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The Way I See It
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| by Steve Elkins, Editor |
I think everyone knows by now that CAMP Rehoboth has moved across the CAMP
Rehoboth courtyard and into our newly renovated space at 37 Baltimore
Avenue. Though we still have a lot of work to do on the place—and big
plans for the future—we are home. Fifteen years ago when Murray and I
moved full time to Rehoboth and started CAMP Rehoboth, this space was, in
fact, still a private residence, and its longtime owner was our neighbor
for many years. We’re delighted that our plans for the community center
will allow us to preserve one of the buildings that have for many years
given Baltimore Avenue its scale and charm. Best of all, it fits perfectly
with our vision of what we want the community center to be—a home for
all. Some recent visitors to CAMP Rehoboth even stopped in to tell us
about renting a room here a long time ago and how glad they were that the
community center still retained a homelike quality. I’m glad too, that
even after we add on to the back of the property, the face of CAMP
Rehoboth will still be that of a house—we really seem to be living up to
our "house and heart" logo. Stop by to see the new place, to
hear about our building plans, to volunteer, or just to say hello. This is
your house too—welcome home!
Along with the rising temperatures local politics are heating up as
well, and this summer’s Rehoboth Beach election should be an interesting
one. Mayor Sam Cooper, who ran unopposed in his last election, is being
challenged by Bob Sokolove, and five candidates—Dennis Barbour, Tjark
Bateman, David McCarthy, Ron Patterson, and Bill Shields—are running for
the two city commissioner seats to be vacated by Mark Aguirre and Betty
Ann Kane. We are again preparing questions for all the candidates and
their responses will be featured in the July 29 issue of Letters.
Elections will be held on Saturday, August 13. You must already be
registered with the city of Rehoboth Beach in order to vote in this
election.
For many years now, CAMP Rehoboth has been selling tickets for a wide
variety of events. We started, of course, selling them for our own events,
and then later as a service to other organizations. Now we basically
operate our own box office. Plans for an exterior box office/information
kiosk are even being included in the designs for the CAMP Rehoboth
courtyard renovation that will accompany the construction of a larger
space on the rear of the building that currently houses the offices and
public rooms of CAMP Rehoboth. Tickets currently on sale at CAMP Rehoboth
include: Splash 05 (June 25), Rainbow Chorale Pride Concert (June 25),
Love Retro Dance with DJ Mark Thomas and Evelyn "Champagne" King
(July1), Love Main Event with DJ Julian Marsh (July 2), CAMP Rehoboth
Follies (July 23), Vagina Monologues (August 12-13), Suzanne Westenhoefer
Concert (August 19), Suede Concert (August 20), and all too soon, of
course, the season finale—Sundance 2005 (Labor Day Weekend).
On June 5, members of the CAMP Rehoboth community center founders’
Circle celebrated at the annual (and once again sold out) Black and White
Beach Ball at the Atlantic Sands. During his short comments before the
HEART of the Community art auction that is a part of that event, Murray
said that he thought we were "building something unique.... Something
that could serve as a model for other communities looking for ways to
create more positive environments for not just gay people but for the
whole community." Looking around the room that evening at all the
people who are making the community center a reality, I couldn’t help
but think that with support like this, anything is possible. My thanks to
all the members of the Founders’ Circle, to the staff and Board of
Directors of CAMP Rehboth, and to all the volunteers who continue to give
so much to CAMP Rehoboth and to this community.
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LETTERS
From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 15, No. 7 June 17, 2005 |
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