Sunlight filtered through the windows of Lake Katherine’s nature center on Saturday afternoon, where tables were covered in plastic needles, thread and felt.
The “Bits and Pieces: Enchanted Woodlands” workshop invited families to build puppet creatures inspired by the forest, and to celebrate Earth Day with imagination and purpose.
Hosted April 12 inside the Lake Katherine auditorium, the event was free to attend. Guests were encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations for a local pantry — a gesture blending community care with creative play, said Rose Dunworth, executive director of the Marc Dunworth Foundation for the Performing Arts.
“We want people to connect with the Earth, but also with each other,” Dunworth said. “This isn’t just crafts. It’s a way to tell stories, give back, and bring the arts into places that don’t always have access.”
The nonprofit, based in Chicago, was founded by Dunworth and her family in 2018 in honor of their son Marc. The group focuses on making the performing arts accessible in what they refer to as “arts deserts”, typically serving and introducing arts to underserved areas with limited creative programming.
“We do our best to bring hands-on performing arts to communities at little to no cost,” she said. “It’s grassroots by design, and that’s what makes it powerful.”
For Earth Day, the foundation partnered with Lake Katherine to run the puppet workshop. The event centered on crafting woodland creatures as handmade puppets.
Laughter filled the room as mythical creatures took shape. Some gave them names. Some put on impromptu shows. Outside, the woods rustled, and the magic of the afternoon lingered in the breeze.
“My son really loves Lake Katherine and his uncle was a puppeteer, so events like this are very important to us,” Sarah Wilson, of Oak Lawn, who attended with her 6-year-old son, Duncan, said.
The Marc Dunworth Foundation includes a board of four directors and two outside contributors. While the group does not have traditional members, Dunworth said it has nearly 300 newsletter subscribers and more than 1,200 supporters and followers across platforms. The team meets monthly, in person or via email, to plan outreach and programs.
Dunworth said workshops like this one are at the heart of what the foundation aims to do, and that is to offer enriching experiences to others.
“People think performing arts always means a stage and ticket prices,” she said. “But it can be a child discovering that their puppet has a voice. That’s where it begins.”
To get involved, Dunworth said community members can follow the foundation on social media or subscribe to the newsletter. For events like the puppet workshop, registration is free and open to the public.
Donations to a good cause, like pantry items, are always welcome at any public event. To learn more about us go to MDFPA.COM.
