This is the Holiday issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, and the last one of the 2012 season. As we come to the end of another year of publishing, I always marvel that the time has come and gone so quickly. 2012 has been a good year for us here at CAMP Rehoboth, and we are thankful for the support we have received from our many members, sponsors, volunteers, Letters’ readers (in print and on the web), advertisers, and all of you who attend and participate in our events and activities. This is a very special community, and we are glad to be a part of it.
As LGBT people, whether a Democrat or a Republican, we can celebrate that Barack Obama has done more for our community than any other president in history. We can also celebrate the success of the marriage equality vote in Maryland, Maine, and Washington, as well as the rejection of a state constitution ban on same sex marriage in Minnesota. Here at home, the work of Equality Delaware will continue in 2013 with a focus on transgender issues. At this time, only the LG and B are covered in our hate crime and non-discrimination legislation. Equality Delaware will conduct Town Hall Meetings this winter in Wilmington and here at CAMP Rehoboth. The dates for those meetings are still to be determined.
In October, we launched our new CAMP-Mautner Cares (CMC) program, and followed it up with our first CMC training session here at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. CMC is a joint venture between the Mautner Project and CAMP Rehoboth, and it will provide client services (transportation, shopping, household tasks, and more), to those in our community suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses. To become a volunteer for CAMP-Mautner Cares, call the CAMP Rehoboth office at 302-227-5620 to sign up for the next training session.
World AIDS Day has been observed around the world since 1988, and here in Rehoboth Beach, we have had a candlelight walk since 1993. Globally, themes for this year’s event continue to focus on “Getting to Zero” new infections. Locally, our theme comes from the words of Desmond Tutu: “I am my brother’s brother and my sister’s sister.” In Rehoboth Beach, World AIDS Day activities begin with an HIV Positive Art Exhibit at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center beginning at 4:30 p.m. At 6:30 p.m. the Candlelight Walk will begin at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand, and the Service of Remembrance and Hope will follow at All Saints’ Episcopal Church at 7 p.m. A light supper will be served at the church immediately following the service. The service will include the reading of names of those who have died from AIDS. To add a name to that list, call me at CAMP Rehoboth, or fill out the form online.
Celebrating “lucky 13,” the annual Starburst Gayla women’s New Year’s Eve Dinner and Dance will take place on New Year’s Eve at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Please note, a mistake was made in the previous issue of Letters: the correct price for Starburst Gayla is $100 (dinner and dance); $55 (dance only). Dinner and dance reservations must be made in advance; dance only tickets are available in advance or at the door on the night of the event. Tickets may be purchased on the CAMP Rehoboth website or by calling CAMP Rehoboth. Though this is primarily a women’s event, all are welcome to join the fun.
As the year comes to a close, we are once again asking you to consider making an end of the year donation to CAMP Rehoboth. From advocacy to providing community space, CAMP Rehoboth is at the forefront when it comes to serving our community in the state of Delaware. Please keep us in mind as you plan your giving for the end of this year and in 2013. Donations may be made online or by calling the CAMP Rehoboth office at 302-227-5620.