The Women Producing Women’s FEST 2023
I still introduce myself as the new Development Manager at CAMP Rehoboth. I think one year is a fair length of time to describe myself that way—after all, it takes a year to experience a full cycle of events at CAMP Rehoboth.
I am currently working with a fabulous group of women who are planning Women’s FEST (Fun, Entertainment, Spring, Tradition) 2023. The Women’s FEST committee is comprised of 78 women—volunteers who have collectively spent hundreds of hours planning the events for this year’s FEST, which CAMP Rehoboth will host April 27-30 in downtown Rehoboth Beach.
I am in awe of these women who are working tirelessly to ensure that all 24 events—yes, I said 24 events!—are well-organized and run smoothly over the four-day period. In addition to the women serving on the committees, it will take approximately 80 additional women and men to volunteer their time at Women’s FEST to ensure that it will be a great experience for its more than 1,000 attendees.
This year’s FEST is packed with programming that includes sports events, entertainment, art exhibits, dances, and a walk (the popular Broadwalk on the Boardwalk) that benefits the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. None of these events would be possible without the dedication of time and the passionate devotion of our CAMP Rehoboth volunteers. Thank you all for your support!
While an event needs volunteers to be successful, it also needs financial support from sponsors, donors, and attendees. Women’s FEST 2023 co-chairs, Teri Seaton and Karen Laitman, have expressed their gratitude for all the financial support of Women’s FEST this year. According to Teri, “we are currently tracking toward our sponsorship goal for Women’s FEST 2023. Volunteers on the sponsorship committee have done a phenomenal job and are continuing to reach out and share sponsorship opportunities to ensure we reach or exceed our goal of $35,000.”
CAMP Rehoboth is especially grateful to our three legacy sponsors—Jeanine O’Donnell with All State Insurance, Jen Harpel with Morgan Stanley, and Lana Warfield with Berkshire Hathaway—who have supported Women’s FEST from almost the beginning. I applaud these businesswomen, each of whom recognizes the importance of sponsoring Women’s FEST year after year.
We are also grateful to Linda Kemp with Olivia Cruises who has been instrumental in securing donations for many fabulous cruises for both Women’s FEST and SUNFESTIVAL for more than a decade. Fay Jacobs, one of the founders of Women’s FEST, shared the following: “It is thanks to Olivia’s generosity and Linda’s perseverance and desire to support CAMP Rehoboth that has been instrumental in raising so many dollars over the years.”
In addition to sponsors, we also have generous donors who choose to support Women’s FEST financially. There are many women—and men—who are unable to attend for one reason or another, but who want to support the event and choose to donate on either the Women’s FEST or CAMP Rehoboth website. We are so grateful for the financial support of our sponsors and our donors.
Ticket sales make up the third type of financial support and are integral to the success of the event. Because without ticket sales, there would be no events. Attendees like you are key to the success of each and every event and we are grateful that you return year after year to attend Women’s FEST and support CAMP Rehoboth.
I look forward to attending some of the Women’s FEST 2023 events and activities, like bingo or a bike ride or the CAMP Rehoboth art exhibit. I am excited to see the comedian, Jen Kober, and listen to the music of Mouths of Babes at the Friday headliner show at the Convention Center. I plan to participate in the women’s health screening that will be offered free of charge through Beebe Healthcare. I am especially excited to walk at the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk event with all the women who are breast cancer survivors, or who walk in honor of survivors or in memory of women who lost their lives.
I look forward to attending my first Women’s FEST event. It will be inspiring to be in the company of so many women who will travel from near and far, and who will make new friendships—or reunite and celebrate with old friends—as they gather in community to support and enjoy one another at Women’s FEST 2023. ▼
Laurie Thompson is CAMP Rehoboth’s Development Manager, overseeing all development, fundraising, and donor relations. She can be reached via email at laurie@camprehoboth.com or call 302-227-5620.