Members of the RVA Rocks Facebook group post pictures of their discoveries and artistry, including the examples above. (Photos courtesy RVARocks/Jennis_Awesome_Rocks/Jennifer Eldon/Steph SF/Kimberly Andrews Licence)
Three years ago, a pair of friends came up with an idea for a way to spread goodwill and acquaint themselves with Richmond. Jessica Laws and Jennifer Hermanson were new in town, and Laws had just learned about an online group in Seattle in which participants hid, found and re-hid painted rocks with positive messages. One weekend, Laws, Hermanson and 10 of their friends painted rocks and hid them in parks around town. They called their project RVA Rocks, and three years later, it has a Facebook community of over 34,000 members.
“Basically, it’s meant to be a kindness project,” Hermanson says. “You paint a rock, you leave it somewhere for someone to find, and you add some positivity to their day.”
The group asks that rocks include the words “post on Facebook @RVA Rocks” and “to keep or hide” on the back of their rocks. The Facebook group is a virtual library of found rocks. The goal, Hermanson says, is to brighten as many days as possible.
The smiley face rock Donna Frescott found on New York’s Long Island is shown above. (Photo by Donna Frescott)
“It’s something small that can change the way your day is going. Kids love it,” she says. Some people will write encouraging words. Some people will paint with the seasons — people get really into Halloween and Christmas rocks. “It’s something your whole family can participate in — and it gets the kids away from electronics.”
There are some guidelines that group members are asked to follow: Rocks are not to be hidden in animal habitats, in grocery stores, in federal parks or on private property without permission. Rocks need to be coated with a sealant to keep paint from washing away, and they should not be left near rivers or streams. Popular hiding spots include Mid-Lothian Mines Park, Bryan Park, Belle Isle and Carytown.
In December, a brown RVA rock with a smiley face made its way to Long Island, New York, where it was found by Donna Frescott.
“I’ve hidden rocks before as a part of Long Island Rocks, but I wasn’t sure what RVA stood for — I had to look it up,” Frescott says. “I found it going into my local CVS, and it made me happy.” Frescott says she plans to re-hide the rock.
