The flock of the town

Lolita Harper

A long way from its natural habitat, a flock of pink flamingos has

landed on the front lawn of a Newport Beach residence. That’s

assuming plastic lawn ornaments have a natural habitat.

Known for decorating the lawns of society’s most mature members,

the birds are far from where they should be, Dover Street resident

Ernie Liske said.

“I am not quite old enough to have flamingos in my yard -- but

close,” 60-year-old Liske said.

The bright turf knickknacks come courtesy of Liske’s niece,

Kathleen Hitt, and the fun-loving folks at Presbyterian Church of the

Covenant in Costa Mesa. Hitt, her father and members of her church on

Fairview Road are “charging” about $15 to take the glaring birds from

his lawn. They also offer “Flamingo insurance,” and other

“precautionary” policies, if victims want to foot the bill.

Liske found the flock on his lawn along with a note that read,

“These flamingos have migrated to your lawn.” Then came the pricing

scale.

Extortion? Not quite. He laughed because it is all for a good

cause.

Members of the church have been delivering pink flamingos all over

the county to raise money for the youth group’s camp scholarship

fund. Money raised will offset the costs of Senior Camp, generally

held each summer during July and August. Walter Hitt, Kathleen’s dad,

said they have probably raised enough to cover all the kids who want

to go, but no official tally was available Friday afternoon.

Youth Pastor Eric Harvey, who would know such details, was out of

the office Friday with members of the youth group and unavailable for

comment.

Kathleen said it was Harvey who came up with the one-legged idea

and church officials approved it wholeheartedly. Fittingly, the

church’s top official, Pastor Tim McCalmont, was the first victim.

“Of course he was,” Kathleen said.

Kathleen knew her uncle would “get the joke.”

“It was a goofy idea, and I figured he would be a good person to

send it to,” she said.

Liske said he has become the talk of his neighborhood.

“Lots of people stop by and look,” Liske said. “It’s a great way

for fund-raising in a very nice way. ... It brings awareness to the

cause.”

They are only out for the summer, though. Then they retire --

maybe back to Florida?