What is a Soroptimist club “flocking”?

On Wednesday, May 7, the new Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada office in Pahrump received some special recognition from the local Soroptimist club, whose members surprised programs and community outreach manager Emily Roberts with a flock of flamingos to decorate her office entrance.

These bright, bubblegum pink birds are more than just decorative, however. They also serve as a symbol of endorsement from Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley, offering a very visible display of the club’s appreciation for the Big Brothers Big Sisters mission.

As a national organization that has been in operation since the 1900s, Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission is to, “create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.” According to its website, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southern Nevada alone has touched the lives of over 20,000 young people since its inception in 1973.

“By partnering with parents/guardians, volunteers and others in the community we are accountable for each child in our program achieving: higher aspirations, greater confidence and better relationships; avoidance of risky behaviors; and educational success,” the organization details.

So where did the “flocking” concept come from? Pahrump Soroptimist member Elaine Cassell explained that the idea came about as one of the silver linings of the COVID-19 pandemic and has now transformed from a fundraising drive into a support mechanism for other area entities working to better the community.

“Soroptimist International Pahrump Valley started doing the flockings in the summer of 2021 as a way to raise funds,” Cassell told the Pahrump Valley Times. “It was during the pandemic when we were still not allowed to host in-person fundraising events. At the time, we asked for a minimum $20 donation to send a flock to someone.

“Now, while we still do flockings, we also use them as a branding tool to show our support for community members, nonprofits and businesses,” Cassell continued. “This flocking of Big Brothers Big Sisters was a no-brainer for us. After Emily had presented to our club at a meeting in April, Willi Baer and I decided their office needed to be flocked to show our support.”

Anyone interested in sending a flamingo flock to someone in the Pahrump area to show appreciation for their cause should email SoroptimistPV@gmail.com or text 775-340-4334.

The Pahrump Big Brothers Big Sisters office is located on the NyE Communities Coalition Campus, 1020 E. Wilson Rd.

Readers can find additional details on the Pahrump office in previous coverage, available at pvtimes.com

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com