NEW SALEM, Pa. — Painted rocks of Pennsylvania is a movement that aims to spread kindness through hidden gems you can find all across Pennsylvania. The group's leader, Christina Stark, is well known in York County as the rock lady.
Christina loves to head out to town and rock everyone, especially those that she thinks are having a bad day. Christina remembers one experience when she said, 'Hey, I want to rock you' to a complete stranger. She recalls,"Her face lit up. She was like, ‘Oh my god I know exactly who you are, you’re Christina, you’re the rock lady! You’re from PROPA.' "
A few years back, Christina started the group Painted Rocks of Pennsylvania or PROPA. Today, the group is over fourteen thousand strong and this rock lady still loves finding new people to rock the movement.
Christina says, “The best feeling is either they don’t know me, or they don’t have a clue and they’re so excited to learn more about it. Then I’ve had many people that have a story to tell and they are the best ones, that always make me happy."
During these challenging times, people are finding all sorts of ways to stay busy with their families.
Christina explains, “What I’m finding is there’s definitely been an uprise as far as rocks being found, rocks being created and rocks being shared. I found now, a lot of people are actually saying, ‘Hey would you mind throwing us a hint, like are you going to drop around Codorus?' Or, 'Are you going to drop around this park or this area? Cause me and my family are going to go for a walk and we love to find painted rocks.' ”
Christina has even started her own rock garden in front of her home to make it enjoyable for her neighborhood.
She says, “With everything going on now, you don’t have the chance to get out and drop rocks. Some people are kind of leery about picking up, so I put the rocks there and people see them and they go crazy."
This garden has bloomed not only in front of her home, but in other homes across the neighborhood as well.
Christina explains, “This is definitely a community builder. I have had so many people, because of my little rock garden out front, do rock gardens in front of their house. Then, people will contact me and tell me about such and such in this neighborhood who has the rock garden and mention PROPA and it’s been awesome."
Christina hopes that this kindness movement continues to bring a ray of light and creativity into everyone’s lives.