COMMUNITY & CLUBS:

Newport Mesa Unified School District’s Health Services and the Costa Mesa Rotary Club hosted a free dental screening clinic Saturday at the HOPE Clinic, 2045 Meyer Place, Costa Mesa. Local dentists volunteered their time to provide free oral health assessments for children of all ages.

In partnership with the Costa Mesa Rotary Club, the Assistance League of Costa Mesa, Nutrition Network, Migrant Education and the LEAPS Special Needs Project, dental screenings, nutritional information and dental education were provided to more than 130 children! We believe that in times of need it is important to be able to have the resources available to provide free services to the community.

The HOPE Clinic and the School Readiness Nurses Program are Proposition 10-funded programs and are supported by the Children’s and Families Commission of Orange County. The HOPE clinic offers free health physicals and immunizations for children younger than 18 as well as free tuberculosis tests and flu shots for adults. The goal of the School Readiness Nurses Program is to ensure that children up to 5 years old are physically, mentally and emotionally ready to enter school, said Natalie Gerdes, Newport-Mesa school nurse.

This event was a collaborative effort made possible by the generous support and time of the 50 volunteers who were at this event, Gerdes said.

ROTARY TEAMS WITH ORANGE COUNTY DRUG COURT

Graduates of the Orange County Drug Court, Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, received $100 gift certificates from members of the Rotary Club of Newport Beach Sunrise to Target at their emotional graduation ceremony April 20. Rotarians Laura Dietz, Dick Cooling, Patricia Bintlif and Syd Lucas assisted Commissioner Odriozola at the graduation.

The arduous, highly structured 18-month (minimum) program gives people another chance at life without drugs and often helps reunite them with their families.

“This is one of the many programs that the Rotary Club supports with its fundraising, which this year will be highlighted by a community-wide event, family-friendly all-you-can-eat Lobsterfest with steak on Sunday, Aug. 2 at the Newport Beach Dunes Resort,” Dietz said. Go to www.lobsterfestatnewportbeach.com.

LION-HEARTED CHILI COOK-OFF BENEFITS FIGHTING BLINDNESS

Four local Lion’s clubs participated in a Zone Chili Cook-Off on Saturday, with the best chili entries winning money prizes. District Zone Chairwoman Carol Van Holt chaired the successful event. The winning cooks were Barbara Hayward of the Harbor Mesa Lions, and Scott Quinlan, and Joan Campbell of the Huntington Beach Host Lions.

They donated their winnings to the upcoming Foundation Fighting Blindness “VisionWalk,” which will be June 7 at Cal State Fullerton.

This annual country-wide walk raises funds for the prevention of blindness.

The Lion’s team this year is Paws for the Cause and consists of Lions, friends and family members.

Call (714) 545-6126 or (714) 962-0265.

WORTH REPEATING

Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council… “Everybody can be great ... because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.”

— Martin Luther King Jr.

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

TODAY

Noon: The 20-member Exchange Club of Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a business meeting.

5:15 p.m.: The 15-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Metro Center at South Coast, 555 Anton Blvd., Suite 150. For more, go to www.costamesarotary.org.

6 p.m.: The 65-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for Craft Talks and new member induction. For details, go to www.newportbalboa.org.

THURSDAY

Noon: The 45-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach-Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. Visit www.newportbeachkiwanis.org.

The 85-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the University Club at UCI, for a program by Rabbi Michael Mayersohn on the Jewish culture. Visit www.ni-rotary.org.

The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a business meeting.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 55-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns for a program by Denys Oberman, titled “Newport Beach Rehab Housing.” Visit www.newportbeachsunriserotary.org.

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