Del Mar Community Connections

Holiday Gratitude, Looking Ahead to 2026

The volunteers and staff of DMCC are grateful for the incredible community partners that sustain us throughout the year, but that support is most evident during the holiday season. The City of Del Mar provides us with a venue to hold our Annual Benefit every October, and then again allows us to use City facilities to host the Cookies & Cocoa Holiday Party (this year we’re planning a great event on 12/12 – join us!) The Del Mar Foundation provides DMCC with our longest-standing grant to run the Tuesday Lunch Connections (TLC) program twice monthly, and it’s perhaps most appreciated when we serve turkey dinners with all the fixings at the Thanksgiving TLC. The Del Mar Rose Society annually creates Thanksgiving of Roses, in which volunteers deliver gorgeous rose bouquets to DMCCers who need a little extra holiday love due to injury, illness, or death of a spouse. The Del Mar Garden Club organizes Project JOY, delivering a beautiful gift to those same older adults shortly before Christmas. The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation provides us with grant funding to help make our holiday outreach activities as special and inclusive as possible.

We have some incredible things in the works for 2026! We’ll be piloting a program in partnership with the Del Mar Foundation to connect older adults at a crossroads (and their caregivers) to a qualified Aging Resources Advocate. We’ll be hosting a speaker from SDSU’s Center for Excellence in Aging and Longevity to talk about the real effect ageism has on all of us – and how to fight it. We’ll expand our recreational transportation opportunities so more people can enjoy the enriching and beautiful community in which we live. We are also planning new and innovative opportunities that will be facilitated by our ever-expanding roster of talented and dedicated volunteers.

Golden Watchdog Award!

We’re proud to have recently been recognized with a Golden Watchdog Award from the San Diego County Taxpayers Association! Nominated by the City of Del Mar, DMCC’s Essential Transportation was acknowledged for transparency, creativity, and fiscal responsibility in managing a program that provides a key social benefit while utilizing the enthusiasm of volunteers. DMCC Program Manager Kara Adams and Board Member Wayne Otchis attended a ceremony on November 12 alongside Mayor Terry Gaasterland to accept the award.

Volunteer of the Month – November 2025

DMCC’s Volunteer of the Month for November 2025 was Monica Berlin. Monica is a driver and van host in our Essential Transportation program, and a Connect Team pilot volunteer. She was nominated by Tuesday Lunch Connections (TLC) team captain Phyllis Mirsky, because Monica always goes the extra mile by helping serve food when she drives a TLC shuttle that picks up the participants! Monica was also nominated by Essential Transportation client Fran, who said “Monica creates fun and laughter that is so much a part of her service.”

DMCC programs depend on our incredible volunteers! To learn more about Monica, or our talented volunteers and their roles, visit dmcc.cc/volunteerofthemonth.