Time to get prepared and be safe

JIM DE BOOM

Costa Mesa residents can take part in two rounds of training in

neighborhood safety and preparedness in February, resident Diane Hill

writes.

“Last spring, the city asked us to activate Citizen Corps in Costa

Mesa to encourage everyone in Costa Mesa to work together to be

prepared for and respond to any disaster as a coordinated team,” Hill

wrote. “We were to start by organizing neighborhoods and set up the

Neighborhood Safety and Preparedness Course for this purpose. We were

also charged with encouraging everyone to attend the [Costa Mesa Fire

Department] Fire Academy [which informs about fire department work]

and/or Citizens Emergency Response Team, or CERT, courses which offer

[information] and skills to help attendees save themselves and

families and help neighbors in a disaster.

“148 residents attended both sessions of the Neighborhood Safety

and Preparedness Course, and 51 more attended only the ‘B’ session.

Therefore, almost 200 people learned CPR. People attending the free

course were impressed with how helpful and important it was.”

The first session will be offered on Feb. 1 from 7 to 9 p.m. at

Fairview Community Church, and again on Feb. 3 from 7 to 9 p.m. at

Harbor Trinity Church. The second session is offered on Feb. 9 from 6

to 8 p.m. at Fairview Community Church and again on Feb. 12 from 8 to

10 a.m. or from 10 a.m. to noon at the Halecrest Back Clubhouse.

Participants only need to attend one of each session.

For more information and for advanced registration, contact Hill

at (714) 546-4252. “Be prepared” is the Boy Scout motto. It’s a good

idea to be prepared for emergencies so you can help yourself and your

neighbors.

NEW INTERFAITH WEBSITE

Using new software developed by Ryan Kussner of Kussner Computer

Services of Costa Mesa, the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council

has given its website a face-lift, according to Dennis Short, council

president.

“Not only is it easier for the public to view, it is easier to

update and keep current, because it is not dependent upon one person

to do the updating,” Short added.

At the site, one will find the council’s meeting schedule,

congregation directories for Costa Mesa, Irvine and Newport Beach,

interfaith and ecumenical contacts and information on the council’s

trip to China, scheduled for Nov. 3-11. You can visit the site at

https://nmiinterfaith.org/

Kussner, a member of the Rotary Club of Newport Balboa, has

developed easy-to-use website software and hosting, which some 30

clubs and nonprofit groups are using, in addition to many businesses.

COMMUNICATION CONNECTION

Twenty-seven people participated in the first Communication

Connection workshop earlier this month at the Oasis Senior Center,

reports Millard MacAdam.

“It was a fun session with highly participative people,” he said.

The February workshop topic is “Mastering the Traits of a Stellar

Communicator” and it will be held Feb. 3, from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at

the center. People should call (949) 644-3244 to reserve a spot and

to ensure enough handouts.

101 GREAT YEARS

I didn’t know his last name until the other day, although I had

known him for 25-plus years. Joseph Scholz, father of Anne Marie

Alford and grandfather of Mindi and Matt Alford, passed away earlier

this week at the age of 101.

Our daughters Stacy and Jodi have known him as Grandpa Joe and

were childhood classmates of Mindi and Matt. While Grandpa Joe lived

in San Diego, he was a regular visitor to the Alfords, who live in

Newport Beach, and our family was lucky enough to know him. He had a

great run of 101 years and was sharp as a tack until his passing. He

will be missed. Our condolences to the Alford family.

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for Today, provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport

Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “None of us has gotten where we are

solely by pulling ourselves up from our own bootstraps. We got here

because somebody ... bent down and helped us.”

-- Thurgood Marshall

SERVICE CLUB

MEETINGS THIS WEEK

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 opportunity for service. Most clubs will buy your

first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 48-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets

at the Five Crowns restaurant. (www.newportbeach sunriserotary.org)

WEDNESDAY

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

University Athletic Club.

Noon: The Exchange Club of the Orange Coast meets at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Mike Hearts speak on mosquito

abatement; The Newport Harbor Soroptimist meet at the Santa Ana

Country Club to hear Jacqueline Sidman discuss “Foot Prints in the

Brain.” For reservations call Carolyn Turner at (714) 840-8954.

5:30 p.m.: The 50-member Rotary Club of Newport-Balboa meets at

the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a Club Assembly.

(www.newportbalboa.org)

THURSDAY

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

Club will meet at Mimi’s Cafe to hear Mike Corez, a gemologist.

(www.cmoclions.org)

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

Holiday Inn to hear Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector John

Moorlach (www.kiwanis .org/club/costamesa); the 100-member Rotary

Club of Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson Hotel for presentation

of the Four-Way Test Awards (www.nirotary.org); The 85-member

Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Nautical Museum to hear

Elaine Furst discuss medical awareness and scleroderma”

(www.nhexchangeclub.com).

* 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].