NBC 13 Wrex / South Beloit girls bring Kindness Rock Project to their community

SOUTH BELOIT (WREX) – The goal of the Kindness Rocks Project is to spread positivity to those in need.

In fact, their mission statement on their website reads “One message at just the right moment can change your whole day, outlook and life.”

That message is making its way to the stateline and is now being carried on by three young girls in South Beloit.

Whitney Laue, Natalie Laue and Payton Adleman started the “Sobo Rocks” page on Facebook last week.

“I love saying nice things to people and I like making them happy,” Whitney Laue said.

Payton was the driving force behind starting the project at home after visiting her family in the Quad Cities earlier this year.

“We were at a doughnut shop there and she actually found a rock there and that’s what kind of triggered it for Payton, Ryan Adleman, Payton’s father, said.

After months of talking about it Payton, along with help from Whitney, Natalie and their parents, created “Sobo Rocks.”.

“I think it’s a really great thing for them to do to learn how to spread kindness to others and it doesn’t take a big gesture just something small to make somebody’s day,” Amber Laue, Whitney and Natalie’s mother, said.

The girls got to work quickly painting rocks and hiding them around town.

“From here to on the street, the post office,” Whitney said.

“We put them at the post office but somebody found them,” Natalie said.

Multiple rocks were found after just a few days.

Two were found by the post office and another was found by the South Beloit Library.

Those who came across the Kindness Rocks made sure to post their findings to Facebook, which helps the girls know their hard work is paying off.

“It really just makes the girls’ day when they wake up in the morning and they see that somebody had found a rock,” Amber Laue said.

“It’s just fun to see them light up with excitement because they made somebody else happy.”

The girls’ parents agree it’s a “proud moment” to see their kids doing their part to help lift up their community.

“These three girls are doing something bigger than themselves in trying to spread the happiness to other people,” Ryan Adleman said.

Anyone who finds a Kindness Rock in South Beloit is asked to post a picture of it to the “Sobo Rocks” Facebook page with #Soborocks.

Also, South Beloit isn’t the only place you can find Kindness Rocks in the stateline.

There are campaigns in Rockton, Pecatonica and Winnebago as well.

You can learn more about the Kindness Rock Project at https://www.thekindnessrocksproject.com/