Lacombe residents are on the hunt for colourful rocks.
Nearly 300 people are members of the Facebook group Lacombe Rocks, which encourages residents to paint and hide rocks around the city for others to find.
Melodie Reid, who created Lacombe Rocks in May, was inspired to create the group after reading about Rammyrocks, a painted rock scavenger hunt Facebook group for a town in England.
“When I went to their Facebook page I was blown away,” Reid said. “I thought it was such a cool idea and I thought it would go over well in Lacombe, so I decided to give it a try.”
Reid, 53, has lived in Lacombe for 22 years and said she’s very happy to see the group is growing.
“I hoped it would grow quickly, but I didn’t think it would,” she said. “I’m not too surprised though knowing Lacombe. The community spirit and the type of people here are amazing.”
Reid said anybody can participate, regardless of age.
“You’ll see rocks that have been done by little ones and they’re great. People find them and love them,” she said. “I like to see people smile and this is such a simple way to do it. It’s so inexpensive and anybody can do it.”
Reid said she loves the variety of rocks people have painted.
“I especially like the rocks that people write a little message written on them like, ‘Have a good day,’ or, ‘You’re amazing.’ I think it really brightens people’s days,” she said.
The activity has caught the eye of other communities; Reid said her friend started a group in Rimbey and her sister plans on starting one in Saskatchewan. Several communities across the globe have their own version of the scavenger hunt, she added.
“I’d love for this to get really well known,” she said. “It’d be great to get as many people … as possible. Come one, come all.”
If you find a rock, you can do whatever you’d like with it, she added.
“We like it when you post a picture on the Facebook group because people like to see their rocks are being found. But you can keep it, re-hide it, give it to somebody … or do whatever you want to do.
“As more and more people are doing it, people will start to post pictures on the group page, but right now some people will see it and just think, ‘Oh that’s cool,’” she said.
Search Lacombe Rocks on Facebook to find the group.
sean.mcintosh@reddeeradvocate.com
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