New community activity, “FrontRoyalRocks”

Town Tip Thursday
New Community Activity! Paint a ROCK, hide a ROCK, spread some JOY! FrontRoyalRocks!
Interview with Beth Waller and Amanda Zangari

A What Matters Initiative
Posted by Jennifer Avery, Jenspiration

Just 2 short weeks ago, Amanda Zangari took a chance and created the FrontRoyalRocks Facebook page.  To date she has almost 2,500 people who have joined her group on Facebook.  What an affordable fun activity that brings friends, families and communities together!  Read below to hear Amanda’s story and to learn more details about this happy new hobby.

[spacer height=”10px”]My name is Amanda Zangari. I am originally from Upstate, NY, but would have to call Virginia my home, as I have resided in Front Royal for nearly ten years and have loved every minute of it! I teach Special Education English at Liberty High School in Bealeton, Virginia. On weekends, I spend my time in the tasting room at Linden Vineyards, meeting and talking with many people. I live with my wonderful husband, Jared, our three Chihuahuas and cat. I start by sharing all of this information because I am just like so many others in the community. I also have a problem. I’ve become addicted to painting rocks. You read that correctly. I’ve got a habit and so do many others thanks to the creation of FrontRoyalRocks!

Three weeks ago, I happened upon a group on Facebook called CulpeperRocks. The group was created by a lovely woman named Teresa Carr Altman, with the main goal being to spread joy and love via painting and decorating rocks that were then hid throughout the town. People post pictures of their rocks on the group page, then go hide them, with the sole intention for someone else to find it and feel love and joy. They can keep the rock if they would like, or they can re-hide it for someone else to find. How cool, right?! I visited the page several times after initially finding it, actually painted my own rocks, and drove out to Culpeper to drop them off. Not even two hours later, my rock had been found by the cutest little boy. The minute I saw his smile, I was hooked, but knew that I wasn’t going to be driving out to Culpeper every day. This is how FrontRoyalRocks came to fruition. I went back and forth before creating the page, not sure if people would be interested. I created the page in five minutes after getting out of work two weeks ago, hoping that maybe ten people would join. Let’s just say, I have been so humbled by this whole experience and the outpouring of love and joy! Front Royal residents have accepted the movement and it has really blossomed into a beautiful adventure. Parents, children, friends and couples are all getting in on the action of painting rocks, hiding them and searching for them. It’s relaxation for some, and motivation for others to get out of the house. Several rock painting parties have already been held. The Front Royal community is so creative and imaginative! I never would have imagined five minutes and a whim would have turned into such an amazing community activity.

While I love summer vacation (what teacher doesn’t?), I look forward to getting back to school to tell my students about FrontRoyalRocks (and because I miss them!). The creation of the group is a perfect example what can happen if you take a chance. I have had the opportunity to meet a variety of different people and impact the community in a positive way. So many people have thanked me, but truthfully, I am the one who is thankful. Every time I hear someone exclaim, “I found a rock!”, smiling from ear to ear, I am so thankful that I took those five minutes.
– Amanda  #FRONTROYALROCKS