This is the April issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, and i’m hopeful that this very long winter is finally coming to an end. Enough of the Polar Vortex, right? We’re all ready for spring, I’m sure—and the summer to follow! Sadly, we’re all going to have to get used to changing climates, I’m afraid. Reports from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change say that humans have already done terrible damage to the planet, and the results will come in forms we have not really thought much about. “It’s not just about melting ice, threatened animals and plants,” says The Washington Post. “It’s about the human problems of hunger, disease, drought, flooding, refugees and war, becoming worse.” As much as we don’t want to think about climate change, we do live in a coastal area and we will be impacted by it at some point—probably sooner than we think.

Beginning April 10, CAMP Rehoboth will present the annual Women’s FEST in Rehoboth Beach. Though it has not always been called Women’s “FEST,” this is the 14th women’s weekend produced by CAMP Rehoboth. All of which grew out of series of community workshops we did back in the ‘90s—as did the concept of building CAMP Rehoboth into a full service community center! We are very proud of Women’s FEST, and very grateful to the many volunteers who have worked to make this year’s four day event a reality—especially the Women’s FEST 2014 Committee and its chairs, Dottie Cirelli and Donna Whiteside—and to all the people who have served on the Women’s Committee over the last 14 years. Women’s FEST would not be what it is without the work of each and every one of them. Already this year, we have sold more FEST Passes than ever before, and all the workshops and events are filling up fast. Tickets to FEST headliners Chely Wright and Karen Williams are going fast, as well, so don’t wait! FEST Passes, tickets, and registration can all be done on the CAMP Rehoboth website.

CAMP Rehoboth is pleased to be a beneficiary of the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Wine + Food Festival, May 14-18. The Wine and Food Festival assembles over 46 different events all over the state of Delaware, with more than 90 chefs and 20 winemakers from all over the world. This is the way it works: Certain events are designated as CAMP Rehoboth events, and we will receive 50% of the net proceeds from them. At all other events, ticket purchasers may designate CAMP Rehoboth to receive 10% of the ticket price upon checkout. The CAMP Rehoboth designated events to date are: The American Express 1000 Point Wine Tasting (South); The Art of Food Winemakers Dinner; Winemaker’s Dinner; Barefoot Black Tie; and the Winemaker’s Lunch in Rehoboth. For more information or to purchase tickets to the events, go to MAWFF.org.

CAMP Rehoboth’s Board of Directors recently embarked on a yearlong training with the Delaware Alliance for Non-Profit Advancement (DANA). The “Achieving Board Excellence” program is designed to “develop the governance function of nonprofit Boards of Directors and thereby the community impact of the nonprofit organizations themselves.” The training has paired our Board of Directors with a consultant who is providing a learning and implementation process based on nationally accepted practices. CAMP Rehoboth is fortunate to have an extremely committed Board of Directors, passionately committed to preparing this organization for the future.

Last week, Murray posted a photo of Lori’s Café on Facebook captioned: “A sure sign of spring! Lori’s Café in the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard opens today for its 18th season.” Congratulations to Lori and her staff! She is a vital part of the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard, and we always know that summer is just around the corner when Lori reopens for the season. Yum! I think I might need a little of Lori’s famous chicken salad!