When Connie began planning a special trip to celebrate her 65th birthday, she, her daughter Monica, and eight close friends could have chosen almost anywhere. But in early May, when she learned that Lake Lure would begin refilling over Memorial Day weekend following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, she knew exactly where they should go.
Rather than choosing another vacation destination, the group decided they wanted to support a community that had endured so much. By staying in local accommodations, dining at area restaurants, shopping at local businesses, and enjoying the region’s attractions, they hoped their visit would play a small part in helping Lake Lure continue its recovery.
“We wanted our celebration to mean something,” Connie said. “We wanted to give back to a community that has shown such strength and resilience. We knew our visit alone wouldn’t change everything, but if lots of people made the same decision, together it could make a difference.”
The ten women represented a variety of professions, including the U.S. Postal Service, nursing, education, and information technology. Together, they formed a unique flock united by years of friendship, laughter, service, and caring for others.
They affectionately called themselves the Flamingals, inspired by the fact that a group of flamingos is known as a flamboyance. The name perfectly reflected the joy, laughter, color, and friendship they hoped would define their week together.
Choosing the flamingo also became especially meaningful for Connie. Still recovering from a total knee replacement, she joked that she had spent so much time practicing balance on one leg that she was becoming an honorary flamingo herself.
“If anyone was qualified to appreciate a flamingo,” she said with a smile, “it was me!”
While still recovering, her new knee carried her through lazy river floats, Goodwilling adventures, tea parties, crafts, games, and countless laughs with friends. The trip wasn’t just a birthday celebration—it was a celebration of healing, friendship, and discovering that life can still be full of adventure… even if flamingos prefer one leg and she was grateful to have two that were getting stronger every day.
One tradition quickly became everyone’s favorite. The Flamingals carried miniature pink flamingos wherever they went, giving them away as small tokens of appreciation to the people who made their week so special. Grocery store employees, restaurant servers, housekeeping staff, and the wonderful people who cared for their condos each received a tiny flamingo along with a heartfelt thank-you.
“It was our way of saying we appreciate you,” Connie said. “The kindness we experienced everywhere we went made our trip even more memorable.”
While the itinerary was filled with fun—from floating the lazy river and Goodwilling to tea parties, crafts, games, and a hilarious Flamingal Fashion Show—the women agreed that the greatest gift wasn’t found on the schedule.
It was the opportunity to slow down, encourage one another, support a resilient community, and create memories that will last a lifetime.
And then there was one final surprise.
Ironically, after packing dozens of pink flamingos and handing them out all week, the Flamingals ended up seeing far more bears than flamingos! The neighborhood bears became unexpected celebrities, making regular appearances around the condos and giving the group one more unforgettable story to tell.
“We came looking for flamingos,” Connie laughed, “But Lake Lure welcomed us with bears instead!”
The inspiration for sharing this story came from another memorable encounter. While in Lake Lure, the group met Bill Swirles, a retired professional who now proudly calls himself the local “paper boy.” Bill welcomed the Flamingals with stories about the area and recommendations for several local restaurants they enjoyed during their stay. His kindness, pride in his hometown, and genuine hospitality reminded them that the heart of Lake Lure isn’t just its beautiful scenery—it’s the people who call it home.
As Connie often reminded her friends throughout the week, “It’s a beautiful thing.” For Connie, Monica, and eight dear friends, Lake Lure proved that healing, friendship, generosity, kindness, and community truly are beautiful thing.
