Most anyone who spends time on Baltimore Avenue shopping or visiting the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard has probably run into Alex Yearley. Alex has his Community Pride office there and is an active member of the community. While many of us have trouble juggling our everyday lives with volunteer experience, he makes it seem effortless by sitting on several boards simultaneously. I commend Alex for his commitment to the Rehoboth Beach community.

Mark: What first brought you to the Rehoboth Beach area?

Alex: I started out like most people as a weekender driving down from Baltimore. I bought a condo with a friend back in the 80s. Then like many people when a career move permitted it, I moved down here full time.

Mark: Where else have you lived?

Alex: I’m basically a Baltimorean. I spent four years in college in Ohio at Kenyon College. I also served for four years in Virginia, the Northwest Territories of Canada, and Massachusetts with the Air Force.

Mark: Tell us about what you do.

Alex: I’m a certified financial planner. To the best of my knowledge I’m one of only two in Sussex County. I’ve been doing that since I moved here in 1997. When I left the bank I had my securities and insurance licenses and I opened a small office in the CAMP courtyard. Subsequently I studied for and passed the exam to become a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®).

Mark: You sit on the Rehoboth Beach Main Street Board. Tell us about that.

Alex: The Main Street Board is a supervisory board. We have a wonderful staff led by Executive Director, Fay Jacobs to run the office. The board is the face of the organization at public meetings, such as the Streetscape meetings last year. We also do fundraising and membership development. Main Street’s mission is to promote the economic and the visual well-being of downtown Rehoboth Beach.

Mark: You also sit on the Henlopen Theater Project Board. How has that experience gone?

Alex: The Henlopen Theater Project (HTP) Board is the exact opposite of the Main Street Board. It is a working board. HTP currently has no employees and board members do all the work. My role is to run the office and sell the tickets.

Mark: What’s showing?

Alex: Our five show season has three productions left including Noel and Gertie this weekend, July 14th through 16th. Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing will show August 4th and 5th. Both shows are at the Cape Henlopen High School Little Theater in Lewes. On September 23rd and 24th Lost in His Arms will be performed at the Atlantic Sands Hotel. This production is being presented in partnership with CAMP Rehoboth.

Mark: Have you learned anything from your volunteer experience?

Alex: The main thing you learn on boards is how to work in groups or on teams. Ever since I got to Rehoboth I’ve worked on boards. I had served on boards in Baltimore and was tapped once I got here. I ran into a former colleague at the World AIDS Day event at Epworth Church. She was trying to find a replacement to become Treasurer of the Friends of the Library Board. I took over the job. I’m no longer treasurer, but remain on the board.

Mark: You have a partner, Ted Lewis. Tell us about the two of you.

Alex: We’ve been seeing each other for about four years. He’s a Sussex County native and retired school teacher. He taught at Caesar Rodney School District. In retirement he grows orchids indoors and is a wonderful gardener outdoors.

Mark: Do you have a little known Rehoboth Beach pleasure?

Alex: I love to sneak up to the Midway Theaters for the film reviews prior to the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival. I enjoy seeing new movies that have rarely been seen before to see if they are worthy of being shown at the film festival. Film review usually begins in June and lasts through August before the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival in November.

Mark: If there were one thing about Rehoboth Beach you could preserve forever what would that be?

Alex: It would probably be the new Rehoboth Avenue Streetscape. I’ve been very pleased with the results with the outer blocks and am looking forward to the same when the beach blocks are finished this winter.