IN BRIEF

-- Noaki Schwartz

NEWPORT BEACH -- City Council members Jan Debay and Tod Ridgeway on

Thursday presented awards to various nonprofit organizations, and enjoyed

a lunchtime cruise around the harbor in the process.

“It was great. The weather was good, the boat was lovely and the food was

good,” said Debay, adding that it was the people in particular who made

the event so enjoyable.

Debay and Ridgeway presented certificates of appreciation signed by the

mayor to about a dozen organizations, including the Assistance League of

Newport Beach, the Boy Scouts of America and the John Henry Foundation.

It was Kathy Leek of Adventures at Sea who came up with the idea,

presented it to council members and planned the event over the past two

months.

“It’s the first time we’ve done the cruise,” Debay said. “We’ll probably

do it next year. We very seldom get the opportunity to really hear

firsthand what [the nonprofit organizations] are doing.”