The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota is calling on passionate individuals, communities and organizations across the state to celebrate their beloved old buildings for its third annual heart bombing campaign.

According to a press release, interested participants will register their one-of-a-kind building with PAM, receive a detailed how-to guide on community engagement and decorate their buildings with handmade hearts and place-positive slogans the week of Valentine’s Day 2016. This public display of affection will draw attention to the significant places that make up Minnesota’s diverse communities. PAM will also share each building’s unique story with our national network of preservationists and heart bombers.

Why heart bombing? Heart bombing started in Buffalo, New York, by a group of young preservationists as a grassroots campaign to raise awareness of endangered or neglected historic buildings across their city. PAM has adopted and expanded the campaign in Minnesota to highlight our communities’ valued old, or historic, buildings and to engage in placemaking and preservation advocacy across the state.

Over the past three years, heart bombing has become one of PAM’s strongest outreach tools. In 2015, PAM and volunteers heart bombed buildings across the state, including the historic Hollywood Theatre in Minneapolis, the 1850s Stone Saloon in St. Paul, the former Red Owl Grocery in Stewart and the much-loved Log Cabin Motel & Grill in Rochester. Since heart bombing, the owners of these buildings were able to harness the energy and support generated during the campaign to help them carefully plan for each site’s reuse.

PAM invites all people and places to participate in this year’s campaign. Remember, any place can be heart bombed—whether it is your house with its homey farmhouse style, the local bar down the block with its tin ceilings, or a favorite downtown building that was once a popular hangout.

To register and join heart bombing 2016, fill out the registration form on PAM’s website at www.mnpreservation.org/heart-bombing-2016-site-registration/. The deadline to register is Tuesday.

The Preservation Alliance of Minnesota is a statewide, private, nonprofit organization advocating for the preservation of Minnesota’s historic resources.