Volunteer of the Month
Nancy Kane
June 2025
Nancy Kane loves gardening, quilting, and her community, and is one of those people who is organized enough to harness her artistic skills and coordinate others to serve her community. As a Del Mar Garden Club (DMGC) board member, Nancy was in charge of the Project JOY outreach partnership with DMCC over the 2024 holiday season, organizing her fellow DMGC members to create beautiful handmade gifts to deliver to the homes of community members who are homebound, recently widowed, recovering from injury, or otherwise in need of a demonstration of extra love from their community. Nancy was nominated by DMCC and DMGC board member Tanya Young, who said, “DMCC is so fortunate that Nancy headed up Project JOY last year. She designed handmade quilted “Bowl Cozies” and filled them with treats to bring joy to every recipient. The lucky DMGC and DMCC volunteers got to have fun hanging out with Nancy and learning more about her amazing work.”
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Originally from Massachusetts, Nancy has lived in in California since 1989 and has called Del Mar home since 2019. She began her career as a buyer for JC Penney before raising her four children with her husband Chris. She currently owns a small business in partnership with a friend providing a specialty quilting service called a longarm service (www.thequiltqueens.com). And she now really enjoys spending as much time as possible with her three granddaughters, “and they all live in San Diego!”
A core part of Nancy’s identity is her volunteer work; in addition to her responsibilities to the Garden Club and DMCC, she volunteered for all her kids’ schools and sports program when she was raising them. She has been actively providing service to Feeding San Diego since 2012, because “it truly fills my soul to help others.”
DMCC depends on the partnership of other community organizations for some of our most valued programs, and it’s a fun way to get even more people involved in keeping older adults in the community. Nancy says about the partnership “When the Garden Club asked for someone to head up Project JOY last year, I raised my hand right away! After delivering some of the gifts a few years back, I couldn’t wait to put my spin on it. The partnership not only brings so much joy to the gift recipients, but also to so many other Garden Club volunteers that helped put it all together.” To learn more about Nancy or volunteering for DMCC, visit www.dmcc.cc/volunteerofthemonth. If you have an idea for a way a partner organization can work with DMCC to benefit the older adults of Del Mar, contact our office at dmcc@dmcc.cc or call (858) 792-7565.
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Thank you Nancy!
Dan Maneval
April 2025
Dan Maneval is a recent addition to DMCC Team and has already made a significant impact in the lives of Del Mar older adults through his can-do spirit and positive attitude. Dan is a member of DMCC’s volunteer Essential Transportation team, which provides independence to older adults who no longer drive. He is also a new member of DMCC’s Transportation Committee, which oversees our Essential Transportation programs and plans recreational outings for active older adults. Dan was nominated by Transportation Committee Chair Judy Schuckit, who says, “As a relatively new member of our volunteer driver program Dan has jumped in with two feet and our clients often comment on his enthusiasm, kindness, and say that spending time with him is just plain fun.”
Originally from Hockessin, Delaware, Dan moved to California to attend graduate school at USC. He holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering and has spent his career working on the early-stage development of novel biologic therapies for cancer and other unmet medical needs. Currently he works as a consultant in the biopharma industry where he enjoys working with start-up companies and teams developing new technologies. Dan met his wife of 36 years, Edna, in the PhD program at USC. They lived in Los Angeles and the Bay Area before moving to San Diego over 30 years ago, settling in Del Mar in 2014. They have two sons who grew up in Carmel Valley and attended Torrey Pines High School. Their son Matt is an architect and lives in San Francisco with his wife Caroline, while their son Andrew is an MD and finishing his second year as a surgery resident in Los Angeles.
Dan has been volunteering his entire life because his parents emphasized the importance of education, community and the value of giving back. Dan was a Little League volunteer for over a decade when his kids were younger and has been active with his church and scouting. Dan has shared that “As an adult, I have met some of my favorite people through volunteer activities and it has been fun to get to know the many volunteers in the Del Mar community!”
DMCC Essential Transportation volunteers are always the most needed volunteers, and they make an enormous difference in the lives of the individuals they serve. Whether they are driving their own personal vehicles to help someone get to a medical appointment, or serving as the host on a Grocery Van, they enjoy a flexible schedule and have the opportunity to develop lasting friendships with the clients they serve. When asked why he volunteers for DMCC, Dan notes, “The DMCC team works very well together and has created an open and friendly atmosphere. I particularly appreciate that I can select the times and dates for volunteering that don’t conflict with my work schedule.” To learn more about Dan or volunteering for DMCC, visit www.dmcc.cc/volunteerofthemonth.
Thank you Dan!
Michelle Johnson
March 2025
Michelle Johnson is a person who volunteers to find personal fulfillment and spreads even more joy to others in the process. Michelle has served for a couple of years on our volunteer Essential Transportation team, which provides independence to nondriving seniors, usually as a van host for shopping trips. Michelle was nominated by Essential Transportation client Fran and Transportation Committee Chair Judy Schuckit because, according to Fran, “Michelle does an incredible job as hostess and her energy and enthusiasm are contagious. She is especially helpful to the two regulars who need the most assistance.”
Originally from Washington, DC, Michelle grew up in Sacramento, studied at UC Davis, and lived in New York City and San Francisco before making her way to Del Mar in 2020. Her husband Andy owns a branding and graphic design company, and she credits his love for surfing and their shared appreciation for the beauty of the community for bringing them here. For her part, Michelle worked in merchandise planning for 15 years, forecasting sales and purchasing, culminating in a Vice President of Inventory Management role at beauty products giant Sephora. She recently shifted her career, now working as the US Market Development Manager at a UK-based data privacy platform.
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The other love of Michelle’s life is travel; she has explored 50 countries “and counting!,” and is currently excited for an upcoming trip to Bhutan, not least because “they measure Gross National Happiness there!” She recently joined the Del Mar Women’s Giving Collective, and she’s looking forward to effecting more positive impacts in the wider San Diego community.
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DMCC Essential Transportation volunteers are always the most needed volunteers, and they make an enormous difference in the lives of the individual seniors they serve. Whether they are driving their own personal vehicles to help someone get to a medical appointment, or serving as the host on a Grocery Van, they enjoy a flexible schedule and have the opportunity to develop lasting friendships with the clients they serve. When asked why she volunteers for DMCC, Michelle notes that as she has lost her parents and in-laws, she finds “tremendous joy and meaning” in spending time with older adults: “Over the past two years with DMCC, I've found a wonderful community of friends. Each person has fascinating stories to share, and I look forward to our conversations and catching up on their lives. These relationships help fill a special place in my heart and allow me to create the kind of connections I miss having with my own parents.” To learn more about Michelle or volunteering for DMCC, visit www.dmcc.cc/volunteerofthemonth.
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Thank you Michelle!