LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
by Steve Elkins, Editor |
Here we go again! This is the Memorial Day issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth and, as such, marks the real kick-off of the summer beach seasonfrom now until SUNDANCE we'll be in full swing. If anyone had told me twenty years ago when Murray and I first joined friends in a Rehoboth beachhouse share, that this little place would become such an important part of our lives I don't think I would have believed it. Even though Rehoboth is now our year_round home and most of the time life keeps us too busy to make it to the ocean, I still get a thrill when Memorial Day rolls around. Suddenly we see old friends on the street, there's a party every weekend, and life just somehow seems more intense. Speaking of lifeon this Memorial Day of the year 2000 it seems to me that the gay and lesbian community is standing at a new threshold. When AIDS first cast its dark shadow over our lives in the early1980s, the nature of our fight for equality was changed. Our lives became about survivalthey were about defeating death. We were, as a community, dealt a life threatening blow and it has taken us years to get over it. I don't mean to imply that AIDS is a thing of the pastit's notbut it has become more about quality of life than it is about death. Thus it is that in this year 2000 our community finds itself rising from the ashes of the plague and re_directing our attention and resources into things that will make the quality of life better for us all. Across the nation, important work is being done on national, state and local levels and reflects the growing change and diversity of our gay, lesbian, bi_sexual and transgendered communities. Here at CAMP Rehoboth, this new millennium has been about creating new programs and projects to meet the demands of our lives. On page 8 Murray writes about The CAMP Rehoboth Community Center Project and gives us a clue as to how it may change the focus of CAMP Rehoboth and our lives in the coming years. It wouldn't be summer without the big fundraising extravaganzas and this year is no exception. The summer starts off with an SCAC benefit concert by the Gay Men's Chorus of Washington and their guests, Delaware's Rainbow Chorale on June 24. The month of July, of course, brings us the popular LOVE dance benefit at the Convention Center on Saturday July 1. LOVE 2000 event chair Mark Aquirre and his committee are currently seeking hosts and sponsors for this event which will benefit Sussex County AIDS Committee (50%), CAMP Rehoboth (30%), The Women's Project of CAMP Rehoboth (10%) and the Cape Henlopen School District (10%). To participate as a host or sponsor of the event fill out the form on page 24 and return it to us by June 6. On Saturday, June 10, the Blue Moon will officially kick off the LOVE event with their popular and profitable Bachelor Auction 2000. And, of course, to top it all off is the summer's Labor Day finale SUNDANCE 2000 The Super_duper Ultra_iridescent Rainbow Revolution! (Click your heels and say that three timesfastand see if it doesn't give Oz a run for it's yellow brick road!) Last weekend we were invited to a "pink party" to celebrate Kean Spencer's birthday. Standing in a room full of people all dressed in pink made me laughit made all of us laughand it reminded me that summer at the beach is about fun, and friends and laughter. It reminded me of all the good times we have had over the last twenty years because of this little beach town called Rehoboth. Have a great Memorial Day Weekendand a great summer 2000! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 5, May 19, 2000. |