Inaugural Love Newport Beach Day sees volunteers all over the city

Volunteers turned out Saturday in droves to show some love and support to neighbors and their city as part of the first Love Newport Beach Volunteer Day.

The event was organized by local businesses, nonprofits and faith-based organizations throughout the city and is part of a larger campaign spearheaded by Mayor Kevin Muldoon.

Muldoon announced the start of the Renew Newport campaign in May earlier this year.

Laurie Kelly, of Newport Beach, right, makes get well cards with her mother Beverly Hefner at Vivante retirement community during Renew Newport’s inaugural Love Newport Beach Volunteer Day.

(James Carbone)

Nonprofit Trellis International helped facilitate the plans for Love Newport Beach event.

Volunteers assembled at the Newport Beach Civic Center to kick off the morning before being assigned to their respective projects. More than 500 possible volunteer opportunities were identified by organizers. Some of those projects included beach cleanup at Balboa Island, making cards of encouragement for hospital patients and people care facilities and a garden beautification project for a disabled elderly couple in the city.

“The day went better than I could have hoped,” Muldoon said Monday. “We had hundreds of volunteers donate their time on 40 different projects throughout the city. I am grateful to the citizens of Newport Beach for supporting Renew Newport and making the inaugural year a tremendous success.”

Alexa Schmidt, project manager, lower center, works with several volunteers from the W Church, cleaning overgrown vegetation at the home of a disabled elderly couple in Newport Beach.

(James Carbone)

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