LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
by Steve Elkins, Editor |
This is the Memorial Day issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth and with it we welcome the 2009 summer season here in Rehoboth Beachand welcome back all of our summer friends and visitors. Here at CAMP Rehoboth, we're thrilled to be finished with the construction of our new Community Center wing and courtyard and invite everyone to join us on Saturday, May 30 at 5 p.m. for our official Dedication and Grand Opening. For more about the Dedication, see the CAMPmatters page of this issue.
Even as we celebrate the opening of our new Community Center space, we are also deeply saddened by the news that Sussex County AIDS Council (SCAC) is closing its doors after almost twenty years of serving the HIV/AIDS community here in southern Delaware. Started by community activists in the early days of the AIDS epidemic, SCAC has touched the lives of countless individuals over the years. Though now there are other organizations capable of taking on the work of SCAC, it was groundbreaking in its day and will be missed by clients, volunteers, and our community. On page 32, Glen Pruitt, Associate Executive Director of the Delaware HIV Consortium, talks with SCAC President Curt Barrows about the closing. For all of us who have been watching HB 5 (the non-discrimination bill) as it works its way through Legislative Hall, the failure of the Senate Executive Committee to vote the bill out of committee was not surprising. Senators Blevins and Sorenson voted yes; Senators Adams, DeLuca, Cook and Simpson did not. Senate rules require bills to remain in committee for twelve legislative days, so on June 2, a petition to release the bill will be presented. Those of us who have worked for many years to pass this legislation are very optimistic that we'll have the support of the eleven Senators needed to release the bill from committeeand ultimately to see it become law. Not long ago, Fay Jacobs and I conducted our annual CAMP Rehoboth Diversity Training for the Rehoboth Beach summer police. Over the years, that session has become something very different than it was back in 1992 when we first enlisted the aid of diversity trainers from Washington to help us through the process. Now the young officers are much more accepting of the kind of community that exists here in Rehoboth Beach, and the discussion covers everything from harassment to available resources. Most of all it is a reminder that everyone should be treated equallywhich means, by the way, that breaking the law will get you arrested equally fastgay or straight. We're excited about LottoHEART, the newest event of the summerand the first night of the Whole Lotta Love Weekend over the Fourth of July holiday. The second night of the Love Weekend is the annual Big Love Dance with DJ Julian Marsh. Making this weekend happen requires the efforts of manyespecially Sponsors. To sign up to be a sponsor of Love Weekend, (which includes admission to the fabulous Love Lounge at the dance), go to camprehoboth.com and click on the Love button. Tickets to both events as well as ticket packages are also available online. Just a reminder to Sponsors, CAMP Rehoboth membership discounts apply to sponsor levels as well as ticket purchases. Looking ahead to August 15, comedian and writer Bruce Vilanch will be performing for the first time in Rehoboth Beach, in a benefit for CAMP Rehoboth at the Rehoboth Convention Center. Bruce's comedic writing skills are legendary, and his talent has played a big part in the success of many of our most beloved comedians including Bette Midler, Whoopi Goldberg, and Billy Crystal. From his stint on Hollywood Squares to the writing he's done for the Academy Award shows, Bruce has kept us laughing for yearseven when we didn't know it was coming from him! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 05 May 22, 2009 |