COMMUNITY & CLUBS:Interfaith luncheon to hear story of immortal chaplains

The Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council’s meeting Sept. 19 will focus on the inspiring story of the Immortal Chaplains, said Greg Kelley, council vice president.

“All clergy and lay members of all faith traditions are most welcome. All new clergy to Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport Beach will be our guests with complimentary luncheon,”said Council President Rev. Dennis Short of Harbor Christian Church.

The September luncheon usually has the largest attendance of clergy of any of the Interfaith meetings during the year, Short said.

Rev. Karen Stoyanoff of the Orange Coast Unitarian Universalist Church will present the story of true examples of Interfaith in Action.

The four “Immortal Chaplains” — whose example of love for others without regard to race, religion or creed — acknowledges the potential for human compassion. These four chaplains of Jewish, Catholic and Protestant faiths worked together during World War II — a time when interfaith interaction was not common.

They made the ultimate sacrifice for the soldiers they served by giving up their own life jackets during the sinking of the troop ship Dorchester so that others might live. As a final inspiring act, they stood arm-in-arm in common prayer as the ship went down Feb. 3, 1943.

The luncheon takes place at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church — O’Donnell Hall, 1441 West Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach (at the corner of Balboa Boulevard and 15th Street on the Balboa Peninsula).

The meeting cost is $10 per person with reservation, $12 per person without reservation, paid at the door.

Reservations are required by Sept. 17. Submit by fax to (714) 921-8655 or by e-mail to: nmiinterfaith@aol.com.

EXCHANGE HELPS RAISE FUNDS FOR CHILDREN

Orange County’s top business and community leaders teed off against child abuse at the Child Abuse Prevention Center’s Charity Golf Classic Aug. 20, at the El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel.

The sixth annual tournament, presented by Wells Fargo Bank, made great strides in the fight against child abuse by raising more than $64,000 for the prevention center’s in-home child-abuse-prevention programs.

Among the many event supporters was the Newport Harbor Exchange Club, a strong advocate and longtime friend of the center.

As a part of the network of exchange clubs that founded the Child Abuse Prevention Center in 1983, the Newport Harbor Exchange Club’s support comes in a variety of forms, whether it be donating its annual movie-premiere funds to the center’s annual KidCare Campaign or showing up to volunteer and engage with the clients and staff of the center at its annual back-to-school picnic.

“Our Club is always happy and proud to take part in all of the programs put on by the Child Abuse Prevention Center. We had a great time and got to meet other men and women that feel the same way we do about stopping the cycle,” said Newport Harbor Exchange Club member Bill Bechtel.

Additional support from Newport came from the Newport Harbor Yacht Club.

The club donated the “Ocean Racing with a View” package, where the winner and three friends will join an experienced crew on an official race spectator boat at the start of the 2008 U.S. Yacht Club Challenge.

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for the Day, as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “An education isn’t how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It’s being able to differentiate between what you know and what you don’t.”

— Anatole France