Each day, Jonna Siano hopes to catch the eyes of thousands of passing motorists and pedestrians along one of Battle Creek's busiest roads.

As part of her nightly routine, she and her husband, John Whitaker, walk down the block from their home to the corner of Hiawatha Dr. and Capital Ave. SW to write positive affirmations, inspirational quotes and messages aimed to provoke smiles on a 4-by-4 foot chalk board illuminated by flood lights.

"The internet has those influencers," she said. "I’m an old-fashioned chalkboard influencer."

Siano, 58, is a Battle Creek native, a married mother and stepmother to two adult children and owner of Cool Mama's Ice Cream. A Type 1 Diabetic, she made the difficult decision to close her ice cream shop after five years at its former location at Continental Pastries and Deli in Battle Creek during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to better protect her health. 

The chalkboard was built by Whitaker and stands facing Capital Ave. SW, which carries over 10,000 vehicles daily. The couple received permission to post the sign on the property of their neighbor, Mary Buschke-Liggett.

"It's been great," Buschke-Liggett said. "That sign is really for everybody. I get a lot of social media interaction about how it's been positive. If you see something on the sign, it's always funny, positive... (Jonna) is all about community, comradery, fellowship and all of that."

The messages started as a way for the couple to publicly thank frontline workers amid the public health crisis. As the pandemic lingered, Siano's positivity persisted, a trait she credits to her parents, John and the late Marjo Siano

In the two years since the first message, Siano has written hundreds more, such as "Try being hopeful," "Fail to plan, plan to fail" and "You are not alone. I love you."

Sometimes they are humorous, such as "I wish the Dollar Store sold GAS!!"

The signs are seldom political in nature or partisan, though they can be topical. A recent sign stated, "Let's agree to disagree (nicely)." 

The signs are put away during the winter months, but Siano plans to continue posting them indefinitely. She said she typically comes up with the messages when listening to music while training for sprint triathlons, taking bits and pieces from lyrics that inspire her. She said one of her "bucket list" items is to become a motivational speaker, and has long used words to inspire others. 

"When (my son) was little, I tried subliminal messages around the house," she said. "On the refrigerator were the words 'vision' and 'courage.' I've always had words around."

Siano added that she believes positivity is a choice for many, and said the words aim to uplift and inspire others to think more positively. 

"I don’t want to be remembered as the lady who owned the ice cream shop. I would like to create my own narrative to be a positive person," she said. "We need to remind people that it is a choice, happiness, joy and not negativity. It’s important to remember you aren’t alone and mental health is important."

Contact reporter Nick Buckley at nbuckley@battlecreekenquirer.com or 269-966-0652. Follow him on Twitter:@NickJBuckley