Del Mar Community Connections

Congratulations Veda!

In partnership with the Del Mar Historical Society, DMCC honored recent SDSU student Veda Browning-Schmigel with the Gordon Clanton Memorial Award. The $1,000 scholarship was established in 2021 with the proceeds of the Clanton Memorial Fund, established by the DMCC Board in the wake of Gordon’s unexpected passing. A longtime DMCC board member, Gordon was a retired sociology professor with a passion for local history. The DMCC team was grateful that the Historical Society were enthusiastic partners in offering the practical experience of taking the oral history of a Del Mar older adult to the award recipient.

Last year, under the guidance of Annie Duval, Veda interviewed Carol Mason, a 94-year-old retired schoolteacher and longtime Del Mar resident. The resulting transcript will be added to the prestigious Del Mar Voices Oral History collection, which is housed in the oral history room at the Del Mar Branch Library and cataloged with the San Diego County Library. Veda shared that it was an enriching experience due to Carol’s attitude about life: “Carol is so sharp, and I am honored to help her share her stories and wisdom with the community.” Since interviewing Carol, Veda has graduated with her BA in History and aspires to become a public historian.

Share Your Grief and Loss

In partnership with St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, DMCC has recently launched the Grief and Loss Sharing Group – meeting every first and third Friday at 10am at the St. Peter’s Library. It is a supportive, healing space for individuals coping with the pain of loss to gain understanding, comfort, and coping strategies. Participants can share their feelings, listen to others, and begin to process their grief. Join trained facilitators Mother Susan Astarita, Pete Martin, and Katie Militello to connect with others who truly understand your grief journey. The group is open and welcome to all belief systems.

Volunteer of the Month

DMCC’s Volunteer of the Month for February 2025 was Betty Bulich. Betty is a key member of the Social Good Times committee, AKA the team that plans our big annual social events like Cookies & Cocoa, Champagne & Chocolate, and the Ice Cream Social. She was nominated by Social Good Times chair Ann Feeney.

DMCC programs and services depend on our incredible volunteers! To learn more about Betty or opportunities to help plan events, or any other volunteer role, visit dmcc.cc/volunteerofthemonth.

For more information… or to join our email list: Please visit our website at dmcc.cc or contact the DMCC office at (858) 792-7565 or dmcc@dmcc.cc.