Community & Clubs -- Jim de Boom

MATTERS OF HEART: Soroptimist International of Newport Harbor will

conduct its fourth annual “Matters of the Heart” event on Feb. 12, at the

Pacific Club in Newport Beach by honoring Mary Leigh Blek, founder of The

Bell Campaign and a leader in The Million Mom March first held on

Mother’s Day, 2000, and yours truly, the Daily Pilot Community & Clubs

columnist.

Past honorees have included Marie Gray, Jo Caines, Dora Hill, Judge

Frances Munos, Gloria Osbrink, Peggy Goldwater Clay, Marian Bergeson,

Lori Warmington, Jackie Heather and Marian Knott to name a few. How I was

chosen as an honoree, only Matters of the Heart Committee chair Sue

Haddock knows, but I do feel honored to be selected, having written about

the Soroptimist fund-raising event and the honorees the previous three

years.

Proceeds from the event will benefit Soroptimist charities including

Interval House; the Interfaith Shelter; Women’s Opportunity Awards; “S”

Club, a service organization for high school girls; and the continued

support of domestic and international projects to reduce and eliminate

the acts of domestic violence against women and children.

The event, which begins at 5:30 p.m., will include a reception and

dinner, silent auction and an opportunity drawing. If you didn’t receive

a formal invitation to the event, you are still invited to attend.

Reservations are $75 per person and must be made by Feb. 4 by contacting

Haddock, event chair at (714) 957-5113.

THE GREAT PARK: Newport-Mesa residents might want to take a look ahead

and imagine what might happen to the John Wayne Airport if the Great Park

Initiative (Measure W) on the March 5 ballot passes. The pressure will be

mounted by a number of county residents to add runways, expand the

passenger capacity and to go to flight operations 24 hours a day at John

Wayne.

Now it appears the South County cities have shut down the city of

Newport Beach/Airport Working Group campaign against Measure W. The

courts say you can’t spend city or county funds for or against a ballot

initiative.

So what is the alternative to fight the Great Park Initiative? It is

for Newport-Mesa residents to ante up the necessary money. “Why,” you

say? If John Wayne Airport adds a runway or two and goes to 24-hour-a-day

operation, what will that do to the value of your home in the airport

noise area? Decrease the value of a $500,000 house by say 20% or

$100,000. Then a $1,000 contribution to the Airport Working Group to

fight the Great Park Initiative would be worth it.

Someone has to keep fighting for an airport at El Toro that provides

lower air fares, more destinations than John Wayne Airport by itself can

provide and has less effects on its neighbors. It’s time for the

residents of Newport-Mesa to step up big-time and support the Airport

Working Group in its campaign against Measure W. Time is short.

WORTH REPEATING: From Thought for the Day by Greg Kelley of the

Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “A sure way to lift oneself up is

by helping to lift someone else.” -- Booker T. Washington

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS COMING WEEK: Thankful for all your

blessings? Glad you live in the Harbor Area? Want to make a difference in

life of a youth or a troubled family here or abroad? Try helping your

community and the world through a service club. You are invited to attend

a club meeting this coming week to learn more about service clubs. You

will probably meet business and community leaders at the meeting. Most

clubs will buy your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

TUESDAY -- 7:10 a.m.: The Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis Club

will hold an inter-club meeting with the Mission Viejo Club at the

Holiday Inn, Mission Viejo.

7:30 a.m.: The 40-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will meet

at Five Crowns Restaurant for a program on Pakistan.

WEDNESDAY -- 7:15 a.m.: The 20-member South Coast Metro Rotary Club

will meet at the Center Club (o7 www.southcoastmetrorotary.orgf7 ) and

the Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the University Athletic

Club.

Noon: The 35-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Bonnie Mueller and Blanche

on “Canine Companion Program.”

6:00 p.m.: The 60-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa will meet at

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club (o7 www.newportbalboa.orgf7 ).

THURSDAY -- 7:00 p.m.: The 20-plus member Costa Mesa-Orange Costa

Breakfast Lions Club will meet at Mimi’s Cafe for a business meeting.

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

Inn for an Eagle Pride Program, the 80-member Exchange Club of Newport

Harbor will meet at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum for a Ladies Day

Luncheon with the program by Ray Quigley “Hijacked” (o7

www.nhexchangeclub.comf7 ), the 100-member Newport-Irvine Rotary Club

will meet the Irvine Marriott (o7 www.nirotary.orgf7 ).

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

your service club’s meeting information by Fax to (949) 660-8667; e-mail

to o7 [email protected] or by mail to 2082 S.E. Bristol, Suite 201,

Newport Beach, CA 92660-1740.