Like every other small town throughout the world, the community of Tamaqua marches to its own beat.

It’s that beat, the heartbeat of the community, that served as an inspiration for the Tamaqua Has Heart Project, an almost two-year-long public art initiative spearheaded by a small group of volunteers.

The project is a direct result of the successful “Dear Tamaqua” project organized by the Tamaqua Community Art Center in 2015. That project brought the community together to showcase the town’s past, present and future. Almost as soon as that project was completed, organizers looked for ways to keep the momentum going, something to bring together residents, businesses/corporations and artists to create unique, lasting displays showcasing the heart of the community. They decided on a public art exhibit, one that called for fiberglass heart shaped structures, each to be uniquely designed, then installed along Broad Street in the borough.

“We were discussing ideas for our next major project, and I remembered the Cat’N Around Catskill annual event. Kyle (Whitley) remembered a baseball style cap he saw someone wearing with the slogan ‘Tamaqua, the little town with a big heart.’ We put those two ideas together to come up with the fiberglass hearts,” Wandie Zammer-Little.

The art center was joined by the Tamaqua Area Community Partnership and Rural LISC as project sponsors, but each heart needed a financial sponsor and an artist.

Things started off with a flourish. One heart was delivered in time for the 2016 National Night Out, when the public had its first opportunity to visualize the concept. People were encouraged to place their handprints on that heart. Soon there was no white space left, thanks to Whitley and Zammer-Little, who took the heart on a mini tour to schools and organizations, every public event.

Slow start

While there was a lot of talk, there wasn’t much action when it came to sponsors. The heartbeat slowed considerably, worrying organizers, who wondered if the concept was being understood. They were left scratching their heads, tossing around ideas on ways to generate interest.

It was 92-year-old Flossie Fegley of West Penn Township, and her daughter, Lynn Fegley Meadows, who provided CPR. Fegley saw the handprint heart at the art center when she attended a candy making class. She loved the concept and immediately decided to become a sponsor. Fegley Meadows, who accompanied her mother to the class, was also inspired. On a whim, she issued a Facebook challenge to her former classmates, members of the Tamaqua High School Class of 1978. That not only generated a lot of social media buzz, it also resulted in the class sponsoring a heart. From there, the buzz continued to grow, attracting more sponsors. By the time the deadline for sponsorship arrived, the project had attracted 13 sponsors, instead of the 10 originally sought.

“I believe Tamaqua can thrive as a tourist town,” Whitley said. “Tamaqua has amazing history, and the possibilities are endless in the downtown area. I worried a bit when momentum slowed and I thought of all the what ifs. But I never let those thoughts stop me. I won’t let them stop me.”

The artists and sponsors then met, with the artists explaining their concepts and the sponsors selecting which design they preferred. Artists had until the week before Memorial Day to transfer their design and clear coat the heart. Tamaqua Borough workers spent several days installing the hearts around town, just in time for the Memorial Day Parade.

The beat goes on

The next “beat” was a public walking tour of the installed hearts, held on June 8. The evening included a free concert, a “Walk With a Doc” and a street fair. Hundreds of people took to the sidewalks, learning more about the project, the artists and the sponsors. What they saw was the community coming together as one. Art Center coordinator Leona Rega said, “The project was a success, thanks to the many people who worked together. From Wandie and Kyle to the borough council and work crew, to our sponsors and artists, to the area schools and St. Luke’s, to Remaly Manufacturing and the Tamaqua Fire Police, we couldn’t have pulled this off without their support.”

While the bulk of the work is done, there is just one more finishing touch, a gala and art auction on Sept. 28.

“Tamaqua residents have taken ownership of Tamaqua Has Heart, showing they are the Little Town with the Big Heart,” Zammer-Little said. “My Dad passed away while I was involved with the project. I wish he was with me to see how far it has gone. I am sure there was lots of guidance from the heavens above. As our small committee sees everyone enjoying the hearts, that is our reward. I hope all the hearts find good homes.”

The handprint heart, “The Heart of the Community,” will remain on permanent display near the railroad watchtower on West Broad Street. The others will all be part of a public art auction and gala scheduled for Sept. 28. Until the auction, people are being encouraged to vote for their favorite hearts in five different categories. Ballot boxes may be found at the art center, as well as several local businesses, including the Times News Tamaqua office.

People are already wondering what project the art center and its volunteers will think up next. Stay tuned for more episodes from Tamaqua, the small town with a big heart.