Community & Clubs: Honoring 30 years of sisterhood
On Oct. 12, Mayor Yasuhiro Uchida of Okazaki, Japan, and his 32-member delegation arrived in Newport Beach to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the sisterhood between the cities.
During a ceremony on Oct. 14 at the Newport Beach Central Library, Uchida and Newport Beach Mayor Rush Hill unveiled the Shogun Tokugawa leyasu granite statue that Okazaki gifted to Newport Beach. Ieyasu, described by Uchida as “a super hero” to the Okazaki people, was the first shogun to establish a peaceful Japan.
The ceremony concluded with a traditional Japanese dance celebrating joy and longevity. It was performed by Kyoko Kamio and followed by a reception in the library’s Bamboo Courtyard. Newport Beach Sister City Assn. President Liddy Paulsen, former Newport Beach mayors Evelyn Hart and Don Webb, other Newport Beach officials, and Sister Cities and Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa members attended the ceremony.
That evening, the Okazaki delegation attended the Newport Beach City Council meeting, where Hill read a proclamation reconfirming the strong friendship between Newport Beach and Okazaki. Sister Cities thereafter hosted a dinner for the Okazaki delegation at the Newport Beach Vineyard and Winery.
Hart, the first Newport Beach mayor to pay an official visit to Okazaki, gave a special toast encouraging the continuance of the partnership between the two cities. The attendees also enjoyed singing performances by Yuka Shimura, Uchida’s niece and an accomplished stage singer, and Sister Cities member Seth Siegel.
The Newport Beach Sister City Assn. is a nonprofit, volunteer organization that endeavors to promote international communication, understanding, education and friendship between the people of Newport Beach and foreign cities.
The following evening at Bayside Restaurant in Newport Beach, members of the Japanese delegation from Soroptimist International of Okazaki dined with members of the Soroptimist International of Newport Harbor Area. For almost 20 years, the Okazaki and Newport Harbor clubs have been linked in friendship and have supported one another in their dedication to serving women and girls in need through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.
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Harbor Mesa Lions support local veterans
On Sept. 27 and 28 at the Army Reserve Center in Tustin, members of the Harbor Mesa Lions Club conducted sight testing for homeless veterans.
The event was the fourth annual Orange County Stand Down, a community-based intervention program aimed at helping the nation’s estimated 200,000 homeless veterans combat life on the streets by providing services, food, shelter, clothing and health services.
Sue Seager and Carol Bernstein chaired this event for the Harbor Mesa Lions, and volunteers from the Orange Lions and Laguna Niguel Lions supported the effort.
In October, more than 100 supporters attended Harbor Mesa Lions’ annual casino night, where Lions raised more than $7,000. The event featured several types of poker games, a silent auction, country music, line dancing and a western-style barbecue dinner.
President Debbie Karlson stated, “We are so appreciative of the support of our community at these kinds of events and encourage more to come to the future fundraisers. Our community will benefit and you will have a very good time ... everyone wins!”
For more information and event pictures, visit https://www.nhcmlionsclub.com.
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Upcoming in November
The Soroptimist International of Newport Harbor invites women to its Nov. 10 meeting to learn about managing personal finances.
Sharon Buck from Women Investing in Securities Education (W.I.S.E.) will speak about W.I.S.E. and its mission to educate women and girls in financial literacy. She will share some insights about planning for retirement.
The meeting is from 5:45 to 7:30 p.m. at 245 Fischer Ave., Suite A8C, Costa Mesa. The dinner price is $15. RSVP to Dalia Badajos Lugo at mdlugofamily@gmail.com or Dawn Marie Lemonds at dawnmarie.lemonds14@gmail.com.
The Daily Pilot wants to hear about your club’s or organization’s events so we can inform our readers. Contact DIANE DARUTY at dianedaruty@sbcglobal.net or (949) 322-7949 or DUNCAN FORGEY at forgey5000@yahoo.com or (949) 548-4800.