Practical joke raises practical cash

If you look out your window one morning and see a flock of plastic flamingos gracing your front lawn, one thing is probably clear: You failed to purchase “flamingo insurance” from the Lebanon, Indiana, ARC Aktion Club.

The Aktion club’s fundraiser is based on two ideas: You can pay to have the Aktion club plant pink plastic flamingos in someone else’s yard. And, you can buy flamingo insurance to keep your own yard flamingo free.

The club raised about US$300 through the practical joke, and the money was donated to the Hurricane Katrina Relief Fund among other beneficiaries.

“The community got involved and club members had fun hosting the fundraiser,” says club advisor Elisha Hedge.

The club plans to stage the fundraiser again this summer and hopes other clubs might give “flamingo insurance” a try.