Legion helps make wishes come true

JIM DE BOOM

On the Fourth of July, Newport Harbor American Legion Post 291 --

with the help of the Sheriff’s Department, Harbormaster Capt. Greg

Russell and Electra Cruises -- will be hosting about 30 children and

their families from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, according to Jerry

Murphy, staff commodore.

The American Legion will be serving a pancake breakfast to the

Make-A-Wish children and their families, who also will be entertained

by clowns and magicians. The guests will then board a 100-foot

cruiser provided by Electra Cruises and will watch the annual Fourth

of July boat parade, sponsored by the American Legion Yacht Club.

The Legion and the Yacht Club will be supplying caps, sunglasses

and Hawaiian leis. Volunteers have generously contributed a treasure

chest of toys to be given to these children. Our goal is to make this

a happy and memorable day for the children and their families, Murphy

said.

WHILE ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BAY

Man’s best friend will join in the festivities at the Balboa Bay

Club & Resort as more than a dozen dogs, ranging from puppies to

certified companion dogs, will be on hand to educate the public and

raise funds for Guide Dogs of the Desert International. Guide Dogs

International provides highly trained guide dogs to the blind,

elderly blind and blind persons with multiple handicaps in

California, Arizona and Nevada and throughout the United States and

Canada.

To raise money for the organization, myriad of puppy and people

activities will take place between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Sunday at

the BBC. Visitors can meet the dogs, name and sponsor a dog and

participate in an opportunity drawing for prizes that include a stay

at the BBC and baskets of Fido-friendly treats. BBC chef Josef is

even getting into the act, so children can make their own dog

biscuits to take home and bake for their own special pet. The day is

open to the public and more information can be obtained by calling

(949) 645-5000.

NEWPORT MESA STUDENTS TO JAPAN

As part of the Wendell Fish Student Exchange program sponsored by

the Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa, five Newport-Mesa students have

been chosen to travel to Okazaki, Japan, from Monday to July 15.

Those students are Jeff Carlson, Megan Gaal and Colton Dillion from

Corona del Mar Junior High School and Heather Curfman and Quinn

Yanaga from Ensign Middle School. The chaperon is Julie Oblouk, a

science teacher at Corona del Mar High School, accompanied by her

sister-in-law June Cahill.

They will stay with host families selected from the Okazaki South

Rotary Club. The Okazaki families’ students will visit Newport Beach

from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5 and stay with the families of the students

who went to Okazaki.

12TH ANNUAL ZOOFARI

Newport Beach resident Debbie Newmeyer reminds us to save the date

of Aug. 14 for the 12th annual Zoofari, sponsored by the Friends of

the Santa Ana Zoo, with the theme of “Party ‘til the Cows Come Home!”

There will be a special VIP reception at 5:30 p.m. for sponsors, with

the gate opening at 6:30 p.m. for all others.

“It’s an evening of dining and dancing to benefit the Crean Family

Farm,” states Newmeyer. For more information or to reserve tickets,

call (714) 953-8555 or visit www.santaanazoo.org.

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for Today, provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Joy increases as you give it, and

diminishes as you try to keep it for yourself. In giving it, you will

accumulate a deposit of joy greater than you ever believed possible.”

Norman Vincent Peale

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 47-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will

meet at Five Crowns restaurant for a program by Craig Alexander on

Estates and Trusts. (www.newportbeach

sunriserotary.org).

WEDNESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The five-member South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet

at the Holiday Inn, and the Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at

the University Athletic Club.

Noon: The Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club.

6 p.m.: The 50-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa will meet at

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for its first meeting under

newly-installed President Kim DeBroux.

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-plus-member Costa Mesa-Orange Costa Breakfast Lions

Club will meet at Mimi’s Cafe.

Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club will meet at the

Holiday Inn (https://www.kiwanis.org/

club/costamesa); the 50-member Newport Beach-Corona del Mar

Kiwanis Club will meet at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. The

85-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Nautical

Museum to hear Leslie Lowry on “German POWs in O.C.”

(www.nhexchangeclub.com). The Rotary Club of Newport Irvine starts

the new year at a new locations, the Radisson Hotel, 4545 MacArthur

Blvd., Newport Beach.

* COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Saturdays in the Daily Pilot.

Send your service club’s meeting information by fax to (714) 921-8655

or by e-mail to [email protected].