LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
by Steve Elkins, Editor |
Safety is a concern for all communities; resort areas face interesting challenges unique to their function as "get-away" vacation spots. For some reason, when we get-away from home we sometimes get-away from common sense as well. On the beach, our lifeguards watch the waters carefully, but they can do nothing to stop overindulgence in the intense summer sunor help a hangover, for that matter. Too much of what led to that hangover can cause even more of a headache, especially if the get-away becomes a put-away for drunk driving. Last week one of the RB police officers knocked on my door at 1 a.m. to tell me that an especially inebriated man had hit my carparked in its usual spot on Baltimore Avenuewith his head! Yep! I said headand hard enough to cause almost $600 worth of damage. Thank goodness he wasn't driving, but it does give new meaning to the expression "head-on collision." Have fun this summer, but do it safelyand keep an eye on friends and family while you're at it. Safety has always been the prime concern for CAMPsafe, our longtime HIV prevention program. At a time when many programs of its kind are facing deep budget cuts, CAMPsafe and other related programs under the direction of Sal Seeley have received continued and additional funding from the state. The new 2009 summer CAMPsafe media campaign is launching in this issue, and as always, the talented designers and photographers have created something special. Thousands of little CAMPsafe condom packages have to be assembled every year, and the "condom stuffing parties" as they are called have become quite the event. Call Sal for information on how to get involved. In politics, what was HB 5 (the non discrimination bill) has been recast as SB 121 and is finally expected to pass in both housessomething many of us have worked to achieve for a very long time. If all goes as we hope, Governor Markell will sign the bill into law right here at CAMP Rehoboth on June 27. As I commented in the last issue, because we only publish every two weeks, it's difficult to keep up-to-the-minute reports in these pages. We will send details and/or changes via email and facebook. CAMP-enotes, our online updates, are a great way to keep up with current CAMP Rehoboth events. Use the data base update form on our website to make sure you don't miss out on this or other activities and events. For several years, the art produced for the Heart of the Community Art Auction was auctioned at the annual Black and White Ball. Since that event has become the first night of the Love Weekend and re-christened LottoHEART, this years HEART paintings have also found a new home as a part of it. On page 14, HEART and Lotto chair Sondra Arkin continues her excellent coverage of this great new event, and writes about the HEART and Lotto artists who make it all possible. A whole Lotta Love Weekend enlists the help of some great talent in other areas, as well. For the third time, DJ Julian Marsh returns to the Convention Center for the Love Weekend. Julian's great Centaur "pride" CDs continue to add uplifting arms-in-the-air dance music to many of our music collections. He's joined by our talented light man Paul Turner. For LottoHEART, the one and only Mr. Christopher Peterson brings his Las Vegas style to the LottoHEART stage as host and MC of the festivities. Christopher's newest show opens on the night after Love at the Rehoboth Theatre of the Arts on Baltimore Avenue. The long time Blue Moon Bachelor auction to benefit the love weekend has morphed into a whole new event called the Blue Moon Amazing Race. Teams of four will be given progressive clues and a camera to document their own race to win $500. Entry fee includes a t-shirt and admission to the preview party that night. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 07 June 19, 2009 |