LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
CAMP Out |
by Fay Jacobs |
Col. Mustard's Legacy
Indulge me please, because today I am using my column as a personal correspondence to you, Letters readers, and more specifically, this column's readersto whom I owe a great deal. I don't have to tell you how passionate I am about CAMP Rehoboth. But you might not know why I am so passionate. Except for a few prior weekend or vacation visits, Bonnie and I first arrived in town for the summer of 1995. We spent our weekends aboard our boat, docked at the marina in Dewey. Our very first week here, we almost pulled anchor and left for good. At a Route One eatery called Col. Mustards, as we waited for our cheese steaks, we heard the owner/burger-flipper make hideously homophobic remarks. Disgusted, unnerved and furious, we left. I remembered reading Letters on the few visits I had made to Rehoboth and we set out to find out how to submit a letter to the editor to warn people about hate-filled Col. Mustard. That's when I first met Steve Elkins, CAMP's Executive Director and Letters editor. Not only did he tell me how to submit my letter, but despite never having met me before, he phoned the Mayor of Dewey Beach, described the incident, and asked the Mayor to pay Col. Mustard a visit. I cannot say that the two things are exactly correlated, but the place went bust shortly thereafter. That was the first time I saw CAMP Rehoboth go to bat for a member of Rehoboth's gay community, but certainly not the last. I watched CAMP staff and volunteers speak out to support residents, visitors or business owners, challenge the City fathers and police department to broaden their view of us and help make Beebe Hospital and area doctors' offices more welcoming to us. I watched CAMP leaders take up for folks who were harassed, questioning their sexuality or who were struggling with illness and addiction; I've seen CAMPers work to change hearts and minds of formerly hostile business owners, earn respect of City leaders for our community as a whole, and roll up their sleeves to help the YMCA, Main Street, the Film Society and more. After observing and writing about our community for over 14 years, I firmly believe that much of our freedom, safety, and integration into the fabric of Rehoboth is attributable to CAMP. Certainly not all. But much. Yes, I've heard grumblings about CAMP from some members of our own community. I'm amused that some women claim CAMP is more for men while some men say it has become mostly for women; people say they don't need the programs, the support groups, the dances; the golf league; volunteers say they are overworked; others say nobody calls them to volunteer. Some say "all they do is raise money" while others want to raise more money for more programs. Yes, it's an under-staffed, over-worked, sometimes messy, mostly incredibly organized and effective non-profit organization. CAMP was founded by a handful of people nineteen years ago when many of Rehoboth's gay men were dying and the rest of the gay community was hated and feared. While the president, executive director and a few board members from that era are still involved, (and hats off to them!) CAMP has been spreading its wings, involving many more people and helping our community in new and valuable ways. There is now a large Development Advisory Board made up of incredibly talented people, a new committee system adding more than 30 key positions and even more volunteers to manage current and new programs. Through my Main Street job I've taught a seminar called "Rainbow Flags on Main Street" at our National Conference. People from other communities with large gay populations are amazed at the integration of LGBT businesses and residents with the Rehoboth straight community. They love the idea of a central organization bringing all of our communities together. They are jealous that we have CAMP and their town doesn't. So here's my point. Most non-profits are sustained by membership. CAMP has been sustained by generous friends, community-minded sponsors, ticket-buyers, auctions, art-shows, ads in Letters, and other important but non-membership based methods. Now, to sustain the organization for the future, CAMP has launched a membership program. Not only will it provide operating funds, but a strong membership will give us added credibility with the City, the legislature and other organizations. A group with thousands of members has incredible clout; we have thousands of names on our mailing list, but nothing tangible. Now we will. From my heart, I am asking you, my gay and straight readers alike, to consider adding yourself or your family to the CAMP Membership roster. (See page 17.) There are many levels of commitment so if you choose to join, you can do it at whatever level feels meaningful to you. I hope you will join up to help support the organization and make our numbers speak loud and clear. Cheers, and see you on CAMPus.Fay Jacobs may be contacted at www.fayjacobs.com. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 05 May 22, 2009 |