Who will be the first victim? Who will be the first business owner to go to work on Monday morning to find out that he or she has indeed been flocked? A new program at the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce will have members sneaking around late at night placing 24 black flamingos in front of local chamber member’s businesses.

The effort is being launched to raise money for programs at the chamber that help promote local businesses.

Chamber businesses can buy “Anti-Flocking” insurance for $50 and will receive a sign warning others that they are immune to being flocked. For $25, a person or business can pay to have another business flocked. Once a business gets flocked, it will be asked to give a $50 removal fee, which is really a donation, said Tanya Taylor, membership and communication director with the chamber.

“We hope we get a great response from our members,” said Taylor.

She said the fundraiser will go on for two to three months depending on the response.

For businesses which have a sidewalk rather than a yard, Taylor said a local company is working on making a planter to go in front of those businesses that will hold the flamingos.

The flamingos will remain in front of the business from Sunday night until the next Friday afternoon. The chamber will come take a picture with the owner of the business, which will run in the weekly business bulletins in The Mount Airy News on Tuesdays as the “Flocking Victim of the Week.”

Monday afternoon, “The Flocking Squad” gathered at the chamber to discuss its upcoming mission. That group of chamber ambassadors is made up of Traci Hamilton, Allison Poteat and James Ettringer of Workforce Carolina, Tracy Webster of SouthData, Mary Branch of WIFM radio, Scott Kniskern of Rogers Realty and Taylor.

“It’s a great way to promote local businesses. The mission of the Greater Mount Airy Chamber of Commerce is to advance, promote and encourage successful business growth for our members. This just further promotes that mission,” Taylor said.

To find out more about the program or to find out who is eligible to be flocked, visit www.mtairyncchamber.org or call Tanya Taylor at 786-6116.

Contact Mondee Tilley at mtilley@mtairynews.com or at 719-1930.