LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Profile |
by Mark Aguirre |
A Chat with Linda Bova and Bridget Bauer
Linda Bova and Bridget Bauer are the kind of folks whose reputation precedes them. They are kind and thoughtful people, successful businesswomen, and are tremendously supportive of their community. When I called to ask them for this interview they didn't hesitate to agree to find someway to make it happen despite their busy schedules. Mark: What brought you to Rehoboth Beach? Linda and Bridget: Probably the "sense of community." Even though so many people visit Rehoboth Beach, it still retains that small-town feeling and quaintness. When we go in town, we always run into people we knowthat is just so comforting. Mark: How did you meet? Linda and Bridget: We met in the summer of 1993 at a Rehoboth Beach restaurant, Ground Zero (now Fusion). Linda was living near Bethany in Frankford, Del., at the time and stopped in Ground Zero after a workout at the Rehoboth YMCA. Bridget was living in Shillington, Penn., and was in Rehoboth Beach finishing out a beautiful week of vacation. Of course, there's more to this story, but anyone who's interested will just have to ask us in person. Mark: You have a reputation for being very supportive of our community. Is that important to you? Linda and Bridget: It is essential to support the community in which you live. It so greatly enriches everyone's lives when one gives back to their community; every hour volunteered and every dollar donated is so valuable. Mark: How did you settle on the real estate business as a career? Linda: I just love this area and I knew it would be such a rewarding career if I could bring more people here to experience all that we have to offer. Helping people find vacation homes, year-round residences, commercial real estate, and investment properties is such great fun, too. Bridget: My reasons are a little less altruistic; I figured if my partner was going to be so very involved with her career that I'd better join the business or we'd never see each other...that, plus real estate sales lets me avoid the heavy airline travel that I had with my previous jobnow I only have to get on a plane when I'm going on vacation. Mark: You started a new business. How is that going? Linda: I actually started my real estate career in 1998 with O'Conor, Piper and Flynn (now a Coldwell Banker brokerage) in Rehoboth. After much success with that firm, I decided to open my own office, which I did in 2001 with two other business partners. Owning your own business is not without headaches, but it is very rewarding. Even as an owner of REALTY EXECUTIVESBay Coast, I am still an "active" REALTOR who works everyday with buyers and sellers. All of the ownership demands made me realize that I needed a good team member to help with the sales side of my business. With Bridget's strong background in corporate marketing, we decided to formally incorporate as a real estate sales team. In 2002 we became The SEA BOVA Associates, Inc. So far there haven't been any hatchet murders in the office or at home, so I guess things are going pretty well. Mark: Do you have advice for anyone considering moving here to start a career? Linda and Bridget: The ocean lured so many of us here, didn't it? And being able to live in a healthy lesbian/gay community can be nourishing. But, while there's nothing better than living in a wonderful place, I always remind people that they should strive to do what they love in their careers, too. So, if we had one word of advice for someone moving here, we would tell them not to be afraid to start over againtake a job that you like, even if it doesn't pay as much...you may be surprised at how well things develop. Mark: Do you have a little-known Rehoboth Beach pleasure? Linda: I've been here since 1977 so sometimes it seems like all my time here has been a pleasure; all my memories of the wonderful times I have had and all of the people I have had a chance to meet. For example, right now I can vividly remember dancing in ankle-deep water at high tide at The Boat House in Dewey. That memory was from a long time ago, but that "spirit of fun," which still embraces this area, is my Rehoboth Beach secret pleasure. Bridget: Go to the beach, make a sundial in the sand, and enjoy the passing day...in that relaxation you'll find one of Rehoboth's purest pleasures. Mark: If you could preserve one aspect of Rehoboth Beach, what would it be? Linda and Bridget: We both wish that the surrounding farmlands would continue to be used for crops, but property values are too high to expect that rural characteristic to carry on. That wish would also deprive the land owners a just profit; so instead, we just hope that Sussex County, through responsible planning and zoning, can maintain the small-town atmosphere that has made this such a desirable place to call home. As for Rehoboth Beach, no matter how large our surrounding population grows, we hope the beauty of our beaches is preserved. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 14, No. 15 November 24, 2004 |