The neighborly sense of place shows, as folks turn up in the morning at the post office to collect mail, or drivers of a few pickups gather in front of the auto parts store to chat, or teens hustle to and from school, or mothers push strollers to the library for story hour. When there's a game at the high school, the parking lot is jammed. There's nearly always a waiting line when American Legion Post 130 puts on a breakfast or the cheerleaders have a car wash fund-raiser.

The town and surrounding area are chock-a-block with scenic, cultural, historic, and recreational opportunities. Active schools, varied businesses, supportive churches, involved organizations, downtown renovations, special events -- all make Athena a great place to raise a family or retire ... or to visit.