Flockers are sweeping through Bowling Green.

They drive to a pre-determined address and spread pink plastic flamingos across the grass, leaving the yard ‘flocked.’ After two or three days, the group returns to collect their handiwork and move on to another house.

The flockers’ identities aren’t secret. They are the youth group of the First Presbyterian Church in Bowling Green. The group is trying to raise money for a mission trip to New Orleans, and instead of going door-to-door, they came up with flocking.

‘If you go and knock on someone’s door and say ‘Hey, give us money,’ it’s a lot more intrusive,’ group member Jon May said.

Anyone in Bowling Green can call the group and pay for their neighbor or friend’s yard to be flocked. It costs $20 for a flock of 25 birds and six spinners, $40 for 50 birds and 12 spinners.

‘I came home yesterday [Tuesday June 23] to flamingos in my yard,’ Fran Auchmuty said. ‘It was pretty funny.’

She then sent the birds across the street to her neighbor.

Those who get flocked can pay for early removal of the birds, or they can wait the standard two or three days.

Or people can buy ‘insurance’ as a safeguard against flocking if they don’t want their lawn full of flamingos.

Not many people have bought insurance, Youth Director Beth Aldridge said. So there are plenty of homes left to flock.

‘It’s a lot less harmful than toilet-papering,’ group member Chloe Umbarger said. ‘It’s a lot easier to clean up.’

The group is careful about not getting caught, but it’s happened before.”

Linda Nanninga was pulling the curtains closed when she looked outside and saw the group staking her yard with flamingos.”

‘I was very surprised,’ Nanninga said. ‘I imagine we’ll be flocking someone else.’

In July, the youth group will head to New Orleans and use their flocking money to help clean up areas still in ruins after Hurricane Katrina.

Until then, the flocking will continue.