Community & Clubs -- Jim de Boom

PROGRESS AT WHITTIER SCHOOL: Whittier Elementary School Principal

Sharon Blakely sent me an e-mail saying: “regarding progress, thanks in

large part to the Daily Pilot’s strong book and direct mentor support,

you might be aware that Whittier has once again scored in the top 10% of

similar schools (95th out of 100) and that we have qualified for the

highest state awards ($5,000-$25,000 range) before the governor cut the

budget line. For the last four years, Whittier scores have improved in

every subtest at each grade level we test (second and third grades), this

year scoring above the state average in math in both grades. Not bad for

very young English learners! I directly attribute this continuing growth

to the fact that Whittier has truly become a community school, serving

preschoolers (144) through adults (300-plus), as well as [kindergarten

through third-grade] students. This is being accomplished through the

personal student mentoring by 80-plus community members, Reading by 9,

Communities in Schools and Newport-Mesa Schools Foundation help. Are we

blessed or what?!!” My add: Thanks go to the Daily Pilot readers who

support the Reading by 9 program and volunteer to serve as mentors. You

make a difference.

STILL LOOKING FOR TALENT: Do you sing? Dance? Play a musical

instrument? Are you between the ages of 8 and 18? Then you should be in

the Search for Talent contest sponsored by the Exchange Club of Newport

Harbor. It will take place March 15 at the Oasis auditorium in Corona del

Mar. For information and entry forms, call Deane Bottorf at (949)

673-8701. Entries must close by March 10, so hurry.

ARTICULATE ATHLETES TOASTMASTERS: Articulate Athletes Toastmasters

meets Monday evenings from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Sports Club Irvine and

is looking for new members from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach.

Toastmasters is an international nonprofit organization that promotes

communication and leadership skills. Club President Lisa Winterident says

the mission of Articulate Athletes Toastmasters club is to provide a

mutually supportive and positive learning environment in which every

member has the opportunity to develop communication and leadership

skills, which in turn foster self-confidence and personal growth.

For more information on this Toastmasters Club, visit o7

www.orgsites.com/ca/articulateathletesf7 or call Winter at (949)

622-3451

HOEDOWN 2002: The Centennial Farm Foundation will feature the

equestrian magic of “Cheval” at its seventh annual fund-raiser,

“Imagination at Full Gallop -- Hoedown 2002,” on March 23 at the Orange

County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. For further details on Cheval Theatre,

see the Web site at o7 www.chevaltheatre.comf7 or call Sharon Esterley

at (949) 759-9022.

FREE LUNCH: The Retied Public Employees Assn. of California’s Newport

Beach Chapter will hold its quarterly meeting March 9 at Zubie’s Chicken

Coop, 414 Old Newport Blvd., Newport Beach. A free lunch will be served

to all members and prospective member who will hear Arlene Hoffman from

the Orange County Office on Aging on the subject of “Six Myths of About

Aging.” Reservations are required by Thursday and may be made by calling

Marian Perrin at (949) 548-1316.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SERVICE CLUBS: Myrta Sparkes, sponsored by

Olga Jara, joined the Harbor Mesa Lions Club. singer Pat Boone, sponsored

by Dick Freeman, joined the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor.

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

Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Whatever you choose to do in

life, always remember to give back, because in failing to give back, then

you fail to become.” -- Marcia Dawes

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK: Looking for a way to answer President

Bush’s call to donate 4,000 hours in service to your neighbors and

country as we try to make America a better place to live? Try helping

your community through a service club. You are invited to attend a club

meeting this week to learn more about service clubs. Most clubs will buy

your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them. Here is this

week’s meeting schedule:

MONDAY

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

Country Club. Following a new member induction by Arlene Schafer, the

guest speaker will be Kathy Haze, Project Connection.

TUESDAY

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

at Five Crowns Restaurant to hear Tito Parola discuss Rotary’s Polio Plus

program.

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions 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 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 (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 for a program by past President Jess

Bequette, “A History of Telescopes.”

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

Inn (o7 www.kiwanis.org/club/costamesaf7 ); the Newport Beach-Corona

del Mar Kiwanis Club will meet at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear

Leslie Mowers of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department discuss

“Character Counts”; 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 an energy update by Alan

Fohrer, chairman and chief executive of Southern California Edison. (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 St., Suite 201,

Newport Beach, CA 92660-1740.