About three years ago, someone painted rocks with patriotic colors and sayings and placed them in a garden bed outside the C.H. Berry American Legion Post 173 in Tamaqua.

“They just showed up, and to the best of my memory, it was shortly before Memorial Day or Veterans Day,” said Mike Polyak, the Legion’s judge advocate. “We are grateful for this wonderful act.”

Legionnaires never learned who provided the gift, and the artist remains anonymous.

“People have good hearts, and some people aren’t looking for any sort of awards or recognition,” Polyak said.

But over time, the paintings on the rocks began to fade from exposure to sun, rain and dust from passing vehicles.

Polyak said Legionnaires and social members recently had a discussion about the rocks.

“We said, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice to have something like this again, and have them out there for Memorial Day?’,” he said.

They contacted Kim Woodward, Tamaqua Area Middle School art teacher, to see if she could work some of her creative magic.

Woodward agreed.

“I put my own twist on them and added my own images,” she said.

Woodward painted words like “Sacrifice,” “Respect,” “Heroes,” and “Thank You.” She also created rocks to represent each of the military’s service branches.

On the bottom of one painted to honor the Coast Guard, she added “G.W.” - her father’s initials.

“My dad was in the Coast Guard,” Woodward explained of George Woodward, a former borough police chief.

Woodward was happy to help the Legion.

“I tell my students that they spend so much time on their phones on things that don’t matter. I tell them that five years from now, they won’t remember what they did on your phone, but they will remember something that they did to make a difference,” she said. “Imagine if everyone used their talent to improve just one thing this summer. Imagine what a difference that would make in the community - even if it’s just taking a shopping cart back to the store or picking up trash while you are on a walk.”

Polyak said the Legion was thrilled to have the revamped rocks back in place for Monday’s Memorial Day parade and service.

“They are beautiful,” Polyak said.