “Flock Your Friends” form together with a “Flamingo Insurance form”. This will make it fun to go around while you get more people flocked.
The Average Pricing for Flock Removal and Relocation
The price you set for removal and relocation of the flock of flamingos depends on you, but on average, the pricing is as follows:
- Flock Removal $10
- Relocation of the flock to your chosen destination $40
- Insurance that your home cannot be flocked again $60
Conclusion
Pink flamingos in the yard are beautiful to behold because they can fit in perfectly. There are a few reasons why you will find pink plastic flamingos in people’s yards.
They could be for decoration, they could be for a birthday celebration or any other celebration, but the main reason is that organizations or people set them up to raise funds.
Flocking someone’s residence for funds is a cool thing to do, but you must ensure that you do your homework well so that you don’t flock the wrong people or create problems for yourself, all in a bid to raise funds for charity.
So do the right thing by getting authorization before you venture into this fab. Flocking wiling people is a great way to simultaneously have fun and raise funds.
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We trust this article helped you know what pink Flamingo is all about. You may also want to check out What To Put Under Rocks To Prevent Weeds?
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