COMMUNITY & CLUBS:

Billionaire Bill Gates surprised more than 1,000 Rotarians at the annual International Assembly last week in San Diego with the announcement of a gift from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation of $255 million to the Rotary Foundation to eradicate polio worldwide.

This grant is in addition to the $100-million challenge grant by the Gates Foundation two years ago, according to Roger McGonegal, District 5320 governor. Rotarians have raised $73 million toward the first challenge and now have a second $100-million challenge from the Gates Foundation, added incoming District 5320 Gov. Bret Gerdes from Huntington Beach.

Rotary, with partners the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and UNICEF have spent the past 20 years trying to eradicate the polio virus. These efforts were aided by Rotarians worldwide in 33,000 clubs who have given and raised $700 million for the effort. Ten of thousands of Rotarians have participated in National Immunization Days in India, Pakistan, Africa and South America, administrating the vaccine to more than 2.4 billion children worldwide.

Gates praised Rotary for providing the volunteers, advocates and donors who have helped bring about a 99% decline in the number of polio cases. “The world would not be where it is without Rotary, and it won’t get where it needs to go without Rotary,” he said.

From being endemic in 125 countries, polio is now only in four countries. From 350,000 cases of paralytic polio annually in 1986 worldwide, to an estimated 1,625 cases in 2008. The public is invited to support the effort. More information is available by e-mailing contact.center @rotary.org.

GRATEFUL FOR THEIR SERVICE

The Exchange Club of Newport Harbor thanked some outstanding firefighters at a recent meeting with a free lunch and plaque honoring their service in a program coordinated by member Jeff LaBarthe.

Dave Mais, deputy fire chief of Newport Beach, introduced Eric Bauer, a Newport Beach lifeguard chief who presented the Newport Beach Firefighter of the Year award to Brian Carter, a paramedic and EMT instructor. Costa Mesa Deputy Chief Keith Jones, filling in for injured Chief Mike Morgan, presented the Costa Mesa Firefighter of the Year award to Capt. Mike Hastert, who won the same honor in 2002 and 2007.

WORTH REPEATING

Thought for the Day as provided by Greg Kelley of the Newport Mesa Irvine Interfaith Council: “No one could make a greater mistake than the one who did nothing because they could do only a little.” —

Edmund Burke

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.

TODAY

7:30 a.m.: The 10-member Newport Harbor Kiwanis Club meets at Denny’s Restaurant, 290 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

Noon: The 20-member Exchange Club of Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club, 1601 Bayside Drive.

6 p.m.: The 65-member Rotary Club of Newport Balboa meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a program by Drew Curiel, a Rotary ambassadorial scholar. For details, go to www.newportbalboa.org.

THURSDAY

7 a.m.: The 20-member Costa Mesa Orange Coast Lions Club meets at Mimi’s Café, 1835 Newport Blvd. Unit F.

The 50-member Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club meets at the Holiday Inn, 3131 Bristol St., Costa Mesa. For more information, visit www.CostaMesaKiwanis.org.

The 45-member Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach-Corona del Mar meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club. For more information, visit www.newportbeachkiwanis.org.

The 85-member Rotary Club of Newport Irvine meets at the University Club at UCI, 801 E. Peltason Drive. For more information, visit www.nirotary.org.

The 95-member Exchange Club of Newport Harbor meets at the Bahia Corinthian Yacht Club for a Ladies Day program — “Success in Aging” with Dianne Patterson.

TUESDAY

7:30 a.m.: The 55-member Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club meets at Five Crowns restaurant, 3801 E. Coast Hwy., Corona del Mar, for a program. For more information, visit www.newportbeach sunriserotary.org.

Noon: The 15-member Rotary Club of Costa Mesa meets at the Costa Mesa Marriott Suites, 500 Anton Blvd.

6 p.m.: The Irvine New Generations Rotary Club meets at Tapas Restaurant, 4253 Martingale Way Unit A, Newport Beach.

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