Olympic Corrections Center Correctional Officer Ronald (Ronny) Howell’s twelve-year-old granddaughter Riley started painting rocks to make formations of bright flowers. She told her grandpa that this is her COVID Project. She asked if she could do some rock flowers for OCC.

Ron shared the following, “My granddaughter Riley Howell is 13 years old and loves to paint. With the COVID it’s hard to find things to stay busy.

One day back in April she showed me a picture of rock flowers online and said she wanted to paint some.

I told her I was looking for something to put in our flower beds at OCC and that is how our little project got started.

The first step was granddaughter and grandpa on the banks of the Hoh River trying to find the right shaped flat rocks. Of course, grandpa carried the five-gallon bucket of rocks. Eight cans of spray paint and a lot of sorting rocks the first batch of flower rocks were ready. She was quite excited when I told her how much the staff loved her rock flowers. There will be more trips to the river bank.”

OCC staff member Elena Friesz said, “What a bright spot coming into the Administration Building seeing all the bright colors. Staff were asking who did that? It is so cheery and bright, what a great idea. People were saying I am going to that with my children.”

The rainy weather had slowed her production but once the weather improves she’ll be doing more!