Love on the rocks

Local artist Terri Crothers practices one another-ing

Local artist Terri Crothers is painting loads of rocks to spread the message about Aralyn Slack. Aralyn, who the Defender wrote about in late May, is a 10-year-old girl diagnosed on March 30, 2023, with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). This type of cancer is aggressive, inoperable, and has no cure.

Local artist Terri Crothers practices one another-ing

Some of the many rocks Terri has painted for “Araylyn’s Alliance Rocks!”

By Sherry Larson

People’s Defender

Have you ever found a traveling painted rock? Maybe somewhere unexpected on your journey, you’ve been serendipitously gifted with an artistic nugget that sends a special message about a person and a purpose.

Local artist Terri Crothers is painting loads of rocks to spread the message about Aralyn Slack. Aralyn, who the Defender wrote about in late May, is a 10-year-old girl diagnosed on March 30, 2023, with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG). This type of cancer is aggressive, inoperable, and has no cure.

The message on the back of each rock explains Aralyn’s diagnosis and asks rock finders to take it somewhere in their travels and place it for someone else to find. The information includes Aralyn’s Facebook page, “Aralyn’s Alliance Rocks!” so finders can visit the site, send Aralyn well wishes, and tell her where they found their rock.

Crothers was recently interviewed by Fox 19 about her generous gesture and the story behind the traveling rocks. She said, “We’ve made almost $1500 just in rocks.”

The rock movement started as an act of kindness in 2015. Crothers shared, “Someone painted a rock, and it said, ‘You matter,’ and put it out. When you find one, they link it on the back to a Facebook page, and you’re supposed to post a picture of that rock on Facebook, then take it someplace else and find it. The idea is to brighten someone’s day.”

Crothers found her first rock in Gatlinburg in 2016 and has been rock painting ever since. She was inspired in 2017 by a little girl from Anderson Township hospitalized for the flu. The girl lost her life after a piece of hospital equipment malfunctioned. Crothers started painting rocks in remembrance of the little girl with a message to link finders to the girl’s Facebook page.

“Painting for me is relaxing. It’s a way to de-stress,” said Crothers. When she found out about Aralyn’s illness, Crothers felt led to start painting the rocks for her. She began in June of this year and included Aralyn’s Facebook information on the back of the stones so folks could tag and send messages. The rocks are available at the Sugar Shack in Hillsboro, and donations are appreciated. Crothers wants the news to keep traveling and asks that those who obtain the rocks leave them in fun locations for others to find.

Terri said Brush Creek sand bars are the best places to find rocks to paint on. Her husband jokes that her kayak always goes in the water a lot lighter than coming out. Evidently, a good 15 to 20 pounds.

Taylor Davis of Fox 19 covered Aralyn’s story when she was first diagnosed. When she discovered the “Aralyn’s Alliance Rocks!” Facebook page, she contacted Crothers to share the story. Crothers said, “They thought it was a positive and simple message and said, ‘Let’s put it out there.’”

The rocks have traveled near and far. They have been found in Florida, Colorado, Utah, Hawaii, Alaska, Bahamas, Peru, Norway, England, Michigan, West Virginia, Africa, Scotland, Jamaica, and the list goes on. Crothers, who has painted over 500 rocks for Aralyn, said, “It’s all about spreading the word and letting people know who Aralyn is.” Other folks have been inspired to start painting rocks for her, too.

Aralyn is on a trial medication, and her tumor has shrunk a little, reported Crothers. She said, “I want to do anything I can to keep Aralyn’s name out there. If it gets her one or two more prayers – it’s a wonderful thing.”