Signs spread spirit of encouragement
Don’t Give Up. You are worthy of love. You’ve got this.
Signs, simple black letters on a white background have been appearing around Webster County.
One person responded to them on social media, saying: “God knows just what you need, when you need it. Whoever put those signs out on Clarkson Road, thank you!”
Similar sentiments have been expressed: “To the one(s) responsible for placing the ‘encouraging’ signs on Clarkson Road — thank you. A joy to see on the way to work in the morning and back home in the afternoon.”
The signs are the result of Clarkson residents Leslie and Eric Hawes’ recent trip to a yard sale in Alabama, and they’re bringing smiles and hope to all who travel the local roads.
“We saw them on a trip to Alabama and knew immediately that they could have an impact on our community,” Leslie said.
In her work at Diversicare of Eupora, Leslie is very much aware of the cost of COVID-19 on mental health and feelings of detachment. And she knows it is not limited to nursing home residents.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers tips for coping with stress, and keeping a sense of hope and
positivity is number three on the list.
A company called “don’tgiveupsigns. com” makes the signs.
Company founder Amy Wolff was astounded when she heard of suicide rates in her local area. Even though she had no mental health background, she began by making 20 signs that carried sayings like “Don’t give up,” “You are worthy of love” and “Your mistakes don’t define you.” The goal was to put them in 20 different yards in her town of Newburg, Oregon.
“Friends, let’s not underestimate the power of simple kind words at the right place at the right time for the right person,” she said. “Let’s not wait for someone more qualified or less broken to spread hope and love. Life is messy but we’re in this together.”
People loved the signs. They are unbranded, so no advertising is on them. The company asks that residents move them to another location every two weeks, simply to spread the spirit of encouragement.
“We started at our house on Clarkson Road, about a mile from the (District 4) county barn, and went toward
the stop sign,” Leslie explained.
East Webster High School was their next target, and signs for the Eupora schools will be coming.
“We’ve shared it with people from Clarkson Baptist Church,” Leslie said. “Everyone is pleased with the encouragement and the positive force they provide.”
And Leslie and Eric Hawes are proof that indeed, in Webster County, people care and we are, indeed, in this together.
More information about the signs can be found at www.dont’ sgiveupsigns.com .