{"id":90613,"date":"2020-01-20T05:03:10","date_gmt":"2020-01-20T12:03:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/beloved-riverview-rabbit-lady-forges-new-connections\/"},"modified":"2020-01-20T05:03:10","modified_gmt":"2020-01-20T12:03:10","slug":"beloved-riverview-rabbit-lady-forges-new-connections","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/beloved-riverview-rabbit-lady-forges-new-connections\/","title":{"rendered":"Beloved Riverview \u2018rabbit lady\u2019 forges new connections"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Durango
Durango resident Romelle Maloney, 92, shows a picture of her yard decoration, ceramic rabbits playing in a pool. Maloney, or the lady who waves, became well-known in the Riverview Elementary School neighborhood for her fun yard decorations and daily greetings for students.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

On Mesa Avenue near Riverview Elementary School, the lady who waves, Romelle Maloney, 92, and the ceramic rabbits playing in her yard, have slowly garnered a fan base.<\/p>\n

Her creative decorations and daily greetings began as a fun hobby, but they have forged a new sense of community for the Riverview neighborhood in northeast Durango. Students know her, and teachers said kids are more excited to go to school thanks to her greetings. People from another Durango neighborhood took notice, even loaning new props for her yard. For Maloney, her hobby provides a simple joy and a new way to connect.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe children are such fun,\u201d Maloney said. \u201cI just started waving to them, and we got to know each other. It\u2019s grown from that.\u201d<\/p>\n

People are even starting to wonder what the rabbits will do next, Maloney said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want more snow,\u201d she said. So she plans to add a larger sleigh and even bring out Olaf, the snowman from \u201cFrozen.\u201d<\/p>\n

The scenes began when Maloney arranged about 20 ceramic rabbits in her front yard. The rabbits wore scarves, played football, rode sleighs and swam in a plastic swimming pool. She made signs, reading \u201cEnjoy vacation, we\u2019ll miss you!\u201d or \u201cWishing we could go to school too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Romelle
Romelle Maloney, 92, digs through pictures of past yard decorations in which ceramic rabbits act out fun scenes. Riverview Elementary School teachers say Maloney\u2019s decorations help make kids excited to come to school.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

She put up a blackboard where neighbors could write what they were thankful for, drawing responses from the younger crowd like, \u201cfrinds,\u201d \u201crelly good neighbors\u201d or \u201ccat dog,\u201d with a backwards \u201cg.\u201d<\/p>\n

And every morning, Maloney stands in her kitchen window and waves to the students, who wave or blow kisses in return. If she\u2019s outside after school, many will pause to say hello.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love the communication,\u201d Maloney said. \u201cI just love the friendship of the little kids. They\u2019re so sweet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Filling a void<\/div>\n

The rabbits have become more than just a fun yard setup \u2013 they\u2019ve forged new connections.<\/p>\n

After a friend of Maloney\u2019s died, some neighborhood children recognized she was sad. The kids told their mother, who checked on Maloney. The next day they sent her cards.<\/p>\n

The kids\u2019 intuition and the mother\u2019s actions \u2013 Maloney said they were a miracle.<\/p>\n

\u201cGod worked through them to comfort me,\u201d she said. \u201cThat\u2019s what he did.\u201d<\/p>\n

Then, a Riverview teacher, Katie Ames, showed up at Maloney\u2019s house with a thank you card and gifts from students, taking Maloney by surprise.<\/p>\n

During a lesson about noticing the good things in life, Ames asked her third grade students if they noticed the woman who waves from her kitchen window.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey were all like, \u2018Oh my gosh, I love that lady!\u201d Ames said. \u201cI just wanted her to know that the kids that she\u2019s doing it for notice it, and it matters to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rabbits, however, aren\u2019t her whole life. Originally from Minnesota, the Maloneys have lived in Durango since the 1970s. She has 11 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.<\/p>\n

She was an avid skier, and she skated on ice until she was 80. When she\u2019s not caring for her family or going to church, she cares for her flower garden.<\/p>\n

\"Romelle
Romelle Maloney, 92, places a rabbit in her yard with a sign saying, \u201cLet it Snow, More Snow.\u201d People often wonder what the rabbits will do next, Maloney said.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Romelle
Romelle Maloney, 92, shows a picture of one of her ceramic rabbit yard scenes. Maloney\u2019s favorite scenes focus on gratitude.<\/span>Shannon Mullane\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Maloney said communicating with the students has become her purpose in life. Still, similar to 48% of seniors who report feeling lonely<\/a>, Maloney said she feels a void after giving up hobbies or the deaths of friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think I\u2019m doing it because I\u2019ve been losing so many friends because of my age, and I just needed something,\u201d Maloney said. \u201cI feel like it keeps me young, and it keeps me interested in the kids. I can watch them grow up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ames said Maloney\u2019s presence in the neighborhood makes a difference for both students and adults.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a student teacher last year, I was really nervous to come to a school that I had never been to,\u201d Ames said. \u201cRomelle has a way of making you feel welcome when you\u2019re not even to the school yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

smullane@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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