LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
| by Steve Elkins, Editor |
| When Murray and I started coming to Rehoboth back in the early 80s, it was for the same reason that most people go to a seaside resortto relax and enjoy the summer season. Then we moved here and everything changed. Instead of our playground it became our workplace, and for that reasonand though I still love summertime in RehobothI'm always a little glad when the season ends and we have time to relax. Autumn, as I've said many times in these pages, is my favorite time of the year and fortunately for us provides a number of ways for us to enjoy ourselves after the high season has ended. As this issue, for example, hits the stands, one of the mainstays of the Rehoboth Autumn seasonthe 16th Annual Rehoboth Beach Autumn Jazz Festivalwill already be in full swing. If you're just arriving in town for the weekend and haven't made any jazz plans yet see page 78 of this issue.
November, of course, is not only the beginning of the holiday season, but also the time for the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival. As anyone who has followed this column over the years knows already, the Film Festival is one of my favorite events of the year. Once again CAMP Rehoboth is a sponsor of the Festival, primarily because of the extraordinary way it brings together the different parts of our communityboth gay and straight. The Film Festival is November 9-13 and the best way to enjoy it is to purchase a membership level in the Film Society that allows you to buy tickets in advance. For information about the 2005 Film Festival see see elsewhere in this issue or contact the Rehoboth Beach Film Society at 302-645-9095 or visit www.rehobothfilm.com. Since 1997 the CAMPsafe program of CAMP Rehoboth has been providing condoms and safe sex information to men in the Rehoboth area. In recent years the program, under the direction of Sal Seeley, has also been offering HIV testing and counselingthough due to shortages earlier this year, those tests were discontinued. Starting on October 27, however, Sal will once again be able to offer HIV testing at CAMP Rehoboth and this time it will be a rapid test so results can be had in only 20 minutes instead of the two weeks the previous test required. For more information on the rapid test see Sal's CAMPsafe column on page 88 of this issue, call him at CAMP Rehoboth, or email salvatoreseeley@aol.com. While I'm on the subject of CAMPsafe, let me say thank you to all those who helped to develop and create this year's very clever CAMPsafe "game plan" campaign. If you have not have a chance to pick up one of the safe sex card game packs created especially for this season's theme, I understand there are still some available. The campaign was created by Sal, Michael Muller, Sondra Arkin, and Mary Beth Ramsey. As in previous years all the CAMPsafe models were photographed by the talented Judy Rolfeour thanks to her and to all the models. One of the last events of every year for CAMP Rehoboth is the World AIDS Day Candlelight Walk and Service of Remembrance and Hope. Usually the walk goes from the Bandstand to Epworth United Methodist Church. With all the Streetscape work happening in the first block of Rehoboth Avenue this year, I'm not sure exactly what the plan will be, but certainly we will continue with the activities even if we need to change the location of the walk. Watch these pages for details, or call CAMP Rehoboth. To volunteer for the event or for any other activities of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, call or stop by the CAMP Rehoboth office. If you have not had a chance to visit the new Community Center space at 37 Baltimore, stop in for a visit. My thanks to all who have helped us to get to this point in the development of the Center. Happy Halloween! |
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LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 15, No. 14 October 14, 2005 |