New Big Duck Sign Unveiled in Flanders

The weather was fair but the focus was fowl, on Monday, May 15, as officials and well wishers gathered at the corner of Pleasure Drive and County Road 104 for the unveiling of the new “Welcome to Flanders” sign.

Adorned with the words “Home of the Big Duck” and a likeness of the landmark, it replaces one stolen in February.

The insurance provider Aflac, known for filling in the gaps of typical coverage, set out to fill in the gap made by the theft and donated the new sign. Upon learning of the larceny, officials in the Columbus, Georgia-based corporation, which maintains a sizable charitable arm through the Aflac Foundation — one that’s donated over $140 million to childhood cancer treatment research since its 1995 inception — decided to take the mission of replacing the sign under its wing.

“They called me the very next day,” Angela Huneault, the president of the Flanders, Riverside, Northampton Civic Association crowed with delight this week. FRNCA underwrites myriad beautification efforts in the community, including the Flanders signs.

Company officials had heard of the theft and stepped — or waddled — up to help. Bereft when the sign was taken, Huneault knew FRNCA didn’t have the thousands of dollars they’d need to replace it. “I felt violated, personally,” she recalled. Grief turned to exultation when she was contacted by company officials.

The donation is a blessing, she said this week.

“It’s a beautiful sign,” she said.

Proof, she believes, “There’s good out there.”

“When we saw it was Flanders, the home of the Big Duck, the Aflac duck wanted to help,” Aflac representative Trevor Fennell said on Monday.

The actual feathered friend was on hand for the unveiling, sitting placidly on a nearby boulder for the photo-op. Huneault said she was surprised to see the real, live aquatic creature. “I thought it was going to be a person dressed as a duck,” she said on Tuesday. “It was so friendly.”

Describing herself as too short to reach up and remove a giant covering for the unveiling, Huneault invited members of the Southampton Town Board — Councilman Rick Martel and Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara — to do the honors.

“FRNCA and its members have done so many great things in their community,” Martel said. “Raising money for the beautiful ‘Welcome to Flanders’ sign was a way they showed how proud they are to live there. It was a blow to their hearts when the sign was stolen.”

He expressed thanks to the community organization, as well as Aflac.

McNamara said seeing the turnout from community members on hand for the unveiling was heartening. “They were so happy,” she said.

Beyond helping unveil the sign, McNamara enjoyed another honor. “I got to hold a duck. It was a good day for me. My chicken farming came in handy,” she said.

Then making reference to Supervisor Jay Schneiderman and his penchant for puns, the lawmaker added, “It was a quacktacular day.”