Learn skills, make donations for 5-year-old

Former major leaguers Jeff Gardner and Greg Olson will put on a skills clinic for Newport Beach Little Leaguers on Saturday morning to raise money to help a local family defray medical expenses as 5-year-old Julian Dunn recovers from a brain tumor.

Gardner, who played for the Padres, and Olson, who played with the Braves, will join Olson’s father, Bill, to lead the clinic at Bonita Canyon Sports Park.

Registration begins at 7:45 a.m., and the clinic will start at 8:30 a.m. The clinic is open to Double A, Triple A and Majors players. Donations, of course, are welcome from anyone up until noon.

Julian Dunn had a tumor removed late last year but will have to endure a year of radiation therapy.

His father, Rich Dunn, was going to manage Little League this year until his son’s illness, according to Wayne Redfearn, a Little League board member who helped organize the fundraiser with Dave Meckler, the league’s president.

A concert fundraiser “Jammin’ for Julian” is also planned from 3 to 5:30 p.m. March 21 at Newport Mesa Church, 2599 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa.

You can find out more at jamminforjulian.org.

— Paul Anderson