The Crowd: Young men honored for service

There are multiple organizations for young women advancing the concept of community service. In Newport Beach recently, a service organization designed to instill community responsibility in young men gathered at the Newport Harbor Yacht Club for its sixth annual awards dinner honoring local teenagers.

Formerly known as the Beach City Service League, now called the National League of Young Men, the event brought together local families under the chairmanship of Rebecca Boukather and a committee of volunteers including Becky Peterson, Diana Saroyan, Nancy Harrison, Diana Moody, Elaine Byers and Susan Nelson.

The combined efforts of 102 young men who belong to the organization were celebrated as Hamilton Randle, senior president of the group serving as the evening’s emcee, announced the accomplishment of a total of 3,650 hours of service by the youth during their 2011-12 year.

Randle joined Steve Michaelson, senior class public relations officer presenting a monetary donation from the class of 2012 to Mark Desmond on hand to accept on behalf of the High Hopes Head Injury Program.

Select recognition was paid to Campbell Woods, a Newport Harbor High School sophomore receiving the Anchor award for the most hours of community service. Woods was also recognized as the recent recipient of the Silver Level President’s Volunteer Service award from the President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.

Others deserving praise for their volunteerism included Admiral award recipients John Connelly, John Harzan, Griffin Leggett, Wyatt Robertson, Timmy Strader and Charlie Welsh.

Diane Edmonston and Mary Pat Lucas founded the NLYM for young men in high school. Members and their mothers foster community relationships promoting charitable endeavors, developing leadership skills through a structured program of service, educational and cultural experiences.

Among the local families involved in the project are Jill and Bruce Ayres, Ann and Eric Smyth, Chris and Kent Pfeiffer, Gabriella and Jeff Duncan, Lyn and David Pyle, Juliet and Eric Kiehnle, Diane and Jim Connelly, and Carrie and Rob Young.

The dinner event also honored Robyn Randle, Susan Friend and Kyle Team for their dedication to the organization.

To find out more about NLYM visit https://www.bcslnewportmesa.org.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays. B.W. Cook is editor of the Bay Window, the official publication of the Balboa Bay Club in Newport Beach.