A call from Northern Virginia was the catalyst to raise awareness of a Catasauqua couple’s good deed toward others during the coronavirus pandemic.

For the last six weeks, John and Eileen Fasolka have been posting an uplifting message or poem on a sign by their shrubs at the corner of their home on Fourth Street. The impulse for the couple was to provide encouragement and hope to the community during this quarantine period.

Every Friday, they place ornaments, ingeniously made from Mason jar lids, that contain an inspirational word based on the poem they posted for that week.

This past week’s theme was joy. Another week, the theme was strong.

About 50 ornaments are handmade by the Fasolkas and hung on their corner bushes every Friday. Folks who walk by can read the posted poem and take an ornament.

By Sunday afternoon, all the ornaments are gone.

They also offer a handcrafted joy jar that contains numerous statements of encouragement, hope and well wishes. A person can take one message out of the jar daily for an inspiring statement.

One quote taken from the joy jar is, “There is a way, there is always a way.”

There are about 75 to 100 messages in each jar.

The Fasolkas plan to continue their weekly messages until Lehigh County enters the green phase of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf’s reopening plan. The county is expected to enter the yellow phase June 5, so the green phase is at least a few weeks away.

When informed The Press received a call from North Virginia alerting of the couple’s effort, both knew immediately who the caller was. It was Eileen’s sister, Regina DiLuigi.

When informed a picture would be sent to DiLuigi, the Fasolkas requested, chuckling, a picture of both of them side by side be sent with one stipulation - they be allowed to hold their thumb near their nose with all five fingers wiggling.

The spoof picture, for family-only consumption, has been sent to DiLuigi.