Spring brings beautiful bouquets—in toilet seats?

Nothing says spring quite like a colorful bouquet of flowers ... in a purple toilet seat.

Like the traveling gnome, four traveling toilets will be circulating the county as part of the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life program, which is May 15. It is a fundraising project for the Bluff Springs Baptist Church in Ashford.

The first toilet was placed Friday in Dothan City Commissioner Paul Lee’s yard. Recipients must give a donation to have the toilet picked up, and for an additional donation, they can name the yard for the toilet to be moved to.

Chancy Sinquefield, team captain for the project, said the church got the idea from the Internet.

“What we actually found was somebody was putting 30 flamingos in yards,” she said. “We hit on this idea and built a theme around it.”

The church is appealing for assistance in “flushing out” cancer, and as the toilet is moved from neighborhood to neighborhood to business throughout the county, workers will don white Roto-Rooter uniforms.

Toilets are highly visible, as they are painted bright purple and have an arrangement of neon-colored flowers inside.

“We hope to keep it going through May 10,” Sinquefield said.

Church member Sharla Godwin said the group is compiling a suggested list of recipients. Those wishing to place a toilet can call Godwin at 726-7623 or Sinquefield at 796-5888.

The 200-member church has been involved in Relay for Life since 1997, and has raised nearly $62,000 in more than 12 years. There are 18 cancer survivors in the church family. Contributions are also given in memory of eight members who died with the disease.

“The whole Relay for Life philosophy is to keep people aware of the dangers and risks of cancer,” Sinquefield said. “This is a fun way to do something good.”

The goal of the Houston County Relay for Life is $150,000.