DMF: 25 years and still going strong!
- Tom Neuman MD, DMF President
25th anniversaries are very special! It takes vision and sustained commitment to reach this milestone. In May, Town Hall was full to the seams as we celebrated the 25th anniversary of First Thursdays, the Foundation’s premier cultural arts concert series – and in particular, we celebrated Lynn Gaylord for her instrumental role as founder of DMF’s Cultural Arts Committee (CAC) and First Thursdays.
In the 1990s, Barbara Harper led the charge to raise funds to restore the very dilapidated Powerhouse building, with fiscal sponsorship by the Foundation. Fast forward to December 1999, when Del Mar residents gathered to cut the ribbon on the new Powerhouse Community Center. Lynn Gaylord, a DMF Board member (and future President) wanted to take full advantage of this new space to educate, entertain, and bring our community together. At Lynn’s urging, the Foundation created the CAC, and on January 26, 2000, at the newly minted Powerhouse, Lynn called CAC’s first meeting to order.
A large and passionate group of residents attended, eager to explore cultural opportunities for Del Mar. Just four months later, First Thursdays launched its inaugural season, featuring three music programs in the spring and four lectures in the fall. From that inspired beginning, a flagship program was born.
Fast forward to 2025: more than 250 First Thursdays programs have been produced by hard-working CAC volunteers, with Lynn still an active member. At the May 2025 concert, Joe Sullivan, who was DMF President in 2000, praised Lynn as “living proof that one dedicated individual can make a lasting difference.” DMF is profoundly grateful to Lynn, and to all our volunteers whose inspired work is a big reason why Del Mar is such a special place.