Bob Gans, Del Mar Foundation Board President
Sandra Hoyle, Programming Chair, Del Mar Foundation
Bob Gans, President of the Del Mar Foundation (DMF), and Sandra Hoyle, who oversees DMF programming joined us at our November 1, 2018 meeting to highlight the many ways that DMF fosters connections and engagement within the Del Mar community.
DMF began in 1982 to help organize community events. But over the years, the mission of DMF expanded beyond event oversight to encompass support for causes and organizations devoted to promoting the community of Del Mar. The DMF is staffed nearly entirely by volunteers to provide support for residents of the 92014 zip code, which includes all of the village of Del Mar and is bounded by the I-5 to the east, Via del la Valle to the north, and Carmel Valley Road to the south.
Sandra Hoyle spoke about her initial involvement with the DMF, which started when she moved to the area 10 years ago and was looking to meet people in the community. She began by volunteering with the Kids Corner at the Del Mar Library and eventually got involved with the DMF. She outlined the community events she spearheads, including the Summer Twilight and First Thursdays concert series, their version of TED Talks, DMF Talks, and special events like the Annual Picnic, 4th of July Parade and Halloween Dog Parade.
The DMF also offers grants that benefit the community. In the past five years, their grant budget quintupled, from $20,000 to $100,000. The funded projects include capital improvement work to expand and beautify public spaces. A prime example is the $125,000 given to the Del Mar Civic Center to ensure the inclusion of public gathering spaces. The Del Mar lifeguards received funds from the DMF to purchase a rescue boat, while older Del Mar residents benefit from the Del Mar Community Connection that brings groups together for lunch once a month.
In 2007 in honor of the silver anniversary of the DMF, an endowment program was established to provide stable, long-term funding for DMF projects. The endowment is now over $2 million and grows annually thanks to donations to annual campaigns, multi-year gifts paid in installments, sponsorship for concerns, and bequests. These funds, together with the efforts of DMF’s hard-working volunteers, will serve to strengthen the Del Mar community in the coming years and maintain the status of Del Mar as one of the best places to live.