Lena Newton
In Motion Staff Writer
Volusia County Rocks is part of a movement growing worldwide. For those living under a rock the past few years, Volusia County Rock is sort of an offshoot of that former fad, Geo-caching.
But its real origins are the Kindness Rock Project, a movement that many rock-painting groups credit with inspiring them to organize their own. Megan Murphy of Massachusetts says she left a career as a retail business owner after 15 in search of a more meaningful life.
She started the Kindness Rocks Project several years ago after looking for a way to serve her community. After spending time in self-exploration and completing service projects, Murphy began taking long walks on the beaches of Cape Cod, looking for sea glass or heart-shaped rocks.
One day, Murphy wrote messages with a permanent marker on a few rocks and left them on the beach. Later, a friend reached out to her after finding one of the rocks, explaining that message had improved her day, Murphy knew she had stumbled on the perfect way to help others.
Since then, rock painting has become a phenomenon worldwide and Volusia County is no exception.
The idea is locals paint rocks, then hide them for someone else to find in an act of random kindness that brings people together.
Rocks come in all varieties of colors, some reflecting current holidays, as well as all shapes and sizes. Instead of relying on mobile devices to find the latitude and longitude of “caches,” which is what Geo-caching does, the rock recipient simply stumbles upon the rock in their daily travels.
People of all ages are coming together to post on Facebook about the rocks they have created or found. The group formed on Dec. 29, 2016 with 30 members. When Wesley Copelin first posted in the group, he stated that he planned to “rock” the Port Orange City Center. Now the group has 32,973 members from all across the world.
Leslie Diane Dhaseler of Port Orange, a member of the Volusia County Rocks Facebook group, says, “The greatest thing about rocking is that people of all ages enjoy and participate. Men, women and children! People with different personalities, religious backgrounds, ethnic groups, it doesn’t matter a person’s degree of artistic talent. Rocking brings us all together.”
Volusia County Rocks hosts an event almost every month, picking a local park where members meet. But everyone is invited to bring their rock creations and trade with other rockers in the community. Also, participants can bring supplies to paint at such meetings, where the rocks are supplied.
Not only is it a great way to meet new people and get cool looking rocks, but it also can put a smile on somebody’s face and make their day. Those who find these rocks say it gives them a spark of happiness and they always seem to find the rock at the right moment. Hopefully, say rockers, they inspire people to create some of their own.