FLAMINGO

[grammynmaggie]

What is the meaning of the Flamingo to Women RV?
Is it the logo?
thanks
donna (aka grammynmaggie)

[Redwahine]

Pink flamingos. When I first started reading the forum I did not know why the flamingo was significant. I didn't understand why my DH had flamingos in the barn that he liked to put in the yard and why so many RVers had them as well. So I googled it.

Do you know anything about the history behind the birds?
Here’s what I’ve been told. Correct me if I’m wrong. (Oh, somehow I know you will!)
Early in the 20th century, there existed a hot, humid, swampy wasteland. People called this frightening, uninhabitable place “Florida.” No one really wanted to live in “Florida.” Even visits needed to be well timed, because in the summer? Well, everything melted. Then one day, a brilliant new invention called “air-conditioning” arrived on the scene. In the 1940s, “air-conditioning” was sold to the masses via window mounted units.

Suddenly, Florida was a lot more appealing! The sunshine state became quite bearable, even in the summer. People from northern states flocked to vacation in Florida. On their vacations, they saw exotic birds called “flamingos.” The birds were tall, elegant, and adorned with striking pink plumage.

When the vacationers returned to their northern homes, many wanted to make a not-so-subtle statement about where they’d been. So they proudly displayed pink flamingo lawn ornaments in their yards. Somewhere along the line (presumably in the 1950s) the flamingos were adopted by “snowbird” RV campers who wintered in Florida.

The rest is history.

[rvgrammy1953]

The Flamingo has been WomenRVers "Mascot" since July 2008.....See the story of Belle in her own Section "The Adventures of Belle" for the full history....

[grammynmaggie]

So I can display a flamingo yard flag with Women RV on
it ?

[rvgrammy1953]

So I can display a flamingo yard flag with Women RV on
it ?

Yep!!!

[grammynmaggie]

Thank!!

[BirdbyBird]

I also think certain Christian groups have used a flock of Flamingos to represent their "flock" and have been known to display numbers of pink birds in new member's yard to signify that they have joined the flock...just in case you should run into those "flocking" birds.... The fact that the flamingo is not a native to Florida escaped most people's attention. Now, Beth's pick, spoonbill is native but I am guessing that those early FLoridians didn't think he was as photogenic

[Sandersmr]

Around here, flocking is a fundraiser. People will pay to have other people's yards flocked - usually friends or family. Then the flockee has to pay to have the flamingos removed. The youth group at my church used to do the flockings and one of my friends paid to have my yard flocked for one of the significant birthdays. I walk out to go to church and laughed - pink flamingos everywhere.

My sister picked up flamingos as a mascot/tacky decorating idea while she was still in college. She even has 8 flamingos to pull Santa's sleigh in her Christmas yard decorations.

And one final story - I used to belong to a wildlife club at work and one of our things was to work with a local elementary school with the 4th graders. Our leader was an avid birder and taught the kids how to use binoculars by hiding plastic/rubber insects and birds out in a field for them to find. One of the other team members snuck a pink flamingo out in the field and Allen got so excited, thinking that he had really spotted one - never mind that they aren't normally found in TX. Well, the joke turned on everyone a couple of years later when there really were flamingo spottings in the area - evidently a flamingo had taken a wrong turn over the Gulf of Mexico and had flown from Florida - that's a long way for a wrong way turn!

[Redwahine]

[Nasoosie]

ACK!!!!

(Forgive me, those who got me a string of flamingo lights this past GTG! Flamingos smell when their poops are left too long, their color varies with what they eat, their "songs" are harsh, like herons, and, although they are really graceful real-life birds, those plastic things of all sizes and shapes remind me of a carnival or something. Any doubts as to how I feel about flamingos? )

[mitch5252]

Any doubts as to how I feel about flamingoes? )

.................................

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[mitch5252]

.
I remember when I first joined this Forum, I was very confused about the group's name(s) and Flamingos, etc.

We are WomenRV(dot com).

Some other groups, with no affiliation to this group (other than a desire to be on the open road...) are:

Rving Women (dot org) (couldn't find cost without giving more information than I wanted to give)
Women's RV Forum (part of rvamerica) (frequently use a flamingo)
Pink Flamingoes (Facebook - closed group - invitation only)
Sistersonthefly (dot com) (women who fish and haul vintage trailers - $60/year)

There must be others.

And without a doubt, THIS forum is the absolute BEST!

.

[Dawn309]

I am planning on embroidering a flag to proudly fly at my camp sites with a Pink Flamingo and Women RV'ers on it. Just need to sit still long enough without a lot of other activities since I will have to dig out the equipment and thread to do this.

[havingfunnow]

I once saw a line of pink flamingos crossing a Seattle front yard. It was winter, so they were all wearing sweaters!

(Truth! You have to admire the homeowner's sense of humor -- it was quite a sight!)

[RitaMc]

Pink Flamingos sound like the Canadian Geese we have around here..walking in some places can be hazardous to ones health. Sure glad tho the forum chose a flamingo for the emblem.