Marines set to storm Balboa Bay Club

The Devil Dogs are on their way to Newport Beach.

The city of Newport Beach and the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines

Adoption Committee are set to welcome U.S. Marines from Camp

Pendleton to Thursday’s Mess Night. The black-tie dinner, which will

be held at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort, is a tradition for Marines

who are preparing to serve in a combat situation.

“It’s like a salute to the warrior,” Arches owner Dan Marcheano

said.

Last October, about 180 Marines visited Newport for Mess Night

before being deployed to Iraq. Marcheano and former mayor Steve

Bromberg, a former Marine who chairs the adoption committee, said

these Marines are expected to be sent to Iraq again in January.

A traditional Mess Night, Bromberg said, is “something the likes

of which most people have never seen.” For example, diners can expect

to see about 100 toasts given during the night.

Marcheano, also a retired Marine, is expected to play the role of

“Mr. Vice” at the dinner. Part of the Mess Night tradition, he

explained, is for one diner to assess fines to people who are acting

too rambunctiously, or who don’t appear to be sufficiently enjoying

themselves.

“Mr. Vice is there to have fun with you and take money from you,”

Marcheano said.

Marines at Thursday’s Mess Night eat and drink for free. Civilians

can attend the dinner by paying $225 to sponsor a Marine. Diners who

attend the event will sit among the Marines, who will be decked out

in their dress uniforms.

“You’re sitting among the finest of the finest,” Marcheano said.

Last year’s Mess Night raised about $75,000 for the adoption

committee’s work, Marcheano said. Committee members use the cash to

help Marines’ families while they are serving overseas.

“When the Marines are over in Iraq making sure people like you and

I can have our security, we take care of their families,” Marcheano

said.

“If they need new tires on their car, we take care of it,” he

added.

The five-course dinner is set to begin at 6 p.m. at the Balboa Bay

Club & Resort, 1221 West Coast Highway, Newport Beach. For more

information, call (949) 644-3202.

* ANDREW EDWARDS can be reached at (714) 966-4624.