Willow Glen Resident
Community
Girl Scouts use flock to raise funds for trip
By Mayra Flores De Marcotte
Under cover of night, they land in unsuspecting residents' lawns. Their long legs, fuchsia feathers and curved beaks make these birds unmistakable.
This flock of flamingos has been flying from yard to yard in the community for the last seven weeks, thanks to its human counterpart, the Girl Scouts of Northern California Cadet Troop No. 779.
The girls, mostly from Willow Glen, Cambrian and the Rose Garden neighborhoods, have been using the flock as a way to raise funds for their 2008 summer trip to Canada. Their goal is to raise $700 toward each of the nine girls' trip fees.
The concept is simple, says troop mother Debbie Fragola. During the night, girls set up a flock of flamingos at a resident's home--usually someone the troop knows-- and leave a binder with an explanation of the fundraiser along with a donation envelope. Resident have the option of suggesting the next family to be what the girls call "flapdoodled." The next night, the group takes the flock to the next lawn.
"It has been a fun and silly thing to do," says Scout mother Laura Chang. "We've changed the town in the last six weeks and have even received birthday requests to boot."
Each Girl Scout gets the flock for seven days to flapdoodle homes.
The group has flapdoodled 32 yards so far and will continue until its goal is met.
"It's a different way of fundraising," Fragola says, "and has been received well by residents who participate."
Troop leader Diane Hall brought forth the flamingos idea at a summer brainstorming session, Fragola added.
Along the way, the flock's travel journal has grown to include thank-you letters, poems and even a ransom note.
"There was this one home that we left the flock with that left a ransom note for us," she says. "It said, 'Give us chocolate chip cookies by 4 p.m. or something will happen to the birds.' "
The family in charge of the flock that week was out of town and didn't make the ransom deadline. When they went to pick up the flock and the binder, they found the ransom note along with photographs of a chicken that belonged to the homeowners who had been flapdoodled attacking a fallen flamingo.
Along with the notes, some families have been adding props to the birds like wigs, scarves and water polo gear.
A note left by Teri Kane and her family says, "We thought with such a beautiful day, rather than hanging around on the lawn all day, that maybe our fine-feathered friends could learn a new skill, so we taught them the basics of water polo. With such long legs and good wings, they are sure to be terrific players. We are leaving a cap on the MVP of the day to encourage its new skill set and hope that they play soon for one of Willow Glen High School's polo teams."
For more information or to inquire about being flapdoodled, call Debbie Fragola at 408. 314.0011.
