LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Speak Out |
I am sending you this correspondence from my home on the west coast, from downtown San Franciscomostly to commend you and your friends and staff at CAMP Rehoboth for your continuing great efforts with the publication. I am a visual artist and gallery ownerliving, plus working in San Francisco for the past 18 yearswho has had the pleasure to travel to Rehoboth Beach for the past six summers. Only recently I came back to the west from an enjoyable Rehoboth Memorial day weekend again.
Throughout the years, I have enjoyed the various art shows in the restaurants around townlast summers show by Murray Archibald at the Blue Moon was memorable. Of course, I enjoy the on-going chitter-chatter of the columns by your talented group of journalists (once again, Murray Archibalds piece Summer Love 1999 stands out!) More recently, Letters from Camp Rehoboth is sporting a new look, and, well, it makes me smile! Good work! As those of us in San Francisco prepare for our Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration and Parade, I wanted to apprise you of four new world wide web site projects that were commissioned as web artworks by San Franciscos Queer Cultural Center. The url is: www.queerculturalcenter.org. Should you find a moment in your busy schedule, please drop in and browse! The artworks are located under the heading "siteworks." En route from Washington/Baltimore to San Francisco on June 2, I was warmed to find a shared similarity between Bill Sieverts Letters article The Graying of Gay Rehoboth: Time for a Queer Sun City? and Home, my own commissioned artwork for the queer cultural center web-sitea strange synchronicity that speaks to the phase of life "Zeitgeist?" which our community is going through at the present moment. I close this correspondence with my very best wishes for a fruitful, healthy and happy rest of the summer for you and everyone at CAMP Rehoboth! Armando Rascon TERRAIN Gallery, San Francisco I just called Delawares three federal representatives regarding a piece of legislation and then set the piece of paper on top of my most recent issue of Letterswhich made me think to email you about it. The Employment Non Discrimination Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation has been introduced again in the U. S. Congress, as House Bill 2355 and Senate Bill 1276. I called Delawares Congressional representatives at their Wilmington offices, and urge you to call as well. Their numbers are: Sen. Bill Roth, 302-573-6291; Sen. Joe Biden, 302-573-6345, and Rep. Mike Castle, 302-428-1902. Ask for a response about their stand on the issue, which forces the person answering the phone to actually WRITE DOWN your opinion as opposed to taking the path of least resistance and not bothering. The United Methodist Board of Church and Society (and others) support this bill. Unfortunately, it is unlikely to pass (again) but momentum is going in the right direction and that could change. Every call of support helps. I realize you probably hear about these things from lots of sources, but I thought I would email just in case! Amy Yarnall I am a candidate for the Board of Commissioners, City of Rehoboth Beach, in the upcoming election to be held on Saturday, August 14, 1999. I am challenging incumbents Betty Ann Kane and Jack Hyde. For those readers of Letters From CAMP Rehoboth who dont know me, I would like to provide them with a little background information and highlight some of the important issues facing the citizens of Rehoboth Beach over the next few years. Originally from New Orleans, LA, I am a graduate of Northeast Louisiana University with a degree in Pharmacy. Following graduation I joined the United State Public Health Service and completed a post graduate internship in Hospital Pharmacy at the Public Health Service Hospital in Baltimore, MD. I was then assigned to the Food and Drug Administration in Rockville, MD, where I worked primarily reviewing the safety and effectiveness of over-the-counter drugs. During the last 5 years of my career, I served as a Congressional Liaison for the Food and Drug Administration in the areas of veterinary medicine, food additives, dietary supplements, and special projects. During 1992, I was selected to participate in two legislative programs to represent FDAs views in developing and monitoring ongoing Federal legislation affecting FDAs mission. I was assigned to work for a US Senator for 6 months and then to the Assistant Secretary for Legislation at the Department of Health and Human Services for 3 months before returning to the Food and Drug Administration. I have owned property in the Rehoboth area since 1990 and became a full-time resident of Rehoboth in 1994. I served on the Board of Directors and Secretary of the Board, Rehoboth Main Street from April 1998 to April 1999. When I retired in July of 1994, I expected to spend a lot of time with friends and hang out at the beach. That was great fun but I got bored pretty fast. I realized it was a little too early to move into retirement. So, in January 1995, I bought the property at 20 Lake Avenue to build a B& B, and by the end of September, I was moving in! Cabana Gardens B&B now stands on the corner of Lake Avenue and 3rd St. Rehoboth Beach is a terrific place to live and work. We have a wonderful blend of both traditional and non traditional families, and a large gay and lesbian population. I think that the diversity of the people here is what makes our community unique and is what brings so many interesting people to visit or to settle in our community. Our community will continue to prosper as long as we continue to respect each other and as long as we work together for the improvement of the quality of life for all the citizens of Rehoboth Beach. If elected as one of the City Commissioners, I pledge to work long and hard. I believe I can draw on my career experience and make an effective contribution in reaching practical solutions to the issues that are important to all of the citizens of Rehoboth Beach. Effective leadership is finding practical solutions to the Communitys problems and not just saying no. I want to help resolve the issues that are important to each and every one of the citizens of Rehoboth Beach. Every vote counts and I need, and want, their support. Over the last few years, Ive heard lots of ideas and suggestions about the issues that face our community. Most of what Ive heard comes from conversations Ive had with many of your readers. Some of the issues like parking and traffic congestions have been long-standing concerns and will be extremely difficult to resolve. Implementation of the Citys Long Range Plan, pedestrian safety, neighborhood preservation, and trash collection are all important issues to be considered carefully. Other issues such as beach replenishment and downtown revitalization are extremely expensive, and we will need the help of County, State, and Federal officials to assist in funding these important projects. At the current projected price of $12 to $13,000,000 for downtown revitalization, we need to work toward incremental implementation of the plan as fast as we can obtain funding assistance. I am very pleased that the Mayor announced recently the City will provide the first $1,000,000. I plan to hold several "Meet the Candidate" events in local restaurants and businesses to which all voters are invited to attend. Specific dates and times will be announced later. I want to hear the issues and concerns of your readers, and I want to hear their ideas regarding resolution of those concerns. In the meantime, I would welcome the opportunity to speak to local organizations or at community events. I can be reached at 227-5429. I am a full-time resident of Rehoboth Beach and I want to enter into a new phase of my lifepublic service as an elected official. I will work tirelessly for all the Citizens of Rehoboth Beach and I need, and want, their support. Gary P. Trosclair, Candidate Rehoboth Board of Commissioners |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 9, No. 8, July 2, 1999 |