Beginning with this issue, Letters from CAMP Rehoboth returns to its
summer publishing schedule and will once again be available every other
Friday from now through Labor Day weekend. As can be seen from the volume
number to the left of this column, this is issue four in our 17th season
of publishing this magazine—though in the early years it was more of a
newsletter than a magazine. Since those early years, however, advertising
in Letters has benefited both our advertisers and CAMP Rehoboth. Without
the revenue generated by Letters’ advertising, the CAMP Rehoboth
Community Center would not be what it is today—if it existed at all. For
the last ten of those 17 years, Tricia Massella has been our Advertising
Sales Manager and is responsible for some of the tremendous growth in the
size of the magazine during that time. As we head into our busiest time of
the year, I personally would like to say thank you to Tricia for all her
hard work and to all our advertisers who provide a strong foundation for
our organization.
This season is especially exciting for camp rehoboth and our community
because by the end of the summer we will officially break ground on Phase
2 of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center construction. Last week we crossed
another hurdle on the way to that goal when the Rehoboth Beach Board of
Adjustment granted us a variance on a parking requirement that would have
forced us to provide an additional 12 parking spaces to accompany the new
construction. In "CAMP Matters" of this issue, Murray
takes a look at the parking variance and other matters relating to the
plans for the next phase of construction. I must say however, the whole
experience left me feeling good about the work of CAMP Rehoboth—everyone
spoke highly of us, the vote was unanimous, and though there were many
letters in support of our request, there were none against it.
Supporting art and artists in our area has been a part of the mission
of CAMP Rehoboth since its founding, and we believe that a thriving arts
community is a sure sign of a creative and vibrant city life (which is why
we’ve included gallery space in all phases of the Community Center
construction). Last year Michael Muller opened Detail Gallery across the
bridge on Rehoboth Avenue and this season two new galleries open their
doors downtown—the Philip Morton Gallery on Baltimore Avenue, by Elegant
Slumming owner Philip Livingston; and Gallery 50 on Wilmington Avenue by
Jay Pastore. Gay friendly cities and thriving arts communities often go
hand-in-hand—just look at Provincetown, Key West, and Puerto Vallarta to
name a few—and we all hope that trend will continue in Rehoboth Beach.
Speaking of artists—or should I say HeARTists, as they are lovingly
called around the CAMP office—the 2007 HeART of the Community art
project is in its final phase and the work will be unveiled at the HeART
Preview Party on May 26, from 4-6 p.m. at the CAMP Rehoboth Community
Center. In a nod to the sixth anniversary of the project, co-chairs Sondra
Arkin and Mary Beth Ramsey have selected Six Degrees of Separation as this
year’s theme. All the HeART paintings will be auctioned at the 2007
Black and White Beach Ball.
The Black and White Beach Ball was begun to honor the donors to the
CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Founders’ Circle. Though the Founders’
Circle five year campaign is now over, the Black and White Beach Ball will
continue as an annual event. Unlike last year, however, we will have a
limited number of tickets available for purchase by those who are not
Founders’ Circle members. Tickets are $100 and are available by calling
the CAMP Rehoboth office. The Black and White Beach Ball is June 2, from
4-6 p.m., at the Atlantic Sands Hotel.
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