Her inspiration came from far away, but she hopes the effect is local.
As soon as she opened the door of her home, Irene Dunlap said how much a President Obama speech inspired her to start a fundraiser this weekend in her Newport Beach backyard to help feed the hungry while raising awareness of environmental issues.
“Obama’s speech was an inspiration. There are a lot of people who are suffering. By creating this event we are giving the community an opportunity to help,” Dunlap said.
“Do what you can with what you have” is her motto. And she is doing. Along with Stacey Robbins, they organized A Harvest of Hope,which aims to raise money for the needy while promoting a greener lifestyle in your home.
The event features workshops on how to make more environmentally conscious eating choices and take a greener approach in general in the kitchen. Also, you can learn how to grow vegetables in a smaller space. But it’s not all work — there’s a festive touch to the event as guests will also be able to indulge a little in wine and cheese.
“Everyone benefits: They are coming to help the people and end up helping themselves as well, by learning new things that can improve their lives,” Dunlap said.
The highlight of the event is the “Let’s Grow: Hands-On Gardening for Kids” workshop, focused on children from 8 to 12 years old. Darren Butler, arborist expert and teacher, will teach kids and parents about gardening.
They won’t just learn about seeds and plants, but also how to respect the environment more — in a fun way, Robbins said.
“The kids’ workshop is about an overall concept of passing gardening on to the next generation. They learn how to care for themselves, for the people and for the environment, besides learning ...how to plant seeds, how much sun and water they need, etc.,” Robbins said.
There will be two “Let’s Grow: Hands-On Gardening for Kids” workshops: one 1:30 to 3 p.m. today , for home-school students and another 3:30 to 5 p.m. today, for the after-school group. There are openings for both workshops still, but reservations are recommended.
Besides the workshops, Dunlap will sell decorative objects and jewelry made by community volunteers, herself and Robbins. All the objects and crafts are completely made from reclaimed and recycled materials.
