Returning from China with chambers

As you read today’s column, Barbara and I are with some 600 other

Chamber of Commerce leaders and members from Orange and Riverside

counties, flying back to the United States from an eight-day trip to

China.

More than 100 members from the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce,

20 or so from the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce and another 100 from

the Orange chamber visited Beijing, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Shanghai,

seeing the sites and looking at business opportunities in China and

with Chinese business leaders.

The 600-member delegation includes city council members,

educators, city officials, homemakers, small business owners and a

variety of other professionals.

Some of those who enjoyed the tour are former Newport-Mesa

administrator Mary Ann Archibold, the Bill Hamilton family (three

sons and daughters in law), Lee Sutherland, Chris Wynkoop, Ralph

Rodheim, Costa Mesa Kiwanis member Steve Grant and family, Newport

Balboa Rotarians Ward and Sandy Munson and Wendell and Barbara

Sawyer.

We have seen the usual tourist sites: The Great Wall, Tiananmen

Square, the Summer Palace, the Ming Tombs, the Temple of Heaven,

Lingyin Temple, a boat cruise on West Lake, Tiger Hill, Yu Garden and

the Bund. Plus, we visited jade, pearl, silk and embroidery

factories. Wow! You should see the extra suitcases we are bringing

home!

For me, the most memorable experience was the hour-plus luncheon

in a home of a Chinese family, with the food prepared by the family

on a two burner stove just outside their 8-by-12-foot living

quarters. The room served them well as the bedroom, TV room, closet,

living room and dining room. The family did have a Western

style-toilet. We were able to ask questions of the lady of the house,

her sister and nephew, and they asked questions of us.

Rotarians found two Rotary Clubs in China, one that meets on

Tuesdays at noon and the other on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in Shanghai.

We missed them both!

China has its freeway, traffic, air quality problems, high rise

buildings and is a very impressive country, opening itself up to the

outside world.

If you get a chance to go on a Chamber of Commerce sponsored trip

to China, do it! The cost of the eight-day trip, including airfare,

hotels, three meals a day, bus transportation, admissions, etc. was

only $1,099. It was a fabulous deal and a fabulous trip!

WORTH REPEATING

From the “Thought for the Day” provided by Greg Kelley of the

Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “You can preach a better

sermon with your life than with your lips.” -- Oliver Goldsmith

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS

THIS COMING WEEK

MONDAY

6 p.m.: The Harbor Mesa Lions Club will meet at Zubie’s

Restaurant.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 35-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will

meet at Five Crowns for a program by retired Congressman Bob Badham.

6:30 p.m.: The 40-member 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 (www.southcoastmetro- rotary.org); and the Newport

Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at the University Athletic Club.

7:30 a.m.: The 35-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will

meet at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for “One Nation Under God”

Prayer Breakfast.

Noon: The Soroptimist International of Newport Beach meets at the

Santa Ana Country Club.

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

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club.

THURSDAY

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

Club will meet at Mimi’s Cafe.

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

Holiday Inn for an Eagle Pride presentation

(www.kiwanis.org/club/costa- mesa); the 50-member Newport

Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis Club meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht

Club for a program by Valerie McCulley of Newport Beach Animal

Control; the 80-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum for “One Nation Under God” program;

and the 100-member Newport-Irvine Rotary Club meets at the Irvine

Marriott Hotel for a program by Frank Seringa on “Someday Dreams”

(www.nirotary.org).

* 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.