ATHENS-Heart bombs exploded with sentiments of love for an iconic and historic site in Athens that is under renovation by Athens Arts League.
For Valentine’s Day, Girl Scouts from Troop 1922 created heart bombs for Scout Music House on Washington Street near Downtown Athens. The Girl Scouts read about the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Heart Bomb 2018: Spread the Love of Historic Places challenge, and created Valentine’s for Scout Music House. The troop has helped with a clean-up day at the site as well as pulling weeds, writing thank you letters to donors, and learning about the process for pulling a community together to save a historic site.
The City of Athens leased the 1938-era structure to Athens Arts League with a challenge to raise funds to renovate the unused structure and re-purpose it into a music venue the provides cultural events, hands-on learning experiences for students, and honors Limestone County’s musical heritage. Renovations are underway with the goal to open in November 2018.
What are heart bombs? According to National Trust, they are love letters to historic places that appear at historic sites nationwide, on local landmarks, and around places both safe and threatened.
“Heart bombing is the act of showering an older or historic place with tangible expressions of affection and devotion,” the National Trust’s website stated.
Troop 1922 made pink and red Valentine hearts that are displayed on the front door and windows of Scout Music House. Here are some of the sentiments the Girls Scouts shared:
“You make me soar with love.” – Riley Creel.
“I love the Scout House because it was durty (sic) and now it is clean.” – Emma
“I love Scout House because it is my favorite place to clean.” – Kylee
”Athens rocks.”
Troop leader Mindy Slinkard said the Scouts plan to take selfies at Scout Music House with their Valentine’s and share their love on social media with the National Trust’s hashtag: #IHeartSavingPlaces.
Athens Arts League Board member and Scout Music House Committee Chair Holly Hollman said she will submit the story to National Trust, which has offered to share community’s heart bombs “far and wide to help shed light on the buildings and landscapes nearest to your hearts.”
