LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
by Steve Elkins, Editor |
"Are You Ready To Ride?" is the name of the Rodney Cook painting on the front cover of this issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth. In recent years, much of Rod's work has focused on familiar Rehoboth scenesone of the reasons his paintings make such good cover images for us. This piece is from his new show, Fast Rides and Wild Skies!, opening at the Back Porch Caf on August 8 (reception, August 12 from 4-6 p.m.). To find out about more art events and other activities happening in town, see the CAMPdates page.
Usually at this time of the year, life around CAMP Rehoboth is all Sundance all the time, and while this year is much the same where Sundance is concerned, there is also the added element of the approaching groundbreaking and construction for Phase Two of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. The construction is scheduled to begin after the summer season ends. The Groundbreaking Ceremony and Champagne Toast will take place on August 18 at 5 p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth. The big event for Labor Day Weekend is Sundance 2007, and this yearbelieve it or notwe're celebrating the 20th anniversary of Sundance. The first Sundance, as we've said so many times over the years, was a 10th anniversary party for Murray and me so next year we'll be celebrating 30 years togetherbut I'm getting ahead of myself. On page 6 Murray looks back to the first Sundance and remembers the people who made it possible and the times that made it necessary. To buy tickets or to purchase Sundance t-shirts or this year's Sundance printHeart Field in Motiongo to sundancebenefit.com or call the CAMP office. While I'm on the subject of Sundance, the 2007 Sundance team captains gathered last week at the home of Arthur Dochterman and Keith Neale to get everyone together for one big meeting before we all get to work on our individual responsibilities. While we were all together we took a moment to let everyone explain what they do. As the evening was ending, Maggie Ottato, who has worked on Sundance for years, stopped me to say, "That was fascinating. I'm always so busy doing my job, I had no idea what everyone else was doing." Last year we had over 180 volunteers work on Sundance. Why? Because not only is it a good thing to do, but the act of participating is a lot of fun as well. Starting on the Tuesday before Labor Day weekend the "cast and crew" of this year's 20th anniversary Sundance 2007: The Fantastic Voyage of the Starship Rainbow will begin the set-up process at the Convention Center. Anyone wishing to join in the fun can just stop by the Convention Center, find one of the Team Captains and say, "beam me up, Scotty." Welcome aboard! As a member of the Delaware Human Relations Commission, I was given a preview of some photos and information sent out to the press this week. The photos showed the hateful graffiti painted on a bridge near South Bowers Beachthe outline of a dead body, the "n-word," and a swastika. The information also detailed an account by Marian Harris, Executive Director of the Dover House of Pride, who went to look at the graffiti in the House of Pride van with several of her residents, and was then chased for six terrifying miles by a red SUV. One of the roles of the Human Relations Commission is to promote understanding among the different ethnic, racial and cultural groups in Delaware. Though hate crime legislationthat includes sexual orientation, by the waydoes exist in Delaware, acts like this remind us that the fight is far from over. The Human Relations Commission works to build bridges among those who are different. The bridge with the graffiti is on Brokenbridge Road. Yes, we still have a lot of bridges, of all sorts, that need mending. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 17, No. 11 August 10, 2007 |