Bellwood girls basketball team hosting fundraiser
Players set up plastic flamingos on someone’s front lawn for $20
After setting up a flock of plastic flamingos on someone’s lawn, the players add a “You’ve been flocked” sign. Courtesy photo
Members of the Lady Blue Devils basketball team take a photo with the “You’ve Been Flocked!” sign in front of someone’s house, along with plastic flamingos. Courtesy photo
After setting up a flock of plastic flamingos on someone’s lawn, the players add a “You’ve been flocked” sign. Courtesy photo
Members of the Lady Blue Devils basketball team take a photo with the “You’ve Been Flocked!” sign in front of someone’s house, along with plastic flamingos. Courtesy photo
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Pink plastic flamingos are flying around Bellwood this September.
In place of their regular fundraising events, the Lady Blue Devils girls basketball team is hosting a "Flamingo Flock" fundraiser where players set up a flock of plastic flamingos on someone's front lawn.
Donors can "flock" someone by sending $20 to the basketball team along with the unbeknownst homeowner's address living in the Bellwood-Antis school district, according to booster club treasurer Julie Helsel.
"When we go to their house, we try to be really quiet and sneaky," she said. "We call it stealth mode."
Since they started the campaign on Aug. 31, the team has raised close to $2,000 by flocking 70 houses. They are accepting requests until Wednesday, as they still have to flock 25 more houses this month.
"It's team bonding for the girls," Helsel said, noting that the team's older and younger girls are having fun carrying out the flocking.
Helsel said a booster member suggested the idea about a month or two ago. Excited to try something new, Helsel bought about 30 plastic flamingos as her donation to the club, and her team flocked Helsel's friend as a trial run.
Soon after, Helsel was flooded with text messages, direct messages and Facebook comments asking to flock someone's house. Flamingo flocks will stay on someone's lawn for 24 to 48 hours at a time.
The team has developed a spreadsheet to track requests.
"We didn't think it would take off as much as it has," booster club member Ashley Turner said. "Not only has it brought the team together, but it has brought the girls together, and they enjoy it."
Meanwhile, Helsel has documented their flocking adventures, taking photos and making videos uploaded to the team's Facebook page and her personal TikTok account @julhel78.
Basketball player and Helsel's daughter, Emme, enjoys her time flocking houses alongside her teammates.
"I'll never forget it," she said. "It's so much fun ... It's nice the community pays to do this."
The community has come together to support the Bellwood-Antis girls basketball team, Helsel said.
"People who aren't basketball fans or who wouldn't participate have reached out, and so many people in our community said it's amazing and fun," she said.
Those interested can reach out to Helsel and/or send a direct message to the team's basketball Facebook profile, @Ladybluebasketball. Their Venmo username is @Ladybluebasketball.
Mirror Staff Writer Colette Costlow is at 814-946-7414.