Ladybug Appreciation Stones
WOW! What an achievement by the Good Fairy community!
Together, we painted and gifted over 4,000 appreciation stones to grocery workers, recognizing them as often-unsung heroes of Marin's front line.
Known as 'Lovebugs', stones were offered to every grocery outlet in Marin from Costco to farm stands. We started this effort amidst the pandemic on Labor Day 2020 and finished at the New Year. The final deliveries honored the staff and volunteers of Whistlestop / Vivalon and the San Francisco/ Marin food bank. The latter received a cool 1,ooo stones....and one giant bug as seen to the right.
Read the full story of Project Love Bug below and find out who donated materials, who painted stones and just how cute can a bug be! See pictures of some happy recipients and read about the next steps in this important program as Good Fairy now turns to gift bugs as a symbol of love and respect to more organizations and individuals in Marin.
NOW WE NEED MORE!!
Good Fairy continues to express community love, and respect by honoring individuals and groups with Lovebug appreciation stones. We need individuals, families and organizations to paint paint paint. And suggest recipients. This is a new sport we call ' Fairy Spotting'. Details here
Giant Good Fairy Lovebug Outside Main Office of SF Marin Food Bank
Gallery of bugs painted by Good Fairies
Lots of design ideas here. Or just google ladybugs ....nothing like the real thing to inspire you. And no - they aren't all red.
Marin unites. Boosts morale of grocery store workers
As this Wall Street Journal article noted, grocery store workers are 'the unexpected heros of the frontline' . In Marin - as everywhere else in America- many of these workers are suffering from unprecedented stress due to changes Covid-19 has brought to their workplace.
On Labor Day, 2020, Project Love Bug began. We devised this in consultation with many Marin stores esp Stephanie at Costco , Kelly at United Markets and Earthling management at Good Earth Natural Foods. And started to deliver baskets of stones painted into ladybugs to grocery stores of all sizes in every corner of Marin. One for every single employee and a few to dot around the store with this message:
"These were painted for you by your entire community ....seniors in retirement homes, people with disabilities, folks who are homeless, school children, families, seniors self isolating and everyone else...even some 90 yr old nuns!!! They did this to say "You are appreciated and respected. Thank you for being an essential front-line worker during this pandemic. Marin is so grateful as you cope with a greatly altered workplace and serve customers who are also facing stresses and challenges."
We have now delivered over 4,000 and started making some giant ones.
Click here to see how the project now continues beyond grocery workers
How Can You Help?
Paint bugs. Click here for our JOIN IN leaflet. Click here for our step by step leaflet for one simple design. Share on social media. Email lovebugs@goodfairy.org to find your closest bug drop location or for help on sourcing materials. We really recommend you consider investing in some paint pens. These are great for writing messages and dotting patterns, you can buy them in craft stores and here are lots on Amazon.
Inspire a group to get involved. Your school, your neighbors, your family, your Scout or Guide troop, Rotary club etc etc
CORPORATE HELP - Ask employees to join in or where not practical COMMISSION STONES TO DONATE TO US . We will connect you to a low income person/family who will paint 25 stones for $100 via our partners organizations supporting single Moms and those who are currently homeless You may keep this money, donate to your own cause/ fire victims or donate it to Good Fairy.
Help us on logistics We need folks who can help on admin, grocery store liaison, hosting Bug Centers, transporting materials and completed stones, sourcing baskets, making signs, coordinating volunteers to present stones to stores ...and of course helping by accompanying those.
Publicity. Please suggest media opportunities where we can discuss the issue of stress in stores, encourage folks to make bugs and let the grocery workers know the bugs are coming!! Also do please join us on social media, tag #projectlovebug and #goodfairymarin and tell us the story of your bugs your message to grocery workers. And put a sign in the back of your car or at your gate with ladybug on it.
Donate We need BRUSHES, BASKETS AND MONEY to help us buy materials. PAINT PENS are also fabulous!! Contact team@goodfairy.org for this.
LoveBug Pop-up Paint Parties
Our amazing Fairy Angela and colleagues in Terra Linda High School's Citizens in Action group are taking #projectlovebug on the road!! They are hosting Covid-19 careful Paint Parties in public places so folks can rock up ( you see what I did there) and paint a few ladybugs for frontline workers using our materials. They will be at Marinwood Park 3-6pm, Sat 10th Oct.
See www.goodfairy.org to find where they will be and email team@goodfairy.org to request a pop up Bug Paint Party for your group of kids/friends or organization. We love you Angela - go girl!!!!
For details on Project Love Bug see www.goodfairy.org #projectlovebug #projectoinsectosdeamor #terralinda #terralindahigh #volunteermarin #terralindahighschool #groceryworkers #ibelieveinfairies
Be sure to check our Fairy Calendar for upcoming dates!
Rock Painting Party (1).pdf
