NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — It's tough saying goodbye to some good friends.
On Sunday Sept. 1, it will mark the final day of the TROLLS: Save The Humans exhibit at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens. Having arrived in May, the trolls are here one final weekend.
"I like the one who's caring for the birds, hanging up the bird houses," said one girl visiting the trolls. "They were created by a magical wizard!"
That's pretty much true. That person is artist Thomas Dambo. Thomas has brought to life more than a hundred of these trolls all over the world. Mark Simmons at Cheekwood said the six trolls here, like all the others, share a message.
"I think by using the recycled materials, Dambo's presenting an alternative to waste," Mark said. "It's recycle, reuse. The trolls, they have a message to save the humans."
"We've picked a name for them!" said one group of kids huddled around one of trolls. "Cornelius!"
"Emily!" said one woman, looking up at the troll.
"Emily, I love that name," answered a woman with her. "I don't know about for a troll."
Now, all the trolls do already have names. The one the kids surrounded was Ronja Redeye.
"a.k.a. Cornelius!" the kids said.
Maybe Cornelius can be a nickname?
"Yeah, I said he needed a pedicure," one woman said, visiting one of the trolls.
I don't know. I feel they've done a good job maintaining their toenails. Or is that trollnails?
"I'm dropping my curiously strong Altoids," said Stella Sthulz, visiting one of the trolls.
On her TikTok page, #attagirlaltoids, Stella goes to interesting places and records herself dropping a box of Altoids.
"I gotta be honest. I can't say I've witnessed anyone doing this before," I told Stella.
"It's stupid!" she laughed.
"You are proof these trolls bring people out for all sorts of reasons," I told her.
"And they do exist!" she answered.
In some old folktales, the magical creature doesn't stay forever. They come. They teach a lesson. They move on. That's true of these trolls. These trolls travel. Imagine Exhibitions will soon help them move to their next home somewhere else in the world.
"I love these guys," Stella smiled.
"This has been a special show," Mark said.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
