A fundraiser in fine feather
Flamingos migrate through area for Allentown library
BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writer

JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Pink feathered friends of the Allentown Library Association nest in front of the Martin family home in Allentown to help raise funds for the library.

Birds of a pink, plastic feather are flocking together in front yards across the area.No, it's not a tacky attack, but a fundraiser in fine feather for the Allentown Public Library.

The unusual infestation of pink flamingos in the vicinity began in June when two flocks of 18 birds each started popping up - sometimes expectedly and otherwise not - on front lawns in Allentown and Upper Freehold.

The birds overwhelm a particular front lawn for a few days before moving on to their next nest. The library's board of trustees oversees and directs the flamingos' travels for a $30 donation to the Allentown Public Library Association. The association is a nonprofit that owns and operates the historic building on Main Street in Allentown, which houses the library, a branch of the Monmouth County Library System.

While a portion of the county library tax that residents pay is returned to the Allentown branch in the form of salaries, books and interlibrary book transport, about 75 percent of the library's annual budget must be met through fundraising, according to Elaine Saullo, the secretary of the library's board of trustees.

This year, the board decided to get more colorful and creative with its fundraising efforts and "flew in" the flamingos, according to Saullo. The flamingo fundraiser will continue through Sept. 30.

"We've gotten a lot of good feedback," Saullo said. "People are really enjoying it. There's an element of fun in it in that you can send a message out with the flock."

Personalized messages that residents received when the flock visited their homes contained some good-natured ribbing about landscaping and new pet care, Saullo said.

The Martin family said they still haven't figured out the cryptic message they got when they were flocked.

"But when we do ... ," Elizabeth Martin joked.

The Martins did not expect the flamingos to land on their lawn.

"There's nothing like looking out your window at 6 a.m. and seeing 18 fluorescent birds in your front yard," she said. "You have to have a sense of humor to appreciate something that reminds you of growing up in Cleveland in the 1950s."

She continued, "And we certainly couldn't complain, since we'd flocked some friends a couple of weeks ago."

For those who wouldn't be able to handle a pink explosion in their yard, the library is offering insurance.

"If you happen to be highly allergic to flamingos, you can arrange to insure your homestead for a seasonal fee of $20 to protect against such an invasion," Saullo said, adding that a large banner outside the library boasts "Flamingo insurance sold here."

However, when asked if the birds are really that hard to manage and take care of, Martin said, "They eat very little but do have a tendency to fall over because of their skinny little legs."

The Novozinsky family was thrilled to be flocked, but Bruce Novozinsky said their dog, Caddie, was less then enthusiastic about the birds.

"We regret that we were only able to return 13 as a result of her jealously," he said.

Unlike the Martins, Novozinsky said he wasn't surprised to see the birds in his yard because a neighbor had given him the heads up that they were coming. But, according to Novozinsky, he had only expected to see four or five of the lawn ornaments.

"Coming home from work, I turned the corner and there truly was a flock - 14 in all," he said.

While the pink birds nested at his house, Novozinsky found himself having to answer quite a few questions from neighbors and passersby.

"I tried to pass it off as my wife's taste in exterior decor," he said, "but when that didn't fly, we came clean and admitted it was part of a library fundraiser."

Despite the cutesy type of chaos the birds create wherever they land, the flamingos are worth having, according to Martin.

"Why, it's practically a status symbol to have been flocked in Allentown," Martin said. "I think it's a great fundraiser for a worthy cause."

Martin said the Allentown Public Library serves a need that the community at large too often takes for granted.

"People assume that it's supported by our tax money when in reality the library board has to work very hard each year just to make ends meet," she said.

Novozinsky said that even in this technological age, people should not forget the places that are a throwback to simpler times.

"The Allentown Library is one of those places that brings us back," he said. "It acts as a historical archive to our 300 years, and it should be supported and preserved and not overlooked."

Established more than 100 years ago, the Allentown Public Library operated out of homes on Main Street in Allentown until the 1970s. In 1972, members of the library's board purchased the fire-damaged Baptist church on Main Street as the library's permanent home.

The Monmouth County Library System pays for the operation of its branch out of the church building. However, the library's board of trustees must pay for the upkeep of the structure and therefore holds various fundraisers throughout the year, the biggest of which is a direct plea in November to area residents for donations through the mail.

Fundraising for the library is a little anxiety-ridden, according to Saullo.

"We really have to pay every bill, heat, electric, mortgage," Saullo said. "We never had to go into negative cash flow, but we have had to pick and choose projects to do if we can't afford to do them all at any given time."

Saullo also noted that renovations and repairs to the building are costly, as all modifications must adhere to strict historical-structure guidelines. Recent renovation projects have included constructing a new front porch, replacing windows and fortifying the trusses in the attic. The library now looks forward to collecting enough money to replace its three old roofs, Saullo said.

When the flamingo fundraiser migrates for the winter, the library will hold its first-ever fundraising ghost tour on Oct. 26. Until then, however, the flocks will continue to flaunt their feathers in front yards across the area.

"You may wake up finding your lawn pink," Saullo warned.

Noting that the Allentown Library is the only branch of the county's library system in western Monmouth County and that it serves as the cornerstone of the Allentown community, Saullo said patrons can show their support by scheduling a flock of flamingos to visit a friend, family member or neighbor's lawn. She also welcomed patrons in Millstone and Roosevelt to join in on the fun.

For those looking for a less flighty way to help out, the library has used book sales in The Book Stall, which is located on the second floor. This summer, The Book Stall is holding a summer paperback sale, where patrons can fill a plastic bag with paperbacks for $1 and get a second bag for 50 cents. During the sale, shoppers can also get two hardcover books for $1, children's books for 25 cents apiece and videos for $1 each.

The library offers fiction, nonfiction, young-adult and juvenile books, as well as newspapers, magazines, a microfilm reader and a historical collection. Books on tape are also available. In addition, the library offers both an adult and a children's book club and offers toddler story time, grades K-4 story hour, DVDs, PC access and WiFi Wireless Internet access.

For more information about library hours, the flamingo fundraiser or other ways to help support or volunteer with the Allentown Public Library, call (609) 259-7565.