CAMP Theatre Brought the Laughs Outside 

The CAMP Rehoboth Theatre Company brought laughs and camaraderie outside in the CAMP Courtyard June 23-25 during the performance of its two one-act comedies: Ponce de Leon is Dead and Auto Erotic Misadventure by F.J. Hartland. The three-night run couldn’t have asked for better weather, and audiences laughed till their cheeks hurt. Special thanks to director Russell Stiles for spearheading all the efforts, promoting rich artistic expression of the performing arts, and raising funds for CAMP Rehoboth in the process.

Next up for CAMP Theatre: Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche, co-written by Andrew Hobgood and Evan Linder, set to run September 29, 30, and October 1, 2022 in the Elkins-Archibald Atrium. Casting requirements are five women and one man, at all ages. Winner of the 2012 NYC International Fringe Festival as Best Overall Production, Five Lesbians Eating a Quiche is a tasty recipe of hysterical laughs, sexual innuendoes, unsuccessful repressions, and delicious discoveries. ▼

CROP at National Trails Day

What an amazing time the CROP volunteers had on June 4, National Trails Day, at Cape Henlopen State Park (CHSP)! That Saturday, CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) volunteers turned out to help clean a local beach.

Meeting at the Hawk Watch at CHSP, volunteers picked up trash for a few hours before enjoying a delicious “thank you” lunch provided by the Village Improvement Association. Many groups participated in the clean-up day, totaling at least 80 volunteers. ▼

Welcoming New Volunteers

On June 8, CAMP Rehoboth’s Volunteer Development Committee welcomed new volunteers as part of its regular volunteer opportunities meetings. The meeting’s focus was on SUNFESTIVAL 2022 volunteer needs, but also reviewed regular volunteer needs and oriented folks as ambassadors for CAMP Rehoboth’s mission to create an environment inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities. CAMP Rehoboth Youth Peer Leader Julian Kay Harbaugh joined the meeting virtually to review cultural competency regarding topics and subjects surrounding the LGBTQ+ community, including the gender unicorn (stop by CAMP to ask!). 

“It’s always a pleasure welcoming new volunteers to our orientation and volunteer opportunities meetings,” said Chris Beagle, chair of the Volunteer Development Committee. ▼

The Altern Brings Guests to the Pod

The Altern has an awesome guest in July’s episodes: Alexis Clements, producer of the documentary All We’ve Got. Clements is an award-winning writer and filmmaker whose work has been published, produced, and screened in venues across the US and around the globe. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, the Guardian, and American Theatre, among others, and she is a regular contributor to Hyperallergic. She is also a volunteer coordinator at the Lesbian Herstory Archives. 

All We’ve Got is a personal exploration of LGBTQ women’s communities, cultures, and social justice work through the lens of the physical spaces they create, from bars to bookstores to arts and political hubs. Since 2010, over 100 bars, bookstores, and community spaces where LGBTQ women gather have closed. Clements wanted to better understand why that was happening, and why some spaces have managed to stay open despite the odds. Ultimately this film asks why space matters.

The Altern will be reviewing the documentary and interviewing Clements. Interested in seeing the documentary? Keep an eye on the CAMP Rehoboth calendar for a virtual screening.

In case you missed it—The Altern put out an exciting new episode in May: an interview with Dr. Scout of the National LGBT Cancer Network about the 1993 March on Washington, the largest-ever queer march on the Capital. Scout was a co-chair of the march and discussed the process of organizing such a large event, the struggles of representation on the stage and in the march, and the exhilaration of being a part of something so groundbreaking. It was great conversation—give it a listen! To keep up to date on new episodes, follow The Altern on Instagram @thealternde, and listen to the podcast on Google Podcasts, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and other podcast platforms. ▼

CAMP Rehoboth at the ME Seminar

CAMPsafe staff member Amber Lee and YouthUp Peer Leader Julian Kay Harbaugh, along with CAMP Rehoboth volunteer Jay-Xavier Johnson, spoke at the ME Seminar, hosted by I Am ME Inc. The diverse panel of speakers discussed their sexuality and gender identity, speaking on how the world perceives them, and growing up in the LGBTQ+ community. 

“It’s great to have the opportunity to speak at events like this,” Lee said, “but it’s even more important to listen and learn from others’ lived experiences in the LGBTQ+ community. It only helps CAMP strengthen the work we do.” ▼

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René & Lucien & YouthUp 

Noting that on May 31 the family celebrated Lucien’s first “trans-versary,” René shared just how important CAMP Rehoboth’s YouthUp program has been to the entire family: “This youth program has changed [Lucien’s] life. He’s finally connected to a community that embraces him and loves him. This program is very important to our kids, and they’re forming their LGBTQ peer community which extends to life outside of the youth activities.” 

She continued, “Our children find their community and learn a history, gain a powerful voice to express who they are confidently, and are united in their combined struggles in a world that isn’t always ready to embrace them.”

Besides providing a space for LGBTQ+ youth to find community, CAMP’s YouthUp program also offers an auxiliary safe space for adults. “As parents, we are able to come together and take this journey together and build our own friendships in support of our kids and each other,” said René. “I don’t think a lot of people understand that although they are suddenly thrown into a whole new world when their child comes out, there is truly support from other cis-het parents.” 

She added, “Our specific situations vary. But inevitably we find that we struggle to find good information and a safe space as parents, where we can talk about hard things. That is where the youth program unites us. We can find unexpected allies of our own and find our voices to become fierce advocates for our children.” ▼

⊳ Travels with Letters ⊲

Olivia’s Douro River/Spain Riverboat Cruise

L-R: Linda Kemp, Marjorie Ripalda, Laurie Schneider, Pat Nickols, and Kate McQueen

Love All Ways Always

Poem by Mitzi Harp

Girl + Boy
Husband + Wife
Love of Life

Boy
Sick then Dies

Girl 
Alone
Die too, NO! 
Wants to

Girl 
New Friend 
Helps Girl Through

Girl + Girl 
Kiss, NO! 
Go away

Girl + Girl
Can’t Stop
Stay

Girl + Girl
Wife + Wife
Love of Life 

Girl  Trans  Boy
Happy, Free

Girl
Sad, Lost, Afraid
Heart still Loves
Will Stay

Girl + Boy
Love of Life
Love All Ways
Love Always ▼