When 14-year-old Gavin Walker woke up to his lawn decked out in surprise decorations on the morning of his father’s 49th birthday, he was inspired. Walker’s neighbor spent the moonlight hours planting 49 pink flamingos in his yard in celebration of the special day. This incited an ‘aha moment’ in young Walker. Thus, Flocking Flamingos PVB was born.
“After my neighbor decorated our yard, I got the idea to start my own business,” said Walker. For the past three months, Walker has been going around the Ponte Vedra and Nocatee areas decorating yards within the community for special occasions. “We mostly decorate for birthdays, but we’ve also done decorations for anniversaries, graduations, and welcome home celebrations.”
When Walker gets a request for a decorative surprise – a “flocking”, as he calls it– he slips away in the night to concoct the perfect celebratory surprise. Accompanied by his parents, Walker goes to the lawn and decorates it to perfection. The flamingos are adorned with sparkling beads and tropical leis, brightening up the yard to make it beautiful for any celebration. Themed signs are also placed in the yard to send a cheerful message to the clients. Walker also offers the option for clients to upgrade to custom signs displaying the name of those being celebrated.
“My favorite thing about doing this is hearing back from people after I’m done,” Walker stated, explaining that he is motivated by spreading cheer within the Ponte Vedra community. Although it only takes Walker around 30 minutes to decorate a yard, the memories that he creates can last a lifetime.
Walker’s goals for the future include obtaining more decorations so he is able to carry out many flockings at once. Currently Walker owns about 150 flamingos, enough to decorate three to four yards at a time. As his business continues to grow, he plans to invest in more decorations to expand his horizons and continue spreading love throughout the Ponte Vedra community.
In addition to his business of spreading celebratory cheer, Walker is a new student at Ponte Vedra High School, a bagger at the Sawgrass Village Publix, and a soon-to-be Eagle Scout. He is in the process of becoming an Eagle Scout and is currently working on his final project – building six dog houses for the local Animal Care Protective Services. By October of this year, the 14-year-old will achieve his goal of becoming an Eagle Scout – an impressive feat for a young man of his age. In his free time, Walker enjoys gaming and spending time with his family.
The cost of Walker’s services start at $35 and he offers a variety of upgrades to enhance the experience. Walker handles the setup and breakdown of the decorative experience, leaving his customers to sit back and relax as their lawn is transformed into a tropical paradise.
To contact Walker for a flocking of your own, find his Facebook page at Flocking Flamingos PVB for a celebratory experience of your own.
