Speedy month’s surprise ending

JIM DE BOOM

March was a busy month for Barbara and me: five days in Boca Raton,

Fla., with Barbara attending a U.S. Chamber of Commerce meeting,

combined with visits to her cousins who live in the area.

Then it was off to Costa Rica with Larry and Chris Frank from

Bakersfield for an eight-day vacation at the beautiful Marriott Los

Suenos resort on the Pacific Ocean. Los Suenos is a 2,200-acre resort

with a harbor for large yachts, an 18-hole golf course, 400 condos,

200 hotel rooms, a 25,000-square-foot swimming pool and a casino. For

us, it was the first time in a year that we had slept in the same bed

for seven consecutive nights, because back in Southern California we

split our time each week between Orange County and Rancho Mirage. And

on March 7 while in Costa Rica we celebrated our 35th wedding

anniversary with a lobster dinner.

We were back in California for two days before we left for a long

weekend in Sun Valley, Idaho, to attend the wedding of longtime

family friend Kathy Fox and Wally Limburg. It was Kathy who two weeks

later hosted a wedding shower for our daughter Jodi at their home in

Laguna Beach.

Jodi and her fiance, Zach Drysdale, arrived before the shower so

they could have their engagement photos taken and Jodi could try on

the wedding gown one final time. On Friday night, our family was to

meet Zach’s aunt and have dinner at her Laguna Niguel home.

Barbara, Jodi, Zach and I left for Newport Beach to meet up with

daughter Stacy at Hank and Margaret Weber’s home before heading to

Laguna Niguel. When we arrived at the Webers’, we found the TV tuned

to the NCAA basketball tournament, but no one was watching. We

proceeded through the house, ending up on the back patio where

“surprise” was yelled by 40 or so family friends from as far away as

San Jose, Bakersfield, Los Angeles and Rancho Mirage, as well as

Orange County. Then we realized the surprise was for our 35th wedding

anniversary. The girls and Zach got us!

This past Thursday night we dined with daughter Stacy to celebrate

her completing successfully the administrators credential program at

UC Irvine and for one last 35th anniversary celebration.

HARBOR MESA LIONS HOST RECEPTION

Harbor Mesa Lions are inviting guests to attend a membership

reception at 2 p.m. on April 9 at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Harry

Sparkes in Costa Mesa. Refreshments will be served and guests will be

given information about Lion’s International and functions of the

local clubs.

The reception is for anyone interested in joining the club or

those seeking information about the organization. For further

information, please call Harbor Mesa member Arlene Schafer at (714)

546-1429 or President Sandi Scheafer at (714) 549-4961.

TALKING ABOUT TRAFFIC

Traffic is the topic of the Speak Up Newport program on April 13.

Newport Beach public works director Steve Badum will discuss the

local traffic situation with a focus on the recent traffic

synchronization study and plans for implementing the changes

recommended by the study.

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

Bayside Dr., starting at 5 p.m., with appetizers and a no-host bar

followed by the program at 6 p.m. Additional information is available

at (949) 224-2266.

UNIVERSITY WOMEN LUNCHEON

Linda Biehl -- mother of Amy Biehl, who was killed in South

Africa, while working with the disadvantaged, as a Fulbright scholar

-- will be speaking at the Newport-Mesa-Irvine American Assn. of

University Women’s April 16 luncheon about the present situation in

South Africa and the Amy Biehl Foundation’s work there since 1997.

The meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. at Jeanette Miller’s home

in Newport Beach. AAUW members may consult the branch directory for

the address; all others, phone Jan Hutchins at (714) 960-5412 for location and directions. The cost of the luncheon is $15 and

reservations are required.

WORTH REPEATING

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

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “One who says it can’t be done should

not interrupt the person doing it.” -- Chinese proverb

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

Help your community and the world through a service club. For

many, service club membership is an extension of our religious

beliefs and congregation affiliation.

You are invited to attend a service club meeting this coming week

to learn more about opportunity for service. Most clubs will buy your

first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

MONDAY

6:30 p.m.: The Harbor Mesa Lions will meet at the Costa Mesa

Country Club for the annual allocations meeting.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 48-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets

at the Five Crowns restaurant to hear a craft talk by member Shamcy

Haness and a presentation by Sharon Esterly on “Fundraising for Fun

and Profit” (https://www.newport beachsunriserotary.org).

Noon: The Rotary Club of Costa Mesa now in formation meets at the

Holiday Inn to hear Susan Jaime, manager of Ben Bridge Jewelers and

Rotarian (and new member of the club), speaking on “Colored gems, the

rainbow at your fingertips.”

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

Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club.

WEDNESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the

University Athletic Club.

Noon: The Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club for a Business Meeting.

6 p.m.: The 50 member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club (https://www.newportbalboa.org).

THURSDAY

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

Holiday Inn (https://www.kiwanis.org/club/ costamesa); Kiwanis Club of

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

(https://www.newport beachkiwanis.org); the 100-member Rotary Club of

Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson Hotel to hear Jerry Mandel of

the Orange County Performing Arts Center (https://www.nirotary.org);

the 85-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Nautical

Museum for a Business Meeting (https://www.nhexchange club.com).

* 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.