Summer is past, and with this issue, Letters from CAMP Rehoboth returns to its monthly publication schedule. Considered by locals to be one of the best months of the year, September still feels like summer but less crowded. For all of us at CAMP Rehoboth it is also less frenetic. Publishing a magazine every two weeks requires an intense pace. Oh, and there’s the little matter of Sundance! So yes, there is a collective sigh of relief when summer ends—sad as we are to see it go!▽
This is the Our Town issue of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, and in its pages we celebrate this magical place we call home. Of course, we pretty much do that every single issue, but this time we’re being more deliberate about it. Don’t miss Scott Spangler’s story of how CAMP Rehoboth changed his life, or Michael Gilles’ piece on Rehoboth Beach City Manager Sharon Lynn.▽
An enormous word of thanks to everyone who pitched in to make Sundance 2019: Rainbow XXXII—Ultraviolet Disco Day-Glo Sunrise a success. Now in its 32nd year, the event has been re-energized by the addition of the Disco Twilight Tea. The doors opened for the dance on Sunday night and within minutes the dancefloor was packed—and stayed that way all night long. I say it every year, the extraordinary thing about Sundance is the incredible dedication and support that comes from Sponsors, Supporters, Hosts, auction donors, and volunteers. It is a team effort, and the result is a very special weekend like none other. As Robbie Leslie neared the end of his set, the entire room was vibrating with pure joy. This is a fundraiser, but as we always say, it is also a fun-raiser. And a community builder. And a rite of passage. All the tribes gather for Sundance. We are family!▽
Congratulations as well to Sundance Auctioneer Lorne Crawford and Auction MC Glen Pruitt who kept the Saturday night event moving at an exciting pace. “I could hear Steve on my shoulder,” Lorne told me after the auction ended. “Pick it up, pick it up.” I hear Steve’s voice in all that we do, but he would certainly have been grinning from ear to ear at the success of the live auction. After all, adding the auction night to the Sundance line-up was his idea.▽
Sundance also provided the first opportunity for new Executive Director David Mariner to be introduced to the community. David had been cautioned that we didn’t have much time for long speeches at that point in the auction, and what he chose to talk about was perfect—the community, the family of support that CAMP Rehoboth has built over the past 30 years. His words reminded me to look at it all through fresh eyes—to see it as though I was looking at it for the first time. The night also gave me the opportunity to thank CAMP Rehoboth Board President Chris Beagle for his leadership during this time of transition.▽
Ah yes, the transition. That’s where we are right now. By the time the October issue rolls around, David will be in place as the Executive Director (his official first day is October 7), and I will have slipped back into my role as Founder. I’m fine with that, by the way, and appreciate all who have inquired about my feelings. This is what we have been working for over the past year, and I’m trusting that our process was good enough to ensure success in the future. I’m not going away, and I will continue to work on certain things close to my heart, and to provide support for David when and wherever possible. For the remainder of this year, I will be reaching out to introduce David to as many folks as possible. Just to be kind to a new face in town, maybe we should all wear name tags—just like we did every time we went to summer camp! This is an exciting time. Let’s make the most of it! ▼