FOR A GOOD CAUSE -- Amy Uyemura

-- story by Young Chang; photo by Greg Fry

A stone otter, whiskers and all, holds a hose in his paw, spouting

water into a lily pond at Sherman Library & Gardens in Corona del Mar.

His name is Shermie.

He is surrounded by a garden of flowers and cactuses, swimming fish, a

library and a gift shop. The air is fragrant and only a door separates

the peace and quiet from the noise of Coast Highway.

This is part of the garden’s real-life charm for Amy Uyemura, a

volunteer of six years.

“We can’t just live in our little house all the time,” she said. “We

have to interact with people and learn from others. I think Sherman

Gardens provides a lot of culture to our community.”

Uyemura, 43, said she is not the type to help ill people or animals,

but wants to donate her time and energy in some way. She loves culture

and has found her niche in the library’s fresh air, pretty gardens and

history books about the Pacific Northwest.

For a few hours every week, Uyemura does whatever needs to be done at

the library. She’ll stem flowers, water plants and tend to the flower

beds. She’ll label envelopes, man the entry gate, work in the gift shop

or help organize fund-raising projects.

Sometimes she takes her work home, preparing refreshments and snacks

for events at the library.

The Corona del Mar resident has come to think of the garden as almost

her own.

“It’s a weird feeling because we all contribute; everybody does

whatever part they can,” Uyemura said. “And everybody kind of claims it

as their own.”

She knows the difference between phalaenopsis orchids and cattleya

orchids. She loves the scented geraniums and herbs and points to fish in

the greenroom pond as if she raised them herself.

More than 100 volunteers help maintain the facility, especially

because the flower beds are changed every season. Uyemura is never

bothered by dirtying her hands and will pick up a trowel whenever it’s

needed.

Uyemura was pregnant with her daughter, Sachi, who is now 4 years old,

when she started volunteering at Sherman Library & Gardens. The library

gave the baby a volunteer pin as soon as she was born.

“She knows how to give back to the community already,” the proud

mother said.