FROM THE NEWSROOM:

Monday was quite a day for the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines of Camp Pendleton.

Thanks to the hard work and generous donations of Newport-Mesa sponsors and Newport Beach officials, the fighting troops and their families got a hefty financial boost from a golf tournament at Newport Beach Country Club.

Because of my impeccable golf skills (don’t believe what publisher Tom Johnson says about my golf game), I was invited to play in a foursome.

What a delight that was. Included in the foursome was Lana Johnson, the Pilot’s promotions director, and two Marines fresh from the fighting in Iraq, Gunnery Sgt. Bill Mund and Sgt. Kenneth McMillian.

I think I can speak for all of us in saying we had a heck of time.

While we didn’t win any Bentleys or trips to Sea Island, we did our level best to kill as many trees as we could with our errant tee shots.

Afterward, I bought the guys a couple of beers and tried to get them to blow the lid off the whole Iraq War thing.

But they were a little too smart for me.

“We can’t talk about that,” they said.

So, I settled for the softball questions, like what did they think of this whole tournament?

Mund, a 17-year Marine veteran from Connecticut who started playing golf at 13, was impressed with the club.

“I loved it,” he said. “It’s actually one of the best courses I’ve played.”

McMillian, a 23-year-old Texan with four years’ Marine experience, echoed those remarks.

“I figured I’d never have another chance to do something like this again,” he said. “I didn’t realize how much support we had out here.”

The support is amazing. I ran into local activist Laura Dietz at the tournament. She said two Laker tickets auctioned for $4,300 Monday night.

She was raising money for the Marines through her local Sunrise Rotary Club and said Newport Harbor Republican Women anted up $3,000 for the Marines.

On Monday, I also saw local legends Paul Salata and his daughter Melanie Salata-Fitch, who handed tournament organizers a $10,000 check care of Irrelevant Week.

And there were plenty of folks from the city — Homer Bludau, Marilee Jackson to name a few, who were busy making sure the Marines had a day to remember.

And of course, I can’t forget Arches owner Dan Marcheano, who organized this whole thing.

Congratulations to all involved. I can’t wait until next year.

On a related note, I received a couple of e-mails this week regarding a Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council event this Saturday to honor local veterans and those currently serving in the military.

The Hearts & Hands Community Service event will take place Saturday at 9:15 a.m. at 801 Dover Drive in Newport Beach.

For more information go to www.nmiinterfaith.org.

TONY DODERO is the Daily Pilot’s director of news and online. He may be reached at [email protected] or at (714) 966-4608.