COMMUNITY & CLUBS:

The Costa Mesa Newport Harbor Lions Club invited a number of local nonprofit organizations to a dinner meeting a week ago to receive a share of the proceeds from the 2007 Lions Club Fish Fry, according to past president Mike Scheafer. More than $25,000 in checks were presented by Immediate Past President Mike McIlroy and current President Joe Coons.

Local groups receiving funds included Costa Mesa Historical Society, Harbor Area Boys & Girls Club, Save our Youth, Newport Harbor Culinary Arts, Costa Mesa American Little League, Sea Scouts, A Light in the Window, Davis Elementary Band, Youth Employment Service, Costa Mesa Senior Center, Estancia Baseball Boosters, Newport Mesa Schools Foundation, Orange County Model Engineers Railroad, and Blind Children’s Learning Center.

Also benefited were the Lions 4L4 Sight and Hearing Foundation, 4L4 Hearing and Speech Committee, Australian Sister City program, Lions Camp at Teresita Pines, Project Look, Junior Blind of America. Pediatric Diabetes Padre Foundation and the Daily Pilot Cup Soccer program.

According to Lions officials, several groups that receive letters notifying them to attend and pick up a check, didn’t find anyone in their organization, staff or volunteer to attend. The club is deciding whether to mail them their checks or to share the donation with those who did attend.

The 2008 Lions Club Fish Fry will be May 31 and June 1 at Lions Park in Costa Mesa.

STUDENT SPEAKER MOVES UP

Newport Harbor High student Ian McEwan will compete in the Lion’s Student Speaker Region Contest after winning the Zone Contest earlier in March. The Region contest will be held at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Aliso Viejo Library, 1 Journey, Aliso Viejo. The Harbor Mesa Lions sponsor Ian and Lions leaders will be there to support him as he competes with students from schools in the surrounding area. The subject this year is “Immigration — My Solution” and the winning competitors earn scholarships in each contest. After winning the Club, Zone, Region, District, Area and Multiple 4 contests, the final winner will have won more than $20,000 in scholarships and $250 pocket money. The final contest is held in Visalia in June. For further information about the contest or the Harbor Mesa Lions, call President Gina Stansbury at (714) 898-1897.

WORTH REPEATING

Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council… “You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight.”

COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published Sundays in the Daily Pilot. Send your service club’s meeting information by fax to (714) 921-8655 or by e-mail to [email protected].