Fine dining to FOCIS on homeless

JIM DE BOOM

To help homeless families, Friends of the Orange Coast Interfaith

Shelter will hold its 13th annual “FOCIS on Dining” gourmet dinner

series starting Nov. 1. It will run through May 23.

FOCIS is the fundraising arm of the Orange Coast Interfaith

Shelter.

Patrons will enjoy specially-prepared full course dinners at five

award-winning restaurants: the Balboa Bay Club and Resort in Newport

Beach, Chat Noir in Costa Mesa, Five Crowns in Corona del Mar, Pascal

in Newport Beach and a new addition to the series, 21 Oceanfront on

the Balboa Peninsula.

According to event chairwoman Lynne Bloomberg, an underwriter

subscription that includes dining at all the restaurants is $750 per

person. Individual dining events may also be purchased separately at

$125 per person. The series, FOCIS’ largest fundraiser, sells out

quickly every year. For reservations, call Gale Edelberg at (949)

720-9602. For general questions, contact Lynne Bloomberg at (949)

642-4029.

As a result of the high cost of housing in Orange County, the

number of homeless people has greatly increased. Though many are

employed, they are still unable to provide food, shelter and clothing

for their children. Others find themselves homeless through illness

or job loss.

FOCIS President Linda Schulein said the Orange Coast Interfaith

Shelter is one of only two facilities in the county that keeps

families together.

SPEAK UP NEWPORT

The Speak Up Newport program on Nov. 10 will give the public an

opportunity to meet Leslie Daigle, the recent appointee to Newport

Beach City Council District 4.

The meeting will be held at the Newport Beach Yacht Club, 1099

Bayside Drive, starting at 5 p.m. with a reception featuring

appetizers and a no-host bar, followed by the program at 6 p.m.

Additional information is available at (949) 224-2266.

ATHLETES OF THE MONTH

The Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa honored cross country athletes from

Costa Mesa and Estancia high schools at a recent meeting. Costa Mesa

cross country coach Joe Busi introduced Kyla Flores and Mitch

Friedman, while Estancia cross country coach Charlie Appel introduced

Ernesto Castaneda and Sidney Barloon.

THE ELECTION

I, for one, can’t wait for this 18-month election cycle to end,

hopefully on Tuesday. Eighteen months of negativity, tearing down

candidates, dissing government institutions and the lack of civility

among candidates and their supporters in just about every contest and

on just about every issue.

I don’t think the atmosphere will get better in future elections

at the local, state or national level. We have come to a point that,

“If I don’t get my way, there will be hell to pay.” It is a time of

individual rule, not majority rule. It is not a time of loyal

opposition. Somehow attitudes and behavior needs to change!

WORTH REPEATING

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

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “There are no secrets to success:

Don’t waste your time looking for them. Success is the result of

perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty to those for

whom you work, and persistence.”

-- COLIN POWELL

Want to get more involved in your community? Visit a service club

this coming week. Most will buy your first guest meal and all will

welcome your interest in learning more about their club. Listed below

are this week’s service club meetings and websites. Get involved.

Give back to your community!

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 47-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will

meet at Five Crowns Restaurant to hear John Voget of the Central

Orange Coast YMCA. (https://www.newportbeach

sunriserotary.org).

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

Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club. (https://www.cmnhlions.com/)

WEDNESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet at the

Holiday Inn 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 for a business meeting.

6 p.m.: The 50-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa will meet at

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Orange County Supervisor Jim

Silva (https://www.newportbalboa.org)

THURSDAY

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

Club will meet at Mimi’s Cafe to hear Mike Corez, a Gemologist

(https://www.cmoclions.org)

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

Holiday Inn for a special Eagle Pride program recognizing outstanding

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

club/costamesa); The 50-member Newport Beach-Corona del Mar

Kiwanis Club meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Ray

Golden of Southern California Edison; The 85-member Exchange Club of

Newport Harbor meets at the Nautical Museum for a business meeting

(https://www.nhexchange

club.com); The Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson

Hotel to hear Jon Voget of the Central Orange Coast YMCA.

(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.