Put on a Happy Face
What a difference a smile makes! Over the past two years, the pandemic has made it almost impossible to know how someone is feeling in most situations. Mask-wearing has forced us to become experts in interpreting and translating the slightest of facial expressions to know if the person we are speaking with is happy to see us, experiencing anxiety, or just plain mad.
I don’t know about you but being in public without a mask has taken some getting used to. However, the ability to feel the embrace from a beaming face when seeing someone in an elevator, behind the checkout counter, or when running into an old friend walking down the street quickly eases my mind. In fact, now more than ever, it is just what the doctor ordered.
As we emerge from our government-mandated isolation, much like a bear comes out of hibernation, I am looking forward to rekindling these dormant relationships especially as we enter the spring season and all the rebirth it brings.
Over the past year, I have heard community members say that COVID restrictions like social distancing and attending events virtually makes them feel disconnected from CAMP Rehoboth. A few weeks ago, I popped into our Baltimore Avenue office for a meeting and was warmly greeted by Max Dick, a former board member who is one of our dedicated volunteer CAMPcierges waiting to help any visitor who comes through the door.
When I looked to Max’s left, I encountered an always bright and welcoming smile from Operations Administrator Matty Brown. For the first time in who-knows-when, I felt a connection that was sorely missing from my daily life. There was an endorphin release much like the one I get when smelling freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.
Suddenly, this craving awakened a hunger to reunite with my CAMP Rehoboth family. For LGBTQ people, family has a broader meaning than its dictionary definition (all the descendants of a common ancestor.) The term “chosen family” comes to mind; for me, those are people who love me unconditionally, who respect and appreciate me for who I am…and not for what they want me to be.
It also connotes safety and security which harkens back to the reason CAMP Rehoboth was founded: Creating A More Positive Rehoboth.
A flood of memories rushed into my mind out of nowhere as I was writing this column. For example, there was the time when a group of us board members were put to work assisting the volunteer décor gurus—like Keith Petrack, Michael Fetchko, and Jim Mease—at last year’s Sun Festival. They taught me the smoke-and-mirrors involved in transforming a bland convention center into a beautifully adorned theater where the likes of local divas Mona Lotts and Magnolia Applebottom joined Broadway star Jennifer Holliday in front of a packed audience.
I was surprised to learn that Mike DeFlavia knew how to operate a scissor lift to hang decorative fabric from the convention center ceiling. Also, if you are looking for a go-to team to put up holiday lights that will warm up any room, look no further than our very own Tara Sheldon and Pat Catanzariti.
As the board and staff prepare for the start of our busy summer season, we are laser-focused on strengthening this sleeping muscle. My personal boot camp begins during Women’s FEST (April 7-10) where I look forward to witnessing a pickleball event for the first time and seeing great entertainers like Chely Wright and the comedy trio Funny Girlz.
On May 13, make sure to check out the return of an in-person concert by the beloved CAMP Chorus, when they perform their Great American Songbook concert. Stay tuned for an upcoming announcement of what CAMP Rehoboth has in store for summer 2022.
I want to leave you by quoting lyrics from a hit song, “Put on a Happy Face,” in the famous musical, Bye, Bye, Birdie:
“Gray skies are gonna clear up
Put on a happy face
Brush off the clouds and cheer up
Put on a happy face
Take of the gloomy mask of tragedy
It’s not your style
You’ll look so good that you’ll be glad
You decided to smile…”
I can’t wait to see your pearly whites in the coming weeks and months! ▼
Wesley Combs is the CAMP Rehoboth Board President.