Making a difference with chalk

East Rockaway resident's sidewalk inspiration lifts spirits

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For months, joggers, dog walkers, motorists and other passersby have stopped and gazed at a sidewalk on Roosevelt Avenue in East Rockaway. Their curiosity has been sparked by Lee Anne Bisogno-Chiulli, who has written inspirational quotes there to lift the community’s spirits during the pandemic.

“The motivation was because everyone was so upset about the pandemic and everything else that was going on in the world, and I thought maybe doing this would cheer people up,” Bisogno-Chiulli said. “It really seems to have, because I met so many wonderful people by doing this, people I probably never would have met, and they tell me that the quotes mean a lot to them and to please keep going.”

Bisogno-Chiulli began scrawling messages on the sidewalk in April, and that quickly became a daily routine after the coronavirus pandemic forced her to stop working in a commercial kitchen. She likes to write them early in the morning, she said, so more people can read them. They are taken from various sources, including books, fortune cookies and some of her favorite quotes that she has taped to her refrigerator over the years, because they moved her emotionally.

Her daughter, Kate, 15, a Lynbrook High School senior, often provides illustrations to accompany the quotes, Bisogno-Chiulli said, noting that her husband, Dominick, supports their efforts.

What started as a small gesture has drawn crowds, as dozens of people stop by daily to read the more than 340 quotes that have been chalked. Bisogno-Chiulli said she leaves them until they’re washed away by rain, providing her with a fresh canvas to work on. Some onlookers have even come bearing gifts, including extra chalk, muffins, a box of gourmet ravioli and notes for their new favorite sidewalk artist.

Bisogno-Chiulli said enjoys the gifts, but she was struck most by someone who left a note saying the quotes had restored their will to live during a trying time amid the pandemic.

“It just touched my heart that something like that could affect someone’s life in such a positive way,” she said, “and it really inspires me to keep going, so as soon as the snow clears, I’ll be out there again.”

Her favorite quote is, “Love cures people — the ones who give it and the ones who receive it,” by Karl Menninger. She said she doesn’t always know the authors, but she attributes the quotes whenever she can. She also creates themes, like quotes about being thankful around Thanksgiving in November and, lately, inspirational quotes involving snow and winter.

Bisogno-Chiulli said she planned to continue posting the quotes for as long as she can, and she hoped they would inspire more people.

“I’ve met so many people that I probably never would have known that actually stop and talk to me,” she said. “One man stopped his car and said he came to read the quote, and it’s so nice to see a little good in the world. It just makes me feel so good.”

Those who can’t stop by Roosevelt Avenue can still see Bisogno-Chiulli’s handy work by following @sidewalkinspiration on Instagram.