10/29/2026
🍊 🧡OTPA is giving back! Helping Miss Linda with a Front Yard, a Front Porch, and a Whole Lot of Heart
On Center Street in Old Towne Orange sits a 1912 Craftsman, and on its porch you’ll usually find Miss Linda. At 77, she’s one of the most beloved faces in the neighborhood. Most days she’s out there chatting with anyone who walks by, and if you’ve strolled Center Street, chances are she’s said hello to you.
This fall, the Old Towne Preservation Association gave a little love back to Miss Linda and her home.
Led by OTPA board members Justin Ladd and Valerie Smith, and in partnership with Love Orange, our Preservation Workshop set out to give new life to Linda’s yard. More than 40 students from Chapman University organizations and other community volunteers showed up ready to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty.
The project came together through the generosity of local partners. Working with Knight Landscape Architecture, we designed a landscape built around drought-tolerant plants donated by Suzie Weist of Everde Growers, cutting Linda’s water use for years to come. Local resident Nick Straabe of Hunter Industries donated a new irrigation system, and Orange local and DRC member Jerico Farfan of Landscape Craft Studio donated the mulch to finish it all off.
As the sun went down on day one, it was clear the job wasn’t finished and a second day would be needed. Board member Brandi Romero put out a call for help, and the neighborhood answered. A group of moms who work out together behind the library showed up for Miss Linda with shovels in hand and little ones in tow, ready to dig and plant.
By the end, Linda’s 1912 Craftsman had a fresh, water-wise landscape worthy of its history, and the porch where she greets the neighborhood looked out on something beautiful.
This was a true community effort, and a reminder of just how special Old Towne Orange really is. Thank you to every student, neighbor, donor, and volunteer who made it happen.
