This is issue eight in our 29th season of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, which means that we are now past the halfway point in the 2019 publication schedule. This is also the July 4 issue—and the entertainment issue. Memorial Day weekend may be the official start of the summer season in Rehoboth Beach, but July 4 is when it really starts to sizzle—and not just with the rising temperatures! Have fun!▽
We used to call them the “boys” of 6 Futcher Drive. Nowadays they are most definitely the “men” of 6 Futcher, and they are once again raising funds and fun for CAMP Rehoboth and for our community at their infamous pool party during the July 4 holiday weekend. Under the title of Peace Out Pool Party, the party’s hosts have pronounced this to be “the last pool party.” Gay men are notoriously dramatic about their beach parties, so whether this is truly the last pool party I can only guess. In the meantime, don’t miss it—July 5, noon to 6 p.m., $20 requested donation. No matter what happens in the future, the hosts at 6 Futcher have supported CAMP Rehoboth for many years—they are generous and good-hearted. Peace out or not, love and happiness will abound on July 5.▽
There is another party at the end of the summer—the granddaddy of all RB summer parties—Sundance 2019 is celebrating 32 years. Two nights, three DJs, a monster auction/party, and the biggest dance party of the season! It is the not-to-be-missed event of the summer. To make it all happen we depend on Sponsors, Supporters, and Hosts, and now is the time to sign up to support this year’s spectacular event. The easiest way to sign up is to go to camprehoboth.com. This is CAMP Rehoboth’s biggest fundraiser. The work that CAMP Rehoboth does—from advocacy and our many health and wellness programs, to the daily operation of the community center—depends on money raised at Sundance. The Sponsors, Supporters, and Hosts of Sundance make a difference. Please, sign up today!▽
On June 14, Delmarva Today in Salisbury, Maryland aired a radio show that discussed the legacy of the Stonewall Riots and the current state of LGBTQ issues 50 years later. I joined two other guests, Michele Schlehofer, Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at Salisbury University, and Mark Delancey, President of Salisbury’s PFLAG chapter, for the program. Don Rush was the host. Our conversation reminded me of the arc of gay liberation that runs through the lives of people in my generation. Enough time has now passed for us to see parts of it from a historical perspective: the rebellion of the 1960s; the liberating freedom of the 1970s; the terrifying devastation and heartbreak of AIDS in the 1980s and early 90s; the maturing professionalism of LGBTQ organizations and leadership in the 2000s; same sex marriage and gender identity issues today. Don asked me if I was surprised at the speed of acceptance. Sometimes, yes I am, but what has been done can be undone, and we should not grow complacent in our success. There is still work to be done.▽
As my time in a leadership role at CAMP Rehoboth winds down, I am more and more aware of the need to document the organization’s past. My goal is to do some of that work this fall after the hectic pace of the summer season has subsided a bit. Next year, CAMP Rehoboth—and this magazine, Letters from CAMP Rehoboth—will celebrate its 30th Anniversary. For the past 30 years, I have talked about CAMP Rehoboth, written about CAMP Rehoboth, and preached the “room for all” gospel of CAMP Rehoboth. Intertwined in my writings—and Steve’s—for this magazine is the CAMP Rehoboth philosophy, and the spirit, heart, and soul of CAMP Rehoboth. The future will come soon enough, and with it new beginnings, new leadership, new programs, and new inspiration. That will not change the past, but it will, I hope, add amazing stories to the ones we already have.▽