COMMUNITY & CLUBS:

The Exchange Club of Newport Harbor had a fun day hosting high school students and their counselors at a meeting earlier this spring. Club member Jerry Nininger organized the luncheon and presented the awards.

Honored as Youth of the Year were Rebeccas Brown and Peter Jackson from Newport Harbor High school; Susan Moheimani and Colton Dillon from Corona del Mar; Ann Vu and Nhu Truong from Costa Mesa; and Kelsey Hinson and Oscar Lara from Estancia High School.

Molly Warmsley, an Estancia High counselor, spoke on behalf of counselors Michelle Gonzales of Costa Mesa High and Lindsey Flynn of Corona del Mar High and thanked the winners for their outstanding work.

HARBOR MESA LIONS AWARDED

At the recent District 4L4 Lions Convention in San Diego, District Gov. Jon Casteel presented two top awards for the 2007-08 year to the Harbor Mesa Lions Club: The Monthly Bulletin Award (Editor Carol Van Holt) and the Visitation Award (chaired by Lynn Seaholm). This was the second year in a row for both awards. District 4L4 consists of 37 clubs from San Clemente to Rancho Cucamonga.

Harbor Mesa’s activities have continued their success. For example, June 1 a number of members will participate in the “Vision Walk” at Hicks Canyon Community Park in Irvine to raise funds for the Foundation Fighting Blindness. On June 6, members will be attending the play “Taking Steps” at South Coast Repertory Theatre. The next day, club members are off on Amtrak to San Diego for a “Retreat Day.”

In April, the club gave away $16,000 to a bunch of community groups.

ANNUAL FISH FRY APPROACHES

The fish and chips lunch service begins at noon on Saturday and Sunday at Lions Park in Costa Mesa. There will be carnival rides, games of skill, home-cooked pies, entertainment and a baby contest.

So after church or the morning youth sports activity, take the family to the Annual Lions Club Fish Fry, located at 18th Street and Park Avenue, one block off Newport Boulevard. You will meet a whole bunch of elected officials who will be volunteering at various booths. Proceeds from the event are shared among local community groups.

Worth repeating

Thought for the day, as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council

“I always turn to the sports page first. The sports page records people’s accomplishments; the front page nothing but man’s failure.”

COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Saturdays. Send your service club’s meeting information by fax to (714) 921-8655 or by e-mail to jdeboom@aol.com.