Someday, when future generations look back on the history of CAMP Rehoboth, the fall and winter of 2007-2008 will stand out as a pivotal moment. Less than two weeks after this issue is published, work will begin on the new construction for Phase Two of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. With the very aggressive timeline being prepared by our contractor (Bancroft Construction Company), the work should be finished before the next summer season begins.

At our ceremonial groundbreaking a few weeks ago I said that we were excited and terrified: excited because we’ve worked so very hard for such a long time to get to this point, terrified because of the rising cost of the project and the additional financial stress it will place on our organization. And yet, when one of our bankers asked us recently if we believed our new fundraising campaigns would work, we all answered with an emphatic "yes." Why? Because we know this community, and we know what the people of this community are capable of achieving when the need arises.

So even as the demolition team moves in to tear off the back portion of our existing building and dig up the CAMP Rehoboth courtyard, the fundraising will continue—and for the time being, even intensify. We’re excited about our new campaigns, and I’m going to explain them in detail in this article. The first campaign, the GEM Club, is a permanent sustaining campaign designed to cover the long term operating expenses and expanded mortgage of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. The second campaign is the Wish List, a short term capital campaign that will provide donors the opportunity to underwrite the cost of various elements and spaces in the new wing of the Community Center. Both campaigns are very important to the future financial health of the Center.

Just as a reminder, neither of these campaigns has anything to do with the Founders’ Circle. Though some Founders’ Circle members are still paying off their pledges, membership in the Founder’s Circle is now closed. Members of the Founders’ Circle will be honored in a stunning curved glass wall (see photo) that is a major feature of the new building and can be seen from both inside the large multi-purpose room and outside in the CAMP Courtyard. Our hope, of course, is that many of the members of the Founders’ Circle will also become members of the GEM Club as well as participate in the Wish List underwriting campaign.

The GEM Club

Simply put, GEM stands for Give Every Month. The GEM Club is a permanent, sustaining campaign designed to provide dependable monthly income to cover the operation expenses and increased mortgage costs of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. To become a member of the GEM Club a minimum pledge of $100 a month is required. That pledge can be paid monthly or yearly.

GEM Club members will receive invitations to various special events and activities throughout the year as well as a listing on the GEM Club recognition board in the Community Center and in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth. Individual listings on the board will change as the total amount given increases. For example, all new members giving at the minimum level will be listed in the first level of the GEM Club, the $1000 level. When the total amount given by the donor reaches $5000 the donor’s name will be moved to the second level, and so on through the 10, 25, 50, and 100 thousand dollar levels. Donors always have the ability to move to higher levels by increasing the size of their donation.

Though they will not come with GEM Club benefits and listing, pledges under $100 a month and one time donations are always accepted and appreciated. These donations will be counted under the general use CAMPus Fund.

The Wish List

The CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Wish List is a short term capital campaign designed to help us cover the higher than expected cost of the new construction by providing underwriting opportunities to donors. From courtyard trees, benches, and planting beds, to naming rights for the entire new wing, the range of the Wish List is huge. Every dollar given to the Wish List is a dollar saved on our construction loan and consequently to the bottom line of the mortgage.

From the time we started CAMP Rehoboth, I’ve played a variety of roles in the organization, generally trying to do whatever needs doing. For many years I’ve been the President of the Board of Directors, and that role is a constant one. At other times I’m creative director, or courtyard sweeper, photographer, artist, or toilet plunger as the need arises. Right now I’m a fundraiser and I’m asking everyone to dig a little deeper because we need this last big push—not to ensure that the construction happens, we’re moving ahead with that as fast as we can, but to keep CAMP Rehoboth in good financial shape in the future.

I believe with all my heart that this new wing of the Community Center will make a tremendous difference to our community and will bring people into the Center who have never been in before. We are spending extra money to make the large multi-purpose room functional for everything from conferences and workshops to exhibitions and small scale art and theatrical events. The space will improve our abilities to work with organizations we already partner with—such as Beebe Hospital, the RB Film Society, and the YMCA—as well as new ones. Now we will have space to accommodate groups having retreats or weekend meetings—groups such as HRC, Stonewall Democrats, MCC, Delaware Pride, AIDS Delaware and any other group who needs space for meetings, activities or events.

We are moving ahead with construction because we believe so strongly in the ability of our community to make dreams come true. Steve describes my work for CAMP Rehoboth as "a full time volunteer," and we live on his salary and on what I earn from my art. We have what we need, though not a lot extra. I have to admit, when Steve signed us up for the GEM Club I questioned whether or not we could afford it. "We’ll find a way," he said. "We always do," I thought to myself. "We always do."

Sometimes we really do have to take a "leap of faith," though this time I’m not sure that’s what this is. A leap of faith implies that one is jumping blindly into a dark hole, and in this case we can see clearly ahead because our path is lit by the hearts and spirits of this amazing community. Together we are creating something special—and something, I believe, will outlive us all.

Murray Archibald, is Founder and President of the Board of Directors of CAMP Rehoboth, and an artist in Rehoboth Beach.

Thank You to all the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Volunteers for the period of August 23-September 13.

Tony Burns
Spencer Kingswell
Charlie Lee
Stan Mills
Michael Muller
Barb Ralph
Chris Sampson
Karl Zoric

rainbow thumb club

Matt Carey
Ward Ellinger
Rob Freeman
Tony Ghigi
Steve Hoult
Shawn Noel
Bud Palmer
Ken Reilly
Tom White