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Flamingos fill cancer patient’s lawn, to replace stolen ones

Oregon Zoo, others, offer more than she can handle

By John Branton
Published: February 6, 2010, 12:00am

Cancer patient Peggy Connolly’s 35 stolen flamingos were still missing from her front yard on Friday, but a wealth of community support had more than replaced them — and lifted her spirits.

“There now are 50 flamingos on my front lawn, most of them courtesy of the Oregon Zoo,” she said Friday evening.

Earlier Friday, after considerable coverage by this newspaper and major Portland TV stations, zoo officials called Connolly and offered to lend her 45 of the pink yard decorations indefinitely.

Zoo workers came to her home in Felida late Friday afternoon and placed them on her lawn.

“It really is just so wonderful,” said Connolly, who learned in December she has cancer and is undergoing treatments and surgery. “People have been fantastic. I just can’t believe how great people have been.”

Before the theft, a group of friends had borrowed the original flamingos from Salmon Creek United Methodist Church and placed them on Connolly’s lawn Monday night as a surprise, to cheer her up as she deals with the illness.

By Friday, besides zoo workers, several other people had offered to help.

On Friday, a member of another church called The Columbian to offer 20 flamingos members had used to raise donations.

Thanks but no thanks, Connolly said, adding that she now has plenty.

It turned out that “flocking” folks’ yards with borrowed flamingos is a fairly common practice, also used to celebrate birthdays and other occasions.

Connolly said she’s enjoyed the public support and news coverage, and that four major TV stations came to her home Thursday and again on Friday.

“It’s fine,” she said, “It really is fun. But it’s exhausting. It’s almost more than I can deal with now.”

Connolly said Clark County sheriff’s deputies had checked our several homes with yards that were flocked, but, as of Friday, hadn’t reported finding the stolen ones or arresting the thieves.

Those with information about the stolen flamingos or the thieves can call 911 or the sheriff’s west precinct at 360-397-6079.

John Branton: 360-735-4513 or john.branton@columbian.com.

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