So what's with the pink flamingos at City Hall?

The VOICE of Compassion

From Florida Hospital Apopka

A flock of pink yard flamingos is taking up residence outside Apopka City Hall for the month of October. The birds are part of Florida Hospital’s annual Pink Out initiative,which provides access to care for under-served and uninsured women battling breast cancer.

Pink Out, which coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, is a Central Florida-wide effort. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, District 3 City Commissioner Robert F. Stuart, restaurateur John Rivers, and leaders with Florida Hospital for Women gathered at Lake Eola Park on Wednesday for the formal kickoff.

Florida’s iconic pink yard flamingos are a signature element of Pink Out. This year, flamingos are being flocked to represent how many women will be newly diagnosed across Central Florida by the end of this year. In Apopka, that means the flock will number 102 birds. In nearby Winter Garden, the flock will number 55.

“The City of Apopka is pleased to be a part of this important initiative,” said Apopka Mayor Joe Kilsheimer. “This flock will be a great reminder for our residents about the importance of mammograms.”

Florida Hospital’s Pink Out campaign began in Winter Park in 2011, and has since expanded throughout Central Florida. Proceeds from the sales of the yard flamingos and community donations have funded breast cancer screenings for more than 6,500 women who otherwise could not afford a mammogram. Several dozen of those women were diagnosed and treated for breast cancer.

4 Rivers Restaurant Group is joining this year’s efforts and encouraging Central Floridians to help spread awareness through social media. To join and help raise funds, people are invited to post a picture of themsleves person standing on one leg — like a flamingo — with the hashtag #jointheflock.

The restaurants will donate $1 to the Florida Hospital Breast Cancer Care Fund for each post made throughout October depicting the flamingo stand and hashtag.

“Breast cancer is a serious health concern for women of all ages,” Rivers said. “We are happy to support the Pink Out initiative and look forward to people across Central Florida ‘joining the flock.’”

Throughout October, Florida Hospital is offering mammograms for $30. The screenings are offered at more than a dozen Central Florida locations. To learn more, visit 30minutemammo.com.

“Breast cancer is very treatable when detected early, and we want women to know that getting a mammogram is not only extremely important, it can also be convenient and affordable,” said Dr. Lisa Minton, surgeon and breast cancer specialist at Florida Hospital.

Florida Hospital is spreading the flamingo flocks to 12 cities across Central Florida this month.