Paul Cousins has decided to bring the “Yellow Door” concept to Dexter to help raise money for the village’s Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee’s upcoming public art project.

For the event, his burgundy front door will, indeed, become yellow, thanks to the efforts of his wife, Pat.

Cousins said a few months ago, the Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee was brainstorming ideas about how to raise funds to include public art in downtown Dexter.

“We want to show the community and the Village Council that we want to participate ourselves,” to make this venture successful, he said. So, on June 2, from 8-11 a.m., the Cousins’ home at 7648 Forest, will become a gathering place for a community breakfast and his kitchen will be staffed by members of the committee, who will help prepare and serve a choice of three entrees along with muffins, coffee cake, juice, coffee, and tea.

But, the effort is two-fold, he said. “We plan to use local products from local people to prepare the meal.”

Cousins said he plans to shop through Lunasa, a local food coop, and the local farmers markets for the ingredients for the meals. A minimum donation of $10 is requested and larger donations are always welcome, Cousins said.

He's planning for about 100 people, but said he had no idea how many people might show up at his home.

The Yellow Door concept actually began in Chelsea, a little more than two years ago, when a group of volunteers decided to start a community kitchen. Cousins was one of the local chefs who got involved in the efforts.

It began inside the home of Chelsea residents, Todd and Janice Ortbring, who opened their house -- which really has a yellow front door -- every Thursday morning for breakfast. They prepared it with locally produced food.

Cousins and Craig Common of Common Grill in downtown Chelsea were among the numerous local chefs who assisted in the efforts, along with a dedicated group of volunteers who shopped, helped to prepare and serve the food.

In a little more than a year, the efforts raised enough money to open a community kitchen at the First Methodist Church on Park Street in Chelsea, and the effort has been extended to raise money for other causes as well.

“Yellow Door is a Chelsea, Michigan, area initiative that brings the farm to the table ... all to raise funds for community initiatives, like the new Chelsea Community Kitchen, Chelsea Sounds & Sights Festival and The Mission Marketplace,” according to information on the event’s blog.

“All the profits will go to public art,” Cousins said, crediting the help of Patti Schwarz and Deborah Greer of Chelsea’s River Gallery, for helping them get started with the village’s first planned art walk and public art project. In the Dexter version, everyone’s invited to share in this inaugural Yellow Door experience at the Cousins’ home, and for more information, contact the Village Offices at 734-426-8303 or email Courtney Nicholls, assistant village manager, at cnicholls@villageofdexter.org.

Cousins is planning two fundraising events this summer, the first one in June, and another on Aug. 10, on the Friday of Dexter Daze.

Lisa Allmendinger is a regional reporter for AnnArbor.com. She can be reached at lisaallmendinger@annarbor.com. For more Dexter stories, visit our Dexter page.