Locals will get their chance to ‘Love Newport Beach’ as part of Renew Newport campaign

Oct. 15 will be just another Saturday for some, but for Newport Beach residents, it will be their chance to show some affection to the city in which they live, work and play with the arrival of the first “Love Newport Beach” Volunteer Day.

The event comes months after it was first announced during Mayor Kevin Muldoon’s remarks at the 40th annual Mayor’s Dinner in May, during which he spoke at length about a campaign he is calling “Renew Newport” — a push for collaboration between faith-based organizations and private citizens working to improve the neighborhoods, schools and beaches throughout the city.

“I’m very excited for Renew Newport’s first volunteer day on Oct. 15, and I encourage everyone to participate,” Muldoon said in a news release. “It’s a great way to be more engaged with your community, to renew relationships with your neighbors and contribute to the renewal of Newport Beach.”

The campaign is organized by Trellis International, which also facilitated organization for Love Newport Beach Volunteer Day. Roughly 100 people have signed up so far, according to Reina Cuthill, Trellis director of neighboring initiative.

Cuthill said the Costa Mesa-based organization has been in talks with Muldoon about such a project for several months.

“A day like this shows the unity of the city and it shows that people love the city. They want to serve the city and it’s a really beautiful expression of love to the city. I think people feel it that day,” Cuthill said. “I’ve experienced it quite a few times now. A lot of it is civic pride: ‘I’m a really proud Newport Beach resident. I’m a really proud Newport Beach business owner. I’m a Newport Beach pastor that loves my city and we can all do it together.’

“It’s really, really powerful to see the whole community giving back.”

Volunteers will meet at the Newport Beach Civic Center at 8 a.m. for breakfast and a kickoff celebration before groups will be formed for more than 40 projects. City officials and Cuthill are encouraging people to sign up ahead of time for their top project choices. But, she added, sign-ups will also be welcomed the day of the event.

Work will begin at 9 a.m. and continue through noon. Some restaurants will offer discounts to those wearing volunteer event T-shirts throughout the day, according to organizers.

Those projects include activities such as writing notes of encouragement to hospital patients and seniors, yard beautification, beach cleanups, park cleanups, painting, handing out homemade cookies and water bottles to bus drivers, and offering water bottles to runners in local parks.

Cuthill said a local pastor is encouraging chalk art throughout the neighborhoods as a way to bring children together to accomplish a project.

Organizers — who are still receiving proposals for the day’s projects — have already identified more than 500 volunteer opportunities.

Interested readers can visit renewnewport.com for more information and to sign up for Love Newport Beach Volunteer Day.

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