COMMUNITY & CLUBS:

More than 550 members and friends of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council have toured China in the past six years, seeing the sights in Beijing, Hangzhou, Suzhou and Shanghai.

The next trip, scheduled from Oct. 30 to Nov. 7, is $1,659; price includes four- and five-star hotels, round-trip airfare, English-speaking tour guides, deluxe tour buses, three meals daily and entrance fees.

This will be the ninth tour that I will lead with the assistance of Linda Short, who will be on her fourth tour.

The tour includes a visit to a Protestant church in Beijing, a Roman Catholic Cathedral in Shanghai, Olympics sites, the Great Wall, Buddhist Temples, and lunch in the home of a family in Beijing.

An orientation meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 12 at Harbor Christian Church, 2401 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach. Registration is limited to 100 people and closes Aug. 12. For more information, visit nmiinterfaith.org or call (714) 921-8665.

INNOVATIVE GREEN BUILDING

Last Wednesday, members of the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa and their guests visited the Environmental Nature Center in Newport Beach 12 hours before KTLA TV did live broadcasts from the center Thursday morning. Both the Rotarians and TV viewers got a firsthand view of the center’s new interactive green building, thanks to director Bo Glover.

Newport Harbor High School biology teacher Robert House started the Environmental Nature Center in 1972. Originally a gully between the high school and private property on Kings Drive, it was a dumping area for the bus garage and a jungle of nondescript vegetation spilling over sloping back yards.

The 3 1/2 acre nature center property has shared ownership. The original 2 ½-acre site is owned by the Newport Mesa Unified School District and is leased by the center for $1 a year through April 2050.

The one acre that fronts 16th Street was purchased as a result of a successful “Save Acres for Nature” campaign that raised nearly $1 million in 2000. The nature center is a great place for a family to visit to learn more about mother nature.

Be sure to take in the new green building and the Butterfly House, which is the only one of its kind in Orange County and was made possible by a gift from the Rotary clubs of Okazaki South and Newport Balboa with additional funding from Pacific Life.

WORTH REPEATING

Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council… “How do you know so much about everything?’ was asked of a very wise and intelligent man; and the answer was, ‘By never being afraid or ashamed to ask questions as to anything of which I was ignorant.”

— John Abbott

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS

How are you giving back to your community? 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.

TODAY

7:30 a.m.: The 10-member Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at Denny’s Restaurant, 290 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

6 p.m.: The 62-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthaina Yacht Club for the official visit of District Gov. Roger McGonegal. For information, visit www.newportbalboa.org

THURSDAY

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

Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club meets at the Holiday Inn, 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, www.newportbeachkiwanis.org; the 85-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the University Club at UCI https://www.nirotary.org: The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a Ladies Day program featuring Comedienne Cindy Burns. For details, https://members.cox.net/ nhexchangeclub/index.htm;

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 52-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns Restaurant for a program by granddaughter of famous American war hero, James “Jimmie” Doolittle, Jonna Doolittle Hoppes, who will speak about her memories, captured in part in her book, “The Calculated Risk — The Doolittle Mission.” For details, www.newportbeachsun riserotary.org.

Noon: The 20-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Costa Mesa Marriott Suites.

COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Wednesday 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.