It all began in the fall of 2016
A 7-year-old child and his aunt started hand painting small rocks together as a project to keep occupied and entertained. It didn't take long for the rocks to build up in piles on the craft table. It was then decided they needed to give them away for others to enjoy. As they ran errands together, they began to leave the rocks in various places they had visited. Hoping to put smiles on people's faces, they took it another step further and started giving them to random people they would see... wishing them a happy day.
THE MAGIC OF THE ROCK BEGAN... after an experience in a fast-food restaurant - when the child had given the employee at the counter a painted rock and wished her a happy day. He explained, looking at the rock had magical powers that would make you smile and give you a happy day. She was delighted with his kindness and showed all her co-workers his little painted purple rock.
Taking their seat near the counter, the next customer came in, he was happily greeted by the employee who had just received a Happy Rock. As they sat to eat, the child had overheard their conversation - “Good afternoon... how are you today?" The man grumpily replied, “I am miserable.” The child looked at his aunt and said, “Did you hear that... he said he was miserable” and asked if he could go to the car and get another Happy Rock to give to him. Coming back with the rock he walked up to the man held out his hand and said, “Excuse me sir, I have something for you”. He explained it was a Happy Rock and had magic powers to make him have a good day. The man was hesitant but accepted it... put it in his jacket pocket and went to his table to eat his lunch. About 5 minutes later the man came over to the table and said, “I would like to thank you, you just made my day” and handed him $2.00. The child's eyes grew as big as his smile knowing he had actually made people smile and happy.
The following week they went to his other aunt's workplace and handed out more Happy Rocks to her co-workers setting them on their desks as a reminder to "Rock-a-Smile and have a happy day. The rocks were such a hit people had offered to buy them.
From the experiences of little hand painted happy rocks, we saw we could make people smile and realized there was an opportunity to support families or organizations and help raise funds from the rocks if we sold them. Like a puzzle piece everyone is unique or different, just like our rocks. We could use our magical rocks as our signature piece to promote Autism Awareness and Education AND still make people happy.
