Time to honor Paul Salata is now

Paul Salata Sports Park: That’s what Raymond Zartler of Newport Beach

wants to name the active sports park being developed at Bonita

Canyon. “Paul Salata should be honored while he is still with us,”

Zartler added.

Salata, who played college football at USC and pro football in the

National Football and Canadian football leagues, is probably best

known for his charitable efforts in our community and Orange County.

He has raised tens of thousands of dollars for youth sports through

out Orange County. He’s chaired dozens of community events.

A willing master of ceremonies for hundreds of charity events over

the years, Salata is also the quiet one who will write a check to pay

for a teacher’s 35-millimeter film developing for the school year.

Salata is probably best known for Irrelevant Week, that Newport

Beach-based celebration with national implications that honors the

last pick in the annual NFL draft.

Salata is one of my heroes! He is a successful father, husband and

business leader. He shares his time, talent and treasure willingly.

I agree with Zartler. Changing the name of the park to Paul Salata

Sport Park is the right thing to do. Let’s honor Salata while he is

still with us.

TRACK AND FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS:

Boys and girls from age 6 to 15 are invited to compete on a fun,

recreational level at the Youth Track and Field Championship 2003, at

Newport Harbor High School on Friday, April 11. Co-sponsored by

Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa and Newport Beach Recreation Services,

the competition will include individual running, throwing and jumping

events, as well as team relays.

The Rotary Club not only underwrites the event, but more than 20

members of the club will volunteer at the championships to serve as

timers and judges, club President Roger McGonegal said.

All participants will receive an event T-shirt. First-, second-

and third-place winners will receive awards and will qualify to

represent Newport Beach in the Orange County Championship Meet in

May. Optional clinics held at various school and park sites are

included in the $10 pre-registration fee.

Meet information and event times are at www.city. newport-

beach.ca.us. Click on “depart- ments,” then “recreation” and follow

the links. For more information or to obtain a registration form,

call (949) 644-3151.

A FEW TICKETS LEFT:

The Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce reports a that there are a

few tickets left for Thursday’s 32nd annual Police Appreciation

Breakfast being held at the Newport Beach Marriott Hotel and Tennis

Club.

The event, which is sponsored by business men and women who work,

live and play in the Newport Beach area, honors the outstanding

efforts of the Newport Beach Police Department and its dedicated

officers.

Tickets for the 7:30 a.m. breakfast, at $25 each, can be obtained

by calling the chamber at (949) 729-4400.

TALENT FOUND:

Dean Bottorf, chairman of the Search for Talent committee of the

Exchange Club of Newport Harbor, discovered quite a bit of talent in

youngsters a week or so ago at the Oasis Senior Center.

The committee started with 30 performers in 23 acts. The winners

in the Primary Division were dancers Reann Nathan and Talia Prairie;

in the Junior Division, Stephanie and Kenneth Wong, who played a

piano duet; and in the Senior Division, Crystal Cooper, vocalist.

Bottorf was assisted by Marcel Pahmer, W.C. Fox, Bob Tracy, Dick

Freeman, Dan Palmer and Mike Gertner.

LIGHT TECHNOLOGY

FROM UFOs:

The nonprofit Mutual UFO Network of Orange County is hosting

author Nancy Red Star from Taos, N.M. She will speak at 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday at the neighborhood Community Center, 1845 Park Ave., Costa

Mesa. This program will stretch your imagination, MUFON member Bob

Wood said, as it answers “How do UFO propulsion systems relate to

light technology?” “What does an 80-year-old veteran say about

extraterrestrials at Area 51?” and “Were the Nazis working on flying

saucers?” For more information, call (714) 520-4UFO (4836) or visit

www.mufonoc.org.

WORTH REPEATING:

From “Thought for the Day” provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Success for a service organization

is achieved by providing the service people desire, not by creating

obstacles for them to jump over.”

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS

THIS WEEK

TUESDAY

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

meet at Five Crowns to hear Peer Swan of the Irvine Ranch Water

District on “Our Future Water Supply.

WEDNESDAY

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

at the Center Club (www.southcoastmetro rotary.org); and the Newport

Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the University Athletic Club.

Noon: The 40-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to make Easter baskets for S.O.S.

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

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Bo Glover of the

Environmental Nature Center.

THURSDAY

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

Club will meet at Mimi’s.

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

Holiday Inn; the 50-member Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis Club

will meet at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Wade

Roberts on the Sherman Library and Gardens (www.kiwanis.org/club/

costamesa); the 80-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor will meet

at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum for a program by Mike McCormick

and Joanne Buday on Secure Horizons; and the 100-member

Newport-Irvine Rotary Club will meet at the Atrium Hotel for a

program by Don Laftoon on Stop Gap. (www.nirotary.org).

* 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 [email protected] or by mail to 2082 S.E. Bristol,

Suite 201, Newport Beach, CA 92660-1740.