Yards of many colors; fundraisers finding COVID-safe alternatives

On Good Friday, Fostering Hope, a ministry based in Headland that provides foster families across seven Southeast Alabama counties with essentials like clothes, diapers, and even cribs and strollers, will be hosting its fourth annual Egg My Yard event.

Residents of Houston, Henry, and Dale counties can go on Fostering Hope’s website and order from three different price and quantity options, and members from the organization will come out to the given address on April 2 sometime after 7 p.m. to place the eggs in your yard, so Saturday morning your children can wake up to a fun egg hunt! The eggs are stuffed with candy and trinkets for the children, as well.

Sabrina Stephens, marketing director for Fostering Hope, says that fundraisers like Egg My Yard are what allow them to continue servicing foster children and their families.

“We don’t receive any government funding, so our fundraisers are how we keep going,” Stephens said. “This is a really fun event that we enjoy and kids always love it. So far this year we have sold around 4,600 eggs and we hope to have to make more.”

The deadline to place an order to have your yard “egged” is March 27.

Another event going on through the month of April is “Flock Out Child Abuse” in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month.

The Southeast Alabama Child Advocacy Center (SACAC) will be “flocking” people’s yards and offices with blue flamingos all through next month for anyone who gives a minimum donation of $50 to acknowledge Blue Ribbon Month.

Lindsey Wagner, community advocate at SACAC, said they had to think outside of the box this year for Blue Ribbon Month.

“We had to come up with an interesting fundraiser that still followed COVID-19 guidelines and we thought this would give people a chance to let someone know they are thinking about them and also spread awareness about child abuse prevention,” Wagner said. “We want to share what we do for the children around the area and raise awareness.”

Once flocked, the flamingos will remain two days before being removed. This year’s event is sponsored by Wiregrass Wealth Management.

Wagner said all the money raised during fundraisers like “Flock Out Child Abuse” provide direct services to the children that SACAC serves.

Wagner said the fundraiser will continue past April, as long as people want to be flocked. If you would like to flock someone or make a donation, go to givebutter.com/flockoutchildabuse.