Several community members in Rimbey are excited about a brand new way of lifting spirits via a very special project.
Rimbey Neighbourhood Place, the Rimbey Municipal Library and the Rimbey Boys and Girls Club are collaborating to help create - with the help of local residents - a ‘kindness rock snake’ to be located at the Blindman Youth Action Building.
”We have started off by painting a few rocks and putting words on them that emulate kindness or have the potential to just make you smile,” noted a release. “We are asking the general public to do the same. Paint a rock with a word on it and place it on the snake at the BYAS building.”
Library Manager Jean Keetch said that conversations about the project were first sparked amongst members of an inter-agency group.
“A friend of mine had also said that when they were in Ontario they had seen these rocks in Thunder Bay, which were hidden all over the place,” she said. Keetch also contacted Leanne Evans of Rimbey Neighbourhood Place to further chat about the concept.
“We decided that with COVID-19, we weren’t really sure that rocks all over the place would be a good idea, plus with town maintenance and mowing, too,” she explained.
The idea of placing them in something of a long line came up, and it was decided that this indeed was the way to go.
“Leanne did some research, and she came up with this idea about kindness rocks,” she said.
Keetch said if people don’t have paints at home, the Library has kits with rocks, paints, and brushes along with a children’s book if folks would like some help getting started.
“We also want to promote the reading of books that talk about kindness.”
Also, the Boys and Girls Club is making painted kindness rocks their theme for June, she said.
The hope is that enough people will contribute a kindness rock so that the chain will extend right around the building.
“If you see a word that speaks to your heart, please feel free to take that rock home and keep it for a while, bringing it back when you are ready. And if you do take a rock, please leave a rock in its place.”
Also, everyone is invited to join a global movement on Facebook through the site ‘kindness rocks - worldwide’.
“I’m hoping this goes on for the month of June, and maybe even for the whole summer.”