Community & Clubs -- Jim de Boom

Jim DeBoom

READERS INVESTMENT PAYS DIVIDENDS:

Daily Pilot readers, who last year made a cash investment with

donations to the Rotary Reading by 9 program to buy 9,000 books and those

400-plus volunteers who read and acted as mentors at Pomona, Whittier and

Wilson elementary schools, saw dividends paid when the Stanford 9 scores

were released this summer.

Stanford 9 scores in reading, language, spelling and math increased by

double digits at Whittier and Wilson elementary schools, while they

increased by single digits at Pomona Elementary School. Each school had

received 3,000 reading books in the spring and dozens of mentors

volunteered one hour a week to help limited-English-speaking students

master the language.

“The combination of the reading books and the mentors go a long way to

make the difference,” said Julie McCormick, Pomona Elementary School

principal. Roger McGonegal, Rotary Reading by 9 coordinator, issued

another challenge on behalf of the Rotary Clubs of Newport-Balboa,

Newport Irvine and Newport Beach Sunrise. They have made available $5,000

for the Reading by 9 program to be matched dollar for dollar by Daily

Pilot readers to buy additional books for the three elementary schools.

The Reading by 9 program is sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, which

uses its massive buying power to buy books for elementary schools at

about $1.70 each. Thus, your $10 donation will be matched by the Rotary

Clubs to buy 11 reading books. A $25 donation will be matched to buy 30

books, $50 donation will be matched to buy 58 books and so on.

“In addition, we are seeking 2,000 mentors for the three elementary

schools, so that each student has his or her own mentor who will spend

one hour a week helping the student with reading, spelling and math,”

McGonegal said.

The Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council is encouraging its members

and congregations to volunteer as mentors at the local schools as well.

Mentors come from all backgrounds and occupations. Whittier’s Sarah

Markel notes mentors who volunteered last year included high school and

college students, newspaper reporters, police officers, retirees,

bankers, jewelers, and congregation and service club members. Experience

is not necessary, only the desire to help a young person succeed in life

is.

All three schools are looking for mentors to start Oct. 1 by donating

one hour a week between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Mentors will need to have a current tuberculosis test, which is

provided at no charge. To volunteer at Pomona Elementary, call Jill

McWhertor at (949) 515-6980; at Whittier Elementary, call Sarah Markel at

(949) 515-6898; and at Wilson Elementary, call Diane Clemensen at (949)

515-6995, Ext. 3209.

Your tax-deductible donation to buy Reading by 9 books can be made to

Rotary District 5320 Foundation, co Daily Pilot, 330 W. Bay St., Costa

Mesa, CA 92627.

Make your investment and then watch the dividends grow. Make a

difference in the life of a child who really needs you.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SERVICE CLUBS.

Dennis Garren and Bita Kaboli, sponsored by Bette Moses, joined the

Exchange Club of the Orange Coast.

WORTH REPEATING: From “Thought for the Day” provided by Greg Kelley of

the Newport-Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “Only a fool knows

everything. A wise person knows how little they know.” Author unknown.

SERVICE CLUB MEETINGS THIS WEEK:

Who did you help this week? Don’t have an answer for that question?

Try helping your community and the world through a service club. You are

invited to attend a club meeting this week. Many clubs will buy your

first guest meal.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club will meet at Five

Crowns Restaurant for a program on Parent Help USA.

6 p.m.: The Costa Mesa Newport-Harbor Lions Club will meet at the

Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club.

WEDNESDAY

7:15 a.m.: The South Coast Metro Rotary Club will meet at the Center

Club o7 (https://www.southcoastmetrorotary.orgf7 ), and the

Newport-Harbor Kiwanis Club will meet at the University Athletic Club.

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

Corinthian Yacht Club to hear an update on the Make A Wish Foundation o7

(https://www.newportbalboa.org)f7 .

6:30 p.m.: The Costa Mesa-Orange Coast Breakfast Lions Club will meet

at Mimi’s Cafe for a ladies night program.

THURSDAY

Noon: The Kiwanis Club of Costa Mesa will meet at the Holiday Inn, the

Newport Beach-Corona del Mar Kiwanis Club will meet at the Bahia

Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Dianne and John Stockham of Coast

Community College on Paris as part of a lecture and slide show, the

Exchange Club of Newport-Harbor will meet at the Newport-Harbor Nautical

Museum to hear from Craig Pursley on art and the news, and the Newport

Irvine Rotary Club will meet at the Irvine Marriott for a program of

craft talks o7 (https://www.nirotary.org.)

f7

COMMUNITY & CLUBS is published every Saturday in the Daily Pilot. Send

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

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

Newport Beach, CA 92660-1740.