CommunityNews SEE YOU IN SEPTEMBER!
Lambda Car Club Event Returns to Delaware after a COVID-19 Break
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n late September, locals may see something rarer than the sea birds and migrating birds that pass through every autumn. Falcons. Eagles. Skylarks. Road Runners. They are likely to be joined by imaginary creatures like Thunderbirds and Firebirds. What brings them to the beaches? It might be the annual Beach Ball Invitational weekend hosted by the Straight Eights region of the Lambda Car Club. The Straight Eights, which created their cheeky name back in 1982, are neither straight nor eight; their roster includes more than 150 local members in DC, Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware. The car club’s invitational weekend draws members from other regions, including New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio. “I can remember the first Beach Ball I attended in the 1990s,” recalls Ed Trenn, a longtime member and former regional president. “I drove to Rehoboth in my 1966 Dodge Monaco with a car
club buddy just as a tropical storm was blowing through. We were hunkering down at a hotel with members from Philly and Norfolk, watching it rain sideways across our old cars in the parking lot. Luckily it passed through quickly and left gorgeous weather for the rest of the weekend.” Most years, however, the Beach Ball had charmed weather. Any rain that fell would arrive after the traditional Saturday car show. Like hundreds of other groups, Bill made the painful decision in 2020 to cancel due to the pandemic. It was a first for the club, “but last year, it just wasn’t safe,” Bill acknowledged. “This year is so much better, but I see many businesses are still reeling.” This means that some plans for 2021 had to change, too. “We’re hoping to engage with the broader community this year, and see if any gay groups, especially young adults or students interested in cars, might want to be part of the show and learn more about the technology. We really want the
community to know we appreciate their openness. And every organization wants to bring in the next generation.” The 2021 car show will take place on Saturday, September 25, in Bethany Beach. Bill is hoping for another eclectic, engaging turnout of vehicles. The 2019 show featured about 60 cars of everything from classics like a 1926 Chrysler and a 1939 LaSalle to a pair of 2017 Alfa Romeos, and a customized 2019 Buick Regal TourX. Trucks, customs, and euro sports cars have also been welcome, because the national Lambda Car Club is open to everyone who takes pride in both their community and their “wheels.” As more of the Washington Metro LGBTQ+ community retires to the beach and nearby towns, their classic cars are seen on the roads more than just the September beach weekend. But keep your eye out for a greater influx at the end of the summer. A lot of interesting “family” cars will be making a special appearance. ▼
CAMP Houses Continued from page 46 restaurant. “Joyce loved to feature local art in the Moon’s dining room,” Rod explains. “She offered me a show and that’s technically what launched me in Rehoboth.” And it’s really when he started focusing on Rehoboth subjects. People love them. For the past 12 years, he’s exhibited his new work each summer at the Back Porch restaurant on Rehoboth Avenue. “It’s such an iconic restaurant, the first to bring fine dining to Rehoboth, and it’s a fantastic venue to sip wine, socialize, and view art.” While Rod painted, Charlie got involved in civic matters, eventually serving as president of the Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association (RBHA) from 2009 to 2020. It’s notable because it shows just how much the town has changed and grown over the years. The Homeowners Association back in the late 1980s and early 90s was not very Letters 82 AUGUST 20, 2021
gay friendly. Members were fearful of the changes that might come to Rehoboth with more and more gay folk buying into town. As I listen to Rod and Charlie talk, I’m struck by how their story is very much the story of gay Rehoboth and
its growth from a summertime sojourn to a full-fledged community. And at the heart of their story is their house. Yes, it’s a spot for art, but it’s much more. It’s also a place where life and friends and family take center stage. “You know,” Charlie tells me, “We love that so many of our Baltimore friends from the early group house days still come and spend the summer with us. We go to the beach and then have cocktails and a big communal dinner, just like we did back in the day. We’re very fortunate because it’s really all we need or want.” Amen to that. “Well, a little more wall space would be nice,” Rod chimes in with a smile. ▼ Rich Barnett is the author of The Discreet Charms of a Bourgeois Beach Town, and Fun with Dick and James.