The Assistance League of Newport-Mesa recently celebrated...

The Assistance League of Newport-Mesa recently celebrated its 65th

anniversary with a special celebration at its headquarters in Costa

Mesa. The brief ceremony, held prior to an all-league dinner,

included comments by past league presidents, agency partners and

former clients. The event concluded with a champagne toast and

cutting of a birthday cake by 50-year league member Joc Hartley.

The celebration featured representatives from several of the

league’s community outreach partners. Costa mesa City Councilman Eric

Bever presented a proclamation on behalf of the city of Costa Mesa to

the Assistance League for its service to the community.

The league, with more than 700 volunteer members, provides

services to the community according to need.

Los Angeles-based Nadel Architects Inc. has named James Connelly

as project director in the firm’s Costa Mesa office.

Connelly has more than 25 years of professional experience in

retail, hospitality and restaurant architecture, along with extensive

experience with mixed-use retail projects.

Orange Coast College student body president Todd Bowen, a Costa

Mesa resident, has been awarded a $1,000 Coca-Cola scholarship for

community service and academic excellence.

Bowen, an honors student, was co-founder and president of the

Business and the Economics clubs, and he served as treasurer of the

college’s Amnesty International chapter.

In addition to the Cola-Cola scholarship, Bowen won the Waltmar

Foundation Award, the Joseph R. Kroll Exceptional Leader Award and

the Joe Kroll Scholarship.

* NEIGHBORS spotlights achievements in the community. Please

direct noteworthy information to Lindsay Sandham by fax at (714)

966-4679, or send e-mail to lindsay.sandham@latimes.com.