Just over a year ago, the Tamaqua Community Art Center launched a highly visible experiment aimed at rallying the community around a heart theme.

The Tamaqua Has Heart campaign was unveiled August 2016 during Tamaqua National Night Out and its goals were ambitious and daunting.Central to the initiative was a strategy to attract the most gifted local artists to engineer their magic on large, fiberglass heart sculptures. Business sponsors were sought to help make it happen.But other partners were just as critical. For instance, the borough would be relied on to install the decorated hearts at strategic locations through the downtown. There, they'd be on public-sidewalk display for months.The project was so challenging that threats of potential failure were present at every step along the way.Could the ornate hearts be designed to withstand the elements?And what about vandals?The hearts would be obvious targets, especially at night. What could be done to protect them around the clock?Could an informal "heart patrol" consisting of volunteers be organized?The answers would be found in time. But first, the art community stepped forward.The hearts, 39 by 42 by 20 inches, were intricately decorated by some of the area's most creative minds.The sculptures celebrate popular themes such as local history, faith, industrial greatness and the special wonder of life in a coal-region town.One heart is covered by handprints of local residents; another uses quartz crystal, internally illuminated, to salute the shimmering beauty of the human spirit.The eye-catching hearts went on display around Memorial Day and stayed in place until Labor Day, drawing countless visitors to downtown.Despite fears, there was no trouble whatsoever. Not one heart was vandalized and the community embraced the newly acquired street art.Corporate sponsors took pride in goodwill and public relations generated by their involvement."We believe it's important for small businesses to get involved in activities that help strengthen our local communities, so we jumped at the opportunity to participate," states the website of Cyan Sky Copier Technologies of Schnecksville. The firm sponsors a history-themed heart created by illustrator Joe Evanousky of Barnesville.Similarly, the Times News is proud to sponsor a rich mosaic heart with a coal-mining theme, designed and executed by artist Kim East of Tamaqua.The Tamaqua Has Heart project has united the town in a show of love, strength and support."At the art center, we're always pushing our limits to see what we can do and how we can better the community and make a difference for everyone," says volunteer Kyle Whitley, heart project coordinator.The next event is a gala and auction set for Sept. 28 at the historic Scheid's Department Store building on West Broad Street.The hearts that beat the odds and became symbols of the community will be sold at auction that night, each finding a permanent home after serving a noble purpose.At a time when so much can divide us, the beauty and power of art proved that people come together when they put their heart first.By Donald R. Serfass |tneditor@tnonline.com