Local artists intend to ‘ROCK’ Douglas County for 2-year anniversary

Carson Valley residents can expect to find random acts of kindness painted on rocks throughout the community during Douglas County Rocks! second annual rock drop Sept. 3-5.

“Last year, group members painted and hid over 100 painted rocks in an effort to spread random acts of kindness and encourage smiles across the community,” said Douglas County Rocks! Administrator Tiffany Ellis. “The goal is to ‘rock’ as many areas as we can.”

The Douglas County Rocks! group is an assemblage of artists and enthusiasts who paint and hide rocks around the community with the intention to spread joy.

The group is an extension of the Kindness Rocks Project. The goal of Kindness Rocks is to spread smiles and demonstrate random small acts of kindness in the community by painting and hiding rocks in public areas for others to find, enjoy and/or rehide for someone else.

The Kindness Rocks Project originated in the U.S. in 2015 by Megan Murphy in Cape Cod where she left inspirational messages on rocks for friends to find. The trend inspired many across the country and others including, the U.K., Australia and New Zealand.

Ellis started Douglas County Rocks! in September 2017 during the height of the Kindness Rocks Project popularity, she said. Since then, many have joined Ellis’s Facebook group; finding rocks, painting rocks and spreading kindness throughout the community.

Minden resident Elaine Akagi was curious about how the Kindness Rocks movement started which made her wonder whether her own community offered such a group.

“I was delighted to find DCNV on Facebook and immediately began using it on my rocks,” said Akagi. “I love the idea of spreading kindness and smiles throughout our neighborhood.”

Gardnerville resident and Douglas County Rocks! member Liz Gerber said during a low point in her life she found two inspirational rocks over a short time span, and she loved how the rocks lifted her spirits.

“I thought it would be nice to return that feeling to others,” Gerber said. “Sometimes it’s cathartic.”

All are welcome to participate in the event whether it’s painting and hiding or finding and sharing.

“We ask that painters keep all rocks geared toward kindness and brightening another’s day,” Ellis said.