BELTON, Texas — For three years, a Belton woman has been painting rocks as part of her "Rocking On" campaign to spread awareness and access to resources for those experiencing child abuse.
Susan Knobloch retired from the Belton Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) six years ago but is continuing to push the message of advocacy for the third year of her campaign.
Over those three years, Knobloch has painted 3,000, 4,000 and now 7,500 decorative rocks with the would-be "faces" of child abuse survivors on one side, and the child abuse hotline number on the other.
"So many people come from a background of where they experience abuse, and I'm an advocate for children," Knobloch said. "Even though something has happened to a child, they’re not always willing to tell just because we asked them. It takes such strength for them to say what's happening."
Knobloch paints the stones small enough that a child could "pick them up, and put it in their pocket and keep it at home."
"I try to make them fun," Knobloch said. "The previous year we painted animals and insects on them, but this year we painted the faces to represent the children we're talking about."
Knobloch also painted words of encouragement.
Knobloch said it takes getting up in the early hours of the morning to carefully decorate the rocks, and she says it's part of carrying on the mission from the Child's Advocacy Center.
Knobloch said she's already distributed over 3,000 stones to the Child's Advocacy Center, churches, schools, Child Protective Services and individuals throughout the community. She hopes that it's a tradition that will catch on with CACs across the state and country.
"I really believe that child abuse hurts forever," Knobloch said. "A person can overcome it, but they need to be able to discuss it. It affects not just the child, but it affects the whole family for what it does to the child. It’s vital."
The rocks are separated into boxes of 10 and 20. Knobloch said she'll be dispersing them throughout Central Texas parks this weekend, hiding them amongst Easter eggs ahead of Child Abuse Prevention Month in April.
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