It was a picture-perfect day, the kind Jill Remick couldn't resist enjoying. So she decided to head outside to grab a breath of fresh air and soak in some sun. As she walked out of Kutztown Borough Hall, she noticed a boring, brown patch of mulch.
"It just popped into my head, we needed some color here," the Kutztown field operations coordinator said. "It's a brown space and it needed color."
Remick is a creative person, so she decided to do something creative. She came up with and idea, one that came to fruition on Saturday.
The borough hosted a "Paint a Rock with a Cop" event, which invited the public to spend the morning hanging out with borough police officers while decorating rocks that will be placed in that mulch patch to create a community rock garden.
"We're just looking to make it colorful and to share some positive messages," Remick said.
Kutztown Mayor James Schlegel said that mixing the creative endeavor with a little meet and greet with police is part of an ongoing community outreach effort.
"We want to show that police have a heart for their community," he said, adding that several outreach events have been held over the last two years. "We want people to not be afraid of the police, to respect the police and to know they're here for them."
Saturday's event, held at the Kutztown Train Station, drew young and old participants. Community members sat at long tables covered in blue tablecloths, using special markers to decorate smooth river rocks.
Tallulah Hermany opted to draw a seasonally-appropriate design.
"It's a pumpkin because it's Halloween," the 8-year-old said, adding that she loves to draw.
Hermany had a second, blank rock sitting in front of her. She said she was eager to decorate it but hadn't come up with an idea yet.
Sitting a few tables away, 2-year-old Tripp Caruso was bursting with excitement over his rock.
"It's a shark," he squealed. "These are his teeth."
His mom, Nicolette Caruso, said she was thrilled to be able to take her son to the event.
"We just want to support the community and get familiar with the police in town," she said. "And it's a cute little craft for the kids."
Jonni-Lyn Briscese said she was happy to find an indoor activity to share with her 2-year-old son, Benjamin, as the weather starts to get colder.
"It's a simple idea and it's fun for the kids," she said.
She and her son looked ahead in creating their designs, painting a Christmas tree on one rock and a snowflake on another.
Saturday's event was the kickoff for the rock garden project. Remick said members of the community are invited to paint their own rocks at home.
A drop-off box and a box were people can pick up blank rocks are located outside the train station. Updates will be featured on the Kutztown Rocks Facebook page.
Anyone who missed Saturday's event but is interested in other opportunities to mingle with Kutztown police officers will have more chances to do so.
A "Cocoa with a Cop" event will be held Dec. 13. A caboose-only train ride with police will be held in February, and the department's annual bike rodeo is scheduled for June.