Life if full of incredible highs and devastating lows—and sometimes they
occur at the same time. Sundance 2004 was another huge success, and we’re
expecting to clear at least $185,000. Murray’s painting sold in the live
auction for a whopping $14,800. At the same time, our beloved dog Sam got
sick and went into the hospital and died. That’s what life is, joy and
pain all wrapped up together—the highs and the lows, success and
failure, abundance and loss. I am thankful to be living in a generous,
loving, and caring community that supports us through both the good times
and the bad.
Speaking of Sundance, the event couldn’t happen without the support
of our many sponsors, supporters, hosts, auction donors, and volunteers.
On pages 8, 9 and 11 are the names of all those who worked to make the
17th Sundance the most successful Sundance ever. Every year I am dazzled
all over again by the incredible commitment that this community has for
this event. It is a pleasure to work on because there are so many amazing
people willing to give of their time, their talents, and their financial
support. Congratulations to all, for it is a success that we share.
Murray and i have spent summers in Rehoboth since 1981 and have lived
in Rehoboth since 1990. We started Sundance in 1988 and CAMP Rehoboth in
1991. In the course of those years we have seen businesses and people come
and go. We’ve seen real estate prices skyrocket and Route 1 go from
cornfields to outlet malls, shopping centers, and housing. We’ve seen
openly gay members of our community elected city commissioners. We’ve
seen the gay community mature and become an integrated part of life in the
area. As more and more GLBT couples and singles retire and move here full
time, we have become more than just a resort community and our needs
continue to evolve and grow. So too do the plans and goals for CAMP
Rehoboth and the Community Center. In the coming months new ideas will
emerge as we develop and integrate the property at 37 Baltimore Avenue
into our plans, and as we create an action plan for the soon to be
released CAMP Rehoboth Strategic Plan. We live in a changing community
facing all sorts of questions about aging, about health, and about
balancing business and entertainment needs with residences. For both the
city of Rehoboth Beach and CAMP Rehoboth decisions made in the next couple
of years could have a strong impact on the future direction of our
community.
Now that the summer season is past, we can look ahead to the many
events that make the fall season my favorite time of the year. On
September 18 from noon until 6 p.m., the Delaware Pride Festival returns
for the third time to Gordon’s Pond in Cape Henlopen State Park, and
this year features Martha Wash and the DC Cowboys. On September 23 from
4-8 p.m., the fourth annual Wilmington Avenue Block Party will again raise
funds for the Sussex Family YMCA. On Sunday, October 3 from 11 a.m. to 3
p.m., the second annual Meals on Wheels Celebrity Beach Brunch will
feature many of the area’s finest chefs (tickets are $75 and are
available at CAMP Rehoboth). Next month the Rehoboth Beach festival season
really gets going with the Autumn Jazz Festival, October 15-17; the
Seawitch Festival and Halloween October 29-31; and the Rehoboth Beach Film
Festival, November 11-14.
I mentioned the death of our dog, Sam, a moment ago. back in ‘93, the
Strand had just closed its doors and we were struggling to find the right
path for a young organization called CAMP Rehoboth. One day Kelley Harp
showed up with a half grown, stray dog she found running wild on the
highway between here and Dover. We fell in love instantly, and called him
Sam Hill for "what in Sam Hill did we need with a dog this big."
He was our friend and our muse, and he will be missed for a long time to
come.
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