Apparently painting inspirational words on rocks, and then leaving them out for others to find, is a thing … a very big thing! And the kids at Sunrise’s Woodlawn Center PRTF (Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility), along with the staff, decided to participate. They called their project “Kindness Rocks.”

The PRTF clients and staff spent a portion of a day painting inspirational and encouraging words on rocks, and then they placed them around campus and in the park the next day. The participants were quite enthusiastic about the project and plan for this to be ongoing. They have even collected extra rocks for the next painting event.

Pam Blankenship also heard about this new craze. Pam is a Sunrise foster care parent from Southern Bluegrass in Lexington. She painted her rock and then hid it outside in Frankfort for others to discover. Pam explains, “This provides a way for families to explore, exercise, and spread joy and kindness to others.” This family activity has been described as a low tech version of Pokémon Go, or a high tech version of Easter egg hunting. In Pam’s case, it was just one more creative way to get the ministry of Sunrise out to others.