GAYSPORT - When Jessica Tysinger heard the state was shutting down schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic, she knew she had to scramble to find a new source of revenue. Tysinger and her husband Shane own Power Portraits, specializing in pictures for sports leagues.

"We had a double scheduled month for April," Tysinger said. "Four weekends in April for opening day baseball and softball, and we had eight leagues scheduled. All that came to a halt with the stay-at-home order. We had to pivot and see what else we could do. Even with a small business you still have monthly bills to pay to keep the business going."

And thus a line of yard signs was born, honoring high school seniors and students of all ages, as well as essential employees like doctors and law enforcement. 

The 24"x 36" corrugated plastic signs come with a variety of levels of customization, and free, no-contact delivery. 

"We deliver to Muskingum, Guernsey, Noble, Perry, Licking and Coshocton counties. We pick a couple days a week and drive around and stick them in the yard for people who have purchased them." The company will also ship online orders further afield. Orders have come in from as far away as Indiana and North Carolina.

Signs with pictures come with a little advice on how to take them, Tysinger says, a quick phone call to help get the best results. When the order comes in, Tysinger puts a fresh background on the photo and usually in a week the fresh signs are sitting in a front yard.

Tysinger said that parents of little leaguers who lost their baseball season can still put smile on their child's face with a sign, and if Power Portraits shot their league last year, Tysinger can use a picture from last season. In addition, a lot of students who didn't get a formal cap-and-gown graduation photo can order a cap and gown off Amazon, and Tysinger can make them a sign celebrating their graduation, from kindergarten to middle school to high school or college.

"We are thinking about continuing to offer these products even as we return to normal. it puts a smile on a seniors face right now, when they are down about missing so much." Tysinger said.

A basic sign, with no name or photo costs $25 with no contact delivery. This includes the line of signs honoring essential employees, or signs with a high school logo.

A sign with a student's name is $30.

A sign with a photo and name is $35.

For more information, visit Power Portraits' website; www.powerportraitsonline.com 

An additional shipping fee applies to signs ordered outside of the counties surrounding Muskingum County. Each sign comes with a heavy-duty h-stake to hold them up.

In addition, Power Portraits is looking for sponsors for signs for schools that don't have them.