LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Fifteen Years of Sundance |
by Murray Archibald |
Fifteen years ago, a group of us got together to celebrate a tenth anniversary. The anniversary was for Steve Elkins and me, and the party was the very first Sundance. That year it was supposed to be an outside pool party called A Sun Dance, but due to bad weather the event was moved to the newly opened Strand nightclub on Rehoboth Avenue. There were 18 hosts that year, and we raised $6,400.
All of that information has, of course, been told time and time again in the pages of this magazine, and will be again I'm sure, because Sundance is important to us and we are glad to have been a part of it from the start. Over the years, Sundance has raised more than a million dollars. Last year's event alone cleared over $165,000, involved over 450 sponsors, supporters, and hosts, and utilized over 170 volunteers in some way or other. It's a huge undertaking, and yet one that brings us all a great deal of satisfaction. Every year, I am amazed at the amount of time people are willing to give. We have volunteers who take vacation time to come to the beach and become "Sundance slaves," as we lovingly call them. We have volunteers that we don't see all year long, who show up every Sundance ready to work. Back when the first Sundance began, our friends were dying at a horrifying rate. We all felt that we had to take some kind of action to make us feel less impotent in the face of something that no one seemed to have any control over. Looking back on the way things were 15 years ago seems like another lifetime, and yet within the past two months four more of my friends and acquaintances have died from AIDS. In this issue there is a memorial page for Vance Becker, who had been a great supporter of Sundance for as long as I can remember, and who signed up as a host for this year's event just a few days before he died. The battle is not over, and we cannot give up on our efforts by believing that it is. Over the years, the focus of Sundance has broadened to include issues other than AIDS, but AIDS and HIV continue to be an important part of the event. Sussex County AIDS Committee depends heavily upon the money raised at Sundance; it is a vital part of its budget. Without it, SCAC would be very limited in the things it is able to do for those living with HIV/AIDS. One of the powerful things about Sundance for me is the memory of those who once danced at my side, and are with us no more. Our dear friend John Van Meter was one of the original 18 hosts of Sundance. His last Sundance, he could only make it to just inside the front door, but he made it. He had to be there because that's what he always did on Labor Day Weekend. For many years, our friend Richard Erskine ran the lights for Sundance. I loved his sense of drama and the way he could hold the room in a single beam of light, and then explode it into a million bits of bright color. His death was painful and long and we still mourn the loss of our man of light. Another dear friend, Randy Weaver, danced his last Sundance in a wheelchair. And I miss the outrageous outfits that Tim Leist always made especially to wear at Sundance. I miss them alland all the others who go unnamed but not forgotten. This year's Sundance theme is In the Celestial Circle of the Sunburst Rainbow. Like all my art for this year, it too is about circlesabout remembering all who have made this journey with us, about remembering who we are. It is about celebrating the unique thing that each one of us brings to this world. It is a great gay explosion and celebration of life. It's interesting to me that we are still doing this event after all these years. Steve and I have made Sundance a part of our lives. So has my sister, Mary Beth Ramsey. She spends countless hours doing all the graphics and art for the event. She and her husband Bob were also original hosts 15 years ago. Joyce Felton and the Blue Moon have done the food for Sundance since the very first year as well. Since its first year, Sundance has relied on a host committee to pay for the event, which allows 100% of the money raised from ticket sales and auction items to go to the benefactors. As has been the case for many years, all the money raised will be donated to local organizations. This year, 60% of the money raised will be given to Sussex County AIDS Committee (SCAC), 30% to CAMP Rehoboth, and the remaining 10% to the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Project. The first night of Sundance, Saturday, August 31, from 7-10 p.m., is the auction and includes a cocktail buffet by the Blue Moon Restaurant, an open bar, and over 400 auction items in both a live and a silent auction. The second night of the Sundance weekend, Sunday, September 1, is the dance. Music is by DJ Mark Thomas and the lights by Paul Turner. Doors open at 8:00 p.m., and the ticket price includes an open bar for the entire evening. Tickets for Sundance 2002 are $40 per night or $60 for both events and are available through CAMP Rehoboth, Lambda Rising Rehoboth, or on the Sundance Web site, www.sundancebenefit.com. For more information about Sundance, to purchase tickets, or to contribute to the auction, call CAMP Rehoboth at 302-227-5620. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 12, No. 12, August 23, 2002. |