DE PERE, WI (WTAQ) – The 39th annual Pink Flamingo Classic Softball Tournament in De Pere is in the books.
From a mid-summer community gathering that hosted events ranging from a neighborhood parade, to a 5-K run, to action on the ball field, the Pink Flamingo is more than just a good time.
The Pink Flamingo Classic starts with 18 teams, and all with the goal of winning the Flamingo Cup. Matt, with De Pere Green House & Floral, is one of them.
“You want to play your best, you want to try and win that cup and having bragging rights for the rest of the year, for sure.”
But it’s not just softball.
This community celebration starts with a parade.
“De Pere is a very tight knit community, so having traditions like this really means a lot to a lot of us who are naive to De Pere.”
Something Mandy Weatherax, with a curbside seat to watch the floats go by, has been coming to for as long as she can remember.
“Bringing the kids out every year, having that generational community involvement, it means the world to us and we really love it.”
Brynn is a teen-ager, and is on really board with something they call Flamingo Fever.
“We usually go to Legion Park for the softball game, and then kind of just do stuff from there. Kind of go there for the whole day too.”
And Legion Park is where the softball tournament is in full swing at Flamingo Field….
Kim is a fan….and not a casual one either…
“We watch all 26 games the entire weekend and they’ve been very competitive so far this weekend.”
Four generations of her family are here. Watching players like Mike, A De Pere firefighter, who’s been playing in the Flamingo since 2009. His team is here to have fun….but not too sure about the rest of it.
“We love to have fun, more so than compete. But hopefully we can compete as well. Have you practiced up and are ready to go ? ….NO.”
Watching it all is Jerry Olmstead
“Yeah, I’ve been here the 39 years. We started in 1984 and I was definitely one of the originals.”
And the charity component to the Flamingo is something might Olmstead might be the most proud of…as organizations and non-profits turn Flamingo weekend into a big fund-raiser.
“The craziness is we’ve raised over $1.3 million in the 39 years, so that’s phenomenal. Most people when they run a tournament have about 2 or 3 people that they give to. We’re up to like 30.”
It’s the entire package that keeps players like Mike and Matt, and their families, coming out.
“Our families do the runs, we do the parade, we help bartend. It’s all for good causes, so.
“Great way to all come together and celebrate something. Something that’s bigger than softball, something that’s bigger than ourselves, for our community.”
Jerry Olmstead is getting older and some of the heavy lifting is being handed off to the next generation….but he, and the Flamingo Classic, aren’t going away.
“Have we thought about next year? not to my knowledge. But I’m sure for 40 years we’ll have to do something.”
You can learn more about the Pink Flamingo organization, and all their work, by clicking here.
