Once upon a time when we first moved to Rehoboth Beach, there were only
two seasons—the summer, and the rest of the year. Now the calendar is
full all year long, and the work of CAMP Rehoboth never stops. 2004 has
been a milestone year for us and during this time that we used to call
"the off season," a great deal of activity will need to take
place as we make decisions that will effect the organization for years to
come, including designs for the new Community Center space that includes
both 39 and 37 Baltimore Avenue. CAMP Rehoboth will close on the new
property in the first week of 2005, and we will do our best to keep
everyone informed and involved in the process of building a bigger and
better "CAMPground."
As CAMP Rehoboth grows, so does our need for volunteers. This year,
Sundance alone involved over 150 people working to make it happen—and
that was just one event. With every new program, event, or building, comes
the need for more volunteers—with more and more specialized skills. As
the Community Center continues to grow, we will need to create a trained
base of volunteers who can do everything from grounds upkeep to selling
tickets and staffing a reception desk during the busiest times of the
year. Volunteer forms are always available at the CAMP Rehoboth office,
but in my experience the most successful volunteers are the ones who have
gotten to know us and who have grown into their jobs by virtue of simply
joining in and doing a good job at whatever needs to be done. Plus, they
almost always have a lot of fun.
On October 23 from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., CAMP Rehoboth and Beebe Medical
Center will present another CAMP Health Day that, this time, will also
include flu shots. When we first publicized this event, the shots were to
have been available to everyone. Now, of course, that has changed because
of the shortage of available flu vaccine. We will still be offering the
shots at a reduced rate ($5 suggested donation), but under the same
restrictions as everywhere else. Flu shots will only be available to
individuals who are 65 or older; those who are suffering with chronic
heart and lung conditions, including asthma; and those who needed regular
medical care or were hospitalized during the previous year because of a
metabolic disease, such as diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or a weakened
immune system. We will also be offering blood pressure and body fat
screenings. For more information call CAMP Rehoboth.
Fall is festival season, and as this issue hits the stands, one of the
biggest is already underway. Celebrating its 15th Anniversary, the
Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival runs from October 13-17 and involves just
about every place in town. From November 11-14, the Rehoboth Beach Film
Society will present the 7th Annual Rehoboth Beach Independent Film
Festival. For several years now, CAMP Rehoboth has been a big sponsor of
the Film Festival because it is such a good place for the gay and straight
communities to come together for inspiration, discussion, and fun. See
page 8 for more information about the Jazz Fest, and page 46 for more
about this year’s Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival.
In the last issue of Letters I mentioned that our dog had died, and as
a result we have received much appreciated condolences from many
understanding readers. Last week, I’m happy to say, Murray and I
answered an ad for an 8 month old Bichon Frise that already has us wrapped
around its fluffy white tail. Sam Hill was the name of the one that died.
This one is Pete’s Sake (add the year he was born and it becomes 04 Pete’s
Sake), but we call him Pete. We were at a party recently, and as we were
leaving Murray turned to me and said, "I don’t think we talked
about anything but Pete." Oh well, at least I don’t have a string
of photographs in my wallet...yet!
Oh yes, don’t forget to vote on November 2.
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