At Northeast Ohio Rocks! we create and experience random acts of kindness whether that is through painting, hiding, finding or rehiding rocks or by sharing kind words in comments and posts.
It only takes one person to make a difference. One act of kindness to create a chain reaction.
The first story shared was a story of reunited families that was shared by Matthew Bean about his wife, Jodi and the cousin she didn't know she had, Michelle.
In one part of the world, Michelle Mallory found her first rock at Smolen-Gulf Bridge Indian Trails Park in Ashtabula, Ohio. A beautifully painted beach sunset. The rock painted by Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Bobbi Sanford. On July 3rd, 2017, my wife, Jodi Collingwood Bean, found her first rock, done in red, white, and blue, at a local library in Norton, Ohio. It was painted by Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Nancy Swain. Jodi posted a picture of her rock on the Northeast Ohio Rocks! group page and within a couple of days, she received a comment on her post that would change the rest of her life. The comment was from Michelle Mallory of Greenville, PA. The two girls chatted back and forth about their individual rock finds. Finally, Michelle, noticing Jodi's maiden name, wondered if the two were related. Over the next few days, the two girls talked, off Facebook, about family history and genealogy. These two girls are indeed cousins! But this story does not end here. Through Michelle, Jodi was able to reconnect with several other family members. Some of whom Jodi never knew she had. Michelle, along with Jodi and I, developed an instant bond so much so that Michelle invited Jodi and I to the wedding of her & her fiancé, Michael Clark on Aug 19, 2017. It was held at, of all the places, the Smolet-Gulf Bridge Indian Trails Park in Ashtabula, Ohio! The same place where Michelle had found her first rock! Jodi and I did attend Michael & Michelle's wedding. It was a beautiful ceremony, with Michelle's brother officiating. Remember the rock Jodi found? The red, white, and blue one? It traveled from Akron, OH to Ashtabula, OH where together Jodi and her cousin, Michelle hid the rock in the very same spot where Michele had found her first rock. On top of that old tree stump. I encourage each of us to paint, hide, find, and post each other's rocks and see how your story writes out!! Amazed by His Works.
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Matthew Bean.
Our second story was shared by Kelly Vogel and her journey through the tragedy of losing her newborn daughter to finding our group and creating a kindness legacy for her beloved Charlie.
I didn’t come into this painted rock movement like most people. My journey into rock painting is paved in tragedy. My tragedy, however, has turned into more.
After a long time trying, my husband and I got pregnant in October of 2015. We were so ecstatic that we would finally have the family that we have always wanted. The pregnancy was going well and we found out we were having a girl. We decided to name her Charlotte Rey and started planning out her nursery and buying her the essentials that she would need. All the while I started calling her my little ladybug. Every time we went to buy things for her, I would find ladybug clothes and so of course I got them for her! We got to 21 weeks gestation and things started to change. I started having cramps and other issues, so we went to the hospital. They did a full check on me and on Charlotte and told us everything was ok. I went back home relieved. Just two weeks later, we didn’t get such good news. After cramping again, we went back to the hospital and they told me I was in labor. They did everything they could, but were unable to stop my labor and I gave birth to my little ladybug at 23 weeks, 4 days. Her lungs were not developed enough and after 2 hours of holding her and talking to her and teaching her everything we could, she passed away in our arms. That was on March 9, 2016. Obviously, it was emotional and changed me in every possible way.
After the whole situation, I struggled to live as much of a normal life as possible, but couldn’t seem to cope in a healthy way. In May of 2017, I was spending some time with my best friend and her kids, when she mentioned rock painting. I was intrigued and asked her all about it. She added me to the Northeast Ohio Rocks! Facebook page and we looked through all the rocks together. I immediately wanted to start painting! It was the first time I felt somewhat normal since our daughter passed. We went out and found some rocks and I painted my first rocks that day. Since then, I’ve been able to use rock painting to help me cope with my emotions. I created my hashtag #charliebug39 to honor my dear Charlotte. We had planned on calling her Charlie, I still called her my little ladybug and she was born on March 9th.
I have painted many rocks since. When I can’t deal with my emotions or life in general, I go to my Charlotte’s room, now my rock room, and I paint away. Every rock I make puts a smile on my face and takes a weight off of my back. I love seeing people find my rocks. Not only do they make the finder smile, but it makes me smile knowing that my daughter’s memory is putting a smile on other people’s faces.
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Kelly Vogel.
Kelly has given the ultimate gift and in her loss we all receive. Her beautiful little girl shares kindness with the world. Not only do our rocks sometimes find a person just when they needed it most but sometimes they are created when we need them the most. Kelly’s story is an amazing example of how in the giving we receive. Through Kelly, Charlotte creates smiles even as far away as Iceland.
Our next story is one of determination and how through the kindness of painting rocks a family has come full circle. I appreciate Suzanne stepping out of her comfort zone and sharing her story with all of us. It is an amazing story of feeling worthy of kindness, the struggles we all face and turning them around and paying kindness forward to others.
Addiction does not discriminate. Many people look down on people who become addicted as if they are dirty making many addicts feel shame and not seek the help they need. Addiction grabs a hold of you and changes your life. It takes a devastating control over your life. I know. I have been there. The road back to a healthy life isn’t easy.
I originally learned to paint rocks in rehab where I had a counselor who had all the supplies and taught us to use painting rocks as therapy. When I had left rehab I had basically left the painting behind along with my sobriety. I relapsed and ended up in the hospital with a liver that was giving up. I on the other hand would not give up. I again got sober and during this difficult time my fiance had found his first painted rock and this group. Because of that rock and this group, my fiance and two children ages 16 and 8 started to paint, hide and find rocks together as a family. It is great therapy and a wonderful way to spend time with loved ones. I also learned to direct my urge from drinking to painting. When I felt the urge to drink come on, I would go to the table and start painting. I spent many nights awake painting away my urge and anger with my self over my past choices. Painting rocks has been an important process in my life. From the kindness that was shared with me by the counselor and the kindness shared by that rock painter we have found a good place. We have learned how important kindness can be to our own lives not just in receiving kindness but passing kindness on to others. It has helped me tremendously. It has also helped my kids to see how important it is to spread kindness everywhere you go. You may not see the person find your rock and smile over it, but in your heart you know you may have brightened someone's day. This is my story on why painting rocks and spreading kindness is so important. I have expanded my painting and now I paint rocks and ceramics. I have a lot of thankfulness to this group for what they do. Keep spreading the love, this world needs it.
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Suzanne Gibbs-Kirsch
Many of who come to our group are inspired to create kindness by painting and hiding rocks. Many become inspirations themselves. Kathy Ekers Cobb did just that by starting a group in her community.
Thank you to all our ROCK STARS who participate in our group. We all come to this group with different stories but we are all here to do one thing. We create smiles and share random acts of kindness one painted rock at a time.
Our next story is one of determination and how through the kindness of painting rocks a family has come full circle. I appreciate Suzanne stepping out of her comfort zone and sharing her story with all of us. It is an amazing story of feeling worthy of kindness, the struggles we all face and turning them around and paying kindness forward to others.
Addiction does not discriminate. Many people look down on people who become addicted as if they are dirty making many addicts feel shame and not seek the help they need. Addiction grabs a hold of you and changes your life. It takes a devastating control over your life. I know. I have been there. The road back to a healthy life isn’t easy.
I originally learned to paint rocks in rehab where I had a counselor who had all the supplies and taught us to use painting rocks as therapy. When I had left rehab I had basically left the painting behind along with my sobriety. I relapsed and ended up in the hospital with a liver that was giving up. I on the other hand would not give up. I again got sober and during this difficult time my fiance had found his first painted rock and this group. Because of that rock and this group, my fiance and two children ages 16 and 8 started to paint, hide and find rocks together as a family. It is great therapy and a wonderful way to spend time with loved ones. I also learned to direct my urge from drinking to painting. When I felt the urge to drink come on, I would go to the table and start painting. I spent many nights awake painting away my urge and anger with my self over my past choices. Painting rocks has been an important process in my life. From the kindness that was shared with me by the counselor and the kindness shared by that rock painter we have found a good place. We have learned how important kindness can be to our own lives not just in receiving kindness but passing kindness on to others. It has helped me tremendously. It has also helped my kids to see how important it is to spread kindness everywhere you go. You may not see the person find your rock and smile over it, but in your heart you know you may have brightened someone's day. This is my story on why painting rocks and spreading kindness is so important. I have expanded my painting and now I paint rocks and ceramics. I have a lot of thankfulness to this group for what they do. Keep spreading the love, this world needs it.
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Suzanne Gibbs-Kirsch
Many of who come to our group are inspired to create kindness by painting and hiding rocks. Many become inspirations themselves. Kathy Ekers Cobb did just that by starting a group in her community.
In late December 2016 I was invited to join Northeast Ohio Rocks by my cousin's daughter. She had found a rock and thought I might be interested because I grew up in Cleveland. I thought to myself, what a magnificent idea. Taking a wee little rock and making someone smile. After reading the pin I was inspired to give it a try. I was going to be traveling to South Carolina So, I painted a bucket full of tagged Northeast Ohio Rocks! I left them like little bread crumbs along the way, hoping they would be found. It happened. Each little rock I left seemed to magically appear on my computer screen. The finder would be smiling and thanking me for the wonderful blessing they had received. It made my day. Those smiles were contagious. I was hooked. After a couple of weeks I knew I needed to talk Nancy Powell Pierson about starting my own group. I asked around and others encouraged me. My Sister Joyce and Cousin Amber really did some shoving. But, it was when Nancy who said " You can do this Kathy, I will help you!". 36,000 people later and we are going strong painting rocks and creating smiles. It excites me to know we paint these rocks and hide them to make people smile. I am so grateful for finding Northeast Ohio Rocks! and starting Western WV Rocks because it has changed my life. Each day I am inspired to create and share painted rocks. Each day my heart is overjoyed by the smiles these little gems create. Thank you Nancy and Northeast Ohio Rocks, without you I would just be another me, myself and I, instead of "The Rock Lady” of Western WV Rocks.
Sharing kindness is about caring for other people even a complete stranger. It’s about giving to someone with no expectation of a return gesture.
Our next story is a story of love, prayer and survival shared by Judy Tompkins.
It was early 2017 when my daughter told my husband and I about Northeast Ohio Rocks! She thought it would be a great hobby for my husband, who is disabled and is always bored. We both started painting, but it was I who could not stop and became addicted. I would paint for hours and time would fly by. I felt calm and great satisfaction when I was painting. Seeing some of my rocks posted, and the happiness of the people who find them gives me a wonderful feeling. In May 2017 I was in a horrible accident. I spent 10 days on life support and my family was devastated. My daughter shared this with Northeast Ohio Rocks! and asked for prayers. Thousands of prayers were posted and the response was incredible. Everyone in this group are angels because all your prayers worked. I pulled through. Although I am home, and still have physical therapy to walk again, I am alive. I would summons my husband and daughter to get me in the wheelchair so I could roll to the table where my paints were set up for me. This whole time I was out of commission, my family was hiding my rocks. They were being found and some were posted. Ambulance drivers found one at University Hospital and took it to rehide. One of my rocks was found and hidden 4 times. I am proud and lucky to be a Northeast Ohio Rocks! member. Spreading kindness is good therapy. I think I'll start my second set of 100 smiles!
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Judy Tompkins
By practicing random acts of kindness you bring joy into your life and excitement into the lives of others.
Our last story of the week came from Gretchen Hammerstrom whose children excitedly participate in our group.
Our Northeast Ohio Rocks! story started one day at Walmart when we spotted a painted rock on a light post in the parking lot then a second rock a few rows down. We re-hid our rocks a few days later. My son is autistic so he doesn’t have the same fine motor skills as most kids his age and he was a little discouraged that his Pikachu rock didn’t turn out quite like he imagined when he first started. After we hid our first rocks around town that week we were excited to see that we all had at least one of our rocks found and posted (including my son’s Pikachu)! As the kids tried different techniques on their rocks they found what worked best for them and their artwork became more impressive each week! My son realized Sharpie pens worked best for him he has become quite proud of his Pokemon rocks. We have been rock hunting and painting for over a year now and it has become such a wonderful pastime for our family. My son has become a master at finding rocks. More than once I have been driving down a main road and heard “mom stop I saw a rock"! My daughter doesn’t have great luck finding rocks but she is definitely the best hider in the family as she always sees the neatest places to leave rocks for others to find because making others smile is her favorite thing about painting rocks. We are so grateful to Northeast Ohio Rocks! for opening our eyes to the wonderful part of ourselves that is brought to life and shared with others through painting rocks.
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Gretchen Hammerstrom
Our last story of the week came from Gretchen Hammerstrom whose children excitedly participate in our group.
Our Northeast Ohio Rocks! story started one day at Walmart when we spotted a painted rock on a light post in the parking lot then a second rock a few rows down. We re-hid our rocks a few days later. My son is autistic so he doesn’t have the same fine motor skills as most kids his age and he was a little discouraged that his Pikachu rock didn’t turn out quite like he imagined when he first started. After we hid our first rocks around town that week we were excited to see that we all had at least one of our rocks found and posted (including my son’s Pikachu)! As the kids tried different techniques on their rocks they found what worked best for them and their artwork became more impressive each week! My son realized Sharpie pens worked best for him he has become quite proud of his Pokemon rocks. We have been rock hunting and painting for over a year now and it has become such a wonderful pastime for our family. My son has become a master at finding rocks. More than once I have been driving down a main road and heard “mom stop I saw a rock"! My daughter doesn’t have great luck finding rocks but she is definitely the best hider in the family as she always sees the neatest places to leave rocks for others to find because making others smile is her favorite thing about painting rocks. We are so grateful to Northeast Ohio Rocks! for opening our eyes to the wonderful part of ourselves that is brought to life and shared with others through painting rocks.
Northeast Ohio Rocks! Member, Gretchen Hammerstrom
Thank you to all our ROCK STARS who participate in our group. We all come to this group with different stories but we are all here to do one thing. We create smiles and share random acts of kindness one painted rock at a time.
