Community & Clubs:

Soroptimist International invites students from ages 4 to 18, to draw a present-day woman who inspires them. She can be someone the student knows personally, or a prominent woman he or she admires. If chosen as a finalist, the student’s artwork will be viewed on the Soroptimist Live Your Dream Campaign website, at www.LiveYourDreamCampaign.org www.LiveYourDreamCampaign.org and the students will be eligible to win a cash prize for themselves and their schools.

The contest is a fun and engaging way to get students to recognize the many contributions women around the world make every day.

Contest rules include the requirement that students must draw a present-day woman who inspires them. The drawing must convey why students think this woman is inspirational. Work should be no larger than 11 inches by 14 inches. Art must be hand-drawn (not computer-generated). And students must glue or staple the art contest entry form (downloaded from the website) to the back of their artwork. Artwork that does not have an attached entry form will be disqualified. Entries must be received at Soroptimist no later than Dec. 31.

Submission guidelines: Schools must collect all art work from their students and send them in one package to Soroptimist International of the Americas, 1709 Spruce St., Philadelphia, PA 19103, Attn: LYD Art Contest. Electronic copies of work will not be accepted.

BLIND OUTRIGGER PADDLER FEATURED AT LIONS MEETING

Patty Carpenter, a member of a women’s blind outrigger paddler team, recently spoke to the Harbor Mesa Lions about her organization and the obstacles they have overcome in being a winning team of women paddlers. Patty joined the women’s team, associated with the Orange County Makapo Aquatics Project, in 2007.

They work with the Newport Aquatic Center, and the project was founded solely to provide blind and visually impaired people of all ages the opportunity to paddle outrigger canoes. They hold their practices in the Back Bay in Newport Beach and have competed in Hawaii.

They were the first blind women’s team to compete in the 2008 Kona race and have also competed in the 18-mile race in Dana Point and the race to Catalina.

VETERANS DAY

Take time today to say thank you to a veteran for their service in time of war and peace. Thank the neighbor, the friend and the relatives who served. Shake their hand or give them a call. Appreciate our veterans today and every day!

WORTH REPEATING

Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council…“A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.”

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

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.

Noon: The 20-member Exchange Club of Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, 1601 Bayside Drive. Visit www.coronadelmarexchangeclub.org.

6 p.m.: The 65-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for Craft Talks from new members Ron Gill and Bill Davies. Visit www.newportbalboa.org.

5:15 p.m.: The 10-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Ramada Inn & Suites, 1680 Superior Ave., to hear Jason VaderPal on Leadership and Public Speaking Skills.

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Café, 1835 Newport Blvd. No. F.

Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club meets at the Holiday Inn, 3131 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. For more information, visit www.CostaMesaKiwanis.org.

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, 801 E. Peltason Drive, Irvine, for a presentation by Assemblyman Chuck DeVore with a California Legislature update. Visit www.ni-rotary.org.

The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Ed Romeo: “One Nation Under God” & “Proudly We Hail.”

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona Del Mar, for a presentation by Thomas H. Johnson of the Daily Voice. For more information, visit www.newportbeachsunriserotary.org.

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 .