Community and Clubs: Volunteers honored for their service
Local service clubs honored members for exceptional community service at the seventh annual Daily Pilot Community and Clubs Hall of Fame Luncheon on June 12.
State Sen. John Moorlach (R-Costa Mesa) acted as master of ceremonies and helped present the awards with Helen Stainer of Learning for Life and John Canalis, Daily Pilot editor.
American Legion Post 291 in Newport Beach hosted the luncheon under the leadership of Al Rasch.
During the event, Joel Peterson from Huntington Beach Search and Rescue talked about Learning for Life’s Exploring program. He said in addition to providing youths with career experience, the work the Explorers do — collecting evidence at crime scenes, logging DUI arrests and helping with traffic control at large events — reduces city expenses.
The following are the clubs that attended and their honorees.
American Legion Yacht Club — Dan O’Sullivan
Dan O’Sullivan has been a devoted member of the American Legion Yacht Club for seven years. He has served as vice commodore, commodore and sailing instructor. O’Sullivan is currently a youth sailing instructor.
O’Sullivan is best known and appreciated as the driving force behind the yacht club’s racing and sailing activities. His passion for making the American Legion Yacht Club the best club in the area is well known and appreciated.
Exchange Club of Newport Harbor — Ed Romeo
Ed Romeo has been Exchange Club’s chair of Public Relations for nine years. He is best known in the club for his dedication to its Field of Honor, in which 1,776 flags fly each May in Castaways Park in honor of veterans, police, firefighters and first responders.
Romeo is active in Newport Beach’s OASIS Senior Center. He has served on the Friends of OASIS Board of Directors many years, including three as president.
Romeo is well known for his enthusiasm, creativity and excellent management style. He is a retired teacher, and taught in the Anaheim school district for 10 years and consulted for the California Teachers Assn.
Harbor Mesa Lions Club — Joan Parks
Harbor Mesa Lions Club’s honoree Joan Parks has been a member for 23 years. She has been president, vice-president, secretary and board member. Parks has also been instrumental in club fundraising, chairing fundraisers such as casino nights and fashion shows.
Parks has also served Lions at the zone and regional levels, including as board member and secretary of Lions’ Sight and Hearing Foundation. Lions District 4-L4 has honored Joan many times, most recently as Lion of the Year in 2013 and with a Progressive Melvin Jones Fellowship in 2015.
Parks’ service to the local community is extraordinary. She founded Lions’ School Box Project, which provides school supplies to underprivileged first-grade students. Parks has mentored local youth, helping found and acting as club advisor of Estancia High School’s Leo Club.
Costa Mesa Kiwanis Club — Jim Schabarum
Jim Schabarum has served various chapters of Kiwanis for many years. He served as vice president of the Downtown Kiwanis Club and Kiwanis’ North Club. Schabarum has assisted with the Kiwanis AYSO Pancake Breakfast for over 30 years.
Schabarum has been active in other community organizations including Knights of Columbus, Disciples of the Mission and March of Dimes. As a Farmers Insurance agent for over 30 years, Schabarum has the reputation of always going out of his way to help others.
Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach/Corona del Mar — Jack Mills
Jack Mills has been a member of Kiwanis Club of Newport Beach/Corona del Mar for 30 years. Mills served as Treasurer for 29years and currently is president.
Aside from serving in leadership roles, Mills has consistently participated in club activities including the Pacific Coast Triathlon, Corona del Mar Scenic 5k, Boy Scouts Troop 90, Southwest Community Center, Key Clubs at University, Corona del Mar, and Newport Harbor high schools, and Circle K at UC Irvine.
Newport-Irvine Rotary Club — William (Bill) Zeller
Bill Zeller has been a Newport-Irvine Rotary Club member for seven years. He has served as international services chair, membership chair and marketing public relations chair.
Zeller is best known for his initiation and leadership of the Back Bay Clean-up Project. The first Saturday of each month, Zeller supervises over 30 volunteers to retrieve trash in Newport Beach’s Back Bay. Since February 2014, his group has collected over 7 tons of trash.
The Back Bay Clean-Up Project is a collaboration between Newport-Irvine Rotary Club, the Newport Aquatic Center and Help Your Harbor.
Rotary Club Newport Balboa — Jo Hollman
Jo Hollman is known in the Rotary Club of Newport Balboa for her service to both the youth and elderly. She has played an active role in PDM Young Actors Workshop, including as vice president of operations. She also serves the elderly through Home Helpers of Orange Coast.
Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club — Willis D. Longyear
Willis Longyear is a founding member of the Newport Beach Sunrise Rotary Club. Longyear wrote and published Sunrise Rotary’s newsletter for many years. He has served as president on various committees and currently as administration chairman.
Longyear has worked with other organizations to serve local youth. As Troop Committee chairman for Lido Isle Troop 37, he helped boys develop backpacking and wilderness survival skills. While on the Newport Sea Base Volunteer Committee, he helped provide bus transportation for children to the Sea Base. Longyear has also served as a high school youth minister at Our Lady of Mount Carmel.
Longyear has been active in the Lido Isle community. He served as director and treasurer of the Lido Isle Community Assn. and has been commodore of the Lido Isle Yacht Club.
Longyear did not attend the June 12 luncheon but will be honored at a similar luncheon later this month in Huntington Beach.
The Daily Pilot wants to hear about your club’s or organization’s events so we can inform our readers. Contact DIANE DARUTY at [email protected] or (949) 322-7949.