Community & Clubs: Celebrating a Serbian Christmas

According to Tom Salata, the Serbian Christmas is on Jan. 7, because all Serbian religious holidays are still on the Gregorian calendar. “We celebrate it in honor of our parents,” he added. Host for the luncheon were the Salata brothers, Paul, Jon, Tom and George.

This was the first year the celebration was held in Newport Beach; its previous home was San Pedro. Some 175 family members and friends gathered at the Tee Room at the Newport Beach Golf Course on Irvine Avenue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A Christmas buffet, provided by Tee Room General Manager Hamid Taherian and the staff, included tossed salad, pasta with meat sauce, pasta with seafood, sauerkraut, beans, cabbage rolls, carved prime rib, pork (full baby pig), coffee and cake for dessert. Entertainment included the Don Peterson Band and magician Johnny Ace Palmer, and the Serbians in the audience sang along with Samarzich Tamburitza, a Serbian group.

Among those attending were Olympic diver Sammy Lee, former Newport Beach City Manager Homer Bludau, Foothill High School swimming pool namesake Tom DeLong, philanthropist and First American Chairman Parker Kennedy, Corona del Mar photographer John Blom, former Goodwill of Orange County Chief Development Officer Dan Rogers, Daily Pilot Sports Editor Steve Virgen, Bob and Gini Robins of Theodore Robins Ford, Roger and Ann Alford, and members of the Balboa Bay Club Six O’Clockers and the Commodores Club of the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce.

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Lions Honor Members

The Harbor Mesa Lions Club presented two members with the prestigious Melvin Jones Fellowship awards at the recent dinner to honor the founder of Lions International. Receiving the fellowship were Terri Stoker and Carol Van Holt. This is the highest award Lions can receive for their dedication and service. It was the second time for Van Holt to receive the award, who was given a diamond-studded pin to wear. Melvin Jones founded the Lions in Chicago as a businessmen’s luncheon club. He realized the importance of community service, which led to the organization of Lions International on June 7, 1917. Lions International is the largest service organization in the world, with 46,000 clubs and 1.35 million members.

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2013 Interfaith Council Tours

The Newport-Mesa-Irvine Interfaith Council has expanded the tours it is offering to members and the community with trips to Spain, departing March 5; Cuba, departing May 3; Austria and Germany, departing Oct. 4; China, departing Oct. 12; and Vietnam, departing in November.

The council will hold orientation meetings to provide information on the tours Feb. 5 and March 5, with both meetings starting at 5:30 p.m. at Harbor Christian Church, 2401 Irvine Ave., Newport Beach.

If you are interested in one or more of the tours, attend either meeting, visit nmiinterfaith.org or email the council at nmiinterfaith@aol.com and indicate which tour(s) you would like more information on, and a detailed itinerary will be mailed or emailed to you.

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Service Club Meetings

TODAY

Noon: The Exchange Club of Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, 1601 Bayside Drive, Corona del Mar.

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THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Café, Newport and Harbor boulevards, Costa Mesa.

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

Noon: The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a Ladies Day Program by Judy Aprile, “Tips for Better Balance.” On Feb. 7, the club will hold a business meeting. For more information, visit https://www.nhexchange.org.

Noon: The 40-member Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Costa Mesa Country Club, 1701 Golf Course Drive, Costa Mesa. For more information, visit https://www.costamesakiwanis.org.

Noon: The 55-member Newport-Irvine Rotary Club meets at the University Club, 801 E. Peltason Drive, Irvine for a presentation by GG Thibault, who will discuss the “World’s Oldest Tree, Bristlecone.” For more information, visit https://www.ni-rotary.org.

6 p.m.: The 57-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for Gary Konecne’s Ski Group Presentation. For more information, visit https://www.newportbalboa.org.

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TUESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The 58-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will meet at the Five Crowns Restaurant, 3801 Pacific Coast Highway, Corona del Mar for a program by Becky and Tania, “New Directions for Women.” On Feb. 12, the program will feature Talena Mara, vice president of education for the Segerstrom Center for the Arts. For more information, visit https://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.