Last Call: Sussex County, Show Us Your Messages Of Hope

SUSSEX COUNTY, NJ — With visiting in person shut down by efforts to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, folks in Sussex County and elsewhere have taken to the sidewalks to share messages of hope and friendship.

Chalk drawings are cropping up everywhere as homebound kids, and adults, look for ways to share. This week, social media has been awash in these sort of images and there are some who have taken the creativity a bit further.

In the Morris County community of Lincoln Park, there is a family that took it a step further. They've transformed their sidewalk into an interactive game.

"We live in a townhouse community. We got the idea from a neighbor who lives on the other side of the development when we were going for a walk," said Melinda Bass O'Neill. "My daughter, who is in Kindergarten loved the idea so much, that she wanted to make her own. She added all of the different animals into our version of the obstacle course. Its a great idea for her, because she is learning how to read and write. This inspired her to spell out words and write them out."

O'Neill is a music therapist in schools throughout New Jersey in special needs classrooms and also 1:1 with individuals diagnosed with special needs.

"Luckily, I am still able to work remotely with all of my schools. I send pre-recorded sessions that are individualized for each class." she said. "With my individual clients, I am able to provide live teletherapy for those who are able to adjust to the online sessions."

Despite working from home and helping her daughter through distance learning, O'Neill still found time to create more art for her community.

"Our community has been so supportive during this crisis by chalking their walks with inspiring messages, and by putting paper eggs and stuffed bears in windows, so that our elementary school kids can go on a 'social distancing' egg and bear hunt," she said.

Patch would love to see some of the chalk art you've encountered during the coronavirus shutdown.

Send your photos to Patch editor Russ Crespolini at russ.crespolini@patch.com with your name, the date and general area where your photo was taken and any other information you want to share.

Subscribe to your local Patch newsletter. You can also have them delivered to your phone screen by downloading, or by visiting the Google Play store.