Living in Rehoboth has brought many new surprises; among them are the snow geese that have made themselves at home in my neighborhood. For those who may not know, hundreds of thousands of these birds take residence along the coast of Delaware in the winter months, taking refuge from the colder northern climates. As a newcomer, I have marveled at their beauty, and grace, and frankly, their sheer numbers.▽
For me, they are a powerful reminder of seasonal change that is unique to Rehoboth. Our area has its own unique rhythms, many of which I am still discovering: the influx and departure of summer visitors; the Sea Witch Festival; the Christmas tree lighting. There are many wonderful traditions that make Rehoboth such a great place to live.▽
As Murray Archibald writes in his column, change is inevitable. One change you will notice in this issue is our managing editor, Mary Shockley, taking the reins from Fay Jacobs. Fay has always been an important part of Letters and CAMP Rehoboth, and we are thrilled that she will continue to write for Letters.▽
Just as natural as change, however, are those cycles and seasons that fill our lives, and CAMP Rehoboth has plenty of these as well. One such tradition that I found very meaningful this year was our World AIDS Day event. Another annual event I look forward to is the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Annual Spring Concert. The chorus concerts have been a wonderful addition to our community dating back to 2009.▽
A newer tradition is our involvement in Black History Month. We were thrilled to partner with Southern Delaware Alliance for Racial Justice this month for a bus trip to the National African American History Museum, and look forward to our 2nd Annual Black History Month Celebration and Art Exhibit. Be sure to read this issue for more details.▽
We also remember February 7th as National Black Aids Awareness Day. HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately impact the African American community in Delaware. In this issue you’ll read more about our work doing HIV testing in partnership with the Macedonia AME Church in Seaford, Delaware. I look forward to seeing us continue this important work in the year ahead.▽
And of course, as we embark on another annual cycle, beginning a new volume of Letters, it is important to note that this is not only the 30th volume of Letters, but also the 30th anniversary of CAMP Rehoboth.▽
This anniversary provides a tremendous opportunity to reflect and celebrate our past and recommit to our future. This year we will be partnering with noted historian and author James Sears. You can look forward to some fascinating articles from James in upcoming issues on our history and the history of Rehoboth Beach. (And if you have a story to share with him, I’m sure he’ll want to hear it.) A 30th anniversary would not be complete without a celebration or two as well. Our 30th Anniversary Committee is hard at work planning exactly that. Stay tuned!▽
I look forward to celebrating our 30th with you. I look forward to learning even more of our history. And finally, I look forward to learning about and being part of all the traditions and events that make CAMP Rehoboth such a great place to be. ▼