COMMUNITY & CLUBS:Interfaith service days coming up

You and your family are invited to join members of the Newport-Mesa-Irvine Interfaith Council next weekend in two major events the organization sponsors.

First, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, more than 500 young people and adults will gather at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at Dover Drive and 15th Street in Newport Beach, for the annual Hearts and Hands day of service. Members of 20 or more faith communities will do hands-on service projects for local agencies as well as international aid. Christians, Jews, Muslims, Bahais and Buddhists will work together for a better community. Hearts and Hands is organized by interfaith council Vice President Jaimie Day, who can’t attend that day — her daughter is getting married!

On Sunday, your family is invited to the annual interfaith celebration of Thanksgiving service being held at Newport Harbor Lutheran Church, also at 15th and Dover. Here Christians, Jews, Muslims, Bahais and Buddhists will celebrate Thanksgiving in song, scripture and prayer in a service that will last one hour and 15 minutes. Music will be provided by the Bahais children’s choir, Soka University choir and the Lutheran Church choir. The price of admission is one can of food, which will be donated Share Our Selves and Friends in Service to Humanity.

All faiths, all ages are invited and welcomed, said the Rev. Julie Elkins of Costa Mesa First United Methodist Church. It’s a great way to start Thanksgiving week.

KIWANIS-LIONS START SERVICE PROJECT

A few weeks ago Kiwanian Fran Ursini and Lion Mike Scheafer met to discuss a new service project to be sponsored jointly by the Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa and the Costa Mesa-Newport Harbor Lions Cub. Scheafer came to the Kiwanis Club on Oct. 26 to talk about the plan and brought Steve Lampron, director of the Westside branch of the Boys & Girls Club.

The result is the first-ever Kiwanis-Lions Service Project at Fairview Park on Ride the Train Day to benefit the Boys & Girls Club. Set for next Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., guests can enjoy a barbecue lunch in return for gifts that will go to the club’s store for its members.

At the club, the children earn points by completing their homework after school each day. The points are redeemable for gifts the children select to give to their siblings and parents.

The Boys & Girls Club also acquired electronic games to provide to every child so they also receive something for the holidays.

“Members are great,” Lampron said. “They don’t seem to care about themselves. They’d rather pick a gift for a younger brother or sister than for themselves.”

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport-Mesa-Irvine Interfaith Council:

“Enthusiasm is the electricity of life. How do you get it? You act enthusiastic until you make it a habit.”

— GORDON PARKS

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 45-member Rotary Club of Newport Beach Sunrise meets at Five Crowns, www.newportbeach sunriserotary.org.

Noon: The 20-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Costa Mesa Marriott Suites for a program by Past District Governor Grant Engle on “Everything you wanted to know about Rotary.”

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 10-member Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at Denny’s Restaurant at the corner of Redhill Avenue and Bristol Street.

Noon: The 27-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club.

6 p.m.: The 56-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Andrew Curiel of the Rand Corporation on terrorism; www.newport balboa.org.

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Cafe.

9 a.m.: The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Brig. Gen. James P. Combs, commanding general of the Army’s 40th Infantry Division, and post commander of the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos.

Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club meets at the Holiday Inn on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa, www.kiwanis.org/ club/costamesa; the 45-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach-Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club; the 85-member Newport-Irvine Rotary Club meets at the Radisson Hotel www.nirotary.org.