Community Searches For Painted Rocks

Desert Hot Springs, CA You might have seen them hiding in plain sight in Desert Hot Springs. They are little positive messages spread out across town. What starts off as an ordinary rock, turns into something beautiful. "This is actually my hand on a giant piece of candy, so this is probably my favorite one," said Chiron Powell of Desert Hot Springs. Related: Remembering John Furbee, the Heart of Desert Hot Springs They aren’t just making art, they’re hiding them all across Desert Hot Springs. "We just started a group, and painting and hiding rocks," said Terressa Powell, who brought the idea to Desert Hot Springs. She said it’s more than just a fun game, it’s about bringing the community together. "[The kids] can go out and hide the rocks and they can tell their friends about it, and then their friends can go find them and get their families involved," she said. People can either keep the rocks, replace them or paint and hide one in a new spot. Powell asked people to post photos of the rocks as a hint in the Desert Hot Springs Rocks FaceBook group. "It can be right in your neighborhood because you see pictures where the rocks are," said Powell. Powell said they’ve hidden rocks throughout most of the perimeter of the city. She said the activity is bringing some positivity to Desert Hot Springs. "People are like, ‘Oh, it’s only crime,’ and things like that. I really don’t want my children growing up thinking that way. I want them to have positive thoughts about the city that they live in," Powell said about why this is important. With a little paint and some spray, they’re putting a smile on someone, somewhere.