Community & Clubs:

The Newport Harbor Exchange Club honored high school students and top public safety officials and firefighters from Costa Mesa and Newport Beach at a recent meeting.

The 2010 Bill Whitman Award, which recognizes outstanding performances on the football field and in academia, went to Newport Harbor High School student Jake Taylor. Jake is still considering his choice of college. The 2009 honoree, Scott Ward, is a student at Columbia University. Both were nominated by Coach Jeff Brinkley, who has led his teams to 200 wins in 24 seasons.

Newport Beach Firefighters of the Year selections were made by Chief Steve Lewis, who presented the Seasonal Lifeguard of the Year award to Greg Meyer. Meyer was on duty when phenomenal waves at The Wedge were bringing quite a few body surfers out and the waves were huge.

Meyer saw that a body surfer was in trouble, getting beat into the rocks of the jetty. With the help of two other lifeguards, Meyer got the body surfer out. Unfortunately the body surfer died from his injuries, Lewis said. For Meyer’s selfless act, putting himself at great personal risk, he received a Medal of Valor.

The Firefighter of the Year was awarded to Newport’s Jason Fernandez. John Moore won Marine Safety Officer of the Year.

Costa Mesa Fire Chief Mike Morgan named Jason Pyle as this year’s Firefighter of the Year. Pyle has helped the department bring the budget in line with funding, and he regularly takes on work that isn’t well defined but needs to be done to keep the organization operating smoothly. Pyle was promoted to captain recently, Morgan said

All of the honorees received plaques from the Exchange Club in recognition of their achievements. Congratulations to all.

District offers relief to Haitian earthquake victims

Newport-Mesa Unified School District spokeswoman Laura Boss announced the launching of a districtwide effort and joining with local Rotarians to generate resources and needed items for Haiti.

Sites are encourage to collect monetary donations to buy Shelter Boxes, which provide a 10-person tent, insulated sleeping mats and blankets, 180 water purification tablets, 2.1-gallon water jugs, cooking equipment, stove, mosquito netting, shovel and a variety of tools to the homeless of Haiti.

Another way school sites are helping is collecting donations of shampoo, body wash, toothbrushes, toothpaste, washcloths, deodorant, blankets, pillows, flashlights, dust masks, powdered milk, hand sanitizer, antibacterial soap and nonperishable food for donation to Orange County based Giving Children Hope foundation, which will deliver them to Haiti’s homeless.

For more information on how you can support Haiti Relief, visit www.shelterboxesusa.org. For information on Giving Children Hope, visit www.gchope.org.

WORTH REPEATING

“You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”

— James D. Miles

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

5:15 p.m.: The 10-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Ramada Inn & Suites, 1680 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa for a presentation by Orange Coast Middle College students. Visit www.costamesarotary.org.

6 p.m.: The 65-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Newport Beach City Manager David Kiff. For more information, visit www.newportbalboa.org.

THURSDAY

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

The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a presentation on “Streamlining the Scholarship Selection Process” with Michelle Geracitano and Allison Lent.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns for a program by Tracy Keys, a Library Foundation distinguished speaker.

For more information, 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 .