Rotary Club aids cross-country meet

The first starter’s gun for the 25th running of the Woodbridge

Cross-Country Meet will fire at 7:25 a.m. on Sept. 18.

The event, co-sponsored by the Rotary Club of Newport Irvine and

Woodbridge High School, will attract 6,000 star athletes from 180

high schools in California, Arizona, Nevada and Washington to Irvine

for a series of three-mile races.

Woodbridge cross-country Coach George Varvas said, that this meet

is the second largest high school cross country meet on the West

Coast and the third largest in the nation.

Many of the winners will advance to the CIF, then state

championships. Eight of the top 10 California teams will participate.

The Rotary Club of Newport Irvine has been the principal sponsor

of this meet for 20 years, providing volunteer officials to

coordinate the races and paying major meet expenses.

Rotary coordinator Jerry Rekers announced that the club is also

administering a program for the 180 high schools to sell an estimated

10,000 $5 tickets in a raffle to win a free week of vacation in

Hawaii.

“A continuing feature this year will be several $1,000 community

college scholarships sponsored by the Newport Irvine Rotary Club for

selected track team members, based on academic potential and

financial need. Additionally, Woodbridge High School will receive

approximately half of the net proceeds of the tickets, Rekers said.

FAMILY FRIENDLY

SCHOOL BREAKFAST

On Sept. 6, Costa Mesa High School will hold its second annual

first-day-of-school pancake breakfast, the signature event for the

school’s Family Friendly program.

Breakfast will be served to students, their parents and family

members from 7:30 to 9 a.m. School district and city officials have

been invited to come. Parents, students and community members will

have the opportunity to meet and talk to school adminis trators,

teachers and school staff.

Last year’s event was very successful, as more than 1,000 pancake

breakfasts were served, and they are expecting more participation

this year.

For more information, please contact Costa Mesa High School

Principal John Garcia at (714) 424-8700.

A COMPUTER

LEARNING CENTER

The next session of eight-week-long computer classes sponsored by

SeniorNet will begin Sept. 12 at the Costa Mesa Senior Center.

Designed for those 50 and older, these classes feature a

student-to-instructor ratio of two-to-one.

State-of-the-art computers running Windows XP are used in these

two-hour classes, each of which is held once a week. The fees include

access to a supervised computer lab, where one can practice or

receive individual instruction.

The following special four-week class is suitable for those who

can barely spell computer -- computing made easy. The cost for this

class: $20.

Introduction to computers (using Windows XP) is a basic course,

but it assumes that the student is relatively familiar with the

keyboard and the use of the mouse.

Six other classes are available to those seniors who have some

familiarity with simple computer commands: digital photo editing;

digital camera, scanner and photo album; Internet and e-mail;

exploring Windows XP; word processing (Microsoft Word); and Print

Shop.

The fee for most eight-week classes is $65 for members of the

Costa Mesa Senior Center and $75 for nonmembers. Membership in

SeniorNet is also required for all but the computing made easy class

at $40 a year. The fee for word processing or Print Shop is $45 for

members and $55 for nonmembers.

Sign up now at the Costa Mesa Senior Center, 695 W. 19th Street

(19th Street and Pomona Avenue); or call (949) 645-2354 for more

information.

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the

Newport-Mesa-Irvine Interfaith Council: o7A real friend is one who

walks in when the rest of the world walks out.f7

-- WALTER WINCHELL

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 opportunities for service. Most clubs will buy

your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

TUESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The 48-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets

at the Five Crowns restaurant for a program titled “Billy Graham --

Role Model for Life,” presented by Lydia Sarandan, associate pastor

at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church (o7www.newportbeachsunrise

rotary.orgf7).

Noon: The newly formed Rotary Club of Costa Mesa will be meeting

at The Club House at South Coast Plaza.

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club meets at Costa

Mesa County Club.

WEDNESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the

University Athletic Club.

Noon: The 27-member Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the

Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club.

6:15 p.m.: The 50-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by political cartoonist

Mike Shelton (o7www.newportbalboa.orgf7).

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at

Mimi’s Cafe for a program by Ron Degeare.

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

Holiday Inn (o7www.kiwanis. org/club/costamesaf7).

The 50-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach/Corona del Mar meets

at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear from Celeste Jardine-Haug,

director of the Oasis Senior Center in Corona del Mar, on the

center’s community services and the wide range of educational and

recreational opportunities offered.

The 85-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Newport

Harbor Nautical Museum.

The 90-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson

Hotel for craft talks (o7www.nirotary.orgf7).

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

Send your service club’s meeting information by fax to (714) 921-8655

or by e-mail to [email protected].

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