Soroptimists honor those with heart

The Pacific Club was the site of the Soroptimist International of

Newport Harbor Matters of the Heart dinner, which honored two people

who make a difference in our community.

Honored were Sandra Firestone, president of the Orange County

Chapter of the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and Mary Ann

O’Connell of Women Build of Habitat for Humanity.

Honored with the Violet Richardson Award, which recognizes young

women for their volunteer service, was Corona del Mar High School

student Andrea Savolopos, who was accompanied by her proud parents,

Audrey and Gary Savolopos.

Jacquin D. Anastasio of the Soroptimist Club was a most able

master of ceremonies for the event, which was chaired by Sue Haddock

and Diane Ashe.

Serving on the planning committee were Sally Brockett, Victoria

Gray, Alexa Caldwell, Joan Weeks, Kathy Long, Pamela Adams, Kathleen

Elliott-Carson, Kathy Flores, Dalia Badajos, Rosalinda Lopez, Magna

Schley, Soulah Warshauer, Lois Rodriguez and Marty Regan.

The evening, sponsored in large part by Northern Trust, opened at

5:30 with a reception, a silent auction and piano music by John

Haynes for the 180 guests in attendance, including Marian Bergeson,

Lynn and Rodger Tomalas, Barbara Kenady, Bob Goodrich, Eric and

Heather Gallagher and many family and friends of the honorees.

Proceeds from the event will support the club’s work with Interval

House, Interfaith Shelter, Avon’s Breast Cancer Walk, Limbs for Life

and Women’s Opportunities Awards.

Congratulations to the honorees. May your heartfelt service

continue.

ACADEMY AWARDS OF EDUCATION:

That is the phrase Norm Loats, president of the Newport Mesa

School Foundation, used when welcoming more than 400 guests to the

annual Grants to Teachers Awards Dinner held at the Hyatt Newporter

last week.

Loats noted that 204 grant applications were received from 29

schools, 53 readers from the community screen the applications and

more than $280,000 was awarded to teachers in the form of 84 grants.

Retired school principal and foundation board member Scott Paulson

had the fun job of the evening of calling forth the recipients and

presenting them their grant checks, while Jim Roberts provided

musical entertainment.

Grants of several hundred dollars to well over $9,000 were given

out to aid classroom instruction in our schools. Grants were

sponsored by National University, Boeing, the Automobile Club of

Southern California and Hoag Hospital, and by individuals and

families such as John and Donna Crean, Joanne and Dennis Keith, Kevin

and Teresa Blackledge, and Albert and Frankie Perelstein.

The Costa Mesa-Orange Coast Breakfast Lions Club and the Costa

Mesa Women’s Club sponsored teacher grants for the first time this

year. C.J. Segerstrom and Sons underwrote the dinners for the grant

recipients.

After the presentation of the grants, Linda Mook, outgoing

president of the Newport Mesa Federation of teachers, assisted by

interim president Bob Kelley, presented a Teacher of the Year Award

to a teacher from each of the district’s 30 campuses/programs. Each

teacher received a $2,500 check.

Going on to the Orange County Teacher of the Year competition are

Judy Taylor of Lincoln Elementary, Peter Selby of Corona del Mar

Middle School and Pauline Maranian of Estancia High School.

CHAMBER DAY

The Corona del Mar Chamber of Commerce will hold its monthly

luncheon at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Five Crowns Restaurant. The

chamber will hold its February mixer on the same day at 5:30 p.m. at

Tommy Bahamas. For reservations, call the chamber office at (949)

673-4050.

STAR SEARCH

Talented kids 6 to 18 years old are invited to take part in the

Search for Talent competition presented by the Exchange Club of

Newport Harbor. The event will take place at the Oasis auditorium at

6:30 p.m. Friday, March 14. For entry blanks or information, call

Deane Bottorf at (949) 673-8701. Entries must be in by March 8, so

hurry.

WORTH REPEATING:

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

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “When wealth is lost, nothing is

lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost,

everything is lost.”

-- Author Unknown

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS COMING WEEK

TUESDAY

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

meet at Five Crowns for a program by Bill Montford on the new Sea

Scout Base.

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 Exchange Club of the Orange Coast will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club for a presentation by Sandy Friedman of

Caltrans.

6 p.m.: The Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club for a student singing contest.

THURSDAY

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

Club for a student speaker contest.

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 golf

professional Ray Carrasco (www.kiwanis.org/club/ costamesa); the

80-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor will meet at the Newport

Harbor Nautical Museum; and the 100-member Newport-Irvine Rotary Club

will meet at the Atrium Hotel for speech and singing contests

(www.nirotary.org).

* COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Saturdays. Send your service

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

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

Beach, CA 92660-1740.