COVINGTON, Ga. - Are you the type of person who is always exploring? Well, Newton Rocks is now giving you something to look for.

Newton Rocks, founded by Brooke Shanabrough Helf, is a group within Newton County that works to create tiny pieces of art that can be found throughout the county.

“The rocks are hidden around the county – in parks, near storefronts, in neighborhoods – anywhere someone wants to hide a rock,” Helf said. “When someone finds a rock, they can post a picture of it on their Facebook page with the hashtag #NewtonCountyGaRocks and they can join our Facebook page to post there as well.”

Helf said the activity is almost cost-free with the only expense being the cost of paint and sealant.

“We started because I was told about other cities doing this and it sounded like a fun and free (other than paint) thing to do with my children as well as a way to bring beauty and a smile to people in the community,” she said. “My hope is that it will get more people out and about to explore the county and building friendships along the way.”

Heff said the best rocks to paint can be found right outside.

“The best rocks to paint are ones found outside as opposed to store bought, as many store bought rocks are for floral arrangements and contain a wax coating that doesn’t allow paint to adhere well,” she said. “Acrylic paint and paint markers are the best things to use on the rocks and then they need to be sealed with something like Mod Podge or watered down Gorilla Glue.”

For more information, visit the Facebook Group, entitled “Newton County GA Rocks,” which includes photos of found rocks, painted rocks and more.