Stressing the ‘service’ in service club

JIM DE BOOM

In the last issue of the KiwaniScope for the year, editor Jeff

Dimsdale took the liberty of doing what editors do -- writing an

editorial for the year. In the editorial, Dimsdale states:

“There are three kinds of Kiwanis clubs -- meet-greet-and-eat

clubs, give-’em-the-bucks clubs, and working-in-the-trenches clubs. A

healthy Kiwanis club has elements of all three. Where do we fall in

this spectrum? A couple of our members, whose commitment to Kiwanis

would never be questioned, do little service.

“I think that we’d all agree that Costa Mesa Kiwanis does a great

job in the meet-greet-and-eat and give-’em-the-bucks departments. But

how are we doing in service?

“I think we do a lot more here than people realize. So, at this

time of thanksgiving, here is a partial list of Kiwanis services for

which the community can be thankful (and proud).

* Anderson School Science Fair

* Adopt a Social Worker

* AYSO Pancake breakfast

* Athletes of the Month (monthly)

* ATSC Luncheon

* Boys and Girls Club Barbecue

* Circle-K, Key, and K-Kids weekly advisorships

* Costa Mesa High School Girls’ Basketball Tournament

* Costa Mesa Police and Fire Expo

* Eagle Pride (quarterly)

* Hope of America

* Human Options Holiday Party

* K-Kids Halloween Carnival

* OCC Community Science Night

* Orange County Children’s Book Festival

* Pediatric Trauma prevention

* Walk for Life Pancake Breakfast (Interclub with Irvine Club)

“So, you see, we’re doing pretty well. What can you do to improve

this record?

“Note: If I omitted you favorite project from this list, I

apologize. Let me know and I’ll add it in.”

As you can see, the Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa is an exceptional

service club for the community. Con- gratulations to them, and

continue to do great things in 2005.

READING BY 9 CORRECTION

Roger McGonegal, Rotary Reading by 9 chairman and a member of

Newport-Balboa, left a message on my answering machine after last

week’s column, noting that I had given out the wrong address for

people to mail Reading by 9 donations to the Daily Pilot. Even my

editors missed it. So here is the correct address along with another

plug for supporting Reading by 9.

This year, Rotary Clubs of Newport-Balboa, Newport Irvine and

Newport Beach Sunrise are challenging Daily Pilot readers to match

$4,000 they are putting up to buy books for Pomona, Whittier and

Wilson Elementary Schools. Your $10 donation will be matched by the

Rotary clubs and by the publisher Scholastic to buy 11 reading books.

A $25 donation will be match to buy 30 books; a $50 donation will be

matched to buy 58 books and so on. Your tax-deductible donation to

buy Reading by 9 books can be mailed to Rotary District 5320

Foundation, c/o Daily Pilot, 1375 Sunflower, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

Make checks payable to Rotary District 5320 Foundation. Book orders

are due to Scholastic, the book publisher, in January so pull out

your check book and help provide additional resources to Pomona,

Whittier and Wilson elementary schools. Make your investment and then

watch the dividends grow.

FIRST HOPE FOR AMERICA AWARD

The first Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club Hope of America Award was

presented to Costa Mesa High School student, Nakita Brown. Instructor

Jerry Howell accompanied her. His recommendation that Nakita be given

the award was read by Michael Bare.

“Without any doubt, Nakita Brown fits the description of a student

who has demonstrated academic accomplishments, leadership and good

character,” Bare said. “These are the criteria for which the Kiwanis

Club bestows their Hope of America Award. Evidence of Nakita’s

dedication can be found in her participation in ASB student

government and other extracurricular activities.”

“Nakita is an excellent student who has found the perfect balance

between academics and extracurricular activities,” said club

president Dee Pritchard.

GINGERBREAD WORLD

The main lobby of the Balboa Bay Club has been transformed into a

winter wonderland by student chefs in the culinary program at The Art

Institute of California, Orange County.

Under the leadership of the Institute’s Pastry Chef, Rich Royal,

and in partnership with the Balboa Bay Club’s Executive Chef, Joseph

Lageder, the team has built a 12-foot by nine-foot pastry mountain

and village, with forty gingerbread houses, a working railroad, a ski

lift and even a chocolate boat at the town wharf.

Guests and visitors can enjoy this fabulous creation as well as

the thousands of glistening lights and holiday decorations that help

create a festive feeling throughout the resort.

WELCOME

Welcome to the world of service clubs to Eric Ho, sponsored by

Kathy Raine, who joined the Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis

Club.

WORTH REPEATING

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a

present and not giving it.”

-- William Arthur Ward,

American Scholar,

1921-94

* 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.