If you’re visiting Kess Creek Park anytime soon, make sure to pay a visit to it’s newest resident. Graves County ASAP introduced Rocky, the kindness rock snake. He lives among the trail of Kess Creek Park, and is made entirely of kindness. Well, painted rocks, decorated with kind and positive messages from members of the community. Everyone is encouraged to continue adding onto Rocky, so that he can continue spreading messages of hope, love, encouragement or kindness. Everyone needs a touch of kindness everyday, and with the help of Rocky and the community, there will be small reminders that positivity can be spread from person to person, or, rock, to person.
Members of the community are encouraged to paint their rocks at home and add positive messages to them. Once they’re complete, bring yourself – or the whole family out to Kess Creek Park for a day full of play, exploration – and of course, spreading kindness. Each Rock added to Rocky’s Trail helps spread encouragement, hope and positivity through our community here in Mayfield.
“Kindness is one of the simplest ways we can all practice prevention. Every time we show up for one another, whether it’s painting a rock, saying something kind, or helping someone out, we’re building a connection,” said Courtney Jeffries, Executive Director at Graves County ASAP. “Those relationships keep our kids grounded and supported. When a community chooses kindness, it’s choosing prevention, because it reminds people they matter and they belong.”
Along with adding kindness to our community, theres a chance for participants to win a little something sweet for themselves to. Each person or family that adds their painted rocks after paying Rocky a little visit – make sure to snap a picture with rocky. Those who participate, and post their photo with rocky in the comments of Graves County ASAP’s facebook post that introduces Rocky, will be entered into a drawing to win a Fifty dollar giftcard at the end of the month.
“The Youth Council does our kindness campaign every November to celebrate kindness and gratitude with Thanksgiving coming up, but the goal is for kindness to continue year round. Prevention doesn’t stop after the holidays,” said Jeffries. “We’ll keep finding ways for families to get involved through things like the kindness snake and the coloring sheets at local restaurants. The more connected our community feels, the stronger our protective factors are against substance use and mental health struggles.”
“Lets see how long we can make Rocky stretch,” said GC ASAP in a Facebook post. “Because kindness..truly rocks.”
