Dunbar rolls out its annual melodrama; Easter egg hunt

Wrongful Doings at Woeful Ranch

Today’s column features a pair of Sonoma Valley women, creative and unique. I’m sure you know them already, but their news remains interesting and timely. 

First up is the inimitable and amazing director, actor and all around woman of the world, Miss Kate Kennedy. Kate is whirlwind of power and grace. When she touches down on the Dunbar campus, lives are changed. Quiet, shy students are transformed into eloquent, well-spoken actors with self-confidence that remains.

This year Kate and her cohorts are working with a rather small group of Dunbar School fifth-graders to produce her 13th year of Dunbar School’s annual Memorial Day Melodrama, with a cast of 25. This year’s 25 kiddos surely will be easier than last year’s 54 plus. Kate’s an expert kiddo wrangler, so all survived last year’s experience (joyfully, even, thanks to Kate’s skills at taming the wild beasties). 

This year’s show is the ever-popular “Wrongful Doings at Woeful Ranch,” which is a heckofa title to pronounce, but an easy show to watch. As has become the Dunbar tradition, the performances will be held on Memorial Day weekend under the majestic oaks of Cunninghame Field surrounding Dunbar’s Haver Stage, both named for much-admired past principals, Max Cunninghame and Rosemary Haver. 

It takes a village 

As ever, alumni will be heavy in attendance reminiscing about their theatrical debut, perhaps having played the dastardly Wiley Sneed, General Robert Woeful, Sheriff Rimshot, the heroines Olivia Woeful and Polly Pleasant, heroes Horace Heartfelt and Urban Upchuck, the Bunkhouse Boys, or maybe having participated in the beloved Sound Squad.  

Along with the director, the sublime Miss Kennedy, parent and staff helpers include fourth- and fifth-grade teachers Wendi Wellander, Brandy Melendy, and Nora Alexander-Short, current principal Melanie Blake, parent leaders Grace Mejia and Maria Fajardo, plus many others. 

This month, the Melodrama Project needs your generous donations of any size to (re)develop costumes, sets and sound system, and to cover expenses for the production. Melodrama fans, please write your checks to Dunbar School Fifth Grade Play and mail them to 11700 Dunbar Road, Glen Ellen CA 95442 or drop them off at the school office. To buy an ad in the playbill, please write Grace at plangrace@gmail.com for details.

Seeds of Learning in Nicaragua

The second fascinating woman featured today is teacher, swim coach, writer, and all around world citizen, Laurie Gaynor. This week, Laurie is just back from an excursion with a group of Sonoma Valley High School students to Nicaragua as part of a Seeds of Learning crew. Laurie and the students, along with other teachers and volunteers, took suitcases of much needed school supplies to the learning resource center in Tipitapa. 

At the start of her adventure, Laurie shared, “I am very excited to go, and I want to thank all of my friends for demonstrating the life-long learner model that I am now trying to emulate.” 

If you want to know more about Seeds of Learning, check out the following link seedsoflearning.org.

Unforgettable and deeply chilling 

In addition to her teaching and coaching duties, Laurie is also a writer. One of her recent short stories was chosen by her Santa Rosa Junior College teacher to turn into a podcast and was placed on the teacher’s blog site. In her teacher’s words it is “an unforgettable and deeply chilling true story.” I would add mysterious and creepy. I congratulate Laurie on the great podcast, 15 minutes in the telling, with a truly shocking end. Hear it now at spreaker.com/user/giannadpv/unforgettable-meeting-by-laurie-gaynor.

Seder meal to remember 

I first met Laurie when I was teaching at St. Francis School. All three of her children were my students, at one time or another. She was one of the mothers that I could depend upon, thoughtful, encouraging, and a good listener.

One spring, in the latter days of my teaching career, Laurie volunteered to coordinate our school’s Seder meal and celebration. I was her assistant, but clearly she did the bulk of the research, work and production. It was a beautiful ceremony that I have long relished. It’s one of my cherished teaching memories. I applaud Laurie for her forthright and honest approach to all she does. That, combined with her energy and enthusiasm, make for a winning combination. 

Eggs and prizes abounding

Heads up for a couple of up-coming Glen Ellen events – especially for families. The Glen Ellen Volunteer Firefighters sponsor their annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4, on Cunninghame Field at Dunbar School. The hunt begins promptly at 10 a.m. and is over before you know it. My advice: don’t be late. In fact, early is best. Each child should bring a basket for collecting eggs and prizes. Dressing in your Easter best is also recommended because it’s the perfect opportunity for photos. Some folks prefer a photo on the ancient fire truck, others go for family shots with the Easter Bunny (usually one of the newest members of our firefighting team). The fields are green, the yellow mustard is tall and the eggs are bounteous. Every child is guaranteed at least a few eggs and a number of very lucky boys and girls will also receive chocolate candy animals handmade by Betty Kelly and her daughter at Glen Ellen’s Wine Country Chocolates, located at the Old Grist Mill Complex.  

Cabbage patch kids 

That same day is also Dunbar School’s Garden Celebration and Work Party, so along with the fancy picture-posing duds, bring your work clothes and work gloves. The change will do you good. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., visit the teaching garden, take a tour, shop for seedlings, learn about Dunbar’s garden curriculum, and roll up your sleeves to put in a little bit of work on one or more projects of the day. 

Garden volunteers will provide snacks and drinks (including coffee) and fun activities for the kids. Students love to guide visitors around the garden, so stop by and let them tell you all about it. Dunbar’s PTO-sponsored garden teacher, Alissa Pearce, will be on hand as well as PTO-sponsored science teacher Shannon Lee. They can tell you about enrichment programs at the school and fill you in on exciting future plans for the garden. 

Also that day, April 4, Dunbar School kicks off an exciting Challenge Grant Direct Donation Drive that will continue through June 1.

An anonymous donor has pledged $5,000 to the Friends of Dunbar School PTO for garden instruction, on the condition that we raise matching funds from the community. If you would like to be part of our effort to raise $5,000 by June 1, please write your check to FODSPTO, with subject “garden drive,” and drop it off at the school office or mail to FODSPTO, P. O. Box 1713, Glen Ellen CA 95442.

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The Folks in Glen Ellen column also appears online. Look for my column on the Index-Tribune website sonomanews.com under the category Lifestyle. Click on Sylvia Crawford for current and old columns. Want to see your own name in the news? Call or write me at 996-5995 or P.O. Box 518, GE 95442. Or email me at Creekbottom@earthlink.net. Glen Ellen chatter rarely requires timeliness; however, if your news does, please be sure to contact me at least three weeks before your desired publication date.