Community & Clubs -- Jim de Boom

ANSWER THE PRESIDENT’S CALL: In his State of the Union speech Tuesday,

President Bush said, “My call tonight is for every American to commit at

least two years, or 4,000 hours, over the rest of your lifetime to the

service of your neighbors and your nation.” How are you going to answer

the president’s call?

Some will say they are too old or too young to be of service to their

neighbors or nation. Some will say they have done their service. Others

will claim they are too busy or they need to earn a living and don’t have

time for their neighbors and the nation.

Get over the excuse and get on with service to your neighbor and

nation. An hour a week can make a difference to a neighbor and the

nation.

Where do you find service opportunities, you ask? Start with your

church, synagogue or temple. Most have local service opportunities, an

outreach to the community.

Periodically, the Daily Pilot runs a feature titled “Getting

Involved,” which highlights service opportunities with the environment,

education, health care, housing, the arts and a variety of social issues.

Pick up the phone, make a call, find out more information and get

involved in service to your community and nation.

It doesn’t make a difference if you are 16 or 70 years old, there is a

child who needs you to help him learn to read so he can be a successful

part of the country in the future. You can help by donating one hour a

week to mentor a child. We have some 2,000 children in first, second and

third grades in three Westside schools who need mentors. They need you.

To volunteer at Pomona Elementary School, call Jill McWhertor at (949)

515-6980; at Whittier Elementary School, call Sarah Markel at (949)

515-6898; and at Wilson Elementary School, call Diane Clemensen at (949)

515-6995, Ext. 3209. To volunteer at the Shalimar Learning Center’s

after-school program, call Laura Johnson at (949) 646-5797.

Or better yet, join one of the harbor area’s 14 service clubs. While

being of service to your neighbors and nation, you can benefit in a dozen

different ways, including making new friends, developing new business and

having a whole lot of fun. Check out a service club this week, and the

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

Here is a preview of club meetings for this week.

MONDAY

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

Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club, where four students from Newport Harbor

High School will compete in the annual Student Speakers Contest,

sponsored by Lion’s International. The students were selected by

political science instructor Phil DeAugustino. This year’s topic is

“Energy - What’s In The Future?” Winning speakers from the club level

will go on to compete in the regional and district competition, ending at

the multiple district with winnings of up to $18,000.

TUESDAY

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

at Five Crowns Restaurant.

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Club, the Fish Fry

Club, will meet at the Costa Mesa Golf and 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 35-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a business meeting.

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

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Newport Beach Fire Chief Tim Riley

(o7 www.newportbalboa.orgf7 ).

THURSDAY

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

Club meets at Mimi’s Cafe for a business meeting.

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

Inn, the Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis Club will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Norris Brandt of the Irvine Ranch Water

District discuss “Natural Water Treatment,” the 80-member Exchange Club

of Newport Harbor will meet at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum for a

business meeting (o7 www.nhexchangeclub.comf7 ), and the 100-member

Newport-Irvine Rotary Club will meet at the Irvine Marriott for the

presentation of the Newport Beach Fireman of the Year award (o7

www.nirotary.orgf7 ).

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

Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Real joy comes not from ease or

riches or from the praise of others, but from doing something

worthwhile.” -- Wilfred T. Grenfel

GIVING AWAY MONEY: The Newport-Mesa School Foundation will present

$125,000 in grants to teachers for specific classroom programs at a

banquet on Thursday at the Hyatt Newporter. The Newport-Mesa Federation

of Teachers will join in the festivities with the presentation of Teacher

of Excellence awards. The silent auction will begin at 5 p.m., dinner

will be served at 6, with adjournment by 9 p.m. The cost is $45 per

person. For more information, call (949) 631-3293.

Whatever you do this week, answer the president’s call!

* 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 St., Suite 201,

Newport Beach, CA 92660-1740.