— On the Cover —
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, Kim Nelson and Lori Simmons wear green on our cover. Kim and Lori are regular volunteers at CAMP Rehoboth. Readers might recognize Kim from her Thursday morning shift at the front CAMPcierge desk helping to answer phones and greet community members. Lori joins her at many CROP (CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program) volunteer events.
Kim’s favorite St Paddy’s Day memories revolve around dancing the night away with college friends in West Hollywood, while Lori’s involve annual celebrations and shenanigans with her Irish-identifying best friend, Laura.
As far as Irish heritage goes, ancestry.com tells Lori that she is only two percent Irish. However, one of Kim’s great-great-grandfathers immigrated to Minnesota from County Donegal, Ireland and then served with the Union Army during the US Civil War.
Kim’s favorite St. Paddy’s Day drink? Draft Guinness, of course! And she enjoys a good shepherd’s pie for her meal. Lori doesn’t drink beer, so she celebrates with Irish whiskey. Also, she may have Lucky Charms for breakfast. They’re magically delicious!
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ▼
CAMPsafe Stories by Patricia Clear
Patricia Clear is an HIV Testing Counselor at CAMP Rehoboth.
On February 2, at the ACE Peer Resource Center in Georgetown, I was testing a client. She asked if I had any knowledge of how she could get her disability information from Social Security and how she could get a new Medicaid card from the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS).
After she received her HIV test, I began to investigate by calling the Social Security Administration (SSA) and DHSS. I called the Community Partner Support Unit in Dover and spoke to my contact who was able to get her the Medicaid replacement card. We then proceeded to call the SSA and were able to determine that the SSA did not have a current address for her and that they were missing information needed to determine if she is eligible for the disability benefits.
After speaking to the SSA on the client’s behalf, it was agreed that her mail would be sent to the ACE Peer Resource Center in Georgetown because she is currently experiencing houselessness. We were able to locate some of the paperwork that is needed in her bags and make copies of them to send to the SSA. The client was very grateful and stated that no one would take the time to help her; she thanked me for my patience while helping her.
Because CAMPsafe is tasked with health and wellness issues, I try to not only provide HIV testing and counseling, but also help in getting resources for the clients that we serve here in Sussex County. ▼
The Fay Jacobs Scholarship Is Live!
CAMP Rehoboth is pleased to announce a new opportunity in the Fay Jacobs Scholarship, open to all Delaware high school juniors and seniors. Essays must be submitted by May 8, with the winner notified May 25.
The winner will receive $500 towards their higher education. Essays must be no more than 750 words and focus on the importance of LGBTQ Pride. In addition to the scholarship, the winning essay will be printed in the Pride issue (June 17) of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth. For more guidelines and information, please visit camprehoboth.com/fayjacobs. ▼
The Fay Jacobs scholarship fund was established to honor Fay Jacobs for her work here at CAMP Rehoboth and in the larger LGBTQ Community. Contributions may be made directly to the Delaware Community Foundation at: camprehoboth.com/fayjacobs.
Pick-up a COVID-19 Rapid Test!
Missed your government sanctioned tests? Thanks to the First State Community Action Agency, CAMP Rehoboth received a sizable donation of COVID-19 rapid test kits—each containing two tests. Feel free to stop by CAMP Rehoboth and pick up one kit per household while supplies last. ▼
Delaware Legislation Introduced that Threatens Protections for Trans Youth
New legislation has been introduced in Delaware that would require student athletes to play on sports teams that are aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth. This threatens protections and security for transgender youth in schools.
The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Timothy Dukes, points to promoting fairness in sports as the motivating factor for this legislation.
In a column featured in last March’s Letters, an anonymous activist and mother of a trans child disagreed with Rep. Dukes’ reasoning: “I’m tired of talking about the mythic superhuman athlete. I want to talk about the average trans kid’s experience.” In other words, the issue is “about not understanding who trans girls are,” the mother said.
“It’s just another distraction—distracting from the fact that these are human rights,” said the mother.
While this legislation does not have much support going forward, it points to a larger national issue. Last year, the ACLU reported an estimated 30 states were considering anti-transgender legislation.
CAMP Rehoboth is available to create an open dialogue and work with local legislators on the harmful effects of legislation such as that introduced by Rep. Dukes. CAMP Rehoboth is also open to working with Delaware school districts to codify trans-affirming protections in the classroom, such as those passed in the Red Clay school district last December and the Christina School District nearly a year ago. ▼
Women’s FEST Passes on Sale!
Women’s FEST Passes and tickets are all on sale now at camprehoboth.com. For $90, a FEST Pass contains tickets to the headline Friday performance by Chely Wright with opener Christine Havrilla, the hilarious trio Funny Girlz, early seating to these shows, and a FEST t-shirt.
Plus, on top of the FEST Pass, there’ll be plenty more entertainment throughout the weekend, including one-of-a-kind shows by Regina Sayles, Sug Daniels, Fay Jacobs (see CAMP News), and Mama’s Black Sheep.
Don’t miss speakers like Senator Marie Pinkney; Founding Chief Executive Officer of Out & Equal, Selisse Berry; prize-winning artist Liz Bradbury; political advisor Patti Solis Doyle; and Saundra Johnson, who was appointed by Governor Carney to serve as Director of Statewide Equity Initiatives.
Many touchstone events return to make this year’s Women’s FEST one for the books, such as the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk and the Georgette Krenkel Welcome Dance Party. Check out page 17 for a more detailed lineup of events and refresh yourself on FEST history on page 14. ▼
AARP Tax Prep at CAMP Rehoboth
The first few weeks of AARP’s tax filing program saw a massive turnout at CAMP Rehoboth! Through April 7, CAMP Rehoboth is hosting AARP Tax Prep and Filing appointments, free of charge and for all ages. Due to COVID, participants must schedule a time to drop off their tax documents and work is done remotely. Participants then pick up their completed returns the following Thursday. To schedule a time, please call CAMP at 302-227-5620 or e-mail info@camprehoboth.com. ▼