Around Town: Newport Beach to honor emergency response volunteers with dinner and awards

The Newport Beach Fire Department will honor its Community Emergency Response Team volunteers during the 10th annual State of CERT dinner and awards banquet Wednesday.

It starts at 6 p.m. at the Oasis Senior Center, 801 Narcissus Ave., Corona del Mar.

Award recipients include Ardith Chaffee as the Marilyn Broughton CERT Volunteer of the Year and Bayside Village as the CERT Neighborhood of the Year.

For more information, call (949) 644-3112.

Orange Coast College to host opening of food pantry

Orange Coast College will host a grand opening for its food pantry from 10 a.m. to noon Monday.

The new pantry, called Pirates’ Cove, will expand on the college’s previous food storeroom with more fresh food options and a workspace where students can connect with community programs.

Pirates’ Cove will be at the journalism building. The college’s student equity program plans to have the pantry fully operational by the spring.

Community members are invited to attend Monday’s event. OCC is at 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa.

Foreign policy program coming to Newport

St. Mark Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach will host an eight-week series of meetings about world affairs starting Jan. 29.

The 27th annual Great Decisions Foreign Policy Program will be held from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Mondays.

Admission is free, though optional study guides are $25.

Discussion topics will include “The Waning of Pax Americana?” “Russia’s Foreign Policy,” “China and America: The New Geopolitical Equation” and “Turkey: A Partner in Crisis.”

For more information, call (949) 644-1341 or visit stmarkpresbyterian.org.

OCC to host emergency preparation class

Kevin Boyd, an Orange Coast College community education instructor, will offer an emergency preparedness class Feb. 8.

It will be on the Costa Mesa campus from 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $49.

For more information, visit orangecoastcollege.edu/commed.

Baby Date coming to O.C. fairgrounds

The OC Fair & Event Center in Costa Mesa will host the first Baby Date, a family festival featuring indoor activities for young children, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 11.

The event is themed “Baby Sadie Hawkins.” Organizers said it will feature family-friendly activities, matching outfits, face painting, fashion shows and a marketplace.

For more information or to buy tickets, visit babydatefest.com or call (909) 282-8727.