Local Observance Creates a "Quilt" of Activities

For many years, local World AIDS Day activities in Rehoboth Beach have centered upon the Candlelight Walk and the Service of Remembrance and Hope that follows. While that again holds true for 2006, the local sponsoring organizations of World AIDS Day—CAMP Rehoboth and Sussex County AIDS Council—are excited to announce that the CAMP Rehoboth Student Art Contest and the Epworth Wall of Healing, Remembrance and Prayer have been added to the day’s lineup.

"The more activities the better," says Murray Archibald, the chair of the event. "In fact, the 2006 committee is using the idea of a quilt as our inspiration. A quilt is made of many different pieces—and so is our observance of World AIDS Day. That inspiration will also be seen in the structure of the Walk and the Service as we’ll be carrying large pieces of fabric through the streets of Rehoboth to signify the importance of us all working together to create a way to deal with AIDS all over the world."

Quilt panels from The Names Project will also be on display during the Service at Epworth United Methodist Church, following the walk.

The World AIDS Day program will begin at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 1 with the World AIDS Day Student Art Contest exhibition at CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Avenue and the awarding of Art Contest prizes at 5:45 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. the Candlelight Walk of Remembrance and Hope will begin at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, followed by a service at Epworth Church at 7:00 p.m. A light supper will be provided to program participants by the Blue Moon Restaurant at Epworth Church following the service.

This year marks the 18th anniversary of World AIDS Day worldwide. The Rehoboth Beach 2006 World AIDS Day Candlelight Walk and Service of Remembrance and Hope is—as are all the events—open to the public.

CAMP Rehoboth Student Art Contest Winners

The winners of the CAMP Rehoboth sponsored World AIDS Day Student Art Contest include one middle school student and six high school students. Entries were submitted by students from Selbyville Middle School and Seaford, Milford, Sussex Central, Woodbridge, and Cape Henlopen High Schools. First prize in the middle school division will go to Paige Parker, a sixth grader, from Selbyville Middle School. The high school winners are: first place, Sara Smith, Milford High School, 10th grade; second place, Samantha Bateman, Cape Henlopen High School, 12th grade; and third place, Sarah Ruggiero, Cape Henlopen High School, 11th grade. Three students from Sussex Central High School will receive Honorable Mention. They are Martias Davis, Corinne Harrington and Jennifer Zezenski.

CAMP Rehoboth chose to sponsor the Student Art Contest out of deep concern with the latest statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control. The data establishes that 50% of all new HIV infections occur in young people under the age of 25. In addition, national case surveillance data for people ages 13 to 24 revealed that the burden of HIV/AIDS falls most heavily and disproportionately on black and Hispanic youth. CAMP Rehoboth believes that accurate, age-appropriate information is our best hope for reducing these trends for our young citizens. By working with Sussex County school districts, CAMP Rehoboth hopes to ameliorate this situation.

An exhibition of all the student’s submissions interpreting the theme Stop AIDS: Keep the Promise will be the opening feature for the World AIDS Day program. The schedule of events, open to the public, begins at 5:00 p.m. with an art reception at CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Avenue. The Candlelight Walk of Remembrance follows at 6:45, beginning at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand and ending at Epworth United Methodist Church with a service followed by a light supper by the Blue Moon.

The student art exhibit will remain on display at CAMP Rehoboth through December 11th. Beginning December 13th, the exhibit will be relocated to the Rehoboth Beach Public Library where it will remain through December 30.

Wall of Healing, Remembrance and Prayer at Epworth Church

CAMP Rehoboth and Sussex County AIDS Council have announced that, as part of the World AIDS Day Remembrance, Epworth United Methodist Church will host a Wall of Healing, Remembrance and Prayer on the site of the Church at 20 Baltimore Avenue. The Wall will be in place on November 19 and available to the public through the December 1, World AIDS Day activities. The composition of the Wall will allow for messages, prayers or names to be written on fabric and tied to the wall as a remembrance of those living with or having died of AIDS. Fabric strips and waterproof markers will be available in the church foyer or at CAMP Rehoboth for all who wish to add a message to the Wall.

Epworth United Methodist Church has invited the Lewes Rehoboth Association of Churches to join them in promoting the Wall of Healing, Remembrance and Prayer among their congregations. In addition, the World AIDS Day committee hopes that by having the Wall and accompanying supplies in place prior to Thanksgiving, more members of the community and their visiting family members will stop by and leave a message on the Wall.

December 1 • Schedule of events

All Day
Wall of Healing, Remembrance, and Prayer continues at Epworth United Methodist Church 20 Baltimore Avenue. From November 19-December 1, everyone is invited to write names, remembrances, hopes or prayers on a piece of red fabric and tie it to the wall. Fabric/markers provided.

5:00-6:15 pm
Reception for World AIDS Day Student Art Exhibit. Also featuring the work of HIV+ artists. At the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, 37 Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach.

6:15-6:30 pm
Pre-Walk gathering at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, Rehoboth Avenue and the Boardwalk.

6:30 pm
Candlelight Walk begins at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand.

7:00 pm
Program continues at Epworth United Methodist Church, 20 Baltimore Avenue.

7:45 pm (or when the service ends)
Light supper at the church, provided by the Blue Moon Restaurant.

For information, to volunteer, or to have the name of a family member or friend who has died from AIDS added to the list of names to be read at the event, call CAMP Rehoboth 302-227-5620 or Sussex County AIDS Council (SCAC) 302-644-1090.

Captions for Student Art Winners: