Holy Flock! Pink Flamingo Project Grad Appreciation Vandalized

The giant pink appreciation gesture for the co-chairs of Middletown's successful project graduation flopped overnight when vandals made off with two flocks of plastic yard flamingos and scattered them throughout the Westfield section of town.

These missing pink flamingos, who were placed by students thankful for the smashing party Middletown High School's Project Graduation co-chairs pulled off on June 21 unwittingly became the target of a prank Sunday night.

Project Grad co-chair Jaylene Terminello, who lives on Cimarron Road, and was "flocked" overnight, called the incident "horrible." This morning, she says, "I noticed many flamingo legs in the grass but no bodies … then on Monday afternoon, they were all gone.

"This is so sad and totally disrespectful to the school and all the other students." No police report was filed, she says.

The flocks were strewn about in the East Street area and surrounding neighborhoods, according to Ellen Ornato, who helped with Project Grad publicity.

Co-chair Sandy Renfro, who lives on Country Club Road around the corner from Terminello, had the same thing happen to her flock.

"The flamingos are used for fundraising purposes at the school and cost hundreds of dollars to replace and refurbish," Terminello says, adding, "something so fun was tainted by only a few."

The flamingo flocking is probably the most visible benefit for Middletown High School's annual project graduation, to raise funds for the all-night alcohol- and drug-free graduation party.

Friends, family members, community members and fellow students contribute money to "finance" the placing of a flock of pink plastic yard flamingos on someone's lawn during the night.

Flockings happen to other Middletown citizens for anniversaries and birthdays, weddings, such a wonderful, adorable way to celebrate with a flare, says Terminello.

If you find any flamingos, or have information leading to their location, please email MHS.PGrad@gmail.com.

For the latest on this and all news from Middletown, subscribe to our newsletter, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.