COMMUNITY & CLUBS:Exchange Club searches for young talent

There’ll be lots of young singing and dancing and playing of instruments on March 23 at the Oasis Senior Center auditorium. It’s the annual search for talent, put on by the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor and it starts at 7 p.m.

If you’re between the ages of 6 and 18 and you want an audience, a spotlight and a stage, call Deane Bottorf at (949) 673-8701, and he’ll send you an entry form. But even if you can’t make the age requirement, you can still attend. Break a leg.

SOROPTIMISTS HONOR LOCAL WOMEN

On Wednesday the Soroptimist International of Newport Harbor Area will hold its third annual International Women’s Day Awards Luncheon to recognize the club’s 2007 Violet Richardson and Women’s Opportunity awards honorees.

International Women’s Day, which is Thursday, March 8, is the yearly celebration of global advances in the worldwide movement for women’s rights and participation in the political and economic process.

The Violet Richardson Award program, named for the president of the first Soroptimist club in Oakland in 1921, recognizes young women between 14 and 17 for their volunteer action. This year Newport Harbor honors Margaret “Lindy” Tolbert for her volunteer work with the curbside van program of Serving People in Need. As a passionate volunteer, Tolbert dispenses hygiene kits, rain ponchos, blankets, socks, bus tickets, agency referrals, and small amounts of money for necessities to homeless people in Santa Ana. Earlier this year she made and distributed hundreds of fleece blankets as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award Project.

Our Women’s Opportunity Award honoree, Martha Garcia, is the mother of two adult children, currently working full-time, caring for her grandson, and studying for her high school diploma at Santa Ana College Continuation School. Her career goal is to complete training in office management or computer technology.

Since the program began in 1972, it is estimated that $15 million has been disbursed to more than 20,000 women applicants who are single heads of households. For more information, go to www.soroptimist.org.

The luncheon begins at noon at the Santa Ana Country Club. For more information on how Soroptimists make a difference for women, contact Club President Carolyn Turner at [email protected] .

STUDENT SPEAKERS CONTEST

Newport Harbor High School student Arielle Little, who is sponsored by the Harbor Mesa Lions, won the recent Zone Student Speakers Contest. She will go on to compete in the Region Contest on March 26. This annual contest is held each year by Lions Clubs to promote world peace and unity and instill those values in young people. Winners receive money to further their education with the final winner receiving more than $20,000. The region contest will be held at the Aliso Viejo Public Library. For further information, call (714) 980-8834.

SPEAK UP NEWPORT

Attendees of the March 14 Speak Up Newport program will have the opportunity to get acquainted with one of the newest Newport Beach council members, District 1’s Michael Henn, who will be interviewed, followed by questions and answers from the audience.

The meeting will be held at the Newport Beach Yacht Club, 1099 Bayside Drive, starting at 5 p.m. with appetizers and a cash bar followed by the program at 6 p.m. Guests are always welcome; one need not be a member to attend. For more information, call (949) 224-2266 or go to www.speakupnewport.org .

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

MONDAY. Harbor Mesa Lions Club meets at the Costa Mesa Country Club for a program on Women Helping Women, which will include the annual clothing drive. The chairwoman of the project is member Sandy Kasler.

6:30 p.m

TUESDAY. The 40-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns to hear Mat Jennings, president of Westmoore Investment Enterprises, discuss raising money for private companies, www.newportbeachsunriserotary.org.

7:30 a.m

Noon: The 20-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Costa Mesa Marriott Suites to hear Phillip Arst regarding organ donation.

WEDNESDAYThe 10-member Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at Denny’s Restaurant at Redhill Avenue and Bristol Street.

7:30 a.m.:

Noon: The 27-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the Bahia Corinthian yacht Club for a business meeting.

6 p.m.: The 55-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for the annual student vocal competition, www.newportbalboa.org .

THURSDAYThe 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Cafe to hear Jim Parkin talk about mountain climbing in Alaska.

7 a.m.:

Noon: The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club meets at the Holiday Inn to hear Jim Bonar of the Nautical Museum, www.kiwanis.org/club /costamesa; the 45-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach-Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club; the 85-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the University Club at UC Irvine for Craft Talks, www.nirotary.org; the 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Lt. Steve Shulman of the Newport Beach Police Department discussing how to reduce DUIs, https://members.cox.net/nhexchangeclub/index.htm .