Community & Clubs:

Arbor Day was celebrated Sunday in honor of Luther Burbank’s birthday. The Newport-Balboa Rotary commenced its Arbor Day activities Friday at Lincoln Elementary School with the dedication of Savannah’s Organic Garden in the courtyard planter.

Afterward, in front of the school, the Rotary Club dedicated Savannah’s Tree with a plaque provided by the Lincoln PTA for a flowering crepe myrtle. Savannah Sachen was a 5-year-old with a passion to become an organic farmer. She died from a rare form of cancer, but her dream is being carried out at elementary schools in Orange County.

Assisting in the tree dedication was Rotary Club President Marc Aarons, Board of Education President Karen Yelsey, Sachen family members, Principal Jane Holm, Lincoln’s student body president and Peter Smith, chairman of Arbor Day activities.

On Saturday, more than 30 members of both the Newport-Balboa and Costa Mesa Clubs battled the rain and titivated (making smart or spruce) more than 2,300 Catalina cherry and bay laurel seedling trees.

This was in preparation of presenting them to all the public and private schools in a small ceremony at each school within the boundaries of Newport-Mesa Unified School District this week.

This activity was started in 1969 by Newport-Balboa Past President and Chairman of the Board of Supervisors General Thomas F. Riley and his good friend Cecil Schira, president of Hines Nursery.

For the past 42 years we have given more than 96,000 trees to all of the third-graders in the district, including to my daughters when they were in third grade.

This year I have the privilege to presented trees to the third-graders at Paularino Elementary School, where my daughter, Stacy de Boom-Howard, is principal.

SEARCH FOR TALENT

Notice to all talented kids aged 6 to 18: You wanna sing, or dance, or play your instrument? The Search for Talent by the Exchange Club of Newport Harbor is the place for you.

It takes place March 19 at Darienfield Hall, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. You need to register by Monday. There are trophies to win and applause to hear.

For entry forms and information, call Deane Bottorf at (949) 673-8701.

VISIT CHINA AND WORLD EXPO

The Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council will host an orientation meeting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday for those interested in learning about the council’s annual trip to China, which is scheduled to depart Oct. 14.

More than 900 youth and adults from around Orange County and the United States, council members or not, have traveled to China on the tour, led by yours truly.

The orientation meeting will be at Harbor Christian Church, 2401 Irvine Ave. in Newport Beach, and will last for one hour.

The price of $1,999 includes round-trip airfare, four- and five-star hotels, all but one meal and tour buses, English-speaking tour guides, admissions, and a day at the 2010 World Expo in Shanghai.

For more information, visit www.nmiinterfaith.org or call (714) 921-8665.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

“God Himself, sir, does not propose to judge a person until his life is over. Why should you and I?”

— Samuel Johnson

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK

How are you giving back to your community?

Help your community and the world through a service club! For many, service club membership is an extension of our religious beliefs and congregation affiliation.

You are invited to attend a service club meeting this coming week to learn more about opportunity for service. Most clubs will buy your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

TODAY

7:30 a.m.: The 10-member Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at Denny’s Restaurant, 290 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Noon: The 20-member Exchange Club of Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, 1601 Bayside Drive, Corona del Mar, to hear Ron Brown of Teen Challenge.

3:30 to 8 p.m.: The Harbor Mesa Lions Club will be Dining for Dollars at Polly’s Pies, 9791 Adams Ave. in Huntington Beach.

5:15 p.m.: The 10-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Ramada Inn & Suites, 1680 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa. For more information, visit www.costamesarotary.org.

6 p.m.: The 66-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a Craft Talk by Sarah Greenberg-Davis. For more information, visit www.newportbalboa.org.

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Café, 1835 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa.

Noon: The 67-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the University Club at UC Irvine, 801 E. Pelatson Drive.

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

The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Terry Horne, “Guiding the Orange County Register through these Critical Times.”

6 p.m.: The 35-member Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa Meets at the Costa Mesa Country Club, 1701 Golf Course Drive.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona Del Mar, for a program by Jennie Tom Scott. For more information, visit 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 [email protected] .