JIM DE BOOM -- Community & Clubs

SISTER CITY/CLUB LEADER HONORED: On Tuesday, the Newport Beach City

Council will honor Masao Kato of Okazaki, Japan, and recognize him for

his work in developing a sister city relationship with Newport Beach. On

Wednesday, the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa will honor Kato with an

honorary membership for his efforts in making a sister club relationship

with the Okazaki South Rotary Club.

According to Rotarian and Sister City Committee member Wendell Fish,

Kato played a significant role in the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa and

Rotary Club of Okazaki South becoming sister clubs in August 1982; the

cities of Newport Beach and Okazaki becoming sister cities in 1984 and in

initiating the Okazaki-Newport Beach Junior High School Student Exchange

program in 1982.

Kato helped secure the gift of the Stone Lantern in Irvine Terrace

Park as a gift to the residents of Newport Beach by the Okazaki South

Rotary Club in 1984 and the gift of the second Stone Lantern in Irvine

Terrace Park in 1989.

With his help, a contribution from the Okazaki South Rotary Club

toward the building of the Newport Beach Central Library was made and the

Bamboo Court at the library was so named in its honor in 1996. In 1984,

the city of Okazaki presented the Friendship Statue, now prominently

displayed at the Newport Beach Central Library. More recently, a

contribution to the Environmental Nature Center has been made by the

Okazaki South Rotary Club. Kato has also served as president of the

Okazaki South Rotary Club.

CHECK OUT THESE WEB SITES: Browsing the Web? Try checking out the Web

sites for the major service clubs and see their major service emphasis,

projects they are involved with around the United States and the world,

scholarships offered and preview this year’s Rose Parade floats.

The Exchange Club site is at https://www.exchangeclub.org. You can find

Kiwanis International at https://www.Kiwanis.org. Lions’ Web site can be

located at https://www.lionsclubs.org, while Rotary International is at

https://www.rotary.org. Soroptimist International of the America’s site is

https://www.soroptimist.org.

Two local clubs have a Web site that I am aware of -- Newport Irvine

Rotary Club may be found at https://www.nirotary.org while the

Newport-Balboa Rotary Club site may be found at

https://www.webworldinc.com/newportbalboa. Both sites are filled with

information about the local service clubs, their officers, members,

weekly programs and club newsletters.

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK: Want to get more involved in your

community, make new friends, network or give something back to your

community? Try a service club! You are invited to attend a club meeting

this week. Many clubs will buy your first guest meal for you.

TUESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will meet at the

Balboa Bay Club to hear one of its own, District 5320 Governor Price

Shapiro.

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club will meet at the

Costa Mesa Country Club for the annual adult Christmas Party.

WEDNESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet at the Center

Club, and the Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the University

Athletic Club.

Noon: Orange Coast Exchange Club will meet at the Bahia Corinthian

Yacht Club for a program on the Orange County Sheriff Department’s

Chaplains Program.

6 p.m.: The Newport-Balboa Rotary Club will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club for an evening of Christmas carols and to wrap

Christmas gifts for two needy families.

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa Orange Coast Breakfast Lions Club will meet

at Mimi’s Cafe for a Christmas Party and gift exchange.

THURSDAY

Noon: The Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa will meet at the Holiday Inn for

the annual Christmas party with Human Options, the Newport Beach-Corona

del Mar Kiwanis Club will meet at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, the

Exchange Club of Newport Harbor will meet at the Riverboat Restaurant to

hear Raul Nunez on “One Nation Under God,” and the Newport Irvine Rotary

Club will meet at the Irvine Marriott Hotel.

* COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Saturdays in the Daily Pilot. Send

your service club’s meeting information by fax to (949) 660-8667, e-mail

to jdeboom@aol.com or by mail to 2082 S.E. Bristol, Suite 201, Newport

Beach, CA 92660-1740.