Central Islip officials would like residents to get out and explore their parks, and to encourage this activity, they have launched a “Rock My Park” initiative.
They are asking residents to take part in a scavenger hunt on social media that consists of having students paint rocks and hide them around town. The rocks may be hidden in the parks or at the town's recreation centers. The idea is for people who find them to take pictures and share the photos on social media. The initiative will run throughout the month of November, and return next year when the weather warms up.
Deirdre Wahlberg, who is with the parks and public works department, said the idea is to encourage people to explore the resources available to them as Islip residents.
Approximately 100 rocks have already been decorated, and there are more on the way. The hashtag #IslipRocks is included on each rock, along with instructions on how to put photos on Facebook and Twitter so other residents can see them.
Residents are also encouraged to move the rocks from one location to another, especially if they post a notice of the move via social media, along with clues as to where it has been placed.
Officials who back this type of activity could work with a flyer printing company to create a mailer for local residents, explaining the idea and encouraging their participation.
