MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Wear Orange Weekend
Wear Orange is a non-political, non-partisan initiative organized by Everytown. The campaign is called “Wear Orange.” It begins with National Gun Violence Awareness Day on Friday, June 3, followed by Wear Orange Weekend, June 4 and 5. During this time, the goal is to spread awareness of public safety. It is dedicated to honoring the lives of people in the US affected by gun violence and to elevating the voices of those asking for an end to it. Fifty-eight percent of Americans have been affected by some form of gun violence, such as suicide, domestic violence, homicides, or assaults.
Anne McWalter, the Delaware volunteer for Everytown, is a two-time survivor of gun violence herself. Both instances were suicides. “The trauma from those events had lasting effects,” says McWalter. Her story is not unique; there are many survivors who carry that trauma every day. That’s where Everytown comes in, providing services like counseling to survivors, and education and awareness campaigns for the public.
“Much of gun violence is driven by hate. We reach out to communities affected to transform tragedies into education and awareness and a call to end gun violence,” said McWalter.
Visibility is key in that effort. In Delaware, during Wear Orange Weekend, buildings and landmarks will be lit orange on Friday evening; a Wear Orange Vigil will be held in Dover; a Wear Orange team will be spreading the word at a Pride Fest table on Saturday; and a survivor event, “Celebrating Lives Lost,” will take place on Sunday. The campaign invites all to either wear orange, hold up an orange sign, do an orange craft—something creative with the color orange—and post to social media to broadcast and amplify this message. ▼
Narcan Training at CAMP Rehoboth
On Thursday, May 12, community members at CAMP Rehoboth were certified to administer Narcan, a life-saving treatment used in an overdose. Allenet Dessuit, a CRT Coordinator with the Delaware Community Response Team, facilitated the training, and all attendees earned a certificate for completion.
Attendees learned that Delaware ranks second in the nation for the highest opioid overdose rates, making the urgent need for the training abundantly clear. Narcan kits can be purchased at most local drug stores or can be sent for free upon request to the Delaware Community Response Team.
Interested in receiving this training yourself? Follow the team on Facebook at DECommunityResponseTeams to find training opportunities.
Mark your calendars for their event, Overdose Awareness Day, at Del Castle Park on August 26. This will be a free, family-oriented, fun event including children’s activities and remembrance activities for those lost to overdose. ▼
ACME Fundraises for Pride
The countdown to Pride Month is on!
In alliance with the LGBTQ+ community, ACME is thrilled to share that the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center has been selected by ACME Community Relations in the Give Back Where It Counts Bag Program for the entire month of June 2022.
For the month of June 2022, CAMP Rehoboth Community Center will receive a $1.00 donation from each purchase of the $3.00 reusable Give Back Where It Counts Bag at the ACME store located at: 18578 Coastal Highway #13, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. Thank you, ACME, for supporting CAMP Rehoboth’s mission! ▼
Summer Solstice at the Lodge
The Lodge at Truitt Homestead will host the second annual Summer Solstice on the Terrace fundraiser to benefit CAMP Rehoboth on Saturday, June 25, from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m. The event follows the hugely popular inaugural celebration last June, which raised over $8,200.
This year’s event will include a silent auction, 50-50 raffle, win-a-wine, and hors d’oeuvres & cocktails. Entertainment will be provided by Peggy Raley and the True Blue Jazz All-Stars. All-white attire is requested. Tickets are $75 on EventBrite and RSVPs are due by June 15. ▼
Diversity Panel at UDEL
On April 28, CAMP Rehoboth’s Amber Lee and a panel of speakers met with Dave Sechler of the University of Delaware. They spoke to a classroom of future teachers. The goal was to create an environment where the future teachers were able to ask questions and have a safe environment to do so. All classrooms are inherently diverse, and making sure future leaders are culturally competent is a vital undertaking.
Panelists included CAMP volunteers Kasey Gonzalez-Cruz and Tamia Gisele Mykles; Tiffanni Felder, Executive Director of The First State Outreach Center; Jalisa Mack from The First State Outreach Center; and Donna Dunlap, from I Am Me Inc. ▼
CAMP Rehoboth Gears Up for Pride
Volunteer with CAMP Rehoboth for specialty Pride events throughout the month of June. On June 4, Dover will host Delaware Pride at Legislative Mall in Dover. Join us at the CAMP Rehoboth table for Pride flags and giveaways, and volunteer to staff the table to help spread CAMP’s mission to attendees. Delaware Pride will feature a parade, drag performances, and many more family-friendly activities.
Plus, don’t miss CAMP’s presence throughout Milton Pride events—e.g., a Magnolia Applebottom drag show on June 10, the Queer Queens of Comedy show on June 11, and the Elton John tribute on June 12. ▼
Interested in helping out? Sign up by visiting camprehoboth.com/volunteers.
The Spirituality of Coming Out
The Rev. Dr. Elizabeth Kaeton and the Rev. Barry Stopfel will share their insights about The Spirituality of Coming Out on Thursday, June 16, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. in the parish hall of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 2nd and Mulberry Streets in Lewes. Ice cream will follow.
Kaeton and Stopfel will discuss coming out as part of a life-long spiritual practice of seeking the integration of our sexual identities into the whole of our lives. For LGBTQ+ folks, as well as everyone, living out of an identity that is more authentic and the purging of a false life image will bring an abiding communion with the Divine that is at the deepest center of ourselves.
Admission is FREE. Attendees must be fully vaccinated and boosted or wear a mask. This presentation is part of the Summer Spirituality Series at St. Peter’s on Thursdays at 7:00 p.m. through the summer. For more information, go to stpeterslewes.org and select Parish Life. ▼
SpeakOUT
Dear Editor:
On May 15, I attended the CAMP Rehoboth Concert. It was a very strange occurrence to be a part of the audience as opposed to being an alto-singing member of the Chorus as I had been for the past several years.
Doug Yetter was our Director then as he is now. We always worked very hard and I practiced relentlessly to get it right. It was always an emotional experience to sing for large audiences of ever-appreciative friends and family. Standing on the risers gave me a bird’s-eye view of the shared emotions as we sang away. People mouthed the words, some cried, some held hands, and I saw tons of smiles and heard pounds of applause.
This year, due to Covid constraints, I chose to stand down and let my friends carry on. This time I mouthed the words, cried, held my spouse’s hand, smiled, and gave the Chorus their well-deserved rounds and pounds of applause. It was definitely different from the other side, but I loved every minute of it.
The Chorus has and will continue to be an ever-burning star among the many happenings of CAMP. I was always so proud to be a part of that talented group. I am still so proud of them, and I will be out there on the other side for them for as long as I can be.
– Barbara Passikoff
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