"Kindness Rocks" project grows in Michiana
BUCHANAN, Mich. – Kindness is spreading across Michiana through painted rocks thanks to a Berrien County couple.
Sarah and Scott Lolmaugh of Buchanan started a “Kindness Rocks” project in the area because they believed it would help bring the community together.
“I’m meeting people that I didn’t even know before and there’s so many people getting involved and getting to know each other and getting outside,” said Scott Lolmaugh. “It is really cool to see all of the excitement.”
The “Kindness Rocks” project is a national positivity project started by a woman in Cape Cod.
People decorate and paint rocks with inspirational messages and fun designs then hid the rocks.
“They’re expressing themselves, expressing their creativity,” said Scott Lolmaugh. “You can just walk around downtown and see you know, check that out. You don’t even have to, you can just leave it where it’s at, but it’s cool to see all the different things people come up with.”
People then search for the rocks and post it online when they find one.
“When you find something and that excitement of the finding, and then you get to share that you found it, and everybody sees it, and the hiding and just knowing that you’re put something out there and bringing someone else joy,” said Scott Lolmaugh. “I think that’s kind of a cool thing.”
Scott and Sarah started the local movement by designing a few rocks and scattering them around Buchanan. The duo also created a “Buchanan Rocks” Facebook page. The group now includes over 1,500 members. Scott says Buchanan Rocks have been found all over the state and country.
“You see someone else’s rock and post a picture, [and say] ‘Oh that’s so cool!’ [and someone else says] ‘Thank you! I painted that, I did that!’” said Scott Lolmaugh. “You get to pat other people on the back and you get to know other people a lot more and that’s really exciting.”
To start a “Kindness Rocks” project in your community, all you have to do is create a Facebook group and start posting.