NEWBERRY COUNTY — Have you been in a park or another public place, and stumbled upon a decorated rock, but did not know what it was? Well that rock was a part of the Kindness Rocks Project, and the project has made its way to Newberry County.
According to thekindnessrocksproject.com, the Kindness Rocks Project was created to spread inspiration and a moment of kindness for unsuspecting recipients through random inspirational rocks dropped along the way.
Now there are two groups that have formed in Newberry County — Newberry, SC ROCKS and Whitmire Rocks. Both groups have created Facebook pages, and combined have over 300 people involved.
“This group “Rocks!” Hehehe. What a wonderful way to build community spirit. I found my “rockstar” rock by my office door one afternoon. It totally put a smile on my face. On the back of my rock was the Facebook page. When we vacationed at Edisto Beach, there was a group there. The whole family had a great time painting rocks, being creative, enjoying each other. It’s fun to follow a rock you have created and see it bring a smile to someone’s face. Sometimes it’s the little things in life that can bring you such joy,” said Angela Reid, rock hunter.
Heidi Metts created the Newberry, SC Rocks page and Kim Siriphong and Cathy Stone have been heavily involved with the Whitmire Rocks page.
“I had some friends that sent me a link to one in the upstate, because that is where I am originally from. When we found the ones on the beach (in Florida), they had on the back a Facebook page, and the girls said they thought they would like to do that and that is what we did,” Metts said.
“It was an inspiration from my sister-in-law in Greenwood, they are really doing it big time in Greenwood. She said y’all should start it in Whitmire, so I started it and Ms. Cathy (Stone) and her kids followed, and they are the hardest workers. Ms. Crystal got us on Facebook,” Siriphong said.
The Kindness rocks have become popular with youths. Mallorie Metts, 6, and Emma Metts, 3, both became interested in the rocks during a trip to Florida. Mallorie Metts said they found four rocks while at the beach, one rock had a tree, one had an alligator, one had a rainbow and another had a ship.
Heidi Metts said this is a great way to get her daughters outside. She said they get away from technology and do something fun as a family. She even added that when they had some friends over all they did was paint rocks to take and hide.
Stone also has had similar experiences.
“These kids get to my house at 7:30 in the morning, and they are ready to go out and and collect and hunt. If we run out of rocks we go home and start to paint them, then we hide them. They do not turn the T.V. on in my house until five. They are not on the T.V., social media, games, they are not on any of that all day long,” Stone said.
The Kindness Rocks Project doesn’t just help get kids outside — it is also allowing them to explore their creative side.
Mallorie Metts said she really likes to paint rainbows, and that she enjoyed painting a Minion rock. Her sister Emma Metts said she liked making Cookie Monster.
Some of the Whitmire youths involved had similar favorites, Cassie Siriphong, 10, liked painting flowers, Kristen Siriphong, 9, likes making unicorns, Claira Siriphong, 7, likes making rainbows, Riley Garner, 8, likes painting random colors, Ida Shilds, 7, likes painting animals and Gracie Gilmore, 4, likes to make dots.
“We did crosses for our church, then we did a fish, some stars, and then some rainbows, Minions, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Elmo,” Metts said.
When it comes to hiding the rocks, both groups have been hiding them in public places. This could be the local library, a park or even the sidewalk in front of a business.
For anyone interested in creating their own rocks, a few options are available. Rocks can be purchased from places like Michaels or Amazon, or you can just go out and find rocks. Then all you have to get is paint and go from there. If you find a rock, you can either keep it or hide it again to help spread the Kindness.
“We ask if you find a rock that you really want to keep that you get another rock and paint it and hide it,” Stone said.
If you would like to learn more about the Newberry County Kindness Rock Project Groups, you can find them on Facebook by following these links — facebook.com/whitmirerocks/?fref=ts and facebook.com/groups/NewberrySCRocks1/?fref=ts.
