Dozens of painted stones now sit on the Medea Creek trail posts, featuring everything from inspirational quotes to Dwayne (the Rock) Johnson. 

This trend, known as the #kindnessrocks movement, has skyrocketed as social distancing has become the norm. Founder Megan Murphy believes that the movement helps people unite during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We could all use more kindness to get through this difficult time and art therapy is one way to keep a positive sense of purpose,” Murphy said in an interview with Better Homes & Gardens.

In the Oak Park community, the activity emerged just before Ventura County announced a Stay at Home Order, according to community member Jana Hand.

“I figured some child in the neighborhood started it because they were bored,” Hand said. “[And when I saw those rocks] I thought to myself, ‘This is pretty special.’”

Hand and her two young children have already painted over 20 rocks, each with their own individual meaning. Some of Hand’s favorites include a face with a mask on it, the Dodgers logo and a quote saying “This too shall pass.”

“It’s just such a cute idea, I think it gives Oak Park such charm,” Hand said. “It’s a very touching tribute to what our community is going through and the resilience of children. It gave us a purpose to make art that was more than just for us, but for the community.”

Oak Park High School junior and local resident Jennifer Gluskin follows a similar mindset. She and her younger sister bonded by creating a rock design together.

“My little sister decided to go big or go home, and made a rock saying ‘My rock is bigger than yours,” Gluskin said. “It keeps the community still connected in these difficult times and it’s a great thing to do during quarantine. You have nothing better to do, so why not paint a rock with a nice message on it and spread the positivity around?”