LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
September's SUNDANCE is a Labor of Love |
by Glen Pruitt |
For many of us, Labor Day Weekend in Rehoboth Beach has become synonymous with the SUNDANCE benefit. The two-day event is "a personal as well as a public celebration," according to SUNDANCE organizer Murray Archibald. SUNDANCE began as an anniversary party for Archibald and his partner, Steve Elkins. This year marks their twentieth year together as a couple. However, the event has also become a major fundraising event. In its first ten years, SUNDANCE has raised over one half of a million dollars for various non-profit agencies, including the Whitman-Walker Clinic, the NAMES Project, CAMP Rehoboth, and the Sussex County AIDS Committee (SCAC). SUNDANCE 98 is a two-night event held at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. The Auction (both live and silent) will be held on Saturday night, September 5, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. The auction features hundreds of items donated by local merchants, residents, and supporters. The Auction also includes a cocktail buffet and an open bar. The Dance will be held on the following night, Sunday, September 6th from 8:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m. An open bar and the best in dance music will be waiting for the dancers that night. One of the highlights of the Auction is the bidding war for the piece of original artwork created especially for SUNDANCE by Murray Archibald. Traditionally, this item brings in one of the highest bids of the night. This years selected piece is entitled "Rainbow XI: Colors of Life" and will certainly be sought after by collectors. For those persons who are not the lucky top bidder, signed limited edition prints will be available. The prints, which will sell for $45.00, will be available for purchase the night of the event, or may be reserved by calling CAMP Rehoboth at (302) 227-5620. "To me, SUNDANCE is about personal commitment commitment to someone I love and commitment to do something about this disease (AIDS) that has so radically impacted all of our lives," explains Archibald. "When we started, it seemed like a good idea. Now it seems like a way of life. SUNDANCE has woven itself into the fabric of our lives like a multi-colored thread, or in much the same way that the red ribbons that I often paint intertwine themselves with the other elements in a painting." The money raised by this years event will be shared by two organizations. SCAC will receive 70% of the proceeds, while the remaining 30% will stay with CAMP Rehoboth. SCAC provides direct services for residents of Sussex County with HIV infection or AIDS. CAMP Rehoboth "seeks to promote cooperation and understanding among all people, as (they) work to build safe, inclusive communities with room for all." In the past two years alone, SUNDANCE has generated over $200,000 for the two charities involved. Tickets may be purchased, as a package at $50 for both nights, or individually at $35 per night, at CAMP Rehoboth, 39 Baltimore Avenue, Lambda Rising in Rehoboth, and through BOX OFFICE Tickets by calling 800-494-TIXS. Reprinted with permission from the SCAC Newsletter. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 8, No. 12, August 28, 1998. |