Community & Clubs:

A lot of us make resolutions for the new year. Usually the resolutions deal with self-improvement, our careers, family and finances.

We can always make more money and more friends, but we cannot make more time.

This year consider making a resolution about how you use your time. Make a resolution about donating your time, volunteering to a community organization, your faith community or join a community service club.

This year set aside time to serve food at a homeless shelter, help distribute food through a food bank, take part in a neighborhood cleanup project, work with seniors or visit elderly residents in a retirement community, mentor a high school student on a career path, read to an English language learner or plant a tree.

Joining a service club will take about two hours of your time a week, usually around a meal. A service club will expand your interests with interesting speakers each week. By joining a service club you will learn new skills, both personal and professional, and make new friends. By joining a service club you can make a difference in the community with a group of people who have a similar community service interest as you do.

Yes, your time can make a difference in our Newport-Mesa communities. Volunteering creates a win-win situation for you, your family and your community. Make that resolution to donate your time!

NEWPORT HARBOR ELKS WRAP UP 2009

The Newport Harbor Elks provided $30,000 in scholarships to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, the Boy and Girl Scouts, the Sea Scouts and the local high schools, and donated money to the Newport Beach Police Department DARE program.

In November, the Elks held a successful “Spirit of America” carnival for the children of military service personnel in the Marines, Navy and Army.

The ELKS donated 1,600 dictionaries to the third-graders in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach and held a “Hoop Shoot” at the Harbor area Boys & Girls Club for children ages 8 to 13.

The Elks December project was focused on needy families in the area and, according to Sharon Seal, distributed toys and food amounting to $4,000 to those families.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”

— Aesop (620 BC - 560 BC)

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

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.

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

5:15 p.m.: The 10-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at a new location, The Ramada Inn & Suites, 1680 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa for a Craft Talk by new member Chris Munday. www.costamesarotary.org.

6 p.m.: The 65-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Chris Welsch and the racing yacht Ragtime. 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.CostaMesaKiwanis.org

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. 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 Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns for a program by Steve Badum, City of Newport Beach Public Works Director. www.newportbeachsunriserotary.org.

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.