Lafayette's Sunday of Sustainability with a Symphony on the Green
Submitted by Dr. Susan Hahn, Lafayette Local Food Group
It was as good as any April day could get, Sunday April 25th in downtown Lafayette. The sun shone with intensity, the winds were mild, and the air was as healthy as one could want it to be for 2010 in California. As a 5th generation Californian, so concerned about the wellbeing of our state, a deep breath of fresh air provided me with some relief. Living here in Lafayette and watching a maze of volunteers working in concert toward creating an afternoon of artistic beauty, provided me with a surge of new hope. "Yes, it can happen when we all work together for a more sustainable community!" We humans still posses the power to improve our existing social and emotional conditions.
The Team on the Green that Sunday in Lafayette, led by Janet Thomas, Rebecca Calahan Klein and Barbara Hollenbach, turned out to be a symphonic melody as rehearsed as one could ever imagine. The amazing reality however, was that there was no rehearsal...it just all happened so smoothly without a glitch in bringing hundreds of local people together in harmony. Now this is what real community is all about...camaraderie of dedicated individuals working in unison for a more perfect place to live, to work, to go to school, and to have fun.
This Symphony on the Green brought twinkles to the eyes of those in wheel chairs and pushcarts, fresh strawberry stains to the cheeks of the little ones, laughter and joy to the adults, an air of relaxation to our elders, and opportunities for Lafayette residents to get to know each other in a new and refreshing mode. The healthy food not only tasted as good as one could get in any local restaurant, it was all prepared with hard work and the love of the many volunteers. The music and stage presentations and acknowledgements all added to the splendor on the grass on that remarkable symphonic day on the green in downtown Lafayette.
No, there were not any big brass instruments or artists in tuxedo tails, but there was a symphony of another kind. There were just a bunch of us Lafayette ordinary folks coming together for an afternoon of a casual and healthy community happening. This special event makes me a kinder, softer, and gentler person in unison with those other volunteers that care so deeply about the place where we live. Thank you to all of the Lafayette Local Food Group (LLFG) who welcome other participants to our little family of volunteers.
The Team on the Green that Sunday in Lafayette, led by Janet Thomas, Rebecca Calahan Klein and Barbara Hollenbach, turned out to be a symphonic melody as rehearsed as one could ever imagine. The amazing reality however, was that there was no rehearsal...it just all happened so smoothly without a glitch in bringing hundreds of local people together in harmony. Now this is what real community is all about...camaraderie of dedicated individuals working in unison for a more perfect place to live, to work, to go to school, and to have fun. 
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA