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LAPLACE — Twelve-year-old Hartley Faucheux rode her bike through Riverlands Estates, delivering heartfelt letters to bring smiles to her neighbors’ faces during a difficult time.

Hartley’s seventh grade St. Joan of Arc teacher, Ryan Flynn, challenged students to use this time away from school to demonstrate an act of love. For Hartley, it was an opportunity to express the love she has for her LaPlace community.

“Our whole class mantra is to do things with love, always and forever,” Hartley said. “My. Flynn has always contributed any way he could. With us being quarantined, he has tried so hard to make it feel normal for us. I was very touched because he is so kind. If he can do it, can’t we all?”

So Hartley typed a letter reflecting on the parts of the COVID-19 epidemic that have been a blessing in disguise — family game nights, watching movies together and eating dinner at the table instead of in the car in a rush to get to the next game or practice. She encouraged her neighbors to find small ways to show their own acts of love.

She handed the letter to her mother to proofread, and her father helped her print 100 copies to distribute around the neighborhood.

“I was very touched. I was in awe,” Hartley’s mother, Leslie Faucheux said. “She told us she feels sad for everyone in the neighborhood that can’t see their families, and she wanted to put this letter in their mailboxes. We’re very proud of her. This was all her. It wasn’t anything we encouraged.”

The letter was addressed to her “Brothers and Sisters” in the Riverlands subdivision.

“During this time of quarantine, we are all wishing to see our loved ones, but we know for our safety and theirs we must stay away! That is a hard thing to think about, staying away from those whom we love the most,” Hartley said in the letter. “I ride my bike almost every day because I miss being able to see my family and friends, but I get to see all of you in your driveways and out on your front lawns. I get to smile and wave and maybe even talk to some of you. It brings me joy to know that even though this is a hard time for all of us, our neighborhood is still being the great community that it is.”

Hartley noted that her neighbors are “faithful and full of hope”, and she especially loves seeing community spirit in the teddy bears that have popped up in people’s windows. It brings her comfort and peace in a time of tragedy to be surrounded by people who care.

“I am proud to be a part of a community like this!” Hartley continued.

She went on to say: “I am writing this letter to ask that at some part of the day when you get stressed out about this or you have nothing else to do, please PRAY!!! Give all your worries to God today and thank Him for this time! A lot of us think that this is a horrible time, but maybe He is giving us time to find ourselves and to become stronger in faith with Him! Maybe he is giving us this time to slow down and spend time with the loved ones in our household!”

Hartley also encouraged her neighbors to do something today with love. She quoted Thomas Merton at the end of her letter, writing, “To say that I’m made in the image of God is to say that Love is the reason for my existence, for God is Love. Love is my true identity. Selflessness is my true self. Love is my true character. Love is my name.”

One of Hartley’s neighbors watched as she left the letter on top of a car and called out to her to not read it until she left the driveway. The letter brought her to tears, and she dropped it off outside the L’OBSERVATEUR office to share Hartley’s message with the community.

“This is from the heart of a child,” the neighbor said. “It’s just a beautiful letter.”

Hartley was initially nervous to sign her name on the letter.

“I just wanted to give them something that would brighten their day and put smiles on their faces,” Hartley said. “I’m glad that it did that to somebody.”