Community & Clubs -- Jim de Boom

AMBASSADORIAL SCHOLARSHIP: Applications are now available from four

local Rotary clubs for the Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholarship

for the year school 2003-04. The scholarships provide $24,500 to study

abroad at the graduate or undergraduate level, said Elmer Biggerstaff,

president of the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa. Annually, Rotary

International awards some 1,200 Ambassadorial Scholarships valued at $30

million worldwide, including four or five from Rotary District 5320. In

comparison, 34 Rhodes Scholarships were awarded this year to attend

Oxford University. With the Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship, successful

applicants can select universities from 165 countries around the world

where Rotary Clubs are located.

After filling out an application, interviews will be held with the

local Rotary clubs in March, at the district level in June, with awards

made in the fall for the 2003-04 school year, Biggerstaff added.

Applicants serve as goodwill ambassadors to the country where they attend

school, Biggerstaff continued. The scholars will have a local Rotarian in

the host country who will serve as their counselor and will coordinate

visits to local Rotary clubs and home stays when possible.

Local Ambassadorial Scholarship recipients have included Amy Olson,

who studied in Japan in 1993-94; Everett Kaplin, who studied at The Hague

in 1996-97; and Erik Abbott who studied in Japan in 1997-98.

For an application or more information contact Biggerstaff at (949)

854-1099, or Newport Beach Sunrise President Tom Birch at (949) 646-2330,

Newport-Irvine President Phil Arst at (949) 721-1272 or South Coast Metro

President Michael Lawler at (949) 646-7236.

BE AN AMBASSADOR TO AUSTRALIA: The Costa Mesa Sister City

program is looking for area residents who would like to visit the Costa

Mesa sister city of Wyndham, Australia later this year. A delegation from

Wyndham has just completed a two-week Sister City Educator Exchange here.

They were hosted in the homes of local educators, visited Newport-Mesa

schools, Costa Mesa City Hall, Orange Coast College, Disneyland, the

Getty Museum and were hosted to in-home dinners by Pat and Larry Courter

and Jim and Mary Ferryman.

To learn how you can participate in this program as a delegate to

Australia or as a future host, contact Sue Smith at (714) 754-7312 or

Julie Chan at (714) 730-6300.

SPEECH CONTESTANTS SOUGHT: If you are a high school student who

likes to debate or speak to the public, check with your school’s debate

team coach, counselor or administration about the upcoming speech

contests to be held by a variety of service clubs, including Exchange,

Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary and Soroptimists. Contests are usually held at the

club level first, with the winners going on to the area or district level

where cash prizes from $50 to $500 are awarded.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SERVICE CLUBS: Robert Wright, sponsored

by Dick Dickson, joined the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa.

WORTH REPEATING: From Thought for the Day by Greg Kelley of the

Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Try to make at least one person

happy every day, and then in 10 years you may have made 3,650 persons

happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution to the fund of

general enjoyment.” -- Sydney Smith

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK: Thankful for all your

blessings? Glad you live in the harbor area? Want to make a difference in

life of a youth or a troubled family here or abroad? Try helping your

community and the world through a service club. You are invited to attend

a club meeting this week to learn more about service clubs. You will

probably meet business and community leaders at the meeting. Most clubs

will buy your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

MONDAY -- 6 p.m.: The Harbor Mesa Lions club will meet at Zubies

Restaurant.

TUESDAY -- 7:30 a.m.: The 40-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club

will meet at Five Crowns Restaurant for a program by Chuck Hirsch on

Norman Rockwell and paintings of scouting.

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club, also known as the

Fish Fry Club, will meet at the Costa Mesa Country Club.

WEDNESDAY -- 7:15 a.m.: The 20-member South Coast Metro Rotary Club

will meet at the Center Club (o7 www.southcoastmetrorotary.orgf7 ) and

the Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the University Athletic

Club.

Noon: The 80-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club.

6 p.m.: The 60-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa will meet at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program on Rotary Youth Leadership

Awards by Mike Darnold (o7 www.newportbalboa.orgf7 ).

THURSDAY -- 7 p.m.: The 20-plus member Costa Mesa-Orange Coast

Breakfast Lions Club will meet at Mimi’s Cafe.

Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club will meets at the Holiday

Inn for an Eagle Pride Program, the Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis

Club will meet at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear psychologist

Rick Nyberg on “Boys will be Boys: The Making of Manhood in America,” the

80-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor will meet at the Newport Harbor

Nautical Museum for a program by Craig Pursley on “Art and the News” (o7

www.nhexchangeclub.comf7 ), and the 100-member Newport-Irvine Rotary

Club will meet at the Irvine Marriott (o7 www.nirotary.orgf7 ).

* 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.