High school senior organizes food drive

“After reading your September 24th article in the Daily Pilot regarding the FISH organization, I would like to tell you about a wonderful young man, a senior at Corona del Mar High School, Michael Childress,� writes Daily Pilot reader Anna Hilliard.

“He organized a food drive for FISH in our neighborhood of over 1,000 homes, on the Port Streets in Newport Beach, at the end of summer vacation. Much planning by Michael and his family went into this labor-intensive and very worthwhile project, in which more than 350 large paper grocery bags full of food items were collected.

His project, over several weeks, consisted of leaving flyers about the food drive at each home, following up with new paper grocery bags and finally the collection over two days by Michael and several friends that he recruited.

“Michael has been wanting to help FISH for some time, and was very happy with the results of his hard work. His planning technique has now been used by others, on a smaller scale, as it was so successful,� Hilliard notes.

Several days after the food drive was held, I was at the Friends in Service to Humanity office visiting with CEO Dana Timmermans about FISH helping to resettle Katrina victims, and he too was boasting of the efforts of Michael Childress and showed me the hundreds of grocery bags filled with food.

Michael’s efforts show that one person can make a difference and bring a community together to help those in need.

Congratulations, Michael, on a job well done!

JIM WOOD MAKING A

DIFFERENCE IN MARIN

Barbara and I were on vacation in Marin County a month ago and spent five days in the Sausalito-Sonoma area with our friends, Larry and Chris Frank of Bakersfield.

The first night, we checked into our hotel, and Barbara started to read the publications on the desk in the room.

There she found a beautiful four-color magazine titled Marin, Extra Living and lo and behold the editor-at-large was Jim Wood, formerly of Corona del Mar fame. Nikki Wood, his wife, is the principal editorial director for the magazine.

Jim, as you will recall, was a contributor to the pages of the Daily Pilot before he and Nikki started publishing the successful Coast Magazine which they eventually sold to the Orange County Register. At one time Jim was a leading residential realtor in the area as he owned Unique Homes.

The Woods left the Newport area about three years ago and settled in Marin County, Jim said as we shared a bottle of wine at the hotel that evening. He rides a mountain bike around the hills of Marin County and is enjoying a more casual pace than before.

But he couldn’t stay out of the magazine business, found some investors and started publishing Marin, a lifestyle magazine, two years ago.

For those who want to say hello, Jim can be e-mailed at [email protected].

WELCOMING NEWCOMERS

The Newcomers Club of Newport Beach meets the third Wednesday of every month. From 4:40 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, they will be meeting for a pre-holidays boutique at Sea Island Clubhouse off Jamboree Road.

If you are new to the area, you are invited to meet other newcomers and learn more about the activities offered through our Newcomers Club. The cost for this event is $18 to $22.

For reservations and more information, call (949) 719-0748 or (949) 715-7590.

WORTH REPEATING

From the Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport-Mesa-Irvine Interfaith Council: “Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.�

-- LOU HOLTZ

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 opportunity for service. Most clubs will buy your first meal for you as you get acquainted with them.

MONDAY

6:30 p.m.: The Harbor Mesa Lions Club meets at the Golden Dragon Restaurant.

TUESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The 48-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at the Five Crowns restaurant for a program by Fred Hernandez. (www.newportbeachsunriserotary.org).

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 Cub meets at the 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 to hear Patricia Wenskunas of Crime Survivors.

6:15: The 50-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club to hear Daily Pilot Editorial Director Tony Dodero. (www.newportbalboa.org).

THURSDAY

7:00 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Cafe.

Noon:

* The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club will meet at the Holiday Inn. (www.kiwanis.org/club/costamesa).

* The 50-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach/Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. Past club president Alan Oleson will tell of his recent trip to New Orleans to assist victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

* The 85-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum for presentation by Newport Beach city manager Home Bludau.

* The 90-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the Radisson Hotel to hear director reports. (www.nirotary.org).