Investing in Our Future
April 2008 | Editorial

Our generation's open space challenge is in a crunch time, but acquisition of the five-acre Shores school site for a community park is more than half way to its $8.5 million goal. Donors to date total 186 and ten pledges, many of these from the Winston School community. Now the entire community needs to join in.

Consider some math to decide what level of giving is appropriate. If one's net worth, all your assets minus your debts, is $1 million, a one-half percent contribution is $5,000; a net worth of $5 million is a $25,000 donation.

The open-space acquisitions of the past, Crest and Anderson Canyons, Seagrove and Powerhouse Parks, define our community and contribute to the values of our houses. The Shores site will surely have the same payoff.

There are over 2,000 households in Del Mar. If only 100 gave $20,000 each, we will be halfway home; another 200 at $10,000 each, we will hit the goal.

Consider how much we spend for cars, maybe as little as $20-25 thousand for a 3-5 year investment. The Shores park is a lifetime, generation-jumping investment. Consider the value of this gift to three and more generations of friends and relatives – it's way more than an automobile.

Dig deep. We can do it, Del Mar.