Thank you - several hundred thousand times!

Our 75th Anniversary Gala has come and gone, and the support we received from our members, the business community - and people and companies across America - was astounding. Almost 500 people came to celebrate Jim Thomas and the anniversary of Town Hall. It reminded me, again, of the importance of the long and shared history of this remarkable institution.

Speaker series come and go. As a general rule they fall into two categories - thinly disguised pushes to sell books or very famous people who command exorbitant speaking fees and go from city to city (at $100,000 a stop) delivering canned remarks and answering the same old questions. For some odd reason, Los Angeles has more of these types of programs than almost any other place. Yet the essence of community - people having civilized discussions about things that matter to them - is seen at every event that Town Hall has run for the last 75 years. The pull of celebrity or the opportunity to hear the same old blather hasn't changed the power of Town Hall's podium or the enthusiasm of its members and supporters. Speakers who are NOT paid or trying to sell their books are our metier. This is what makes community, this is what knits community together and this is what keeps us thriving. That was clear to all on Friday night.

Putting a "name" speaker on a podium is nice - but publishing reports that create the CRA or define the coming pension problem or even just introducing new political or business leaders to the community - that's a big win for all of us. So thank you to Jim Thomas, thank you to all the incredible people who supported us and came out on a Friday night to laugh with us and the Capitol Steps...and thank you to all who will be joining us for the next 75 years! Jon Goodman, President