Remembering a very Ritzy life and career

JIM DE BOOM

Hans Prager, born Oct. 3, 1929, died Jan. 17, 2004. What a dash! It

will be the dash that will be talked about on Monday at his public

memorial service at the Four Seasons Hotel.

I suspect that those of us who were fortunate to know Hans have

stories we would want to share. Stories of his successful

restaurateur career, the Ritz Brothers, the opening of the Yankee

Tavern, his appreciation of fine art, the Happy Hour with the Ritz

burgers, the Christmas decorations at the Ritz and his support of so

many charities and community groups.

His restaurant marketing skills were unique. Before the Yankee

Tavern opened to the public, he had three or four community groups,

including the 552 Club of Hoag Hospital, held charity preview days at

the Tavern so his staff and kitchen would have the experience of a

full house before the public opening.

The charities kept the money and Hans had a well-prepared

operation for the public opening! And the Yankee Tavern made regular

customers of those who attended the charity events.

When I was Rotary District 5320 Governor in 1997-98, I was looking

for Newport Beach restaurants to host a monthly meeting of our 54

club presidents and district staff at $25 per person inclusive.

Hans was the first to respond, offering a four-course dinner and

hosted wine on the table for $25 inclusive as he introduced more than

80 Rotary leaders from around Orange County to the then-new garden

patio dinning area.

Probably 70% of those in attendance that night had not been to the

Ritz before, and he knew that once they had the Ritz experience they

would be back. And they did return with spouses, families and with

business associates to experience culinary and service perfection.

What a dash! What memories. What a life well-lived. My condolences

to his wife Charlene and the family.

MATTERS OF THE HEART

Jerri Rose, founder and executive director of Working Wardrobes,

and Betty Mower, regional vice president of Northern Trust Bank will

be honored on Tues., Feb. 10 at the Matters of the Heart dinner

sponsored by Soroptimist International of Newport Harbor, said

Soroptimist Victoria Gray.

Previous Matters of the Heart honorees include Marian Bergeson, Jo

Caines, Peggy Goldwater Clay, Jean Forbath, Dora Hill, Marian Knott,

Dawn Marie Lemonds, Judge Frances Munoz, Gloria Osbrink, Linda

Schulein and yours truly to name a few.

The evening will begin with a 5:30 p.m. reception and silent

auction at the Pacific Club, 4110 MacArthur Blvd., Newport Beach with

dinner and program following. Tickets can be purchased at $75 per

person by mailing your check to Soroptimist International of Newport

Harbor, P.O. Box 9752, Newport Beach, CA 92658-9752. For more

information, call Gray at (949) 717-5507.

READ ACROSS AMERICA

Another literacy idea comes from Roger McGonegal, who notes, “The

National Education Assn. annually sponsors a ‘Read Across America’

program to focus attention on how important it is to motivate

children to read. This is tied to the birth date of Dr. Seuss, which

is Tues., March 2.”

Perhaps you could organize your office, church or temple or club

members to volunteer to read in a classroom on that day for a half

hour, either in your local school or at one of our three target

schools for Read Newport-Mesa. To participate in “Read Across

America” at one of the three target schools, call Pomona Elementary

School at (949) 516-6980, Whittier Elementary School at (949)

515-6990 or Wilson Elementary School at (949) 5215-6995. Let’s make a

difference, Pilot readers.

DANCE COMPETITION TO BENEFIT SHELTER

Lambda Theta Delta will be holding its ninth annual Vibe dance

competition Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Bren Events Center at UC Irvine.

As the premier collegiate/street hip-hop dance competition and

musical showcase on the West Coast, previous Vibe performances have

been graced by the likes of Daz Dillinger and L.B. All stars, Styles

of Beyond, West Coast Rockers and Kaba Modern just to name a few.

A portion of all proceeds will go to Orange Coast Interfaith

Shelter. Tickets are $15 for UCI students or $20 at the door and $16

for non-UCI students or $21 at the door. For directions to the Bren

Events Center, visit www.bren.uci.edu. For more information about the

competition, visit www.lambdathetadelta.com/

vibe/ltdvibe.html. For information about Orange Coast Interfaith

Shelter, call Mindy Bees at (949) 631-7213.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SERVICE CLUBS

Robert Amster, sponsored by Art Walton, who joined the Rotary Club

of Newport-Balboa.

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for Today, provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Only a life lived for others is

worth living.” -- Albert Einstein

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

MONDAY

6:00 p.m. The Harbor Mesa Lions Club will meet at the Golden

Dragon Restaurant in Costa Mesa.

TUESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The 40-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will

meet at Five Crowns Restaurant to hear Kevin Useldinger on “Solutions

to Reach Peak Performance” (newportbeachsunriserotary.org).

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 10-member South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet

at the Center Club (https://www.southcoastmetro rotary.org); and the

Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the University Athletic

Club.

Noon: The Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club.

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

Corinthian Yacht Club to hear a craft talk by new member Rick Weiss

(www.newportbalboa.org).

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 to hear OC Registrar of Voters Ray Stewart

(https://www.kiwanis. org/club/costamesa); the 50-member Kiwanis Club

of Newport Beach-Corona del Mar will meet at the Bahia Corinthian

Yacht Club to hear Lynn Morgan of the Blind Children’s Learning

Center; The Exchange Club of Newport Harbor will meet at the Nautical

Museum for a Ladies Day Luncheon featuring author Martha Unikal, also

known as Meryl Sawyer; the Rotary Club of Newport Irvine will meet at

the Atrium Hotel for a program by Doug Jackson on Project Cure

(https://www.nirotary.org).

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

Send your service club’s meeting information by fax to (714) 921-8655

or by e-mail to jdeboom@ aol.com.