Family enjoys smiles front-yard signs bring

The Wilke family has found a way to bring smiles to people's faces - one front yard at a time.

It's been four years since Janice and Ken Wilke started their family-owned and operated home-based business, Front Yard Friends. The couple, their children and Janice's mother, run the lawn-greeting company from their Great Bridge home.

"Everybody's always celebrating something," said Janice Wilke, noting the signs are available for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, homecomings, etc. Front Yard Friends has 25 different displays that include flamingos, princesses, swans, hearts, rubber ducks, monkeys, dinosaurs and golf balls.

The idea came about after Janice Wilke awoke to birthday and anniversary greetings sprinkled on her own lawn years ago.

"My husband did it for me, and I thought it'd be a great thing to do for others," said Janice, 46, who worked in the medical field for 20 years.

A family meeting brought together their son, daughter and Janice's 70-year-old mother, Rachel Collins, who all decided it was a go. Kenneth Jr., now 19, is a student at Liberty University studying youth ministries. Rachel, 17, will graduate from Hickory High in June and plans to major in early childhood education at Liberty.

For now, the family works together, taking orders, dreaming up and creating critters and flocking yards. Ken designs the graphics and Rachel cuts and mounts all of the two-sided art made from corrugated plastic or vinyl.

"We're always adding more. We take ideas and requests from people and we sell our critters to other companies and individuals," said Janice Wilke, a member of the board of directors for the Lawn Greeting Association, Inc.

Nancy Hill, 38, surprised both of her grandmothers with Front Yard Friends' creatures for their recent birthdays.

"My maternal grandmother was in such shock and was almost in tears. My paternal grandmother took pictures of her display and shares them with everybody," said Hill, of Virginia Beach.

That's why the Wilkes love what they do.

"I like sharing smiles and making memories; it's a lot of fun," said Janice Wilke.

Front Yard Friends serves all of Hampton Roads, including Moyock, N.C. Call 410-3369 or  visit www.frontyardfriends.com A full display - 30 to 50 critters plus a sign - is $55 and stays up for a day.