Though we were on deadline for this issue of Letters on the Saturday
following the 4th of July, it was a beautiful day and there were several
events on the calendar that we wanted to attend. Around 5 p.m. Murray and
I closed up the office, grabbed the camera, and strolled off down
Baltimore Avenue. All over town spirits were high and the streets were
filled with lively families in all shapes and sizes, young and old, gay
and straight. "This is it," I suddenly thought, "this is
summer—this is why we are all here." Don’t get me wrong, I love
the wintertime (and spring and fall) in Rehoboth as well—for different
reasons—but now (and for the next few weeks) is the real magic time in
our little town.
Every season, of course, comes with changes, and between the booming
Rehoboth real estate market, and the ongoing streetscape project, visitors
who haven’t been here in a couple of years might at first find
themselves driving in circles. But most of the changes are not so quickly
obvious, and require a little exploration. On that stroll I mentioned a
moment ago, we first passed the Shannon Gallery in the old Our Place
location and the newly opened Aqua where Scalawags used to be, then
dropped in on the opening of the Metro Gallery behind SOB’s Deli, and
then took a tour of the new One Spirit Massage Studio next door. Finally
we ended up at the beautiful new Chinese Restaurant Confucius on
Wilmington Avenue, where they treated us like royalty and fed us so well
we decided to forego any further adventures and go home and take a nap.
Ah, the joys of summer in Rehoboth.
On a more serious note, as the summer heats up so does the political
climate in this country in anticipation of this fall’s very important
presidential election. Not that all presidential elections aren’t
important, but with the country so politically divided and the world in a
state of anxiety it seems an especially important time to get involved. As
Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth and Editor of this magazine, I try to
be objective and I seek to create an environment that encourages
discussion. As Steve Elkins I am a lifelong Democrat and I have strong
feelings about this election. Obviously there is a certain dichotomy with
what I do and who I am, and yet it is that very dichotomy that helps me in
my observations of the world around us. Like many, I was fascinated by
Michael Moore’s controversial documentary Fahrenheit 9/11. The Democrat
in me wanted to cheer and shout, the editor in me wanted to sit back and
speculate on the state of objectivity and the difference between
documentary and propaganda. In both the press and in government the lines
of truth sometimes seem to grow more and more blurry every day, and that
makes it easy to see how so many people can feel disconnected from the
whole process. This election is important to us as gay people; it is even
more important to us as human beings. Get involved. The world needs your
passion—and your vote.
Last week, CAMP Rehoboth volunteers (in record time, I might add)
stuffed, folded and mailed the letters and forms for our 17th annual
Sundance Benefit on Labor Day weekend. Sundance, for those of you new to
the area, is our biggest event of the year—and one of the most
successful fundraisers in the state. Sundance Sponsors, Supporters, and
Hosts make the whole event possible and help us to raise a huge amount to
money for the Sussex County AIDS Council and CAMP Rehoboth. To sign up to
be a part of this extraordinary event, call the CAMP Rehoboth office or
visit the Sundance Web site at sundancebenefit.com.
Long before Sundance, however, the CAMP Rehoboth follies will fill the
Rehoboth Convention Center with outrageous antics, much laughter, and a
few surprise performances as well (guess who?). For more information on
the Follies, see page 103—and make your reservation now as it always
sells out fast.
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