Master Gardeners Offer Grants
The Lake County Master Gardeners are giving back to the community by offering grants to Lake County municipalities, organizations and businesses. Proceeds from three major fundraisers – the Lake County Master Gardeners’ Plant Sale, Garden Walk and the Lake County Fair – will be used to fund the Lake County Master Gardeners (LCMG) Grant Program. Grants are available to schools, churches, organizations, businesses, municipalities and other groups for existing or new garden-related projects. Grant amounts will range from $200 to $600 and will be awarded by April 1. To be eligible, projects must be located in Lake County, and preferably include an educational component. The deadline to submit a grant application is March 2. For more information or to obtain an application, visit www.lakecountymastergardeners.org and click on the Grants & Scholarship tab, email lakecountymastergardeners@gmail.com or call the Lake County Extension Service at 219-755-3240.
Organizations, nonprofits in need sought for Earth Day Reuse Fair
To commemorate Earth Day 2026, Porter County Recycling and Waste Reduction District will hold a Reuse Fair from 9 to 11:30 a.m. April 18 at the Porter County Expo Center, 215 E. Division Road, Valparaiso. A unique event designed to promote sustainability, the Reuse Fair aims to keep valuable items out of landfills by encouraging the donation of reusable items to organizations such as non-profits and schools. All eligible organizations are invited to participate. Organizations interested in receiving donations must register by emailing sarah@portercountyrecycling.org. Due to space constraints, participating organizations are asked to provide a wish list of up to 10 reusable items. Wish-list items should not include food or new items. A representative from each organization must be present during the entire collection period to ensure efficient distribution. A finalized list of acceptable donations will be published once a sufficient number of registered organizations have registered. This list will help guide community members in their generous contributions. For more information email sarah@portercountyrecycling.org or call 219-465-3694.
South Shore Arts to offers ‘Kick Off Your Art’ workshop
Join South Shore Arts for a free workshop, Art 101: Kicking Off Your Art Career, from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at Substation No. 9, 435 Fayetteville St., Hammond. The keynote speaker will be Madeline Winter, a graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Indiana University, Bloomington. Winter is recognized as one of the finest representational draftspersons of our time. She will speak about the trajectory of her career, gaining representation at Oliva Gallery in Chicago, and holding artist residencies in Virginia and Barcelona. Substation No. 9 artists-in-residence Dawn Diamantopoulos, Kerri Mommer, Juan Carlos Rodriguez and Andrea Williams will lead the workshop, providing advice on how to craft a biography, write an artist’s statement, prepare photographs and apply for shows and exhibitions. In addition, they will discuss their careers and their current installation at Substation No. 9, New Year, Same Chaos. Jonathan Canning, South Shore Arts executive director, also will be on hand to explain supportive arts grants offered by the Indiana Arts Commission. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, email Renea Gallagher at renea@southshoreartsonline.org.
Franciscan Health Crown Point to host doula workshop
Franciscan Health Crown Point will host a DONA International Birth Doula workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. CT Feb. 21-22 and Feb. 28-March 1 at Franciscan Health Crown Point, 12750 St. Francis Drive. Participants must be 18 years old or older and attend all four days of classes to receive a certificate of completion. Doulas are trained professionals who provide continuous physical, emotional and informational support to their clients before, during and shortly after childbirth. A doula may help communicate a woman’s birth plan, create a comfortable environment during delivery or simply provide the general support a family may seek during this pivotal time. A doula does not perform clinical tasks. The Franciscan Health Crown Point Family Birth Center offers doula services to families free of charge via a volunteer doula program. The workshop fulfills two requirements toward certification as a DONA International Certified Birth Doula, Introduction to Childbirth and Doula Birth Training. The cost for the workshop is $600 and is payable within four days of registration. Registration and payment must be complete by Feb. 2. For more information, call 219-746-9134.
dunesARTS to hold auditions for the 2026 season
Non-equity actors of all ethnic backgrounds, gender identifications and body types from the region and beyond are invited to audition in-person or virtually for the duneArts 2026 season. In-person auditions will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. CT Feb. 7 and from 12:30 to 5 p.m. Feb. 8 at the City Lit Theatre Company, 1020 W. Bryn Mawr, Chicago; and from Noon to 5 p.m. Feb. 14 and 15 at the Holdcraft Performing Arts Center, 1200 Spring St., Michigan City. The deadline for a virtual submission is Feb. 15. Walk-ins are accepted, but not guaranteed. To schedule an audition time, visit https://www.dunesarts.org and click on the Audition Form link.
