A focus on peace in the Middle East

JIM DE BOOM

“Interfaith Solution to Peace in the Middle East” will be the subject

of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council luncheon at noon on

Wednesday, June 16, at Saint Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church in

Corona del Mar.

The presenter is Shady Hakim of the Middle East Peace Education

Program, American Friends Service Committee, said program chairman

Greg Kelley of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church.

“Shady Hakim will provide some historical background of the

Palestinian-Israel situation, present the major peace plans and

provide us with suggestions that each of us could use for follow up

within our own faith communities to help encourage the peace

process,” Kelly added.

The church is at 3233 Pacific View Drive. The meeting is open to

clergy, congregation members from Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport

Beach and other interested parties. Reservations are required and can

be made by calling (714) 921-8665, ext. 3 or by e-mail at

nmiinterfaith@aol.com. The meeting costs $7.50 per person with

reservation, $10 without reservation, and includes lunch.

COMPUTER CLASSES FOR SENIORS

The next eight-week session of the computer classes sponsored by

SeniorNet will begin on Monday, June 21, at the Costa Mesa Senior

Center.

Designed for those 50 and older, these seven-student classes

feature a student-to-instructor ratio of two-to-one. No one gets left

behind. Computer Fundamentals is a special four-week class that is

suitable for those who can barely spell “computer,” at a cost of $20

per person.

Eight other classes are available to seniors who have some

familiarity with computers: Introduction to Computers (Using Windows

XP), Print Shop, Digital Photography (Photo Shop), Money Management

(Quicken), Word Processing (Microsoft Word 2002), E-mail, Internet,

and Exploring Windows XP. The fee for the eight-week classes is $65

for Costa Mesa Senior Center members and $75 for nonmembers. The fee

includes use of the supervised computer lab from 3 to 5 p.m., Monday

through Thursday.

Sign up now at the Costa Mesa Senior Center (19th Street and

Pomona Avenue) or call (949) 645-2354.

SPEAKING OF COMPUTERS, AT OASIS

Do you wish keyboarding were as quick and easy as speaking? The

June 9 meeting of Computer Friends will see a product that converts

the spoken word into editable text and executable commands that your

computer can interpret. Dragon Naturally Speaking preferred Version 7

is the ultimate in speech-recognition software, and Rich Blumenthal’s

presentation will be a combination of the Dragon’s features plus tips

and techniques for better dictation. Blumenthal is from Voice Factor

and has been president of the Saddleback Valley IBM PC User Group

since 1998. The Computer Friends program will start at 1 p.m. in the

multipurpose room at the Oasis Senior Center (Marguerite and Fifth

Avenue in Corona del Mar). Besides an outstanding presentation, there

will be door prizes, refreshments and special interest groups (SIGs).

There is a $3 charge at the door for nonmembers. Visit the Computer

Friends website at: https://vivianboulos.tripod.com.

YOUTHFUL GUYS AND DOLLS

Newport Beach Theater Company production of “Guys and Dolls” opens

June 11 at Lincoln Elementary School in Corona del Mar. The company

is a nonprofit young peoples performing arts theater company that

develops the talents of local actors from ages 7 to 21, said Peter

Smith of the company’s board of directors.

Guys and Dolls promises to be another outstanding show from this

group of talented and enthusiastic young performers. The entire

production, both on stage and back-stage, is run by the young people,

and the quality of their productions has been favorably compared to

that of a professional company. Previous musical theater productions

include Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The

Wizard of Oz, Footloose, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and

Cinderella. Last year’s performance of Footloose drew an audience of

more than 1,550 people, Smith said.

Although the performance is in “just an elementary school,” the

theater is transformed into a full-fledged theater, with extended

stage, professional-standard lights and sound and full sets and

scenery. All this is done with the help of students and volunteers,

so the young performers gain experience in all aspects of theater and

are able to perform in the best possible conditions.

The show dates and times are: 7:30 p.m., Friday; 2 p.m. and 7:30

p.m., Saturday; 2 p.m., Sunday; 7:30 p.m., Friday, June 18; 2 p.m.

and 7:30 p.m., Saturday, June 19.

For more information visit their website at https://www.nbtco.org

or e-mail Smith at psmith@avalon-tours.com. For tickets call (949)

500 9809 or visit the website.

WORTH REPEATING

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

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council :

“Leadership has a harder job to do than just choose sides. It must

bring sides together.”

-- Anonymous

SERVICE CLUB

MEETINGS THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The 47-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets

at Five Crowns Restaurant to hear Tom Umberg, candidate for state

Assembly (newportbeachsunriserotary.org).

WEDNESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 10-member South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet

at the Holiday Inn, and the Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at

the University Athletic Club.

THURSDAY

7 a.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 meet at the

Holiday Inn for a program on “Work, Life Balance”

(https://www.kiwanis.org/club/

costamesa); the 50-member Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis

Club meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Bob

Schureman titled “Technology for the Transportation Industry;” the 85

member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Nautical Museum;

the 100-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the Atrium

Hotel for a past presidents luncheon (www.nhexchangeclub.com).

6:00 p.m.: The Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for the annual installation of officers

and directors.

SATURDAY

Noon: The Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Hyatt

Newporter for the District 5320 conference luncheon with Stephanie

Edwards.

* 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.