Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 32, No. 2

Women’s History Spring & Shamrocks FEST Is Coming!

C R E A T I N G

A

M O R E

P O S I T I V E

R E H O B O T H

March 4, 2022 Volume 32, Number 2 camprehoboth.com

inside 4 In Brief

THIS ISSUE

VOLUME 32, NUMBER 2 • MARCH 4, 2022

28 Out & About

58 Dining Out

ERIC PETERSON

MICHAEL GILLES

Love Is (Color) Blind

News & Notes

6 Here In Delaware DAVID MARINER

30 It’s My Life

8 President’s View

MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

WES COMBS

A Trip to JAM Bistro

60 Byways

Talkin’ Bout My Generator

Gay Matchmaker Amari Ice Aims for the Heart MIKEY ROX

34 Historical Headliners

10 CAMP News 12 Community News 14 Women’s (FEST) History We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby FAY JACOBS

70 The Real Dirt

Rebel with a Cause: Roger Casement

Red and Wild, that’s Your Theme

ANN APTAKER

ERIC W. WAHL

36 Out & Proud

72 Visiting View GAG Me

Books Banning — the New/Old Plot Twist

ROBERT DOMINIC Artist Spotlight features conductor Sharon Still. See page 53.

STEFANI DEOUL

18 Guest House Chronicles Rainbow Seeds

42 Before the Beach Baruch Haba, Rabbi Julie MICHAEL GILLES

TOM KELCH

20 Straight Talk

Rebel With a (Common) Cause DAVID GARRETT

22 Health & Wellness

44 CAMPshots

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts!

Finding Friends and Fun in the Deep Freeze

48 View Point

What the Censors’ Targets Reveal RICHARD ROSENDALL

Listen to Your Body PATTIE CINELLI

74 We Remember

50 Q-Puzzle

Romance Parade

52 CAMP Arts DOUG YETTER

54 The Writing Life Radical Acceptance in a Radical Space

24 Words Matter

MATTY BROWN

CLARENCE FLUKER

Looking at that Score Again

ON THE COVER

Special thanks to our cover models, Kim Nelson and Lori Simmons. See page 4.

Photo by Murray Archibald

56 HRC-MEI Redux

Stop the Silence

MATTY BROWN

See page 60

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth welcomes submissions. Email editor@camprehoboth.com.

Photographs must be high resolution (300 dpi).

Documents should be sent as attachments in Microsoft Word®. Deadline for submissions is two weeks prior to the issue release date.

Letters 2

MARCH 4, 2022

PUBLISHER David Mariner EDITOR Marj Shannon EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE Matty Brown DESIGN AND LAYOUT Mary Beth Ramsey ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Tricia Massella DISTRIBUTION Mark Wolf CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Aptaker, Matty Brown, Pattie Cinelli, Wes Combs, Stefani Deoul, Robert Dominic, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, David Garrett, Michael Gilles, Fay Jacobs, Tom Kelch, David Mariner, Tricia Massella, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Richard Rosendall, Mikey Rox, Marj Shannon, Eric Wahl, Doug Yetter

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth is published 13 times per year, between February and December, as a program of CAMP Rehoboth Inc., a non-profit community service organization. CAMP Rehoboth seeks to create a more positive environment of cooperation and understanding among all people. Revenue generated by advertisements supports CAMP Rehoboth’s purpose as outlined in our mission statement.

The inclusion or mention of any person, group, or business in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth does not, nor is it intended in any way, to imply sexual orientation or gender identity. The content of the columns are the views and opinions of the writers and may not indicate the position of CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. © 2022 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved by CAMP Rehoboth. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the editor.

The Way I See It

CAMP REHOBOTH

MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE

BY MARJ SHANNON, EDITOR

MISSION CAMP Rehoboth is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community service organization dedicated to creating a positive environment inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities in Rehoboth Beach and its related communities. We seek to promote cooperation and understanding among all people, as we work to build a safer community with room for all.

VISION We create proud and safe communities where gender identity and sexual orientation are respected.

PURPOSE Promoting the health and wellness of our community through a variety of programs including HIV testing and counseling, mental health support, fitness classes, mindfulness classes, support for LGBTQ youth, and building community and support.

Promoting artistic expressions and creative thinking, and giving aid to artists and craftspeople with an emphasis on the works of LGBTQ people.

Advocating for our community to build a safe and inclusive community through voter information, education, and registration; and analysis of issues and candidates.

Education and outreach to the larger community, including sensitivity training seminars, and printed materials to promote positive images of LGBTQ people and our allies.

Networking resources and information by publishing a newsletter, and functioning as an alternative tourist bureau and information center.

PRESIDENT Wesley Combs VICE PRESIDENT Leslie Ledogar SECRETARY Mike DeFlavia TREASURER Bea Vuocola AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Chris Beagle, Jane Blue, Pat Catanzariti, David Garrett, David Mariner (non-voting), Jason Darion Mathis-White, Natalie Moss, Tara Sheldon, and Leslie Sinclair EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR David Mariner

CAMP REHOBOTH 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 tel 302-227-5620 | email editor@camprehoboth.com www.camprehoboth.com

I

’m seeing it a little brighter and often sunnier these days. (And feeling it a little warmer most days, too!) I’m also simply seeing more: the days actually are longer, at last. My crocuses are about to bloom; the mini-daffodils won’t be far behind. Ah, spring!

This issue brings you news of another cherished spring tradition: Women’s FEST! Finally back full-force and in-person, it promises days of fun, sports, speakers, art, music, and camaraderie. Meet one of the FEST speakers, veteran political strategist Patti Solis Doyle, in David Mariner’s column on page 6. Browse the current line-up of events on 17. Maybe you’re new to FEST, and would like to know its history? We’re here for you! See page 14 for some historic highlights.

Of course, this issue is not all about Women’s FEST, exciting as that is. So, what else is on offer? Well, there’s a new rabbi at Seaside Jewish Community; if you haven’t already met her, Michael Gilles provides an introduction in Before the Beach. And David Garrett profiles local notable Claire Snyder-Brown, Executive Director of Common Cause Delaware, in his Straight Talk column.

CAMP Rehoboth’s own Matty Brown gives us a more in-depth look at Rehoboth Beach’s disappointing score on the HRC’s most recent Municipal Equality Index. Stefani Deoul and Richard Rosendall offer perspectives on efforts to ban books; Robert Dominic invites us to learn about (maybe even join?) Gays Against Guns. Eric Peterson welcomes the abundance of interracial couples he’s seeing on both small and large screens—but would love to see more substance to those relationships.

And don’t miss Clarence Fluker’s poignant column, Words Matter, where he implores us to stop the silence around topics like mental health. As the poet Phyllis McGinley noted, “Words can sting like anything, but silence breaks the heart.”

Looking for something a little lighter? Try Mikey Rox’s interview with Amari Ice, the first Black, gay, certified matchmaker in the entire love industry. Or Matty’s conversation with Monique Fauxnique, whose memoir (Faux Queen) was published in January. Michael Thomas Ford takes us into his basement—it even offers running water! Maybe the springlike weather has you thinking “lawn-and-garden”? Eric Wahl has some ideas you’ll want to consider.

Heading into spring, I’m hoping you can help us fill the lower right-hand corner of In Brief (page five) in future issues. We want to populate that corner with photos of you—enjoying Letters—at far-flung (or even nearby) locales. So as you prepare (at last!) to travel, pack the latest issue and send us a high res photo along the way—we’d love to see Letters take a road trip or flight or cruise or....

Thanks for reading Letters. I can be reached at editor@camprehoboth.com, if you’d like to let me know what you think.

CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to CAMP Rehoboth are considered charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes and may be deducted to the fullest extent of the law.

A copy of our exemption document is available for public inspection.

MARCH 4, 2022

3 Letters

— ON THE COVER — ­

CAMPsafe Stories by Patricia Clear

Patricia Clear is an HIV Testing Counselor at CAMP Rehoboth.

O

IN HONOR OF St. Patrick’s Day on March 17, Kim Nelson and Lori Simmons wear green on our cover.

Kim and Lori are regular volunteers at CAMP Rehoboth. Readers might recognize Kim from her Thursday morning shift at the front CAMPcierge desk helping to answer phones and greet community members. Lori joins her at many CROP (CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program) volunteer events.

Kim’s favorite St Paddy’s Day memories revolve around dancing the night away with college friends in West Hollywood, while Lori’s involve annual celebrations and shenanigans with her Irish-identifying best friend, Laura.

As far as Irish heritage goes, ancestry.com tells Lori that she is only two percent Irish. However, one of Kim’s great-great-grandfathers immigrated to Minnesota from County Donegal, Ireland and then served with the Union Army during the US Civil War. Kim’s favorite St. Paddy’s Day drink? Draft Guinness, of course! And she enjoys a good shepherd’s pie for her meal. Lori doesn’t drink beer, so she celebrates with Irish whiskey.

Also, she may have Lucky Charms for breakfast. They’re magically delicious!

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ▼ Letters 4

MARCH 4, 2022

n February 2, at the ACE Peer Resource Center in Georgetown, I was testing a client. She asked if I had any knowledge of how she could get her disability information from Social Security and how she could get a new Medicaid card from the Department of Health & Social Services (DHSS).

After she received her HIV test, I began to investigate by calling the Social Security Administration (SSA) and DHSS. I called the Community Partner Support Unit in Dover and spoke to my contact who was able to get her the Medicaid replacement card. We then proceeded to call the SSA and were able to determine that the SSA did not have a current address for her and that they were missing information needed to determine

if she is eligible for the disability benefits.

After speaking to the SSA on the client’s behalf, it was agreed that her mail would be sent to the ACE Peer Resource Center in Georgetown because she is currently experiencing houselessness.

We were able to locate some of the paperwork that is needed in her bags and make copies of them to send to the SSA. The client was very grateful and stated that no one would take the time to help her; she thanked me for my patience while helping her.

Because CAMPsafe is tasked with health and wellness issues, I try to not only provide HIV testing and counseling, but also help in getting resources for the clients that we serve here in Sussex County. ▼

The Fay Jacobs Scholarship Is Live!

CAMP Rehoboth is pleased to announce a new opportunity in the Fay Jacobs Scholarship, open to all Delaware high school juniors and seniors. Essays must be submitted by May 8, with the winner notified May 25.

The winner will receive $500 towards their higher education. Essays must be no more than 750 words and focus on the importance of LGBTQ Pride. In addition to the scholarship, the winning essay will be printed in the Pride issue (June 17) of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth. For more guidelines and information, please visit camprehoboth.com/fayjacobs. ▼ The Fay Jacobs scholarship fund was established to honor Fay Jacobs for her work here at CAMP Rehoboth and in the larger LGBTQ Community. Contributions may be made directly to the Delaware Community Foundation at: camprehoboth.com/fayjacobs.

Pick-up a COVID-19 Rapid Test!

Missed your government sanctioned tests?

Thanks to the First State Community Action Agency, CAMP Rehoboth received a sizable donation of COVID-19 rapid test kits—each containing two tests. Feel free to stop by CAMP Rehoboth and pick up one kit per household while supplies last. ▼

Delaware Legislation Introduced that Threatens Protections for Trans Youth

N

ew legislation has been introduced in Delaware that would require student athletes to play on sports teams that are aligned with the sex they were assigned at birth. This threatens protections and security for transgender youth in schools.

The bill’s primary sponsor, Rep. Timothy Dukes, points to promoting fairness in sports as the motivating factor for this legislation.

In a column featured in last March’s Letters, an anonymous activist and mother of a trans child disagreed with Rep. Dukes’ reasoning: “I’m tired of talking about the mythic superhuman athlete. I want to talk about the average trans kid’s experience.” In other words, the issue is “about not understanding who trans girls are,” the mother said.

“It’s just another distraction—distracting from the fact that these are human rights,” said the mother.

While this legislation does not have much support going forward, it points to a larger national issue. Last year, the ACLU reported an estimated 30 states were considering antitransgender legislation.

CAMP Rehoboth is available to create an open dialogue and work with local legislators on the harmful effects of legislation such as that introduced by Rep. Dukes. CAMP Rehoboth is also open to working with Delaware school districts to codify trans-affirming protections in the classroom, such as those passed in the Red Clay school district last December and the Christina School District nearly a year ago. ▼

Women’s FEST Passes on Sale!

Women’s FEST Passes and tickets are all on sale now at camprehoboth. com. For $90, a FEST Pass contains tickets to the headline Friday performance by Chely Wright with opener Christine Havrilla, the hilarious trio Funny Girlz, early seating to these shows, and a FEST t-shirt.

Plus, on top of the FEST Pass, there’ll be plenty more entertainment throughout the weekend, including one-of-a-kind shows by Regina Sayles, Sug Daniels, Fay Jacobs (see CAMP News), and Mama’s Black Sheep.

Don’t miss speakers like Senator Marie Pinkney; Founding Chief Executive Officer of Out & Equal, Selisse Berry; prize-winning artist Liz Bradbury; political advisor Patti Solis Doyle; and Saundra Johnson, who was appointed by Governor Carney to serve as Director of Statewide Equity Initiatives.

Many touchstone events return to make this year’s Women’s FEST one for the books, such as the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk and the Georgette Krenkel Welcome Dance Party. Check out page 17 for a more detailed lineup of events and refresh yourself on FEST history on page 14. ▼

AARP Tax Prep at CAMP Rehoboth

T

he first few weeks of AARP’s tax filing program saw a massive turnout at CAMP Rehoboth! Through April 7, CAMP Rehoboth is hosting AARP Tax Prep and Filing appointments, free of charge and for all ages. Due to COVID, participants must schedule a time to drop off their tax documents and work is done remotely. Participants then pick up their completed returns the following Thursday. To schedule a time, please call CAMP at 302-227-5620 or e-mail info@camprehoboth.com. ▼

CAMP REHOBOTH THANKS OUR PREMIER SPONSORS

For information on how to become a CAMP Rehoboth Annual Sponsor, email development@camprehoboth.com or call 302-227-5620.

MARCH 4, 2022

5 Letters

HERE in Delaware

BY DAVID MARINER, CAMP REHOBOTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Getting Knocked Down, Getting Back Up

P

atti Solis Doyle first learned this lesson at an early age. She had a full scholarship to Northwestern University that she subsequently lost. But she didn’t let that stop her. In order to finish her degree, she had to work days and go to school at nights, taking seven and a half years to finish a four-year degree.

As she had no immediate post-graduation plans, her brother helped her get a job working on the campaign for Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. It was there she discovered her passion for working on campaigns, a love affair that has lasted for 40 years. And it was that experience that led to her getting on a plane and heading to Arkansas to work on a presidential campaign for a not-yet-widelyknown candidate, Governor Bill Clinton.

“I jumped at the opportunity not because I thought he would win, but because I loved campaigns so much.”

At the time, the Governor’s wife, Hillary, had no staff to support her in a growing number of tasks she needed to do to support the campaign. At first, Patti did not want to work for the candidate’s wife, but she was not given a choice.

Thus began an 18-year partnership with Hillary Clinton.

That is how, at 25, Patti found herself standing outside the White House preparing for her first day as senior advisor to Hillary Clinton. The accomplishment was even more meaningful given her story. Patti was the youngest of six siblings.

Her parents, Santiago and Alejandrina, immigrated to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico. English was not her first language. She grew up poor. “Like food stamps poor.”

“The first day I just stood outside the place and looked at it and started crying because I never thought I would get to this place in my lifetime.”

Like Patti, the First Lady also knew all too well that when you get knocked down, you have to get up again and keep going. Hillary Clinton was in charge of health care in 1994; not only did it not Letters 6

MARCH 4, 2022

succeed, but because of that failure seats were lost in the midterm election.

“She took it on the chin, like so many of us when we fail. She recouped. She said, ‘I didn’t get universal health care, but what can we get?’. Hillary worked hard to get health care for children

“You’re going to get knocked down.

That’s true in political campaigns, and that’s true in life. The important thing is to pick yourself up and keep going.” through the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and laid the groundwork for further advances in health care.”

Of all the work done at the White House, Patti is particularly proud of Hillary Clinton’s trip to Beijing in 1985 for the International Conference on Women, where Hillary proudly proclaimed, “human rights are women’s rights—and women’s rights are human rights.”

“At the time there were those in the White House and State Department that

did not want the First Lady to speak at this conference, afraid of damaging a nascent relationship with China. I am extremely proud of that speech.”

Patti took leave from the White House to run Hillary Clinton’s Senate campaign in New York state. Senator Clinton made history in 2000 by becoming the first First Lady to be elected to office.

Fast forward to 2008 and Patti becomes the campaign manager for Hillary Clinton’s presidential primary campaign, making Patti Solis Doyle the first Hispanic woman to run a presidential campaign.

Things did not go quite as planned. Patti was dropped as campaign manager after some poor showings in the primary.

“Sadly, I did not win. In fact, I got fired because we were losing—I felt like I let so many people down when that happened. It was a real heartache for me, but I picked myself up—which is what this business teaches you to do. And when I got back on the horse, these young Hispanic women would come up to me and tell me I was a role model for them. I realized I didn’t let people down.”

Like a professional, she picked herself up, dusted herself off, and kept going.

Soon she found herself working for Barack Obama.

“My job was to figure out the launch for the vice president—who is it going to be? What is the launch like? We had different roll-out plans depending on who the president selected.”

Patti was excited when Barack Obama selected Joe Biden to be the vice presidential nominee. “His sons had kids at the same school that my kids were at.

So we knew each other and liked each other very much.”

“Joe Biden’s experience, particularly in Washington and in foreign policy, and Joe Biden’s ability to speak to working class people—the way he spoke and what he said resonated—were so powerful. The experience was a whirlwind. It’s one of those jobs when you go from 0 to 60 overnight.”

Continued on next page

On election night, the campaign gathered in Chicago to await the election results. Patti returned to her hometown and the city where she worked on her very first political campaign.

She will never forget that history-making election night and seeing the president-elect and vice president-elect walking on to the stage.

“Obviously, I was incredibly disappointed that Hillary Clinton lost the nomination—but the fact that we lost to Barack Obama who became the first African American president made it easier.”

Patti looks forward to seeing the day when a woman is elected president. She notes, “the bar is still higher for women. You have to be smarter—look better—dress better— you just have to be better than a man and that is astonishing for me. There is still a great deal of sexism in this country.”

Looking back on her career, the many years she spent with Hillary Clinton give her great pride.

“Looking back, what I’m most proud of is the small role that I played in making Hillary Clinton a trailblazer for all women of all ages all around the world. More and more women are running for office—not just president, but other important offices like school board, mayor, and congress—which is fantastic.”

Patti Solis Doyle is a speaker at Women’s FEST 2022.

Hear Patti Saturday, April 9, at 1:15 p.m., at the Atlantic Sands Hotel. Learn more about Women’s FEST and see a complete schedule at camprehoboth.com/womensfest.▼ David Mariner is Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth.

MARCH 4, 2022

7 Letters

President’s View

BY WESLEY COMBS

Tending an Oasis

W

hen I tell someone I am on the board of CAMP Rehoboth, there are two types of responses. For those who are unfamiliar with the center, they usually ask, “What’s that?” This is my favorite one because it gives me an opportunity to talk about the amazing services CAMP Rehoboth provides to LGBTQ+ people as well as those living in greater Sussex County.

If they know CAMP Rehoboth, most times I hear “That’s great. CAMP is the heart of our community.” This immediately brings a smile to my face because this describes the very vision co-founders Murray Archibald and Steve Elkins had for CAMP Rehoboth from the beginning. In fact, our logo—a big red heart inside the outline of a home sitting on what looks like a foundation of rainbow building blocks—embodies this theme perfectly and was designed by Murray himself.

To me, those blocks are our donors, volunteers, staff, board, and many other supporters who are working together to make this house a home.

I googled the old proverb “home is where the heart is,” and learned variations have been in use since ancient times. The definition on theidioms.com resonated with me the most: “The phrase means that no matter who you are with or where you are in the world, your family and home always have the deepest affection and emotional pull. It is the place where you have a foundation of love, warmth, and happy memories. It might not always be the building itself but being near your loved ones.”

When I first started coming to Rehoboth in 1987, it was a refuge for LGBTQ people where we could escape discrimination and rejection to find serenity alongside others going through the same thing. This is also when CAMP Rehoboth as we know it became more than just a dream.

In 1991, CAMP Rehoboth purchased a building located at 39 Baltimore Avenue which is the structure on the left side of the courtyard. Not only did it serve as CAMP’s office, but founders Steve and Letters 8

MARCH 4, 2022

Murray lived in an apartment on the second floor.

As you might expect, it became a place where their friends congregated to socialize, celebrate, and support each other. It is important to remember that the AIDS epidemic was ravaging our community at the time, so this core group also came here to provide care for the sick as well as to mourn those who lost the battle.

When you have a bunch of people who feel a sense belonging and connection, there is nothing they will not do for each other.

To understand what drew LGBTQ people to our nation’s summer capital, all you had to do was drop in and look around.

You would immediately feel welcome among a few staff and lots of volunteers involved in a flurry of activities with a shared purpose: creating a more positive Rehoboth inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Remember those building blocks?

While we had yet to purchase the property next door and create a true community center, we had already accomplished an important goal: turning a so-called house into a home, where people felt safe and where they belonged.

What had been a disparate collection of souls who shared similar values,

customs, norms, and identity had now become a community composed of individuals from all walks of life and with unique expertise. When you have a bunch of people who feel a sense belonging and connection, there is nothing they will not do for each other.

Fast forward to 2022, and the upcoming Women’s FEST is a perfect example of how our staff and a group of passionate supporters come together to help fulfill our purpose—promoting community well-being on all levels. This is what a community center is all about.

What began in 2001 as a half-day event attended by 75 women is now a four-day celebration attracting close to 2,000 participants. There is truly something for everyone, ranging from informative keynote presentations by speakers like Delaware State Senator Marie Pinkney; the new Director of Statewide Equity Initiatives for Delaware, Saundra Johnson; and another friend and pioneer, Selisse Berry, the founding Executive Director of Out and Equal Workplace Advocates.

Of course, I will be cheering on the competitors at the pickleball and cornhole tournaments as well as checking out the Women’s FEST 2022 art exhibit featuring works by local women artists. I may even brush off my cowboy boots when country superstar Chely Wright takes the stage at Friday night’s headline concert. Tickets are selling fast so make sure to visit the CAMP Rehoboth webpage for the complete schedule and more information.

None of this would have been possible without an amazing committee composed of staff, volunteers, and board members under the leadership of co-chairs Lisa Soens, Hope Vella, and Teri Seaton. On behalf of the board of directors, thank you for the time and energy you have given to help CAMP Rehoboth make this year’s Women’s FEST one to remember. ▼ Wesley Combs is CAMP Rehoboth Board President.

MARCH 4, 2022

9 Letters

CAMPNews Let’s Get CAMPsafe!

STILL Aging Gracelessly: on Stage April 10

The CAMPsafe staff, spearheaded by HIV Testing Counselors Patricia Clear and Amber Lee, continue to make strides to promote health and wellness in the community.

In 2022, condom distribution has extended to 13 new sites around the state.

As always, jars of condoms are full and stacked at CAMP Rehoboth, along with bags to stow extra in your stash.

Additionally, not only does the CAMPsafe staff provide HIV testing at CAMP Rehoboth and four different locations across the state, but at-home HIV tests are available for pickup at CAMP Rehoboth as well. Free of charge, these rapid tests will get you results in 20 minutes via an oral swab. For more information about these at-home tests and for other CAMPsafe matters, please reach out to Amber at amber@camprehoboth.com. ▼

uthor and humorist Fay Jacobs was last seen on stage in Rehoboth in 2019.

Since then, she’s been zooming her performances and recently returned to touring live with her hilarious and moving show, STILL Aging Gracelessly: 50 Shades of Fay. She’ll be back on stage at CAMP Rehoboth for one show only on Sunday, April 10, at 3:00 p.m., closing out Women’s FEST 2022.

She originated the show in 2015, with its premier performance on stage at CAMP. Since then, more than 60 audiences have enjoyed the show, at venues including the famed Duplex Cabaret on Christopher Street in New York City, on an Olivia cruise, and in

Singing the Songbook The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus’s Spring concert has been rescheduled for May 13 and 14 at 7:00 p.m. and May 15 at 3:00 p.m. The concert, “The Great American Songbook,” features music

by Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, Cole Porter, Billy Joel, Carole King, and Paul Simon. The venue is Epworth United Methodist Church. ▼ For more information and to purchase tickets, visit camprehoboth.com.

The Altern Podcast Looking for a new podcast? Check out The Altern, the youth-led LGBTQ podcast from the Youth Up Program. Starting as a talk podcast, The Altern now offers bite-sized history episodes and discussions of how that history impacts LGBTQ people, and especially LGBTQ youth, today. The Altern can be found on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and more!. ▼ Letters 10

MARCH 4, 2022

A

cities like New Orleans, Ft. Lauderdale, Philadelphia, Provincetown, New Hope, St. Petersburg, Reading, nearby Milton, and more. She continually updates the show with new humorous material while maintaining the autobiographical and gay history storyline. Most performances have been to benefit LGBTQ organizations.

Fay’s show comprises two short acts (with an intermission for cocktails!) based, in part, on Jacobs’ five published memoirs. At its core, the show highlights the author’s insistence that nothing is ever so horrible if it’s worth the story you can tell. The show has Fay’s signature humor and relatable stories for everyone about life, liberty, and the aging process.

So come along for the ride as Fay and her wife Bonnie share life from COVID lockdown to zip lines, aging gracelessly to not acting their ages.

For tickets, go to camprehoboth.com.▼

A Sheltering Meal

T

he CROP (CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program) project for January again involved food: CROP prepared and delivered meals to 40 homeless adults and 10 children who are part of A Sheltering Heart, which is affiliated with Lighthouse for Broken Wings.

Two volunteer couples made a Mexican chicken casserole for 20, another pair made tossed salad, a third team made kids’ meals of chicken tenders, sliced veggies with ranch dip, and applesauce.

One more volunteer made delicious desserts of peppermint bark and chocolate covered strawberries for all, with special treats for the kids! All components were then dished up into individual containers.

Plus, volunteers generously donated many of the food purchases. Thank you so much!

But the effort was not without drama!

Delivery to the Red Mill Inn, where the recipients were staying, was set for Saturday, January 29—the day of the blizzard.

The delivery team was determined to get

the meal delivered on time, but as the weather predictions got worse, they were forced to postpone the entire meal till Monday, January 31.

But all turned out well, and A Sheltering Heart’s Director, Toni Short, and her assistants were extremely grateful for CROP’s efforts. ▼

Left to right, Konrad Nobel and Brian Cox.

MARCH 4, 2022

11 Letters

CommunityNews Inland Bays Science Surveys Seeking Volunteers for Spring 2022

T

he Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is gearing up for the 2022 citizen science and docent program season by hosting multiple volunteer trainings throughout March.

“Volunteers are the Center’s most valuable resource, and we rely on them to help us collect data on important Inland Bays species which can guide effective restoration efforts,” said the Center’s Project Manager, Nivette Pérez-Pérez. “The surveys also offer individuals a fantastic opportunity to play an active role in local science and conservation efforts.”

The March training sessions will focus on two of the center’s five citizen science surveys, the Shorezone Fish & Blue Crab Survey and the Horseshoe Crab Survey.

The center’s Shorezone Fish & Blue Crab Survey has collected data on fish populations at 16 shoreline sites in the Inland Bays watershed since 2011. With more than 100 species of fish known to inhabit the bays, data collected through this long-term survey can help scientists track changes in populations of the fish over time.

For more than a decade, the center has also been collecting vital information about horseshoe crabs that spawn in the bays through its Horseshoe Crab Survey. In addition to counting the number of horseshoe crabs observed, volunteers collect additional data on this iconic species and even help to tag some crabs which will provide insight on their movements throughout the bays and nearby estuaries.

This year, all training sessions will be held virtually through Zoom. Registration information and the required volunteer waivers are available online at https://www.inlandbays.org/ get-involved/volunteer/. ▼

League of Women Voters to Host Forum on Homelessness

T

he League of Women Voters, Sussex County will host an on-line Zoom program, Homelessness—the Heart of the Matter, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., on Thursday, March 10. A panel of experts will discuss the needs of homeless families in Sussex County from various perspectives.

During this exceptionally cold winter—complete with a recordsetting blizzard—the number of homeless families in Sussex County continued to increase. This forum is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the scope of the problem and to hear about some proposed solutions. Attendees will be invited to participate in a question-and-answer period following the panelists’ presentations.

Speakers will include: • Rita Landgraf, Professor of Practice and Distinguished Health and Social Services Administrator in Residence at the University of Delaware (UD).

• Judson Malone, Executive Director and co-founder of the non-profit Springboard Collaborative, whose mission is to build supportive transient living shelters and affordable housing communities.

• Patricia (Tish) Galu, Vice President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of the Wilmington Diocese, who has been a long-term key member of the Sussex Housing Group.

• Susan Kent, Executive Director of the non-profit, Better Homes of Seaford, Inc., and a board member of the Delaware Continuum of Care.▼ To register for the online forum, go to www.sussexlwv.org

Know o t s Thing My Mom: y, About

e attorn d e r i t 1. Re eal Estate FT R 16712 Kings Highway, Lewes Agent 302.645.6661 e c i v r e S tomer t! s u C .

2 firs comes

The DonnaWhiteside Group 302.381.4871 donnawhiteside@gotogallo.com A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC

Letters 12

MARCH 4, 2022

SM

Our next Edge® Series ship, Celebrity BeyondSM, creates an even closer connection between you, the sea, and every incredible place destinations, with 9- and 10-night sailings to Italy, France, the Greek Islands, and more, starting in April 2022.

On board, you’ll experience a culinary journey that perfectly complements your e xperiences ashore. Discover 32 restaurants, bars, and loung es, including the fi rst signature restaurant at sea from world-renowned chef Daniel Boulud.

There isn’t a more delicious way to visit Europe.

JOU

FULLSM.

NOTICE:Prior to booking, please consult all applicable U.S. Centers for Disease Control travel advisories, warnings, or recommendations relating to cruise travel, at cdc.gov/travel/notices.

If a certain threshold level of COVID-19 is detected on board the ship during your voyage, the voyage will end immediately, the ship will returnto the port of embarkation, and your subsequent travel, including your return home, may be restricted or delayed. *Visit celebrity.com for complete terms and conditions. Always Included applies to sailings booked and departing on or after November 17, 2020, excluding Galapagos cruises, in inside through ® AquaClass staterooms (eligible bookings). All guests in eligible bookings who choose Always Included pricing receive Classic Beverage Packages, unlimited Surf internet packages, and tips included. All images of Celebrity Beyond are artistic renderings based on current development concepts, which are subject to change without notice. Celebrity Beyond and Beyond are trademarks of Celebrity Cruises. Health and safety protocols, guest conduct rules, and regional travel restrictions vary by ship and destination and are subject to change without notice. Due to evolving health protocols, imagery and messaging may not accurately reflect onboard and destination experiences, offerings, features, or itineraries. These may not be available during your voyage, may vary by ship and destination, and may be subject to change without notice. ©2021 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ship’s registry: Malta and Ecuador.

MARCH 4, 2022

13 Letters

WOMEN’S (FEST) HISTORY

WE’VE I COME A LONG WAY, BABY

BY FAY JACOBS

Chrissy Gephardt, Govenor Ruth Ann Minner; Leslie Rogan, Urvashi Vaid, Kate Clinton, Ellen Feinberg; Suzanne-Westenhoefer; 2013 T-Dance; Vicki Shaw, audience members; Chely Wright; Delaware State Senator Sarah McBride.

Letters 14

MARCH 4, 2022

t’s taken over two decades for an idea born of fear, frustration, and tragic stories to turn into a joyous four-day festival celebrating more than 20 years of bringing women together at the beach.

When CAMP Rehoboth’s Women’s FEST kicks off on Thursday, April 7, the event celebrates more than 20 years and the societal changes in attitude and legislation achieved for the LGBTQ community during these past two decades. The FEST, mirroring society, has grown and changed with the times. For 2022, it’s a time for camaraderie, nationally known entertainers, education, sports, speakers, and fun.

But back in 2000, prior to marriage equality laws, there were too many horror stories. Area women could lose everything they owned because they lacked the proper legal paperwork to claim their rights to homes or bank accounts after a bad romantic break-up or the death of a partner.

Too often, a grieving, long-time partner would be left homeless and helpless as parents or siblings of the deceased swept into town, claimed the home, and evicted the partner. This happened more than most people realize.

Likewise, in 2000 there were far fewer LGBTQ-welcoming medical practices.

Many women avoided doctors or screenings for fear of coming out as lesbian to providers. Sadly, this reticence to seek treatment sometimes led to tragedy.

To try and help halt these horrors, at the turn of the millennium a handful of women worked with CAMP Rehoboth, the LGBTQ non-profit service organization on Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth Beach, to get something started.

WHAT DID THESE GALS DO? In April 2001, nine women volunteers, this author among them, put together a half-day event hosting speakers on women’s health, financial planning, and legal protection for lesbians. The speakers provided advice and identified gay-friendly resources for women whose fear kept them from taking actions they needed for wellness and security.

Now-retired attorney Ellen Feinberg says, “At that time, in Delaware, there were absolutely no legal protections for lesbians, and many women did not know what legal paperwork they needed to protect themselves, their relationships, and their finances.”

That first morning conference, upstairs at the Rehoboth Library, saw 75 local women packed into the small space, eager to hear advice specifically pertinent to their lives.

They learned about mortgages with “rights of survivorship” so the family of a deceased partner could not claim the couple’s home; they learned of medical practices which treated gays and lesbians with respect; they learned from medical and financial professionals how to find the resources they needed.

From those original planners—Andrea Andrus, Ellen Feinberg, Joan Glass, Maggie Ottato, Leslie Rogan, Maggie Shaw, Libby Stiff, Bea Wagner, and me—came a second conference a year later. Added volunteers helped produce a full-day event at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center, complete with opening remarks by Delaware’s then-Governor Ruth Ann Minner.

Her speech was about women in politics, without a single mention of the word ‘lesbian’ or the LGBTQ community.

“But she came to us to speak,” a committee member said, “and for that we were thrilled.”

Leslie Rogan recalls over 200 women attending that second year, which, along with Governor Minner, included nationally-known 1970s activist and musical icon Margie Adam. “Actually, it was 236 people attending,” Feinberg adds, “not that I was counting,” she says, smiling.

Following that weekend, Feinberg and Rogan, and friends Barb Fischel and Wendy Grooms, formed an entertainment committee to find performers willing to come to Rehoboth. “We started by looking to see which entertainers were booked on Olivia’s women’s cruises,” says Leslie.

“We really had no idea about producing; we were flying by the seat of our pants,.” Feinberg recalls.

By 2003, the event became Women’s Weekend, headlined by comic Suzanne Westenhoefer and Olivia Records legend Teresa Trull. In addition to educational seminars, some fun sessions included Mixology and Two-Stepping.

By 2004 word was out. Women converged from Virginia, DC, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania to hear women’s music pioneer Cris Williamson, with the event drawing the largest crowd yet.

BIGGER AND BETTER As news spread, agents and entertainer reps reached out to CAMP Rehoboth with inquiries from their clients. Over the next few years well-known lesbian comics Kate Clinton, Vickie Shaw, and Karen Williams appeared, along with songwriter Tret Fure and famed singer Holly Near.

When the iconic women’s travel company Olivia came onboard as a sponsor,

many, many local women learned about the company and signed up for their all-women Caribbean cruises, where they could mingle with gay women from all over the country.

On one cruise, as a swarm of women posed for photos in their REHOBOTH t-shirts, a bystander asked “What’s Re-HoBOTH, a sorority? A church? A college?

What is it?”

Linda Kemp, Olivia’s director of strategic sales and marketing, answered, “Rehoboth is a gay-friendly beach town in Delaware where all these women are from.”

“But where’s Delaware?” the onlooker asked. Linda rolled her eyes and offered a geography lesson.

Not only was Women’s Weekend promoted, but women from all over the country learned about the resort town of Rehoboth Beach.

Sometime in those early years, artist Geri Dibiase offered up a vibrant photo design for a Women’s Weekend t-shirt to be sold at the event and she’s been donating new designs each year since. In addition, Geri donates the original artwork to be auctioned off to raise money for CAMP Rehoboth.

“I’m so grateful for the opportunity to produce the t-shirts and proud to have my art featured in this nationally recognized event,” Dibiase says.

By 2008 and 2009, as the CAMP Rehoboth office expanded into a Community Center, it provided a welcoming hub for all the women converging downtown each April. And there was a new intimate performance space for musicians plus theatrical events like a production of The Vagina Monologues and a one-woman show about journalist Molly Ivins.

Women’s Weekend now had nine years under its belt, and included events like golf, craft fairs, and more to make it a beloved spring custom.

AND THEN CAME FEST For the 10th Anniversary in 2010, the weekend became FEST, an acronym for Fun, Entertainment, Spring Tradition.

New partnerships saw Olivia as presenting sponsor and a collaboration with Ladies 2000, the famed Philly dance promoters, bringing a fantastic Tea Dance to the mix. Wednesday was now Locals Night with a big Welcome Party (now funded by an endowment from the late Georgette Krenkel), plus added events like a bike ride, Rehoboth walking tour, juried photo/art show featuring women artists, and singles speed dating.

“My now-spouse Diane and I started dating right before Women’s FEST 2010,” says Rehoboth resident Jennifer Rubenstein, “and it was very odd going to speed dating, where we did the round robin with a bunch of other singles but kept a watchful eye on each other.” It turned out well.

A decade in the making, the 2011 FEST was now the largest women’s event in the mid-Atlantic. A partnership with the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition (DBCC) added the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk, a walk to help raise funds to fight breast cancer and honor those affected by it.

“A flood of pink-wearing walkers showed up, some with their dogs, also in pink, and some supportive guys in pink boas and drag,” says one participant. “It was fun, and also serious, with a moving ceremony at the end. I loved it.”

Volunteer Kathy Wiz, whose sister had the disease, helped bring CAMP RehoContinued on page 16

MARCH 4, 2022

15 Letters

Continued from page 15

both and DBCC together for the event. ”For me, the Broadwalk is a way of showing gratitude for my sister’s survival.”

Since 2011, Broadwalk on the Boardwalk has raised over $75,000 in donations benefiting the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.

Of course, over the years dozens and dozens of volunteers populated the official FEST Committee, with steadfast support from the CAMP Rehoboth staff and Board.

“I clearly remember that first event, filling 75 seats at the library, hearing the presenters, and thinking this was new, uncharted territory, and hoping it could be expanded,” says long-time CAMP Rehoboth Board Member Jane Blue. “Boy, that was an understatement!”

In conjunction with national advances in LGBTQ rights, specifically the lifting of the ban on gay and lesbian service members, the 2012 FEST welcomed special guest Col. Grethe Cammermeyer.

Instrumental in overturning the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy. Cammermeyer hosted a Saturday Q&A after the showing of the film Serving in Silence, based on her life story and starring Glenn Close.

Musician Tret Fure recalls sitting with her hero, Col. Cammermeyer, in the front row at comic Suzanne Westenheofer’s show. “When my friend Suzanne looked down and saw us together in the front row, she almost fell off the stage.”

HELP! QUICK THINKING NEEDED But 2013 brought drama. Out and proud country singer Chely Wright, pregnant with twins, was to be the headliner.

Unfortunately, her doctor put her on bed rest a week before the show. She sent her apologies and the committee freaked out!

“We sold 700 tickets and had no entertainer. We were hysterical,” recalls Committee Chair Dottie Cirelli. Frantic committee members hit their phones and by the end of the day, comic Kate Clinton shuffled her schedule and bailed the event out. It was another huge sucLetters 16

MARCH 4, 2022

cess and Chely Wright’s twins were born happy and healthy.

Making good on her earlier promise, Chely performed to a packed house the next year and the Broadwalk was bigger than ever—honoring not only survivors and sisters lost to breast cancer, but adding women and men touched by all cancers.

By 2015, with stunning LGBTQ victories like marriage equality and protections for transgender rights, the FEST’s original workshop concept morphed into invited guest speakers sharing their stories.

Guests have included Feminist Majority leader Eleanor Smeal, Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, transgender activist Sarah McBride, and the brave DC law enforcement officer who helped save lives during a mass shooting at a Congressional softball game.

Two-time headliner comic Poppy Champlin performed and offered a standup comedy workshop. “I’ve loved my times at FEST, the spirit of the women, the huge number of women flocking to town.

And doing a show for 800 women is a real thrill for a comedian.”

RESULTS! The rest, as they say, is herstory.

In 2018, FEST statistics showed 3,832 seats filled at 23 different venues plus a new partnership with Beebe Medical Center for a health fair at the community center—further fulfilling one of the original Women’s Project goals.

For 2019, the numbers were even bigger. And while there was still emphasis on topics especially important for lesbian and transgender women, the FEST had become popular with a diverse group of attendees.

Rehoboth resident Deb Ward said, “My mother-in-law started visiting us on Women’s Weekend and loved it—and as a breast cancer survivor walked in the Broadwalk. Next thing I knew, her sister started coming, then my own sister joined us. It’s a spectacular event for all women, and it’s become a family tradition.”

It was different, 22 years later, far from

when women had no idea how to protect themselves legally or find a welcoming doctor. “Our community is being courted now,” Ellen Feinberg said, “and everything is so open and accessible.”

It was a long way, baby, from those turn-of-the-century workshops at the library. That fledgling Women’s Project Committee launched the event, then they and so many other hard-working volunteers took the idea and ran with it—with no plans to stop celebrating anytime soon.

THEN CAME 2020 The 2020 FEST, a special 20th Anniversary event featuring The Indigo Girls, was canceled due to the COVID pandemic.

Bummer!

One bright spot was that all of our wonderful sponsors kept their money in the FEST pot for the future. We love our sponsors! Especially presenting sponsor Olivia Travel and Legacy sponsors Jenn Harpel, Jeanine O’Donnel, and Lana Warfield.

The 2021 FEST happened online, with a few Zoom events and some fun in the midst of the dark days.

But NOW, FEST is LIVE again for 2022.

Our wonderful sponsors are back, country singer superstar Chely Wright and the hilarious Funny Girlz will be performing (among others), and we are back on track.

FEST Passes are now on sale, as are individual event tickets—visit camprehoboth.com. to purchase yours.

Oh yes, we HAVE come a long way, baby! ▼ Fay Jacobs is the author of five published books and is touring with her one-woman sit-down comedy show, Aging Gracelessly. Her reports on Rehoboth’s LGBTQ history can be heard on RadioRehoboth, 99.1.

Photos, left to right: 2017 audience members; Janis Ian; 2018 Broadwalk: Linda DeFeo, Muriel Hogan, Kathy Wiz, and Beebe Frazer; Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester.

WOMEN’S FEST RETURNS APRIL 7-10!

OVER 20 YEARS OF FUN | ENTERTAINMENT | SPRING | TRADITION CAMP REHOBOTH’S WOMEN’S FEST will bring the best in

national and regional entertainment and special events to Rehoboth Beach April 7-10 for what has become the largest event specifically for women in the Mid-Atlantic region.

DANCE! Meet, greet, and dance to the music of DJ Jamie Fox at Georgette Krenkel’s Kick Off Party. Free photo booth by Fortier Photography and singles lounge.

DISCOVER! Learn from fascinating speakers, go to the singles

PRESENTING SPONSOR

mixer, or attend an art show.

EXPLORE! Visit the Expo to experience dozens of arts and crafts artisans, book sales, and signings by award-winning authors.

ENJOY! See country superstar Chely Wright, Christine Havrilla, Regina Sayles, Sug Daniels, and other sensational musicians.

LAUGH! See the Funny Girlz show starring that trio of favorites

Vickie Shaw, Lisa Koch, and Roxanna Ward in an all-new show.

Popular local author and humorist Fay Jacobs will be back with her hilarious one-woman show, “Still Aging Gracelessly.”

PLAY! Have fun and get fit with golf, pickleball, biking, the corn hole tournament, or beach yoga.

WIN! Play bingo, bid in the online and live auctions, and take a chance on the Olivia cruise raffle.

HOST HOTEL SPONSOR

PLATINUM LEGACY SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

DIAMOND LEGACY SPONSOR

DIAMOND SPONSOR

GOLD LEGACY SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

CAMP REHOBOTH PREMIER SPONSORS

REMEMBER! Honor loved ones and fight cancer by participating in the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk.

STAY! Get a 20% discount at our host hotel, The Atlantic Sands.

DON’T MISS OUT! All tickets available on sale now!

VIEW THE DETAILS See the full lineup of events at

camprehoboth.com/womensfest (exact times are subject to change).

CAMP Rehoboth’s Women’s FEST is unlike any event in the region. See old friends, make new ones, and have the time of your life. Proceeds support CAMP Rehoboth, the organization that promotes the health of the local community and the fair and equitable treatment of everyone, no matter their sexual orientation or gender identity.

DIAMOND COMMUNITY MEMBERS Hope Vella GOLD COMMUNITY MEMBERS Wes Combs & Greg Albright Diane Scobey & Jennifer Rubenstein Teri Seaton BEST FRIENDS Sue Brooker Yona Zucker & Renata Price Sandy Oropel & Linda Fresse

37 Baltimore Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 302-227-5620 camprehoboth.com

MARCH 4, 2022

17 Letters

Guest House Chronicles

BY TOM KELCH

Rainbow Seeds

B

efore I tell you about Herbert Koerber and the incredible gay paradise he created, I should explain how we got to this point in the first place. What was it about the Delaware beach area that initially attracted the LGBTQ+ community, and why did Herbert pick this exact building and location?

We have to go back several decades for the answer.

It started in the 1930s with some internationally famous gay women who had homes in the Rehoboth/Dewey Beach area. A Dupont Heiress named Louisa d’Andelot Carpenter was known to often have extravagant parties. She was one of the first female pilots, a very skilled hunter, and most importantly a badass lesbian. Her guests included movie stars, famous Broadway actors, singers, and many LGBTQ+ friends from the entertainment industry. Slowly, the word spread about the Delaware beach area among the gay community.

However, it would be inaccurate to describe Rehoboth as gay friendly during these early years. Instead, for the most part, the gay scene was very carefully hidden away behind closed doors. Private house parties and gatherings with like-minded people were one of the few safe ways to actually meet other gay people.

In the 1930s through the 1950s, only a few gay bars existed in the whole country. They were hidden down alleys, in dangerous neighborhoods, with boarded up windows and locked entrances. The abandoned, run-down surroundings served as camouflage.

Getting to these bars—and departing from them—was nothing short of terrifying. Men who would brave the opportunity would risk lasting emotional and physical abuse for just a single moment of happiness.

In the 1950s, the Pink Pony, in downtown Rehoboth, was known to sometimes tolerate gay men during certain happy hours, but it was not a Letters 18

MARCH 4, 2022

gay bar. In the 1960s, the Nomad Village opened in the Bethany Beach area, becoming the Delaware beach area’s very first gay bar. However, it wasn’t advertised as such. It was a fishing bait and tackle/convenience store in the front; only by going through a back door would you find the gay bar.

Then, the Boathouse opened in the Dewey Beach area in 1976. This bar was much more open about what it was, and who its clientele was. Which may well be why it was burned to the ground a suspiciously high number of times.

They’d found a safe place to be themselves: outing someone else would mean outing yourself.

There also was Mrs. Gray, who was happily hosting gay men in her Inn since at least the early 70s—but likely earlier since her ownership goes back to at least the early 40s. It is believed Woody Swarmer and Edward Henley probably found the inn when they stayed with Mrs. Gray on vacation. It is confirmed that after purchasing the inn from Mrs. Gray, Woody and Edward continued to provide a safe place for gay men to stay when their original plans to convert it into a school—a compliment to the Center for Handicapped Development, which Woody owned in Washington, DC—didn’t work out.

We know Herbert Koerber seemed to frequent the same places as Woody and Edward. It is my guess that he stayed with the boys when they owned the inn and purchased it directly from them when things didn’t work out as hoped for the school.

Estranged from his family in Germany

due to being gay, Herbert had come to America determined to live his life as he believed gay men should. He was decades ahead of his time and didn’t care what anyone thought about it. He was known as a charmer, he was good looking, and he was an experienced, very smart businessman.

He bought the gay-friendly inn in the winter of 1978-79 and converted it into an exclusive one-of-a-kind complex just for gay men. It was the first of its kind in Delaware, and the first gay-owned, gay-operated, gay business for gay men in Rehoboth. He didn’t concern himself with the local community and what they would think. Instead, he focused on a single goal: providing a safe place where gay men could meet—an experience many had dreamed about but never thought possible.

After their time in Herbert’s Paradise, these men would go back to their (fake) straight lives and their roles as dads, husbands, teachers, politicians, and even priests, ministers, and pastors.

They’d found a safe place to be themselves: outing someone else would mean outing yourself, creating a sacred, unspoken rule your life depended on.

And which all would follow.

However, there was a problem.

Rehoboth Beach was mainly a Methodist religious summer retreat and campground. The Methodists were quiet, private, and mostly peaceful people. They had no idea that all these seeds had been planted. Paradise Guest House was the last seed planted in the 1970s, and Rehoboth Beach’s rainbows were about to sprout. They were going to have a very prominent bloom. ▼ Tom Kelch is the innkeeper and property manager of the Rehoboth Guest House.

IT'S THAT TIME AGAIN!

JOIN US AT WOMEN'S FEST OLIVIA IS THE PROUD PRESENTING SPONSOR OF WOMEN'S FEST 2022 April 7-10, 2022

Featuring performances by your favorite Olivia artists!

ROXANNA WARD · VICKIE SHAW · LISA KOCH

OLIVIA IS DONATING A CRUISE FOR 2 TO GREECE, CYPRUS & ISRAEL! Raffle Tickets on sale at CAMP Rehoboth.

Trip Dates are Oct 22-29, 2022. *NDAs not included.

OLIVIA IS A PROUD PREMIER SPONSOR OF CAMP REHOBOTH

JUST ANNOUNCED! 2023 will mark 50 golden years of Olivia: Let’s celebrate together!

50th Anniversary Hard Rock Hotel Cabo April 29–May 6, 2023

OLIVIA.COM · (800) 631-6277 BOOK YOUR DREAM VACATION WITH 24/7 ONLINE BOOKING MARCH 4, 2022

19 Letters

Straight Talk

BY DAVID GARRETT

Rebel With a (Common) Cause

T

o look at her, one would not think that this gentle woman was a rebel. Her resume of academic achievements and legislative activity speak more of someone who found her way into a comfortable career path in order to establish a predictable lifestyle.

But when you peel back the veneer of titles and positions, you will find a real rebel.

Claire Snyder-Hall is well-known in the Rehoboth Beach area, and currently serves as Executive Director of Common Cause Delaware. Getting to this place was not an easy path.

Any time one runs a political campaign for a state or federal post, that person knows they have to put their heart and soul—and all waking time— into it. While Snyder-Hall lost her bid for a Delaware State Senate seat in 2014, she remains a respected voice for good governing in Delaware politics.

Snyder-Hall is also an author. Her recent book is entitled Battling the Prince: A Woman Fights for Democracy. She describes her book as “an auto-ethnographic study that analyzes her grassroots campaign for [Delaware] state senate in 2014, her eight years as leader in the Democratic Party, her work as a lobbyist for democracy reform in the state legislature, and her experiences with progressive social movements and community-building.” So, do you sense that there may be a rebel here?

Taking a deeper dive into Battling the Prince, Snyder-Hall refers to it as her political memoir, recounting her unsuccessful run for state senate, showing how she became a political activist, and making the case that we are in dire need of a democratic culture. “Prince” is a metaphor for authoritarian politicians who feel entitled to rule. The imagery also refers to “the prince inside our heads” that tells us to bow down before the powers that be in order to get along in the political world. This would create a dynamic of power and deference instead of equality.

Underlying her political beliefs and

Letters 20 MARCH 4, 2022

strategies is the famous work of Niccolo Machiavelli. His treatise, The Prince, is the foundation upon which Snyder-Hall builds. As she “battles the prince,” Snyder-Hall attempts to break through the barriers and obstacles of ill-informed and unproductive governing in order to create a democracy that values its resources, particularly the human ones.

Claire Snyder-Hall finds her fulfillment by being in what she calls the “democracy space,” and strives to bring the rest of the world with her to that place.

Claire Snyder-Hall finds her fulfillment by being in what she calls the “democracy space,” and strives to bring the rest of the world with her to that place. The democracy space is where organizations and institutions work to try to strengthen democracy itself. One example is “service learning,” a pedagogical approach weaving together the classroom lessons in academia with street experiences reinforcing those lessons. For instance, if the lesson is on poverty, the students would spend time in a soup kitchen or homeless shelter to experience firsthand the classroom instruction.

Lest one think otherwise, Snyder-Hall is not confined to abstract debate or ethereal deliberations. She has had her feet on the ground for years. For 12 years, she was on the faculty at George Mason University, in Fairfax, Virginia. It was there that she established herself as a serious contender in the academic and political worlds.

Snyder-Hall met and married the love

of her life, Mikki Snyder-Hall; they were religiously wed on November 18, 2006.

This duo served as Lobby Day Captains for Equality Maryland, advocating for same-sex marriage. For Claire, marriage is the highest form of monogamy, and everyone should have access to it, regardless of their sexual orientation.

In Claire’s view, the political battle for same-sex marriage is more a constitutional issue than a religious issue.

The first phrase of the First Amendment of the US Constitution reads, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof....” For Claire Snyder-Hall, same-sex marriage is a given, regardless of one’s religious views.

“The government needs to treat everyone equally,” she states firmly. Venturing into the Bible, she notes that even Jesus Christ said nothing about homosexuality.

The vitriol and condemnation of gays today by many who claim to be religious is in stark contrast to how Jesus addressed it—or to be precise, did not address it.

Following a four-year move to Florida in 2017, Snyder-Hall moved back to the town she claims as her own—Rehoboth Beach. Starting as interim director, she is now Executive Director of Common Cause Delaware. She had previously worked with this group in 2015 and 2016.

Common Cause began in 1970, founded by John Gardner, a Republican. It is non-partisan and seeks to bring our nation to a position of “good government.”

Is Claire Snyder-Hall a rebel? It depends on whether one sees her political beliefs and advocacy as rebellious. This calm, confident, and compelling woman may have a rebellious streak hidden behind her engaging smile, but it sets expectations of better governing ahead. ▼ David Garrett, a CAMP Rehoboth Board member, is a straight advocate for equality and inclusion. He is also the proud father of an adult trans daughter. Email David Garrett at davidg@camprehoboth.com.

We are here for you.

We know these are stressful times, and we know that coming together and helping one another is how we get through them.

Jenn Harpel CFP®, ChFC®

As your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor, I will help you create a plan that makes sense for you and your goals. With our knowledge and resources we will help you manage risk and keep your plan on track, so you can focus on all that’s happening in life.

Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

Associate Vice President Financial Advisor 55 Cascade Lane +1 302 644-6620 Jennifer.Harpel@morganstanley.com NMLS #1310708

Contact me to see how I can help you or provide a second opinion.

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc. owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and federally registered CFP (with flame design) in the U.S. Morgan Stanley recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies, and encourages investors to seek the advice of a Financial Advisor. The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. © 2020 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. FAS014 CRC 3019916 04/20 CS 9829639 05/20

20769 Rodney Drive Sawgrass North Rehoboth Beach

Wishing you the luck of the Irish and much more!

SPRING IS IN THE AIR! Call to reserve your Fabulous Corned Beef Dinner (always sells out early) DINNER 7 NIGHTS, 5-10 PM (Our full menu every night until 10!)

CALL FOR RESERVATIONS: 227-3100

• • • •

$669,000

4BR, 3.5BA, 2 car garage including 1st fl primary BR Vaulted ceiling in Great Room Perimeter lot backs to woods Sunroom, tankless water heater, maple floors, gas fireplace, 2 community pools, 2 clubhouses w/gym Randy Mason

Shirley Kalvinsky

Cell:

Cell:

Reservations: 301-227-3100 • www.justinthymerestaurant.com 38163 Robinsons Drive • Rehoboth Beach (the corner of Hwy. 1 & Robinsons Drive)

(302) 236-4254 Vax + Booster

246 Rehoboth Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE 302-227-3883 (office)

(302)-236-1142 Vax + Booster

MARCH 4, 2022

21 Letters

health+wellness

BY PATTIE CINELLI

Listen to Your Body

K

nowing your body—its strengths, weaknesses, and genetic dispositions—and learning to listen and respond to its messages is a powerful tool available to everyone.

In the 1980s, Jim Fixx was thought to be America’s poster child for health and wellness. He is credited with helping start America’s fitness revolution by popularizing the sport of running and demonstrating the health benefits of regular jogging. However, he died of a heart attack while jogging at 52 years of age.

My father, who was diagnosed with a heart condition at age 49, struggled with weight, smoked, and didn’t jog a mile in his adult life. He died six months after Fixx, at age 59, at a ticket counter at Kennedy Airport in New York while arguing with airline personnel.

Both men created stress for themselves, despite knowing they had a genetic predisposition for heart problems. Intense physical exertion or choosing to get upset over a situation impossible to control creates stress which in turn gets us out of balance and doesn’t allow our bodies to heal themselves.

Neither apparently listened to what their bodies told them. Stress can contribute to many illnesses such as arthritis, high blood pressure, or heart problems.

Being able to avoid a cold, prevent a debilitating injury, or just knowing what is best for you to do at any given time are skills developed from taking time to focus and practice listening.

You can do that in many ways. You can concentrate inwardly by pausing and taking a deep breath, take a quiet walk on the beach alone, sit quietly, meditate, or do yoga.

Make a daily practice of connecting with your body—because it has lots of things to say. Some signs your body is sending you can include: low energy, tense muscles, frequent headaches or colds, depression, high blood

Letters 22 MARCH 4, 2022

pressure, or insomnia. If you listen to your body, it will reveal why. It can be the food you are eating, the way you react to traffic, or your interaction with work, your family, or even watching the news.

We receive unique cues from our bodies. For example, I feel tightness above my eyes and feel dryness in my nostrils. There’s a slight throbbing in my forehead. A headache? I rarely get them, and I know I have a predisposition to sinus issues. When I check my sinus pressure points (which run under my eyebrows and along the sides of my nose) I know for sure—sinus.

A teacher once told me, “Your body whispers. If you don’t listen, then it shouts.”

For relief, I may invert (do a shoulder stand or head stand) or use a Neti pot.

Part of my preventive action includes drinking lots of spring water, using saline spray daily, using a humidifier during the winter months, and getting rest. I haven’t had a sinus infection since 1993.

Something simple like waking up and noticing your fingers and ankles are a bit swollen may signal you to drink more water that day and cut out dairy, sugar, and starch to reduce the inflammation.

I’ve believed for a long time that staying well is a lot easier than getting well. As a young woman I witnessed several relatives who did everything their doctors advised yet they didn’t heal. I couldn’t understand why.

Reading the 1984 bestseller, You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay transformed my beliefs and my habits.

“Our body is always talking to us. We just need to take the time to listen.

Every cell within our body responds to every single thought we think and every word we speak.” Hay tells her story about how she was diagnosed with inoperable cervical cancer at a young age and given six months to live. Hay had other ideas. She lived to age 90.

We are designed to intrinsically know when something isn’t functioning properly. I often see people in the gym who rush so quickly through their exercise they miss the subtle signs that the movement they are doing isn’t good for them. A teacher once told me, “Your body whispers. If you don’t listen, then it shouts.”

Preventive care is the best health care. Don’t wait until it hurts so badly you can’t turn your head or lift your arm. The rest of your body is already compensating for the pain.

Being able to hear, understand, and respond to your inner guide also can help medical professionals better serve you. Being specific about what hurts and being able to communicate it to your doctor can give you more targeted health care.

Figuring out what your body needs is a process. Learning to listen to it is a choice. You never stop learning. Often, it’s trial and error. But it’s a fun journey that feels good and gives you some control. ▼ Pattie Cinelli is a wellness coach, yoga and Pilates teacher, and a health and wellness writer. She can be reached at fitmiss44@ aol.com.

Classes & Events For more information about any of these events, please visit camprehoboth.com or call us at 302-227-5620. Zoom links (when applicable) can be found on our website or in the weekly e-mail newsletter. Unless indicated otherwise, in-person meetings take place at CAMP Rehoboth.

Weekly Classes & Events

Bi-weekly & Monthly Events

WALK-IN HIV TESTING

WOMEN IN CIRCLE

Mondays 12:00-4:00 p.m.

Free rapid HIV testing at CAMP Rehoboth. Get your results in 15 minutes. No appointment needed during this time.

MORNING MINDFULNESS Tuesdays 8:00 a.m. (Zoom)

Start your Tuesdays off with CAMP Rehoboth!

Erin will lead a mindful exercise or morning meditation for 30 minutes.

CHAIR YOGA

Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. (Zoom)

Erin guides participants to synchronize conscious breath with mindful movement. The sequence of poses is designed to energize and strengthen, as well as relax and lengthen muscles.

MEN’S YOGA

Saturdays 8:45 a.m. (In-person)

All levels are welcome, and everyone will be given the opportunity to modify or advance their practice, based upon their preferences.

Mar. 5/Mar. 19/Apr. 2, 10:00 a.m.

(In-person)

Women in Circle is a gathering of LGBTQ women. The circle is a welcoming, inclusive, and positive place to meet, connect, and share with other women. A different topic opens each circle for women to discuss, learn from, and support each other. This group typically meets on the first and third Saturdays of each month.

MEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP

Mar. 9/Mar. 23/Apr. 6, 7:00 p.m.

(In-person)

The Men’s Discussion Group is a safe and nurturing space for GBTQ men to start conversations important to our community. We celebrate who we are, promote respect and understanding, and we accept each other’s differences with the intention of building a more connected community. This group typically meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. For more information, contact William Dye at william.z.dye@gmail.com.

YOUTHUP MONTHLY SOCIAL

TAX PREPARATION WITH AARP CAMP Rehoboth is partnering with AARP to offer tax assistance weekly on Thursdays from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants schedule a time to drop off their tax documents and work is done remotely. Participants pick up their completed returns the following Thursday. To schedule a time, please call CAMP at 302 227-2620 or e-mail info@camprehoboth.com.

Mar. 11, 6:30 p.m., MCC Rehoboth (In-person)

resources, and supporting fiber-related crafts/projects in a queer- and trans-affirming space.

COFFEE TALK

Mar. 28, 10:00 a.m. (In-person)

Coffee Talk is a place where the LGBTQ community can come together in a positive, non-judgmental atmosphere to share our thoughts and perspectives on a topic and dare to think outside the box.

CAMP REHOBOTH BOOK CLUB

Mar. 28, 5:30 p.m.

(Zoom)

The CAMP Rehoboth Book Club is a queerfacilitated discussion group dedicated to reading novels about queer topics and/ or books by queer authors that tackle a variety of interests and subject matters. This month’s selection is Razorblade Tears, by S.A. Cosby.

LESBIAN WIDOW SOCIAL NETWORK Apr. 6, 5:30 p.m. (In-person)

The Lesbian Widow Social Network is a get-together for lesbian widows, and all LGBTQ women who are widows. ▼

Join us for the YouthUp Monthly Social taking place Friday, March 11, 6:307:30 p.m. at MCC Rehoboth, 19369 Plantation Road, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. This event is designed specifically for 10 to 19-year-old LGBTQ+ youth.

FLAMING KNITTERS

Mar. 14, 6:30 p.m. (In-person)

Flaming Knitters provides a thoughtful and engaging space for working, conversing, connecting, showing off, sharing MARCH 4, 2022

23 Letters

Words Matter

BY CLARENCE FLUKER

Stop the Silence

A

rlan Hamiltion is a Black queer woman, known mostly for being a venture capitalist and a champion for equity and inclusion in Silicon Valley. A few weeks ago, I was reading her book, It’s About Damn Time: How to Turn Being Underestimated into Your Greatest Advantage. In the book, Arlan chronicles her life story and road to professional success through perseverance and resilience. With great candor she walks you through how she went from being on food stamps and without a formal higher education, to being an accomplished entrepreneur and on the cover of Fast Company, a monthly American business magazine.

One of the many anecdotes included in the text that struck me was about her relationship with social media. As her notoriety began to increase, she made a conscious decision that she would share just as many low moments as high moments on her social media. An impactful small gesture in a much bigger conversation at play in today’s world.

As a public figure, she doesn’t want to overshare through her book or her social media, but she wants people to know that she is experiencing life in the same way as everyone else. She does not want others to think that she has or is living a perfect life devoid of obstacles, setbacks, depression, and challenges. No one’s life is always sunshine and flowers, and sometimes it helps those in your trusted circle of friends and family to know that they’re not alone facing the rain and the mud. In fact, knowing that you’ve experienced what they’re going through can be the reminder they need that after the storm, they’ll see the sun and flowers again.

I knew two gay men who committed suicide in 2021. The ways in which their friends and family responded to their deaths were in stark contrast. In one situation, there were lots of whispers about cause of death. No one ever wanted to confirm. In the other, the family of the grieved not only made Letters 24 MARCH 4, 2022

the cause of death public, they also encouraged others who might be experiencing mental health challenges or having suicidal thoughts to seek help and provided a phone number and a resource website in the obituary. They didn’t want his death to be in vain.

Anxiety, depression, and suicide in our community do not cease to exist just because we don’t talk about them.

It is very much the contrary; silence around anxiety, depression, and suicide increase and intensify their existence in our community when we don’t talk about them.

Talking openly and honestly about mental health may shine the light on a pathway to assistance that someone you care about needs.

When we pretend to have perfect lives and don’t promote conversations and safe spaces for people to share their truth, or proactively welcome their truth, we do ourselves and our community a disservice. Often, we hear the old adage, “be kind to others because you never know what someone else is going through.” That is true but those words just can’t be thrown around like politicians’ use of “thoughts and prayers” after another incident of gun violence in our country. We clearly need more than just thoughts and prayers.

We do need to be kind to others and to ourselves. We can do that by practicing validation and empathy with people we encounter and not

just brushing off their feelings. We can model to others in words and actions that mental health is important and that there is no shame in seeking professional and spiritual help and guidance. Talking openly and honestly about mental health may shine the light on a pathway to assistance that someone you care about needs.

Sometimes it doesn’t end with just a conversation though. If you want them to ‘do the work,’ you may have to step in and do some work too.

I’ve helped friends search the internet, read reviews, and seek referrals to find therapists and coaches that would be informed and inclusive providers and within their budget.

Price can be a serious barrier. In the past I’ve even offered to go with one of my friends to his first appointment.

Starting and staying in care can be overwhelming for individuals. Having the support of others can mean so much. We can stop the silence and support each other.

If you know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (Lifeline) at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), or text the Crisis Text Line (text HELLO to 741741). Both services are free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All calls are confidential. ▼ Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community.

Follow him on Twitter: @CJFluker or Instagram: @Mr_CJFluker

16698 Kings Highway, Suite A Lewes, DE | 302.645.6664 (Office) | LeeAnnGroup.com

MARCH 4, 2022

25 Letters

GROWING GRATITUDE, ONE LEAF AT A TIME Despite overwhelming challenges faced over the past two years, the people of #TeamBeebe remain dedicated to providing excellent care to Sussex County every day. During it all, our team has received notes of support and thanks. These small acts of kindness brighten their days and serve as powerful reminders of their value to a grateful community. To help our neighbors join in sharing their appreciation, we’ve created a virtual Gratitude Tree. By simply adding a “leaf”—a short note of gratitude—you can help us grow our tree, lift the spirits of our heroes, and enrich a legacy of caring that has endured for more than a century.

“I am extremely grateful for the work the team does. You are not unnoticed.” —RV

“Thank you for taking such good care of my husband in the emergency room.” —JC

Snap a pic of the code to read messages of gratitude and to submit your own. beebehealthcare.org/gratitude

BH_Print_GratitudeTree_04.indd 1

Letters 26 MARCH 4, 2022

Letters 7.5 x 10

MEDICAL GROUP 2/16/22 10:53 AM

We are open Wednesday - Sunday

Dinner 4:30pm - 9pm

Happy Hour 3pm - 5pm

Now serving Sunday Brunch from 10am - 2pm!

Make a reservation by calling or going to our website

(302) 200-9522 | 134 West Market St, Lewes, DE 19958 | harbourlewes@gmail.com www.harbourlewes.com

Grow Strong Without Notice.

Provide Shelter.

Hang Tough Through the Storms.

Emerge Renewed at the First Sign of Spring.

After 30 Years Our Roots are Deep.

Same Bank. New Look.

countybankdel.com

MARCH 4, 2022

27 Letters

Out & About

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

Love Is (Color) Blind

H

ave you noticed all the interracial couples on your television and movie screens lately?

While American “anti-miscegenation” laws were banned in 1967 thanks to Loving v. Virginia, the happy couples we saw in popular culture did not immediately change. For nearly a half-century, these couples were almost always partnered with someone of the opposite sex, but the same race (with notable exceptions like The Jeffersons— thank you, Norman Lear). Now, we’re seeing interracial couples everywhere.

In the US, only 0.7 percent of all marriages were between interracial couples in 1970. In 2008, the percentage was 3.9 percent, which is both a quadrupling in less than 40 years, but also a small number (and, obviously, almost exclusively heterosexual).

I couldn’t find the percentages as they relate to interracial couples (whether dating, married, purely sexual, etc.) in popular entertainment, but it just feels like more than 4 percent. Interracial couples are featured prominently in Blacklist (Netflix), New Amsterdam (NBC), The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu), Crazy ExGirlfriend (CW), even The Walking Dead (AMC), and countless other shows.

In their latest movie iteration, Spider-Man and his girlfriend MJ are an interracial couple, as are Owen Wilson and J.Lo in the new rom-com Marry Me. And of course, commercials are doing it too; interracial couples are selling everything from State Farm Insurance to clothes by Old Navy to Hyundais.

Even on Broadway, the producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast a Black woman to play Hermione Granger, transforming the Granger-Weasley home into a multi-racial family.

Now, lest you misunderstand, I think this trend is mostly great, and a definite sign of progress. Furthermore, I believe the progress belongs to us, not the executives who run movie studios, television networks, streaming services, and advertising agencies. We should Letters 28 MARCH 4, 2022

always remember that while these folks employ artists who care about art, they are businesspeople who care about turning a profit. Therefore, what we see on our screens is never a push to change hearts and minds, but a reflection of the fact that we’re already there.

And yes, our hearts and minds are not where they used to be. Even though most couples in the US are still samerace, 94 percent of Americans polled in 2021 say they approve of interracial marriage. Back in 1958, when Richard and Mildred Loving said their vows illegally in Virginia, that number was around 4 percent.

Two people of different racial backgrounds are going to see the world in very different ways…

Therefore, including interracial couples in the stories we seek out and even the advertisements we try to avoid makes good business sense.

A whopping majority of us don’t care, and a not-small portion of that number probably feels a tinge of moral superiority based on their very liberal stance every time one of these couples appears before them.

But this is why I think it’s “mostly” great. Certainly, it provides more opportunities to actors of color, who want to play romantic leads and interesting characters. Unquestionably, it normalizes interracial relationships. But I wonder when we’ll see most, or even some, of these relationships depicted realistically. And by that, I mean: when will we see these couples actually talk about race?

As someone who has been in an interracial relationship myself, let me

assure you: race is something that interracial couples talk about—A LOT. It’s a dynamic that must be navigated constantly. Two people of different racial backgrounds are going to see the world in very different ways, and those differing worldviews create conflict— which doesn’t have to look like fighting, but always means lots of conversation.

And the interracial relationships we see in pop culture seem to have one defining feature across the board: no one ever talks about it. In the recent And Just Like That … on HBO, much was made of Miranda leaving her husband to enter a queer relationship. But no one ever addresses the fact that her new paramour is Latinx.

In the new film Death on the Nile, three of Agatha Christie’s white characters are cast with actors of color (awesome). Two of the characters talk about how their race impacts their outlook on life (great). The third is a Black woman in a romantic relationship with a white man…in 1937. Nineteen thirty-seven. Several characters have opinions about the couple, pro and con, and NO ONE MENTIONS THEIR RACE, not once.

I hope we’ll continue to see more interracial relationships on screen. It’s a good look, and a smart business move.

But so far, the look is all surface and no substance. Soon, I hope, writers and studio executives alike will have the courage to stop congratulating their viewers for being so tolerant. After all, most of us don’t deserve universal praise when it comes to race. Instead, they should start challenging us by depicting the realities of loving someone of another race. That’s some progress I’d like to see. ▼ Eric Peterson is a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) educator; co-host of The Rewind Project, a new podcast about old movies; and is the author of a new novel, Loyalty, Love & Vermouth.

Thinking of Relocating to Florida?

St. Petersburg | Gulfport | Tampa | Fort Myers | Naples

The Warren Group James W. Warren II Principal Agent 239.595.0084 james.warren@compass.com Not intended to solicit currently listed property. © Compass Florida, LLC. Equal Housing Opportunity. All information furnished regarding property for sale or rent or regarding financing is from sources deemed reliable, but Compass makes no warranty or representation as to the accuracy thereof. All property information is presented subject to errors, omissions, price changes, changed property conditions, and withdrawal of the property from the market, without notice.

MARCH 4, 2022

29 Letters

It’s My Life

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

Talkin’ Bout My Generator

I

had just started writing this month’s column when the power went out. Again.

This is a regular occurrence around here. The Appalachian power grid is shaky at the best of times; during severe weather it’s positively neurotic.

And not even severe weather. Sometimes I think it goes out because somebody looks at it sideways.

In most respects this is not a huge deal. We have gas heaters that keep the house warm if necessary, and a gas stove for cooking. There’s also a backup woodstove if we need it. Battery-powered lanterns keep the house lit, and if all else fails, we have enough candles to light a cathedral or Cher’s bedroom.

The problem is the cellar. There’s a stream running through it at all times. This water has been channeled into a pipe, which empties into a cistern.

There’s a sump pump in the cistern, and when the water reaches a certain height, the pump sends it out and into a storm drain at the street.

The whole thing is a mystery to me. Nobody knows quite where the continuous stream of water comes from, or even how it gets into the pipe.

Chuck, our local handyman who knows everything about everything house-related, says, “It just does.

Don’t worry about it.”

Mostly, I don’t worry about it.

Now. When we first moved in, I worried a lot. We weren’t told about the stream, or the sump pump, when we looked at the house, and the first time I sat here in my office and heard water running under the floorboards, followed not long after by a loud WHOOOOOOOSH, I panicked. I went into the cellar and stared at the cistern. Then I called Chuck, who came over and explained to me what was happening.

Understanding the situation helps. Now when the sump pump goes off, I barely notice it. And it goes off a lot. Especially when it’s raining, in which case the cistern fills up approximately every 10 minutes, setting off the pump. On those days it’s a continuous cycle of trickle-trickle-trickleWHOOOOOOOSH. Visitors to the house often pause and look puzzled when they hear it. “Oh,” I tell them. “That’s the stream in the cellar. Don’t worry about it. Chuck says it’s fine.”

The only time I do worry about the stream is when the power goes out. Without power, the sump

The problem is the cellar. There’s a stream running through it at all times.

Letters 30 MARCH 4, 2022

pump can’t work its magic. That means that when the cistern fills up, the water has nowhere to go except out into the cellar. And the cellar also houses the water heater and the furnace, neither of which particularly enjoys bathing.

As so often is the case, the possibility of this happening didn’t occur to me until it did happen.

During a period of extensive rainfall over the summer, the power grid turned into a sulky teenager and periodically refused to cooperate. On one of those days, realizing that I was hearing a lot of trickling and no whooshing, I opened the cellar door to check on things and saw that water was slowly spreading across the cellar floor. I called Chuck.

“The sump pump can’t run without power,” Chuck pointed out. “You should probably get a generator for when this happens again.”

And so, we got a generator. Two, actually, because about a month ago I had to drive through a Level 3 snow emergency to get a second one when the power went out during a sleet storm and the first generator decided it no longer had the will to live. The new one fires up with no problem, though, and has already twice saved us from having a cellar filled with ice water.

So last night, as soon as the power went out, I fired up the generator and plugged in the sump pump, which cheerfully spat a cistern full of water out of the cellar. It was raining heavily, so this went on all night. Meanwhile, the generator roared like a prehistoric beast out on the patio, its voice joining that of the generators our neighbors were using to run their homes.

You might think that this would all be very reassuring. You would be wrong. See, generators run on gasoline, and gasoline runs out. Usually, the power is out for a couple of hours and this is not an issue. But sometimes it’s much longer. Half the fun is that you just never know. So while our generator did its thing and the sump pump did its thing, I lay in bed wondering when it would all stop working and the cellar would become a swimming pool.

“Don’t worry about it,” Cubby said.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Chuck,” I told him. ▼ Michael Thomas Ford is a much-published Lambda Literary award-winning author. Visit Michael at michaelthomasford.com

Make your next move with the Chris Beagle Group A new direction in Real Estate.

Chris Beagle Group chrisbeaglegroup@compass.com M 302.786.7669 | O 302.298.1761

Scan here for more information

Chris Beagle Group is a team of real estate licensees affiliated with Compass RE a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. 406 Rehoboth Ave Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.

At The Lodges of Coastal Delaware, we respect, honor and celebrate the individuality of every resident and team member. Here, we believe that a lifestyle community is a place to live, belong, and enjoy 'Life. Your Way.' Named “Best of Delaware” for 2021, The Lodge at Truitt Homestead is proud to be the first SAGECare Certified senior lifestyle community in Delaware, treating each resident with dignity and respect while catering to the unique needs of seniors in the LGBT+ community. Opening in 2023, The Lodge at Historic Lewes will be home to the same exceptional and inclusive lifestyle, offering vibrant assisted living and groundbreaking The Compass Memory Care™.

Start your journey to “Lodge Life” today by calling 844-993-9888.

BEST SENIOR RESIDENCE READERS PICK DOWNSTATE

LEWES & REHOBOTH BEACH, DE | WWW.LODGELIFEDE.COM | 844-993-9888 MARCH 4, 2022

31 Letters

River AGE: 6 years BREED: Golden Retriever FUR CHILD OF: Joni and Jeff LeVine. “She rescued us when she was 20 months old.”

FUN FACT: River’s Uncle Daniel (named after Jack Daniel’s) won the Westminster Dog Show in 2020! #BuddiesOnTheBeach

Interested in having your critter(s) featured in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth?

Send a high resolution picture (300 dpi) along with their name(s) and one fun fact to editor@camprehoboth.com. Our roaming photographer will also take photos in the courtyard all year long.

rehoboth guest 28-02_Layout 1 3/30/2018 2:13 PM Page 1

Letters 32 MARCH 4, 2022

The reviews are in!

“My husband and I were very pleased with your clear and informative webinar.” ~Robert M. “Thank you for the information session.

It was well presented and I learned a lot.” ~S.N.

There’s No Place Like Home For over 22 years, Springpoint Choice has enabled others like you to safely and comfortably remain in their home and age in place. This membership-based program is for healthy, active adults, ages 55 and older, who want to plan for their future.

With Springpoint Choice, you can: • Plan for long-term care so you can remain in your own home as long as possible • Avoid being a burden to your loved ones regarding your long-term care needs • Access quality long-term care and advocacy, if ever needed • Preserve and protect your financial assets

Springpoint Choice Meet the Care Navigators Event Join us at The Moorings at Lewes Thursday, March 17 Seating is limited—RSVP today!

RSVP today to 866-616-3084 or springpointchoice.org/rsvp-delaware.

Call now! Seating is limited.

17028 Cadbury Circle, Lewes, DE 19958 • springpointchoice.org MARCH 4, 2022

33 Letters

Historical Headliners

BY ANN APTAKER

Rebel with a Cause ROGER CASEMENT (1864-1916)

I

t’s the month of the Wearin’ O’ the Green, when Saint Patrick struts his stuff and all the world is Irish, even if it’s just for the length of time it takes to swallow a whiskey or a stout.

So while those Irish eyes are smilin’, they’re smilin’ not just in celebration of the famous saint. But also in memory—with a tear in the eye—of the Easter Uprising which cost many lives but led eventually to an independent Republic of Ireland.

Among the lives lost in that struggle was Irish-born diplomat Roger Casement.

Though a Protestant, Casement was a fervent nationalist, believing that the British must relinquish control of predominantly Catholic Ireland.

Casement’s journey from a loyal servant of the British Empire to a rebel with a cause began in a region far from the misty isles: in the African Congo, then under the exploitation of Belgium’s King Leopold II. Casement’s experience in the Congo was extensive, beginning in 1884 working with Henry Morton Stanley (he of the famous line, “Doctor Livingstone, I presume”) for the Africa International Association. This organization was, in fact, a cover for King Leopold’s ravaging of the Congo and the abuse of its native population.

In time, and through assignments in the British Foreign Service, Casement’s attitude toward European colonization changed from believing that the colonial enterprise would civilize what Europeans saw as primitive peoples to the realization that European colonization was brutal, and that King Leopold’s exploitation of the Congo was even criminal. Even the British Foreign Office, a sturdy supporter of European colonization, was alarmed at the extent of Leopold’s abuses. They commissioned Casement to make a study of the situation, and in 1904 he issued The Casement Report. The report revealed “the enslavement, mutilation and torture of natives” by Leopold’s representatives and on the rubber plantations.

This reversal in his attitude toward colonization became the start of CaseLetters 34 MARCH 4, 2022

ment’s journey to rebellion in Ireland. No mere armchair observer, Casement was an active participant in the 1916 Easter Uprising. During an operation of running guns into County Kerry, Casement and other rebels were caught and arrested. He was put on trial for treason, an offence punishable by death.

It was during the trial that the issue of Casement’s alleged homosexuality became central to the case.

It was during the trial that the issue of Casement’s alleged homosexuality became central to the case. A series of journals said to be written by Casement, and called The Black Diaries, were introduced in court. These journals were explicit in their depictions of Casement’s homosexual encounters and relationships. In an odd twist of courtroom strategies, the prosecution used the diaries and their erotic descriptions as proof of perversion, its author thus deserving no clemency.

Casement’s supporters and defense, on the other hand, argued that it was Casement’s perversion itself which indicated an ill mind and therefore, as some-

one mentally ill, deserved clemency rather than death. In other words, Casement’s alleged homosexuality was deserving of either death or the insane asylum.

The Crown’s prosecution prevailed, and Casement was officially found guilty of treason and unofficially guilty of the crime of homosexual activity. With a death sentence looming, Casement appealed his case. Supporters no less influential than George Bernard Shaw, the Irish poet W.B. Yeats, and the creator of Sherlock Holmes, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, all appealed for clemency. But it was to no avail. On August 3, 1916, Roger Casement was hanged at London’s Pentonville Prison, the last of 16 Irish rebels executed for treason.

After Casement’s death, Yeats penned the haunting anti-colonialist poem, The Ghost of Roger Casement. Inserted between stanzas is the haunting chant: The ghost of Roger Casement Is beating on the door.

The so-called Black Diaries remain controversial today. There are scholars who believe that the diaries were fabricated by the prosecution and their allies to defame Casement. Other scholars believe the diaries are genuine, penned by Casement to record and relive his erotic encounters. The latter belief seems to be gaining scholarly acceptance, though the controversy is by no means settled.

In any event, the idea that someone’s personal sexual life between consenting adults can be used to determine the worth of that person’s entire existence, and in Casement’s case and others throughout our LGBTQ+ history, a determinant if that life is allowed to live at all, still resonates in our community.

The ghost of Roger Casement does indeed still beat at the door. ▼ Ann Aptaker’s Cantor Gold crime/mystery series has won Lambda Literary and Goldie Awards. Her short stories appear in numerous publications and anthologies.

AQUAREHOBOTH.COM

We can’t wait to open Mid-April for the 2022 season!

We miss you all!

Our Live Entertainment Line Up! View Entertainment at thepinesrb.com/EVENTS

EVERY MONDAY

& Hosted By Mona Lotts & Kristina Kelly

EVERY SATURDAY 2 LEVELS INDOOR OUTDOOR DINING GetOF a Taste of &Everything

RESTAURANT

Get a Taste of Everything LOUNGE YEAR-ROUND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT SUNDAY BRUNCH OPEN

56 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach | 302-567-2726 | thepinesrb.com

View Entertainment at

thepinesrb.com/EVENTS MARCH 4, 2022

35 Letters

Out & Proud

BY STEFANI DEOUL

Books Banning—the New/Old Plot Twist

U

nder the category of everything old is new again, along with bell bottoms and fuzzy bucket hats, we must include that famous adage, the pen is mightier than the sword. Apparently.

If you didn’t know, this phrase comes from the historical play Cardinal Richelieu, written by novelist and playwright Edward Bulwer-Lytton in 1849.

(Bulwer-Lytton, ironically enough for a name most of us can’t remember, wrote another extraordinarily famous line: “It was a dark and stormy night....” The line appeared in the opening of his 1830 play, Paul Clifford.)

But back to the other play, Richelieu, chief minister to King Louis XIII, discovers there is a plot to kill him, but as a priest he is unable to take up arms against his enemies. What to do? His page, Francois, points out: But now, at your command are other weapons, my good Lord. And Richelieu agrees: The pen is mightier than the sword.... Take away the sword; States can be saved without it!

And there we have the core of the argument sweeping into far too many corners of this country. What books should we allow into our libraries, our curriculums? And what books should be banned? What books are so mighty that we need to shut them away so their impression cannot be seen or felt?

Right now, nearly half the states in America have some form of censorship bills on their table.

Tiffany Justice, a former school board member in Indian River County, Florida, and a founder of Moms for Liberty, was quoted in the NY Times saying, “The bottom line is if parents are concerned about something, politicians need to pay attention.” Ms. Justice added, “2022 will be a year of the parent at the ballot box.”

Just look to Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin. He rode this issue right through the front door of the Governor’s Mansion.

According to Rebecca Knuth, author of Libricide: The Regime-Sponsored Letters 36 MARCH 4, 2022

Destruction of Books and Libraries in the Twentieth Century and Burning Books and Leveling Libraries: Extremist Violence and Cultural Destruction, “A lot of ancient book burning was a function of conquest,” Knuth says, citing the destruction of the magnificent Library of Alexandria in 48 BC when Caesar chased Pompey to Egypt.

But then came the printing press, invented by Johannes Gutenberg in 1440, and with it, came a seismic shift.

…we have climbed publicly to seven percent of the population, and yet 50 percent of books being banned center around an LGBTQ character and/or characters of color.

Now, not only were there far more books, there was also far more access to knowledge.

So as the printing press ushers in the Enlightenment era, we see that if knowledge is power, then public access to knowledge is a threat to, well, the private powerful. Whether in an “authoritarian regime,” or just a mom afraid her child might “catch the gay.”

And now the unifying factor between all types of purposeful book-burners in the 20th century, (and their book banning advocates), Knuth says, is that the perpetrators feel like victims, even if they’re the ones in power.

The amazing, celebratory, justreported news of where we, the LGBTQ community, stand today is: 7.1 percent of US adults identify as part of us! That

number is double the figure from 2012, when Gallup first began measuring it.

So, if we go with the majority needing to suppress a minority, it explains why George M. Johnson’s All Boys Aren’t Blue, and Alex Gino’s George (now retitled Melissa), and Toni Morrison’s Beloved, are living in the crosshairs.

Yes, we have climbed publicly to seven percent of the population, and yet 50 percent of books being banned center around an LGBTQ character and/or characters of color. Hmmmm.…

When Donald Trump became president, I wrote a column saying it was all about the justices. And looking at the Supremes, it was sadly prescient.

It was only 1982 when the US Supreme Court, in Board of Education, Island Trees Union Free School v Pico, ruled that local school boards may not remove books from shelves simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books.

But these are different justices.

And different times. While banning books in our era of internet is almost absurd, it still serves to punish teachers and librarians, narrowing curriculum, until ultimately, possibly, delegitimizing public schools.

Author Barbara Tuchman said in her 1980 address at the Library of Congress, “Books are the carriers of civilization.

Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill. Without books, the development of civilization would have been impossible.”

I say without books, so many of our LGBTQ community would not have survived to rise up and be counted.

Maybe that’s the point. ▼ Stefani Deoul is a television producer and author of the award-winning YA mystery series Sid Rubin Silicon Alley Adventures, with On a LARP, Zero Sum Game, and Say Her Name.

You’ve Always Belonged Here . . .

Lana Warfield 16712 Kings Highway, Lewes, DE Office: 302-645-6661 Cell: 302-236-2430 E-mail: lcwarfield@hotmail.com A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC

Follow the Eccentric Escapades of Dick and James Fun with Dick and James

Here’s the deal.

We’ll be there for you.

The future has a lot of what ifs, and it’s a good feeling to have someone in your corner and around the corner to help you plan for them. Call us today.

Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there.®

An AwardWinning Book by Rich Barnett

Rich Barnett

Includes drink recipes!

Look for it at Browseabout Books and One Day at a Time Gift Shop

Jeanine O’Donnell, Agent 16583 Coastal Hwy Lewes, DE 19958 Bus: 302-644-3276 www.lewesinsurance.com

Eric Blondin Ins Agency Inc Eric Blondin, Agent 18958 Coastal Highway Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 www.surfsidecoverage.com

State Farm Bloomington, IL 2001294

MARCH 4, 2022

37 Letters

Letters 38 MARCH 4, 2022

MARCH 4, 2022

39 Letters

CAMP REHOBOTH BEACH GUIDE BEACH AREA LODGING Atlantic Sands Hotel, Boardwalk & Baltimore Ave.........................302-227-2511 Atlantis Inn, 154 Rehoboth Ave.....................................................302-227-9446 Breakers Hotel, 105 2nd St & Baltimore Ave.................................302-227-6688 Canalside Inn, 34 6th St.................................................................866-412-2625 Rehoboth Guest House, 40 Maryland Ave.....................................302-227-4117 Sea ‘n Stars Guest Suites, 44 Delaware Ave.................................302-226-2742 Summer Place Hotel, 1st St & Olive Ave........................................302-226-0766 The Shore Inn, 37239 Rehoboth Ave Ext.......................................302-227-8487

LEWES FOOD & DRINK Go Brit, 18388 Coastal Hwy...........................................................302-644-2250 Harbour Waterfront Dining, 134 West Market St...........................302-200-9522 Matt’s Fish Camp, 34401 Tenley Ct...............................................302-644-2267

Visit the Beach Guide Directory on the CAMP Rehoboth website to find links to these area businesses in BOLD. The Guide includes: Food and Wine, Shopping, Lodging, and Services—all at camprehoboth.com.

OTHER AREA FOOD & DRINK Bluecoast Seafood, 1111 Hwy One, Bethany................................302-539-7111 Catch 54, 54 Madison Ave, Fenwick..............................................302-436-8600 Matt’s Fish Camp, 28635 Coastal Hwy, Bethany...........................302-539-2267

SERVICES AT THE BEACH REHOBOTH RETAIL SHOPS New Wave Spas, 20660 Coastal Hwy............................................302-227-8484 Unfinished Business, Rt. 1 behind Panera Bread..........................302-645-8700

REHOBOTH ART | GALLERIES | MUSEUMS Caroline Huff, Fine Artist ...................................................www.carolinehuff.com Gallery 50, 50 Wilmington Ave......................................................302-227-2050 Philip Morton Gallery, 47 Baltimore Ave........................................302-727-0905 Rehoboth Art League, 12 Dodds Ln...............................................302-227-8408 Rehoboth Beach Museum, 511 Rehoboth Ave..............................302-227-7310

REHOBOTH FOOD & DRINK 1776 Steakhouse, Midway Shopping Center................................302-645-9355 Aqua, 57 Baltimore Ave................................................................ 302-226-9001 Back Porch Café, 59 Rehoboth Ave...............................................302-227-3674 Blue Moon, 35 Baltimore Ave........................................................302-227-6515 Café Azafran, 18 Baltimore Ave.....................................................302-227-8100 Café Papillon, Penny Lane Mall......................................................302-227-7568 Coho’s Market & Grill, 305 Rehoboth Ave......................................302-227-2646 Diego’s Bar Nightclub, 37298 Rehoboth Ave................................302-227-1023 Dos Locos, 208 Rehoboth Ave.......................................................302-227-3353 Go Fish, 24 Rehoboth Ave..............................................................302-226-1044 Goolee’s Grille, 11 South 1st St.....................................................302-227-7653 Indigo, 44 Rehoboth Ave.............................................................. 302-212-5220 Just In Thyme, 38163 Robinsons Dr..............................................302-227-3100 Lori’s Café, 39 Baltimore Ave.........................................................302-226-3066 Loves Liquors, LLC, 305c Rehoboth Ave........................................302-227-6966 Lupo Italian Kitchen, 247 Rehoboth Ave.......................................302-226-2240 Purple Parrot Grill, 134 Rehoboth Ave...........................................302-226-1139 Rigby’s, 404 Rehoboth Ave............................................................302-227-6080 Shorebreak Lodge, 10 Wilmington Ave.........................................302-227-1007 The Pines, 56 Baltimore Avenue....................................................302-567-2726

Letters 40 MARCH 4, 2022

BUILDING/CLEANING/REMODELING/LANDSCAPING

A.G. Renovations ...........................................................................302-947-4096 BSD, 18412 The Narrow Rd, Lewes..................................... 302-684-8588 Randall-Douglas.............................................................................302-245-1439

CHURCHES/SYNAGOGUES

All Saints’ Episcopal, 18 Olive Ave.................................................302-227-7202 Epworth UMC, 19285 Holland Glade Rd.......................................302-227-7743 Grace of God Lutheran, ELCA, 20689 Shoppes at Long Neck.......302-947-1044 M.C.C. of Rehoboth, 19369 Plantation Rd.....................................302-645-4945 Seaside Jewish Community, 18970 Holland Glade Rd..................302-226-8977 St. Peter’s Episcopal, 2nd & Market Sts, Lewes.............................302-645-8479 Unitarian Universalist, 30486 Lewes-G’Town Hwy........................302-313-5838 Unity of Rehoboth, 98 Rudder Rd, Millsboro.................................717-579-2612 Westminster Presbyterian, 301 King Charles Ave.........................302-227-2109

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

AARP of Delaware (age 50+)..........................................................866-227-7441 ACLU of DE—Lesbian & Gay Civil Rights Project............................302-654-3966 CAMP Rehoboth Chorus—Program of CAMP Rehoboth................302-227-5620 CAMP Rehoboth—LGBTQ Community Service Org........................302-227-5620 CAMP Rehoboth Families—LGBTQ parents connect......................302-227-5620 CAMP Rehoboth Parents of Transgender & Gender Non-conforming Children............................................302-227-5620 Cape Henlopen Senior Center—Rehoboth (age 50+)....................302-227-2055 CHEER Centers of Sussex County (age 50+)..................................302-515-3040 Delaware Aging & Disability Resource Center...............................800-223-9074 Delaware Human Relations Commission Housing & public accommodation............................................877-544-8626 Delaware Information Line............................................................................2-1-1 Delaware Pride—Community events, annual Pride Festival..........302-265-3020 Delaware Transgender Resources—transdelaware.net, delawarelgbtq@gmail.com Delaware Transgender Support.....................................................302-402-3033

Gay/Lesbian Alcoholics Anonymous—add’l schedules..................302-856-6452 Saturdays 6 pm: Epworth UMC, 19285 Holland Glade Rd (step meeting) Saturdays 7:30 pm: All Saints’ Church, 18 Olive Ave (step meeting) Tuesdays noon: St. Peter’s Church, 211 Mulberry St, Lewes (step meeting) Thursdays noon: CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave (open discussion) Sundays 9 am: CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave (open discussion) Tuesdays 8 pm: CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave (Young Persons) Gay Men’s Discussion Group—Program of CAMP Rehoboth.........302-227-5620 Lesbian Support Group—Program of CAMP Rehoboth..................302-227-5620 Lewes Senior Activity Center (age 50+).........................................302-645-9293 LGBTQ Student Union—University of DE, Newark.........................302-831-8066 Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth................................................302-645-7449 PFLAG-Rehoboth—3rd Tuesdays, Public Library, 111 Adams Ave, Lewes SLAA and SAA—Thursdays, 7:30 pm, All Saints’ Church 18 Olive Ave ............................................................................302-745-7929 Social Security Administration—Lewes office................................800-772-1213 TransLiance of DE—Rehoboth—4th Tuesdays at 7 pm, MCC of Rehoboth; contact: TransLiance@gmail.com

COUNSELING/THERAPY/LIFE COACH

Jewish Family Services........................................................ 302-478-9411 Karen Abato, ATR-BC, LPAT, Licensed Art Psychotherapist... 302-232-5330 Kevin J. Bliss, Personal/Professional Coaching.............................302-754-1954 Time to Heal Counseling & Consulting, Lewes ............................302-574-6954

ELECTRICIANS

Silver Electric..................................................................................302-227-1107

EVENT PLANNING/CATERING

Flair................................................................................................302-930-0709 Plate Catering.................................................................................302-644-1200

FINANCIAL SERVICES

County Bank, 19927 Shuttle Rd.......................................... 302-226-9800 Jenn Harpel, Morgan Stanley.........................................................302-644-6620

FLORISTS

Bayberry Florist..............................................................................302-227-5725 Windsor’s Florist, 20326 Coastal Hwy...........................................302-227-9481

FUNERAL SERVICES

Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium................................ 302-645-9520

HAIR SALONS/TATTOO & PIERCING

Beach Cuts, 214 Rehoboth Ave...........................................302-226-ROBB Gregory Meyers Hair Studio, 20245 Bay Vista Rd & Rt 1..............302-727-5331 Stephan & Co Salon & Spa, 19266 Coastal Hwy................... 302-260-9478

HEALTH-RELATED

AIDS Delaware – Kent & Sussex Counties.....................................302-226-3519 AIDS Delaware – New Castle County............................................302-652-6776 AIDS Hotline – Delaware statewide...............................................800-422-0429 Brandywine Urology Consultants...................................................302-824-7039 Beebe Healthcare, 26744 J.J. Williams Hwy.................................302-645-3300 CAMPsafe AIDS education & prevention program of CAMP Rehoboth ..................................................................................................302-227-5620 Christiana Care HIV Wellness Clinic ..............................................302-933-3420 Christiana Care LGBTQ Health Initiatives.......................................302-733-1227 Delaware HIV Consortium - Statewide..........................................302-654-5471 Delaware Hospice..........................................................................800-838-9800 Delaware Total Foot & Ankle Center.................................... 302-297-8431 National Alliance on Mental Illness of DE (NAMI)...........................302-427-0787 Rehoboth Beach Dental, 19643 Blue Bird Ln....................... 302-226-0300 Steven B. Wright, D.M.D., 18912 J.J. Williams Hwy............. 302-645-6671 The Aesthetic Center......................................................................302-827-2125

INSURANCE

Eric Blondin, State Farm...................................................... 302-644-3276 George Bunting, State Farm................................................ 302-227-3891 Jeanine O’Donnell, State Farm............................................ 302-645-7283

LEGAL/ACCOUNTING/TRUST SERVICES

Lawson Firm, 402 Rehoboth Ave...................................................302-226-3700 PWW Law LLC, 1519 Savannah Rd, Lewes................................... 302-703-6993 Steven Falcone CPA, Taxes & Planning..........................................302-644-8634

LOCKSMITHS

Rock Lock/Robin Rohr/Your Community Locksmith.......................302-386-9166

MASSAGE THERAPY/FITNESS

Midway Fitness & Racquetball, Midway Center.............................302-645-0407 One Spirit Massage, 169 Rehoboth Ave........................................302-226-3552 Rehoboth Massage/Alignment.......................................................302-727-8428

PET RETAIL

Critter Beach, 156 Rehoboth Ave..................................................302-226-2690 Pet Portraits by Monique................................................................717-650-4626

PET SERVICES

Brandywine Valley SPCA, 22918 Dupont Blvd, G’twn.......... 302-856-6361 Delaware Humane Association, 18675 Coastal Hwy........... 302-200-7159 Parsell Pet Crematorium, 16961 Kings Hwy, Lewes............ 302-645-7445

REAL ESTATE

Allen Jarmon, NextHome Tomorrow Realty...................................302-745-5122 Bill Peiffer, Patterson Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy....................302-703-6987 Chris Beagle, Berkshire Hathaway, 37230 Rehoboth Ave............302-227-6101 Debbie Reed Team, 319 Rehoboth Ave.........................................800-263-5648 Donna Whiteside, Berkshire Hathaway, 16712 Kings Hwy...........302-381-4871 Hugh Fuller, Realtor........................................................................302-745-1866 John Black, Patterson Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy...................302-703-6987 Lana Warfield, Berkshire Hathaway, 37230 Rehoboth Ave...........302-227-6101 Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, 16698 Kings Hwy....................... 302-645-6664 Lingo Realty, 246 Rehoboth Ave....................................................302-227-3883 McGuiness Group, 246 Rehoboth Ave...........................................302-227-3883 McWilliams Ballard, Kevin McDuffie.................................. kmcduffie@mcwb.com McWilliams Ballard, Justin Orr.....................................................jorr@mcwb.com Randy Mason/Shirley Kalvinsky, Lingo Realty................................302-227-3883 Sea Bova Associates, 20250 Coastal Hwy........................... 302-227-1222 Troy Roberts, Mann & Sons, 414 Rehoboth Ave............................302-228-7422

RETIREMENT LIVING/SENIOR CARE FACILITIES

Springpoint Choice, 17028 Cadbury Cir, Lewes............................302-313-6658 The Lodge at Truitt Homestead, 36233 Farm Ln.................. 302-232-6372

TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION

Accent On Travel, 37156 Rehoboth Ave.............................. 302-278-6100 CHEER Transportation (age 50+)....................................................302-856-4909 ITN Southern Delaware (age 60+ or disabled)...............................302-448-8486 Jolly Trolley Shuttle from Rehoboth Ave & Boardwalk...................302-644-0400 Olivia Travel...........................................................800-631-6277 ext. 696

POPULAR LGBTQ BEACHES

Poodle Beach, south end of the Rehoboth Boardwalk Cape Henlopen State Park, Ocean Dr north to Cape Henlopen State Park. Daily parking rate in effect March-November.

MARCH 4, 2022

41 Letters

Before the Beach

BY MICHAEL GILLES

Baruch Haba, Rabbi Julie

A

pastoral care specialist, social activist, speaker, author, presenter, and photographer.

And on top of all that, a rabbi!

That’s right, there’s a new rabbi in town.

This septuple-threat is Seaside Jewish Community’s first full-time religious leader in its 25-year history. As of January 1, Rabbi Julie Hilton Danan is the new rabbi in town.

Who is this woman of God, this teacher of Jewish wisdom, who has taken over the rabbinate of Rehoboth Jews?

Let’s start at the beginning. As a child, the precocious Julie dreamed of being the first woman rabbi. She was beaten to it (by a lot!), but that didn’t stop her. As she grew into a young woman, Jewish education became a huge part of her life.

Rabbi Julie studied Jewish literature and culture in college. Her dissertation from the University of Texas at Austin was on rabbinic uses of the term, “Ruah ha-Kodesh” (the Holy Spirit) and the feminine nature of the Divine Inspiration. Rabbi Julie is the author of the Jewish Parents’ Almanac, as well as articles and book chapters on Jewish life and education.

She received rabbinic ordination through the ALEPH Rabbinic program in 2000. ALEPH, the Alliance for Jewish Renewal, is focused on the premise that “no Jew is forgotten,” and that “no Jew is alone.” Rabbi Julie has been part of the ALEPH Rabbinic Program Core Faculty since 2016.

She and her husband Avraham have four daughters and one son, so gender studies in relation to the Jewish faith stay with her to this day. When she became a mom, she began taking a more holistic view of the Jewish faith. As she is fond of saying, “Having kids opens you to protecting all kids.”

SVARA is a “traditionally radical” yeshiva dedicated to the serious study of Judaism through the lens of queer experiences. Its leader, Rabbi Benay Lappe, calls her school the Queer Yeshiva. Her studies in gender were meaningful to Rabbi Julie; she took classes there.

Rabbi Julie is the founder of Well-

Letters 42 MARCH 4, 2022

springs of Wisdom, a virtual retreat center where ancient Jewish symbols from nature become gateways to personal growth and action. She has taught for synagogues, interfaith groups, universities, and seminaries. Her role is not just passing on information, but bringing wisdom to people’s lives. Her philosophy: “God gives you treasure; a rabbi shows

SVARA is a “traditionally radical” yeshiva dedicated to the serious study of Judaism through the lens of queer experiences. you where to dig.” One of those treasures can be found in CAMP Rehoboth. After just a few months she has joined them, seeing it as a great way to embrace the Rehoboth community.

She has lived and taught in San Antonio and the Texas Hill Country, Israel, Northern California, and the Hudson River Valley of New York. Rabbi Julie has brought something with her from each place. But why Rehoboth? Why here?

Rabbi Beth Cohen, Seaside’s first part-time religious leader and now their Rabbi Emeritus, told her about the job.

After a long process of interviewing, she was hired to be rabbi at the beginning of the new year. So, Rabbi Julie and Avraham packed up their New York home and moved to Rehoboth.

There were other reasons to become the first full-time rabbi at Seaside. The thing that attracted her the most was the opportunity to play a part in the growth of Seaside. Twenty-five years ago, Seaside was holding seders in a deli for about 100 people. In 2019, Seaside was renovating its Rehoboth building, and by the end of 2021, Seaside’s congregation had grown to more than 600 members.

Seaside is also actively involved in the Rehoboth community, making it even more attractive to the activist rabbi. It continues to maintain strong relationships with the local faith houses and remains an unaffiliated, egalitarian, and inclusive rabbinate.

Plus, it’s by the beach!

As a social activist, Rabbi Julie has a goal to address the trauma of antisemitism. She also points out that not all Jews are white, a starting point to examining the true diversity of her faith.

Rabbi Julie is sometimes referred to as the Nature Rabbi. She finds her inspiration in nature as well as in ancient texts. She feels that it’s important to live in harmony with nature, and that one can find one’s spirituality in the outdoors. Not surprisingly, Rabbi Julie enjoys running, hiking, snowshoeing, and yoga, as well as her new passion for nature photography, which she shares on Instagram @ wellsprings.

Rabbi Julie brings so much: enthusiasm for and about the community, a willingness to engage people on today’s issues, a focus on nature and the environment. But most of all, her work at Seaside continues her lifelong mission as a rabbi… to always treasure what it means to be a teacher.

Baruch Haba is usually translated as “Welcome,” but literally it means “Blessed is the person who comes.” We bless you, Rabbi Julie, as you bless us. Welcome. ▼ Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

Summer Winds Are Coming!

Talk To Our Team To Find Your Perfect City or Beach Abode Today.

Recent Featured Listing

C O A S T A L 302.387.4227 | MCWB.COM

REPRESENTED BUYERS

20692 TRA DEWINDS C OUR T SOLD FOR $1,260,000

57 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE 1485 9TH St. NW, Washington, DC

KEVIN MCDUFFIE | SVP

JUSTIN ORR | AGENT

(202) 439.2435

(484) 472-3500

KMCDUFFIE@MCWB.COM

JORR@MCWB.COM

MARCH 4, 2022

43 Letters

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts!

Finding Friends and Fun in the Deep Freeze THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at The Pines: Kristina Kelly, Jeff Clouser, Ron Reichert, Brian Cusick, Bob Suppies, Vadim Karpeshov, Scott Sylvester, Scott Burdette, Mike Young, Scott Ennis, Carlos Taylor, Rob Robertson, Jim Kemp, J.D. Bean, Seth Sikes, Phil Reno, Russ King, Jack Strogus, Domenic Mannello, Rick Perry, Mark Kehoe; 2) at Theo’s Restaurant: Pete Grover, David Heulitt, Alex Thompson.

OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Art + Activism: Open House at CAMP Rehoboth: Arlene Ketchum, Leslie Ledogar, Marilyn Hewitt, Sandra Chaff, Theresa Angela Taylor, Cacto JeFiah B, Maaya X, Taylor Gordon, Andrea Gordon, Virginia Simmons, Jane Knaus, Ann Martin, Ronica RidleyMartin, Leslie Sinclair, Dennis Konzelman, Jeff Wilson, Jim Kets; 4) at Square One: Richard Suter, Bradley Brittian, Jeff Davis, Mike Davitt, Tom Newton, Brian Snual, Bill Paveletz, John Hackett; 5) at Peninsula Gallery Opening Reception for Dane Tilghman: Gene Pantano, Dane Tilghman, Carl Preate.

1

(More CAMPshots page 46)

2 Letters 44 MARCH 4, 2022

3

4

5 MARCH 4, 2022

45 Letters

1

(Continued from page 45) THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Freddie’s Beach Bar & Grille: Freddie Lutz, Pamala Stanley, Johnny Cervantes, Paul Stambaugh, Steve Wood, Fred DiBartolo, Roger Benner, Brian Conroe, Tony Burns, Frank DelCampo, Jeremy Clark, Marc Chase, George Toma, Eric Engelhart, Paulette Lanza, Chris Beagle, David Messina, Bob McCollar, Sam Kessler, Jack Suwanlert, George Shevlin.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 2) at Rehoboth Beach Polar Bear Plunge: Tom Durso, Tim Colfer, Jamison Kotch-Jester, Micky McManamon, Katie Handy, Beave Bievenour, Sue Shollenderger, Gwen Osborne, Victor Camacho, Will Delaney; 3) at Purple Parrot: Norman Falk, Richard Baylor, David Clarke, Hugh Fuller, Peggy Reed, Tyler Thompson, John Wallden; 4) at The Pond: Debra Quinton, Kelly Sheridan, Claire Snyder-Hall, Mikki Snyder-Hall. ▼

Letters 46 MARCH 4, 2022

Cold Hands, Warm Hearts!

2

4

3 MARCH 4, 2022

47 Letters

View Point

BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

What the Censors’ Targets Reveal The desperate quest to keep children ignorant

I

would like to claim that I turned gay when I developed a crush on LeVar Burton while watching Reading Rainbow as a child. Sure, I was 27 when the series began, but I was highly impressionable.

The loudest professed champions of personal liberty (including the right to carry an AR-15 or refuse to wear a mask during a deadly pandemic) are simultaneously determined to restrict the freedom to learn. In the name of protecting children, they demonize intellectual curiosity and put some of our most compelling, highly-honored literature on their proscription lists.

Once you’ve had a taste of controlling people, it is hard to stop.

Some urges are not easily quelled.

Since ancient times people have sought religious experiences or higher consciousness via mind-altering substances—so many aspiring superheroes searching for their heart-shaped herb.

Some favor magic mushrooms, others smoke toad venom. Then there’s whatever the author of the Book of Revelation was on. These substances are dangerous and usually illegal.

Books are a special class of mind-altering substance whose purported perilousness has populists across the country in a condemnatory zeal. The targeted titles include Art Spiegelman’s Maus, Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird, Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye, and anything that favorably mentions queer folk.

The notion that any of us needed creeps peddling contraband to figure out that we weren’t like other children is quaint. Yet it persists as a rash on the body politic.

The reason is all too evident: efforts to restrict children’s reading options, like laws that forbade teaching slaves to read, are a tacit acknowledgment that reading is power. That the censors’ leading targets are books giving voice to racial and sexual minorities only confirms this.

Letters 48 MARCH 4, 2022

Speaking of reading material, it is unclear what substance Sen. John Neely Kennedy of Louisiana (who resembles Foghorn Leghorn minus the charm) was on when he suggested that Biden’s Supreme Court nominee, solely on account of being a black woman, would not know a law book from a J. Crew catalog. A wag online replied, “Here’s your catalog,” showing a voluptuous male model reaching into his pants. I distrust such photos; I always expect a variation of the lady in the bath who seduces Jack Nicholson in The Shining, only to be revealed as a rotting hag. In my case, the model reaching into his pants would turn into Rudy Giuliani in Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm.

Who knows how many schoolchildren even now are downloading forbidden titles under their teachers’ noses?

The right-wing attack against “wokeness” is a massive case of projection, a cynical ploy to replace exaggerated left-wing coercion with their own variety while indulging barely disguised racism and sexism.

I would not be surprised if the book banning was thought up by marketers for publishing firms. If you ban, say, George M. Johnson’s acclaimed memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue, it will increase sales.

The know-nothings may think they are in control, but that is undermined by the widespread possession of smartphones by teenage students. In their pockets the students carry a literary underground, ready to resist the suppression that Morrison feared would be “a whole universe…being described in invisible ink.”

The right’s orgy of obscurantism offers a case study in how to thrive amid adversity. Who knows how many schoolchildren even now are downloading forbidden titles under their teachers’ noses? (It should be noted, however, that many teachers respect students more than politicians do.) As students read, I can see them poised to hit an emergency switch on their phone that opens a decoy like the King James Bible or a video of Rep. Madison Cawthorn punching a dead tree.

Considering how some adults behave, I think we can afford to trust our children.

Unorthodox love, incidentally, is old hat. See a 1991 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation titled “The Host,” in which Dr. Beverly Crusher falls in love with an ambassador who turns out to be a symbiont inside a host body. Things get interesting when it’s transplanted into a female host.

Dear right-wing scolds: the kids are way ahead of you. They will appear to be ordering pizza while secretly reading something steamy and full of educational detail. If you wish to be helpful, try supporting sex education that includes information about avoiding and treating STDs. One useful concept is delayed gratification. As for your eagerness to raise children as sheep rather than human beings, that’s far too risqué for me. ▼ Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist at rrosendall@me.com.

reho dental 28-02_Layout 1 3/30/2018 2:12 PM Page 1

MARCH 4, 2022

49 Letters

Q Puzzle Romance Parade

Solution on Page 76 ACROSS 1 Peter Doyle’s partner Whitman 5 Spamalot writer Eric 9 Caesar’s postorgasmic claim?

14 Firebird composer Stravinsky 15 Chicago producer Meron 16 Movie based on The Price of Salt (Parade’s #2 of the Best LGBTQ Romance Movies of All Time) 17 Allies alliance (abbr.)

18 Where to find fine meats 19 “Great Caesar’s ghost!”

20 Lesbian romance set in the Orthodox Jewish community (#18) 23 Get testy with 24 Units of stone size 28 Emergency road service org.

30 Pacifier 31 Mary’s TV boss 32 Best Picture winner at the 2017 Oscars (#1) 37 Flies like a falcon 39 Diva’s piece 40 Transportation for Liberace 42 Bear of the night 43 Fictional falcon’s home 45 2018 film about a gay teen (#9) 47 Went down on

48 50 51 53 58 62 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72

Road atlas abbr.

La mer, to Debussy Play the temptress Much ado about nothing, perhaps Lesbian romance set in Queen Anne’s court (#14) Rice dish with nuts and fruits Ingrid’s Casablanca role Surfer’s paradise My Own Private ___ (#12) Lorca’s half-dozen Queen’s “___ on Me” Michael of Miss Congeniality Send a message to Features of Disney’s Dumbo

DOWN 1 Section for sax maniacs 2 From the top 3 Loads of 4 Cavalry unit 5 Where dat bottom took it?

6 A Scout may do a good one 7 Taylor of I Shot Andy Warhol 8 Peace Nobelist Wiesel 9 Top of the world and the bottom 10 Sue Wicks, for one 11 Constellation over Sydney

12 Stylish, ‘60s-style 13 Dottermans of Antonia’s Line 21 Un-American idol 22 USMC barracks boss 25 It arouses in the bedroom 26 Bodybuilding-themed porn mag 27 Reformer Anthony 29 Able to bend over 30 Pilot’s place 32 Lesbian parent pair 33 Take the soapbox 34 Lubricated 35 Part of NGLTF (abbr.)

36 Medical care co.

38 Nice affirmative 41 Where pirates land 44 The Riddler, to Superman 46 Star Trek navigator 49 Supporter of SpencerDevlin 52 Affirmation member, often 54 Became erect 55 Sporty Mazda 56 Colette’s The ___ One 57 Commits to another hitch 59 Balled hand for balling 60 Toward shelter 61 Auto engine type 62 It’s a snap for Morgan Gwenwald 63 Lupino of Women’s Prison 64 Troubadour’s tune

Giving back is my way of saying “Thank you.”

George Bunting Jr, Agent 19716 Sea Air Ave #1 Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 Bus: 302-227-3891 george@gbunting.com

1211006 Letters 50 MARCH 4, 2022

We’re all in this together.

State Farm® has a long tradition of being there. That’s one reason why I’m proud to support Camp Rehoboth.

Get to a better State®.

State Farm, Bloomington, IL

clear space theatre company

20 Baltimore Ave. (Beach Block) RB, DE 19971

March 11 -- 27!

Lorem ipsum

Sponsored by

Tickets On Sale Now! Tickets On Sale Now!

Clear Space is requiring patrons to show their COVID-19 vaccination card along with a government-issued ID or physical proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance and a government-issued ID in order to enter the theatre. Masks are required for everyone while inside the building.

No food or beverages allowed inside the theatre.

For complete show schedules & tickets, please visit:

www.ClearSpaceTheatre.org Or call

302.227.2270

This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts.

The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Clear Space Theatre Company, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.

MARCH 4, 2022

51 Letters

arts+entertainment

BY DOUG YETTER

SPOTLIGHT ON THE

arts It Takes a Woman March is Women’s History Month, and Women’s FEST is soon upon us. So, it made perfect sense to feature the conductor of the Rehoboth Concert Band, Sharon Still, and to celebrate their March 20 concert, Women of Note.

My own musical life has been guided by dozens of fantastic women—all my piano instructors were women, my high school choral conductor, department chairs at the University of Maryland and NYU, composition teachers, mentors…and, of course, my mother, who really needed an accompanist more than a kid! ▼ Doug is the Artistic Director of CAMP Rehoboth Chorus and Minister of Music at Epworth UMC. You can contact him at dougyetter@ gmail.com.

This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on www.DelawareScene.com.

Letters 52 MARCH 4, 2022

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community

IN THE CAMP REHOBOTH GALLERY

Mills and More

An exhibit featuring the art of Lee Wayne Mills and works from the CAMP Rehoboth collection.

This prolific local artist passed away in the summer of 2020 and requested that some of his works be donated to CAMP Rehoboth. Now collectors will have a unique opportunity to view and purchase Mills’ art.

Lee built his art on the foundation of abstract expressionism. In his words, “All of my works echo the fragmented, ever-changing moments of my life, dancing about, alighting, at this moment—a coming together of emotions

and ideas—gestures and strokes of paint, ink, cut and torn pieces of cloth and paper, and interwoven shapes.”

Additional works from CAMP Rehoboth’s collection which complement Mills’ work will be incorporated into this exhibit, featuring motion, shapes, the magic of the brush, and themes that intrigue.

Watch for an announcement of a pop-up reception where patrons will have a chance to socialize and purchase art that will be a wonderful addition to any collection. The Mills and More exhibit runs from March 5 through March 31.

Below: #026; above: #028, by Lee Wayne Mills, mixed media on paper.

arts+entertainment

artist SPOTLIGHT SHARON STILL

#047 by Lee Wayne Mills, mixed media on paper.

FEST Art 2022

Women’s FEST is planning entertainment and some exciting and fun events this year, and we are happy to report that this popular annual art show will be one of them! The arts and artists will be celebrated in an exhibition that features the work of Delaware’s women artists and artists of all genders. CAMP Rehoboth is even more excited to announce that artist Rebecca Davidson will be the juror for the exhibit! FEST Art 2022 runs April 7-30, with an Open House Reception on Friday, April 8 (3:00-5:00 p.m.). ▼

CAMP REHOBOTH highlights our community’s unique history and culture, and serves to further diversity, equity, and inclusion, by building unity and understanding. Exhibits may be viewed Monday-Friday (10:00 a.m.4:00 p.m.) and Saturday (10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.).

View and purchase art on the CAMP Rehoboth website under “SHOP.”

Doug Yetter: After knowing each other for a decade, I realized there’s a TON about you I don’t know! Tell us about your background.

Sharon Still: I was born and reared in Knoxville, Tennessee, and lived in West Virginia and northern Virginia before Kay—my partner of 44 years—and I moved to Rehoboth Beach in 2012. I began playing trombone at nine, all band instruments in college, and violin and cello afterwards. I earned my BS from East Tennessee State, MS from Radford, and post-grad at University of Maryland and the Peabody Conservatory.

DY: How did the Rehoboth Concert Band come to be?

SS:The RCB is a non-profit co-founded by Kay and me in 2012.

Our first concert in February of 2013 was performed by 37 members, and by the next year we’d grown to 61!

Our next concert is Women of Note on March 20 at Epworth UMC. It’s a celebration of Women’s History Month and a fundraiser for Cape Henlopen Senior Center. (Details at rehobothconcertband.org) DY: I imagine there have been challenges as a woman conductor.

SS: I began my career as a high school band director in the mid70s—the only female director in the state—and I experienced sexual harassment continually. After school the principal would chase me around the band room trying to hug

or kiss me. I quickly discovered that throwing trumpet and trombone mutes at him stopped his advances. When I resigned that position and started a job search, I often heard, “We want a man for the job.”

In those days sex discrimination was hard to prove with little law to lean on. I had battles and almost changed my career. But as the years passed, improvements were made, and I persisted because music was my life and I felt I had been given some gifts to share and to give away.

DY: And finally, how do you define success as a musician/conductor?

SS: Success is when I see and hear an appreciative audience—when the music has made them feel something. My responsibility as a musician is to share, to give away music. Success is improvement in the quality of play and a concert well done.▼

MARCH 4, 2022

53 Letters

The Writing Life

BY MATTY BROWN

Radical Acceptance in a Radical Space

D

rag hasn’t always taken form in mainstream reality competition series and bachelorette parties at drag bars. In the late 90s, the scene in San Francisco was subversive, radical, and rambunctious, exploring many styles and challenging the gender construct. Monique Jenkinson, whose new memoir, Faux Queen: A Life in Drag, brings readers into that world through her perspective as the first cis woman to win a major drag pageant at the San Fran bar called the Stud.

Suitably, Jenkinson’s drag name is Monique Fauxnique. Discovering the art of drag in the San Fran of the late 90s, Monique expressed her passion for the arts through dance. She was drawn to the world of drag through community and friendships, with one of her dance tour mates bringing her to the Stud in 1998.

“I want to recognize the sake of coming together in difference, and joyously so, as we share space,” Jenkinson said of her unique perspective in approaching this memoir. Monique is quick to share that her attraction and participation in this scene and what she calls her role as at least “culturally queer” does not make her an interloper by any means. Her cis-het outsider perspective on drag comes from a place of celebration, not mockery.

In fact, her outside perspective is one of the purposes of the book. “This book is about difference. It’s about being different, feeling different, and finding commonality. Radical acceptance in a radical space,” writes Jenkinson in the book’s introduction.

Indeed, Faux Queen explores drag, queerness, history, dance, feminism, friendships between gay men and women, and how we create ourselves in both radical ways and spaces. It offers special attention to those radical spaces, namely the weekly Tuesday night show and annual pageant called “Trannyshack” at the Stud.

Yikes, it’s that word. “The name of the show—we can call it the Shack for short. The first few pages I realized I Letters 54 MARCH 4, 2022

had to give a trigger warning and ‘buyer beware,’ because this was a word we used to use joyously and lightly until, as Auntie Kate Bornstein and Auntie Vivian Bond said, bad people got ahold of it,” Jenkinson said. Confronting it directly,

“This book is about difference. It’s about being different, feeling different, and finding commonality.”

the t-word and the evolving nature and usage of language became a fascinating rumination for the story instead of a shame or detriment.

As a show, the Shack combines much of the book’s sentiments and challenges readers to consider how fractious or hyper-sensitive even the queer community may have become in the time since. The show was daring, messy, and liberating.

Fauxnique debuted in drag there, albeit under a different drag name, to the number “I Dream of Wires” by Gary Numan.

A few years later, Fauxnique went on to win the Miss Trannyshack pageant’s top honors—a distinction that became the reason for this book and the “motivating event behind anyone’s interest in [Monique’s] life”. The Shack is a reconciliation of the seemingly oxymoronic “unsafe safe space” that is integral to the celebration

of Faux Queen. “The unsafest of safe spaces helped us to enact an impossible project: to get free,” reflects Jenkinson in the first chapter.

With a strong, compelling command as a memoirist, Jenkinson masterfully interjects these theoretical ideas among carnal, sensory details. “I’m trying to balance these ways of taking us into the spaces and onto the sweaty dance floor—where no one’s talking about theory, they’re living it—and then bring in the analysis of that moment, of those acts, and of that space,” said Jenkinson.

Moments of humor invite outsiders in, as does Monique’s explanation of key drag lingo like “kiki” and “serving shrimp.”

But for the most part, the audience for this book is Monqiue’s community of drag sisters and queer friends. “I know it’s for my people; the book is for my friends,” said Jenkinson, before noting, “It’s not for everyone but hopefully it’s for anyone.”

With Faux Queen out now, Monique understands the audience will take away what it will from the book. Yet, she still hopes the memoir offers readers an opportunity to see the world in its kaleidoscopic wonderlands. “Later on in the book, there’s a chapter called Gender Fold, that’s about resisting this idea that there’s a neutral or that everything should be easily categorized. It can be a safe space, and an unsafe space. So, it’s taking this willingness toward multiplicity. Humor in that context is important.” ▼ Faux Queen is available wherever books are sold, including amazon. com and bywaterbooks. com or through Browseabout Books in Rehoboth.

Matty Brown is the Operations Administrator at CAMP Rehoboth and Editorial Associate of Letters.

ist

I RV I N

GB

ER

LIN

•G

ati bo r

THE

DAVID Z I P S E

Co lla

Great AMERICAN LY

Artistic Director •

L N • COLE PORTE R • B I

music by America’s greatest 20th-century songwriters.

HWI

JO

EL

•C

AR

OL

E KI NG

DOUG YETTER

ERS

2022

EG

U nforgettable

RG

ve

s r ti

t&

Ac

co

an mp

EO

A

CA M P R E H O B OT H C H O R U S

2022 REVISED SCHEDULE

May 13, 14 @ 7pm May 15 @ 3pm

• PA U L SI M O N

SONGBOOK

NEW DATES !

Epworth United Methodist Church 19285 Holland Glade Rd • Rehoboth Beach, DE

camprehoboth.com

June 12 @ 3pm

Sussex Academy 250 Airport Rd • Georgetown, DE

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.

MARCH 4, 2022

55 Letters

HRC-MEI REDUX

BY MATTY BROWN

Looking at that Score Again

A

t the end of 2021, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) released its annual Municipal Equality Index (MEI) survey that ranks how inclusive a city or municipality is of its LGBTQ community. For another consecutive year, Rehoboth Beach’s MEI score ranked at 58, nine points below the 2021 national average of 67.

In response, Rehoboth Beach Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski and City Manager Sharon Lynn voiced their commitment to updating the scorecard. “I was surprised last year when the score came out. I feel that the score is not reflective of our community at all,” said Commissioner Chrzanowski.

HRC celebrated 10 years of the MEI survey with its 2021 release, and with each year indicating an increase in national scores (last year’s average score was 64), the survey “showed that regardless of what’s happening in state legislatures, local leaders understand the ongoing need to ensure that the people in their communities are safe, seen, and served.” Letters set out to explore why Rehoboth Beach isn’t showing similar progress on the continuing quest for visible LGBTQ equality.

That quest starts by recognizing out of the eight Delawarean municipalities measured, Rehoboth Beach’s score came in fourth, behind Wilmington (88), Milford (74), and Newark (61), respectively.

The survey measures five criteria: non-discrimination laws, municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.

Of these categories, Rehoboth scored just half of its allotted points for municipality as an employer and did not earn any points for municipal services and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality.

According to Commissioner Chrzanowski, the path to raising Rehoboth’s score is twofold. “Clarifying things our city already does and then codifying legislation that we already do by practice would improve the score,” he said.

Unfortunately, COVID-19’s permeating effects on staffing (for both HRC and the Letters 56 MARCH 4, 2022

city) contributed to the score remaining the same for the 2021 survey, according to Commissioner Chrzanowski, who also noted that the city did not have an opportunity to see and respond to the latest scorecard before release.

Last year, Commissioner Chrzanowski began working with HRC’s leadership to clarify the city’s current strengths not reflected in the MEI. For example, though Rehoboth scored “zero” on the “leadership on LGBTQ+ equality” section, Commissioner Chrzanowski notes that the city regularly makes public statements and signs of support for LGBTQ equality.

Specifically, he points to the city’s annual Pride month proclamation, the welcome marquee and opening proclamation for Rehoboth Beach Bears Weekend (which Chrzanowski helped establish when he served on the board for the RB Bears), and projects like the StreetScape Task Force, where Chrzanowski mentions an intention to have a rainbow crosswalk somewhere on Baltimore Avenue “that would signify that all are welcome, that this is a safe place, a safe street, and a safe City.”

Commissioner Chrzanowski sees a partnership with CAMP Rehoboth as a crucial step to improving how inclusive Rehoboth Beach can be for its LGBTQ community.

Elsewhere, work to codify legislation has also begun in collaboration with HRC, which, as an organization, helps to draft legislation for municipalities.

To improve the “non-discrimination laws” section, the city can implement all-gender bathrooms to be more inclusive to transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. “For that specific ordinance, my plan is to recommend to the Mayor and Commissioners that we enact [policy that specifies] for any single occupancy restroom in the City of Rehoboth

Beach, it’s all-gender or non-gender specific,” said Chrzanowski, citing precedence in a majority of downtown businesses that already have single-use all-gender restrooms. “I don’t think there’ll be a huge community opposition to that based on the expenses that they may need to incur,” said the Commissioner.

To improve the “law enforcement” score, Commissioner Chrzanowski mentions that establishing an LGBTQ+ liaison with the police department is in the works.

According to the Commissioner, not only will one of the lieutenants be an LGBTQ liaison to the City, but the Communications Director for the City will also serve as a liaison for others, too.

Elsewhere, Commissioner Chrzanowski suggested a stronger collaboration with CAMP Rehoboth could increase RB’s MEI score. For example, for the “municipal services” section, a youth-bullying prevention policy could be explicitly written for city services like parks and recreation programs. Assistance for policies like this are available through CAMP Rehoboth.

In fact, Commissioner Chrzanowski sees a partnership with CAMP Rehoboth as a crucial step to improving how inclusive Rehoboth Beach can be for its LGBTQ community. “The City can easily partner with CAMP Rehoboth and on our website have information on services and on the City calendar, link to resources that CAMP already provides the community,” said Commissioner Chrzanowski. Steps like this would certainly help improve the City’s score for “leadership on LGBTQ equality,” too.

According to the report, the 2021 MEI survey “shattered records, including the number of perfect scores, and the highest average city score.” Next year, CAMP Rehoboth looks forward to seeing the outlined actions and proposals translate to results and higher scores for the 2022 MEI. ▼ Matty Brown is the Editorial Assistant for Letters and Operations Administrator at CAMP Rehoboth.

jacklingo.com

Discover Your Wonder with Jack Lingo, REALTOR®

Coastal Delaware Sales & Rentals

REHOBOTH BEACH

246 Rehoboth Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 office: 302-227-3883

LEWES

1240 Kings Highway Lewes, DE 19958 office: 302-645-2207

MILLSBORO

28442 Dupont Boulevard Millsboro, DE 19966 office: 302-934-3970

MARCH 4, 2022

57 Letters

Dining Out

BY MICHAEL GILLES

A Trip to JAM Bistro

I

t’s a Thursday night in downtown Rehoboth. We’re really hungry. We don’t want to go to our tried-and-true restaurants on the Rehoboth Avenue strip.

So, we hop on over to Baltimore Avenue and head down toward the beach to Eden. Then east of Eden, we find James Dean…oops, wrong reference. East of Eden, we find Eden’s sister restaurant, JAM Bistro.

Established in 2010 by restauranteurs Jeff McCracken and Mark Hunker, JAM Bistro offers tasty food and great service in a pleasant atmosphere. The first thing my wife Sally and I noticed when we walked through the door were the interesting wine racks, creatively mounted on the walls behind the host table. The cozy surroundings make you feel welcome right away.

As soon as we took our seats, we noticed music playing quietly in the background. Ample track lighting lit the room just enough to read the menu but not enough to burn our eyes! Bar patrons were having a great time, with many being regulars—the perfect sign of a good bar. There is also outdoor seating when weather allows.

As for the service, we were delighted by our servers Kim and Cara, who were friendly, knowledgeable, and in Sally’s words, “just plain adorable.” In an interesting twist on usual restaurant service, both Kim and Cara teamed up to serve us. We never had to wait for attention throughout dinner.

Clearly, they wanted us to have a great experience, and we did.

JAM specializes in organic ingredients that are locally sourced. They also boast vegetarian-friendly, gluten-free options for their lunch and dinner servings.

After agreeing that we could happily have ordered everything on the appetizer menu, Sally chose the chicken wings, with a spicy dry rub and apple bourbon barbecue. I selected the panko-crusted calamari with chimichurri, charred lemon, and Parmesan.

Sally’s wings came in the form of six drumettes, which were huge and meaty.

Letters 58 MARCH 4, 2022

The apple bourbon barbecue was a nice complement to the tender chicken. But the real treasure on her dish was the cole slaw made with a touch of bleu cheese.

Most restaurants (including the good ones) treat cole slaw as an afterthought,

Even though it was on Sally’s plate, we had a furious fork fight to see who could claim the most of it. stuffed in a tiny container on the edge of the plate. Not here. The cole slaw at JAM Bistro was terrific. Even though it was on Sally’s plate, we had a furious fork fight to see who could claim the most of it.

Parmesan cheese made its way on to my calamari, and the flavor was a perfect partner to the tender pieces. Calamari tends to have a chewy consistency, so this was a real treat.

One of my pet peeves at most restaurants is that the dinner comes during the appetizer or well after it. We were

delighted that our meals came out right after our appetizer plates were cleared.

Not too early, not too late. Bravo!

For dinner, we had many mouthwatering choices. What to do?

Sally chose the chicken cordon bleu, a Tasso ham-wrapped, Gruyère-stuffed chicken breast; whipped potatoes; shaved Brussels; and Dijon cream sauce.

There would have been another fork fight, but I ordered the braised boneless beef short ribs with heirloom baby carrots, peas, pearl onions, fingerling potatoes, and braising jus, a sort of legend at the Bistro.

Both of us marveled at how tender each of our dishes was. Sally particularly liked the ham wrap on her chicken and the side of shaved Brussels. The short ribs were just right, pull-apart meat with very tasty au jus, and vegetables done right, not over- or under-cooked.

The dish included smashed fingerlings.

Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside. Perfect.

Dessert offerings, created by the pastry chef at both Eden and JAM Bistro, included key lime pie, a brownie sundae, and a special pecan bar. The bar had pecans, vanilla ice cream, caramel, and candied bacon bits.

Another fork fight ensued.

JAM Bistro is located at 21 Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth. Their off-season hours are Sunday 11-9, Wednesday and Thursday 4-9, Friday 12-10, and Saturday 11-9:30. They are closed Monday and Tuesday. Watch for their new restaurant, Red, White, and Basil, joining JAM Bistro and Eden this spring.

JAM Bistro is a real treat. Excellent food and great service in a pleasant atmosphere. Come see them as soon as you can! ▼ Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

rehoboth museum ad 28-02_Layout 1 3/30/2018 2:11 PM Page 1

MARCH 4, 2022

59 Letters

BYWAYS

BY MIKEY ROX

Gay Matchmaker Amari Ice Aims for the Heart

R

ecently or still single? No sweat.

Game-changing, history-making queer matchmaker Amari Ice (who has been recognized by the Matchmaking Institute as the first Black, gay, certified matchmaker in the entire love industry) answers our burning questions on love and relationships.

MIKEY ROX: How did you become a professional matchmaker?

AMARI ICE: Technically, I’m a love coach first—matchmaker and hypnotherapist are tied for second. I primarily help gay singles develop their dating skills and only consider matching a client once their dating skills are already up to par, so they don’t sabotage themselves. I think this approach—coaching 100 percent of my clients—is definitely a key component of what’s made me successful.

MR: Explore the matchmaking process with me. What’s the criteria? How do you know this person is right for that person?

AI: Matchmaking is part science, part art.

The art piece is more intuitive and can’t necessarily be taught or described, but anyone can learn the science piece which includes the criteria you asked about.

Here’s my easy-to-remember model for assessing whether or not someone is a good match for you.

M: Major Life Values This is the most important component of compatibility. Your values pave the growth path of your life. If your highest priority values aren’t aligned with your partner’s, you’ll eventually grow apart.

A: Attraction It doesn’t have to be an immediate or intense pull, but sexual interest must exist in order for romance to exist. The important thing to note here is that chemistry doesn’t predict relationship longevity; passion naturally levels off around the two-year mark in a relationship.

T: Temperament Temperament is your energetic disposition, aka your personality. If you and your partner’s energetic temperaments aren’t synergistic, you’ll likely have a rocky relationship. While any mature individuals who share major life values can form a happy relationship, there are certain temperaments that you’ll naturally gel with without as much effort.

C: Capacity to Meet Needs Your partner must have certain mental, emotional, spiritual, and/or material qualities in order for you to be happy.

The only way to guarantee that your partner has the capacity to meet your needs in the future is to verify they have the capacity to meet them now; potential might not be developed in this lifetime. Potential is the icing. Capacity is the cake.

H: Hazard Free This component of compatibility is actually the simplest: To be hazard free means neither of you have any of the other’s deal breakers. But the key is to ensure you aren’t using preferences as deal breakers. For example, someone’s height range is generally a preference, not an indicator of compatibility. But if you’re allergic to cigarettes, smoking would be a deal breaker.

Letters 60 MARCH 4, 2022

MR: You recently made history by pairing Matt and Daniel, the first successful gay couple in the Married at First Sight TV franchise.

AI: Matt and Daniel are so adorable together, aren’t they?! It was a ton of fun putting that pair together.

MR: You and I—as gay men—know firsthand that queer romance and love, especially between gay men, can be difficult. First, we’re men—inherently sexually charged—but then there’s all this eager and available temptation, only amplified by GPS-based social media. In your honest opinion, can gay men find true love or is it all just a pipe dream?

AI: I take a slightly different perspective on this: All people are sexually charged.

Gay men aren’t more sexual than anyone else. However, as a result of cultural unacceptance of LGBTQ+ people, gay men tend to only be able to engage with each other in private, or secret spaces.

Love needs more room to thrive. The only reason the closet of sexual orientation exists is because the living room wasn’t a safe space. Gay men can absolutely find—and sustain—true love, but only if they are committed to developing the skills to do so.

MR: We’re all out here looking for the “perfect” partner. Do they exist? Should we settle for “less”? What expectations are realistic, and should we compromise?

AI: Perfect partners don’t exist, but excellent partners do. There are many excellent lovers available for all of us, but if we’re looking for perfect, excellence will never be good enough and perfection will never arrive because it isn’t real. ▼ Mikey Rox is an award-winning journalist and LGBTQ lifestyle expert. He currently lives in his van, saving money and traveling the country. Connect with Mikey on Instagram @ mikeyroxtravels.

Karaoke Every Friday & Saturday (9pm-12am) Live music Every Sunday (5pm-9pm)

• Dinner Specials Nightly • Happy Hour Every Day (4pm-7pm) • Brunch Every Sunday (10am-2pm) 404 Rehoboth Avenue ~ 302-227-6080 ~ rigbysrehoboth.com MARCH 4, 2022

61 Letters

OUR SUPPORTERS MAKE IT HAPPEN PURPLE LEVEL Greg Albright & Wes Combs X Sondra N. Arkin X Aaron, Heather, Gia & Joe Book* Catherine & Katie Brennan Carol Bresler & Carolyn Billinghurst X Pat Catanzariti & Carole Ramos* Edward Joseph Chrzanowski & Talmage Wesley Sykes* Skip Dye & Steven King* Judy & Carole Jesiolowski James W. Johnson & Matthew H. Shepard* Wesley Lin & Brian Chapman Diane & Chris Martin* Fred Munzert & J.P. Lacap Beth Pile & S.A. White X Mark Purpura & Matthew Adams* Chris Rinaldi & Brian Powers X Mary Rossettini & Kathleen Taylor Jennifer Rubenstein & Diane Scobey X Gary Seiden & Ah Bashir X Evie Simmons & Barb Thompson X Leslie Sinclair & Debbie Woods X Diane Sweeney* The Robert V. Hauff & John F. Dreeland Foundation X Susan Thornberg William Cross Foundation Steven Wright DMD PA*

INDIGO LEVEL T Terry Albarella Murray Archibald & In Memory of Steve Elkins X James Beal & In Memory of David Van Patter Wesley Blickenstaff* Jane Blue & Louisa Watrel X Joe Brannen & John Klomp X Tom Brown X Chris & Richard Cahill X Elizabeth Carl & Tori Hill X Richard Coss & Mike Hull* Elbert Leroy Dage Phyllis Dillinger Lou Fiore & Jim Burke* Gary Gajewski - In Memory of Dr. John A. Boscia Richard Gamble & Paul Lindsey* David & Marti Garrett* Harry Hallock Fred Harke - In Memory of Robert Rougeau X Holly Horn & Kathleen Garrity X Claire Ippoliti X Peter Karsner X Melissa & Amanda Kaufman X Maureen Keenan & Teri Dunbar X Russell Koerwer & Stephen Schreiber X Roger Kramer* Susan Kutliroff & Barbara Snyder* Christine Lay X Curtis J. Leciejewski, DDS, PA X David Mariner & Khusan Odilovich Thom Morris & Jim Slusher Natalie Moss & Evelyn Maurmeyer X Tom Negran & Marc Anthony Worosilo X David Nelson & William McManus X John Newton & Mowry Spencer X Mark Niehaus &

Letters 62

MARCH 4, 2022

Brooks Honeycutt X Kathleen Nilles & Camille Nichols* Jeanine O’Donnell - State Farm* Gwen Osborne & Katie Handy Signarama X The Pearsall Family* Porter-Gordon Family* Deborah Qualey & Karen Gustafson X John Roane & Doug Lingenfelter In Memory of Jeff Hosley Lori & Renee Rocheleau Mark Roush & Dave Banick* Mark Schweizer & Robert Voelker Susan Tobin & Cathy Martinson* Terry Vick* Mel W. & Linda Lee M. Weller Karen West & Melissa Clement* Ronald Wetzel & Nathan Hench Brian Yanofchick

BLUE LEVEL Marge Amodei* Ronald Bass & George Robbins X Rocky Bible & Kevin Bosley In Memory of Jackie Morris Tim & Meredith Birrittella Teresa Bolduc & Kim McGeown* Karen Brause & Kim Sheaffer* Tony Burns X Donna Davis & Gail Jackson X Connie Fox & Donna Adair* Gail Gormley* Perry Gottlieb & Tim White* John Holohan & William Ensminger* Irene & Lou Katz* Nancy Kennedy & Tora Washington* Paul & Anne Michele Kuhns* Glenn Lash & Mark Paugh Bob Mancuso & Doug Murray Marvin Miller & Dan Kyle X Chris Rouchard X Michael Shaffer & Benjamin Wilson X Angie Strano & Cindy Gruman* Frank Surprenant, DDS & Chris Wisner X

GREEN LEVEL Sharon Bembry & Lois Powell* Alex Benjamin & Pete Grover* David Bower* Chris Bowers* David W. Briggs & John F. Benton X Charlie Browne & Rod Cook X Barry Bugg* Cheryl Buxton Lisa Carrol & Deb Dubois X Jay Chalmers & John Potthast X Beth Cohen & Fran Sneider X Stephen Corona Lewis & Greg Dawley-Becker* Penny Lee Dean Robert Defendis & Ronald O. Dempsey* Mike DeFlavia & Tony Sowers* Ann DeLazaro & Annette Potemski Marianne DeLorenzo & Linda Van de Wiele* Max Dick* Diane Dragositz Kathy & Corky Fitzpatrick X Keven Fitzsimmons & Jeff Stroud X Cynthia Flynn & Deirdre Boyle X Tom Galloway & Les Diggs Lisa Gilley

Richard Green & Asi Ohana X Joe Greenhall & Tom Klingler Bob Gurwin & John Rourke John Hackett & Tom Newton* David Hagelin & Andy Brangenberg* Harris Holden X Terry Hollinger & Mike May Steve Hoult & Rick Bane X Karen Hugues & Cathy McCallister X Anthony Incalcatera & James Buswold Dorsey Johnson & Kay Jernigan* Nola Joyce & Brenda Eich* Jocelyn Kaplan & Idalie Adams X Linda Kemp* Deborah Kennedy & Beth Yocum* Jerry Kennedy & Robert Quinones X Ilene Klein & Eli Scearce Eric Korpon & Steve Haber* Leslie Ledogar & Marilyn Hewitt* John J. MacDonald & Douglas James Richard Morgante & Edward McHale* Susan Morrison* Dennis Neason & Steve Bendyna* Kim Nelson & Lori Simmons X Fran O’Brien & David Gifford* Diane Pasatieri & Karen Jorgensen Don Peterson & Jeff Richman X Keith Petrack & Michael Fetchko* Anne Pikolas & Jean Charles X Gail Purcell & Sandy Kraft* Tony Purcell & In Memory of Daniel Espejel Bill Rayman & Frank King* Marty Rendon & John Cianciosi* Allison Rosenberg Douglas Sellers & Mark Eubanks* Scott Shaughnessy & John Hassell* William Snow X Mary Spencer & Kathy Lingo* Joseph Steele & Chris Leady David Streit & Scott Button* Anne Tracy & Mary Gilligan* Peter Trost & John Worek Cal Weible X Kathy Wiz & Muriel Hogan X Jon Worthington & Bryan Houlette X

YELLOW LEVEL Brenda Abell X Keith Anderson & Peter Bish X Dale Aultman & Paul Gibbs X Shannon & Sarah Avery* Pamela Baker & Diane Dixson* Linda Balatti & Shirley Gilmer X Susie Ball & Susan Delaney X Mike Ballenger & Martin Thomas* Miriam Barton* Chris Beagle & Eric Engelhart* Tom Beall Barbara Beavers & Kathy Carrell Sherry Berman & Deb Hamilton X Abby Bernstein & Karen Frank X Michael Boyle & Greg Murphy X John Brady X Jeffrey Buhrman & Roger Alford David Carder Kathy Casey & Jean Burgess X Kate Cauley & Pat Newcomb Bob Chambers* Jean Chlastawa & Susan Griesemer* Paul Christensen & Dennis Morgan* Jim Chupella & Jim Wigand*

CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERSHIP 2022 Steve Clayton & Brad Lentz* Gary Colangelo & Gerald Duvall X Nancy Commisso* Thomas Conway & Thoth Weeda* Billy Cox & John Carr* Drexel Davison - Bad Hair Day?* Anthony Delacruz & Ronald Mangano Fred DiBartolo & Steve Wood X Maureen Dolan & Karen McGavin* Albert Drulis & Scott Silber* Sandy Duncan & Maddy Ewald Gary Espinas & Daniel Sherlock Karen & Lisa Faber* Alice Fagans & Ruth Ann Mattingly* John Farley & Dennis Wilson X Dent Farr & Erick Lowe* Dee Farris* Jerry Filbin* Cecily Fisher & Loretta Higgins Diane Fisher & Kharma Amos Metropolitan Community Church of Rehoboth* Monica Fleischmann & Lona Crist X John Flournoy & Jim Chrobot John Furbush & Tom Feng* Susan Goudy* Bill Graff & Jeff Schuck* Ken Green & Joe Kearney* Renee Guillory & Melissa Vila-Guillory Mary Gunning Wesley Hacker & David Block* Jo Hamilton & Donna Voigt* Harbor Healthcare* Pete & Joanne Harrigan* Robert Henthorne & Roger Bolduc David Herring & Karl Hornberger Carol Holland - Holland Jewelers X Caroline Huff & Brenda Robertson* Nan Hunter & Chai Feldblum Pete Jakubowski* Philip Johnson* Frank Jump & Vincenzo Aiosa* Bob Kabel* Marilyn Kates & Laura Glenn* Andy Kite & Karl Martin Rose Korten & Brenda Pinkney* Greg Kubiak* Carol Lazzara & Sheila Maden* Edmund LeFevre & Keith Wiggs X Greg Lehne Barbara Lewis Monica Lewis & Ann Zimmerman* David Lindeman & Andrew Phipps Frank Liptak & Joe Schnetzka* Jim Lonsdale & Bryan Hoffman John Mackerey & Donald Filicetti Patricia Magee & Anita Pettitt X Ellie Maher Harold Marmon & Robert Hill* John Marson Jill Masterman & Tammy Jackson* Tony Mazzarella Michael McCarthy & Lars Kontz In Memory of Vickie Stapleton Mickie McManamon* Howard Menaker & Patrick Gossett X Phil Merola & Rocco Scutaro Ray Michener & Tom Carlson* Sherril Moon & Louise Montgomery* Sandy Neverett & Pam Cranston X Robert Nowak & David Bergman X Judy Olsen & Joanne Kempton X Maggie Ottato X Dotti Outland & Diane Mead X Peninsula Gallery - Tony & Carol

Boyd-Heron* John Piccirillo & Jonathan Rose Joanne Picone & Kathy Bostedo* Stephen Pleskach X Tom Poor & Tom Bachmann - Bin 66 Fine Wine* Jim Pressler X Sam Profeta X Lisa Rabigi & Bea Vuocolo* Joie Rake & Nan Flesher X Gene Roe X Thomas Rose & Thomas Sechowicz X Lucien Rossignol & Tom Harris* Mark Saunders & Bob Thoman* Richard Scalenghe & Thomas Panetta* Gary Schell & Jim DiRago Betsy Schmidt X Sheryl Schulte & Jeanne LaVigne* Angela Scott Troy Senter & Stacey Chan* Mary Ann Slinkman & Sharyn Santel Polly Smale - In Memory of Charlotte Reid* David Smith & Kenn Williams Susan Soderberg & Terri King X John Michael Sophos & Miss Dot Sophos* Diane Sozio & Patricia Hutchinson* Dee Speck & Linda Kauffman X Russell & Patricia Stiles* Robert Stoltzfus & Gerald Warhola* Lenny Stumpf & John B. Pitchford* Jackie Sullivan & Sharon Padbury Brett Svensson & Bill Quinn Dust Doctors LLC* Thrasher’s French Fries* Don Wainwright & Tom Jamison* Lana Warfield & Pamela Notarangelo X Elizabeth Way & Dorothy Dougherty* Michael Weinert X Justin Weitz William Wheatley* Joseph & Diane Wood Tony Wright & Mary Jo Bennett X Steven Wunder & Rod Hastie Jean Sutliff Young* Joanne Yurik* Larry Zeigler X John Zingo & Rick Johnson* Karl Zoric & Mark Pipkin X

ORANGE LEVEL Gwen Atwell & Marla Hoon Ruth Ball & Mary Ellen Jankowski* Romulus Barba & Dean Yanchulis* Paul Barbera & Joseph Nolan Nancy Bearss & Jenni Lindsay Kathleen Biggs & Maria Campos Janet Blaustein Kathy Board & Jackie Maddalena Boland Family - In Memory of Michael J. Kelly* Linda Bova & Bridget Bauer The Sea Bova Associates* Victor Branham & Mark Clark William Briganti & Gary Moore* Anita Broccolino - In Memory of Cathy Fisher Wendy Bromfeld* Ronald Butt & Steve Cannon* William Byron & Ali Lazur Ingrid Callmann & Karen Askins* Helen Chang & Pat Avery Continued on page 64

everyday rs $15 Lobste

TUESDAY -SATURDAY

happy hour 4-6pm

25% Off Appetizers $5 Draft Beer, Wine, Cocktail

WEDNESDAY

Off-Center ed Society Double Poin ts Day

MARCH 4, 2022

63 Letters

Continued from page 62

Charlie Codacovi* Community Bank Delaware* Mark Conheady* Lois Cortese & Jill Stokes X Kay Creech & Sharon Still* Kenneth Currier & Mike Tyler X John D’Amico* Julie A Danan Linda DeFeo X J. Lynne Dement & Lisa J. Snyder* Jim DiLalla & In Memory of Frederick Episcopo* Tony DiMichele & Jeff Smith* Donna Dolce* Kevin Doss & Arie Venema Arlyce Dubbin & Kathleen Heintz* Brenda Dunn & Karen Anderson Richard Egler Susan Eig & Ellen Schiff X Jeanne Embich* Robin Esham Maureen Ewadinger* Ellen Feinberg & Lesley Rogan X Barbara Fitzpatrick & Denise Centinaro Sara Ford & Anne Donick* Roland Forster & David McDonald Deb Fox & Deb Bonneau Charles Gable Christopher Galanty & James Apistolas Ron Glick & Tien Pham* William Gluth & Channing Daniel* Ed Gmoch* Mike Gordy & Ed Brubaker* Joe Gottschall & Scott Woody Charles Graham* Deborah Grant & Carol Loewen* Todd Hacker Jen Hackler Siobhan Halmos & Beth McLean* Sharon Hansen X Pat Harte & Nancy Sigman Steve Hayes Tracey & Erica Hellman Nancy Hewish & Vicki Martina* Bill Hillegeist X Mary Anne Hoopes & Dianna Johnston* Vance Hudgins & Denny Marcotte* John Hulse X Mary Huntt & Angela Creager Janet Idema & Patricia Higgins* Mark Kehoe X Maryl Kerley X Bonnie Kirkland & Wanda Bair X Jay Kottoff & Mark Matey* Rob & Jean Krapf X Barbara Lang & Diane Grillo* Jim Lesko Chip Logan Dale & Sue Lomas* Duncan MacLellan & Glenn Reighart* Robb Mapou & Mike Zufall Marsha Mark & Judy Raynor* James Mastoris & Edward Chamberlain X Jonathan Mattner & Chad Rinker Michael & Stephan Maybroda Kathy & Steve McGuiness* Kate McQueen* James Mease & Philip Vehslage* Margaret Moore & Sheree Mixell X R Moore Thomas Moore & Richard Bost* Carol Morris & Ann Abel Lisa Mosley Robert Neighbour & Andrew Dan* Pat Nickols* Donna Ohle & Susan Gaggiotti X Lisa Orem & Debby Armstrong* Sandra Oropel & Linda Frese*

Letters 64

MARCH 4, 2022

Carolyn Ortwein & Ann Barry* Rutland Paal & Robert Mittleman* Sandra Pace & Barbara Passikoff X Steve Parker* Ellen Passman X Marilyn Pate & Dorothy Smith* Patricia Pawling & Jennifer Butz* Rina Pellegrini Colleen Perry & Jane Kuhfuss* Marianne Perry & Jeanette Laszczynski* Deena Pers X Grace Pesikey & Janet Urdahl* Russ Phipps & Stephen Jacobs* Peter Pizzolongo & Carlos Prugue* Stephen Proctor Pierce Quinlan & Ginny Daly* Alex Reed & Jed Millard Susan Reinagel & Dawn Henderson* Pat Renninger & Tammy Plumley X Joseph Rively & Ty Hoffman Bill Rogers & Jeff Wilkinson Judy Rosenstein & Elva Weininger X Deborah & Charles Ross X Michael Safina & Tim Bean Katherine Sams* Richard Sargent* Laurie Schneider & Margie Ripalda* Carol Scileppi & Valerie McNickol* Teri Seaton & Rena Frampton-Seaton Michael Seifert & Harvey Holthaus* Craig Sencindiver & Gary Alexander* Tara Sheldon Frank Shockley & Arthur Henry Anita Smulyan Tina Snapp & Susan Leathery Christine Stanley & Joyce Rocko* Matthew Stensrud & Michael Cohen* Greig Stewart & Jake Hudson* Caroline Stites & Elizabeth Coit X Brian Straka* Sandra Sullivan & Lorie Seaman* Terrence Sullivan Trudie Thompson Jeffrey Trunzo & Herman Goodyear* James Vernicek & Jeff Dailey* Tama Viola Shawn Walker Don Wessel Ralph Wiest & Anthony Peraine* Daryle Williams & Steven Fretwell Terri Windlan Melanie Wolfe & Monica Niccolai Robert T. Wright & Jack Lim* Sherri Wright & Dick Byrne* Niki Zaldivar & Cecil McNeil X Kathryn Zimmerman Helaine Zinaman & Roselyn Abitbol X

RED LEVEL Guy Abernathey X Dale Adams Adrienne & Kim* Jim Affonco X Mark Aguirre & Wayne Gleason X Bill Alldredge X Stephani Allison & Judith Gorra X Ria Allman Alan Anderson X Daniel Anderson & Greg Melanson Lois Andreasen & Jean McCullough* Andrea Andrus & Maggie Shaw X Peter Antolini X Patricia Antonisse X Wanda Armwood & Illona Williams Terry & Gayle August Josh Bach & Edward Ginley Kathleen Bailey X John Baker & Richard Latham X June Baker* Sarah Barnett

Curtiss Barrows X Brian Bartels* Eric Barton & Greg Nagel Barbara Bastow & Margaret McHale John Batchelor X Karen Beck* Beebe Medical Foundation* Pat Beebe Mike Behringer & Nelson Correa* Alex Belano Sheryl Bender & Doreen DiLorenzo* George Benes & Michael Mallee X Suzanne Bennethum & Deborah Smith* Jeri Berc X John Berdini X Joel Berelson & Charles Maples* James C. P. Berry & Matthew Stanislao Lisa Beske - In Loving Memory of Steve Elkins* Christine Bielenda & Karen Feuchtenberger* Thomas Biesiadny X Deb Bievenour & Susan Shollenberger* Beatrice Birman & Mary Malgoire Lorraine Biros* Cathin Bishop & Laura Simon X Ann Black & Kaye Wachsmuth X Carol Blair* Eric Blondin - State Farm Insurance Rehoboth Beach X Jacquelyn Blue X Rev. Dr. Tom Bohache & Tom Laughingwolf Simmons X Annabelle Boire* Carl Bomberger & Mike Rhoads Robin Bond & Leanna Johannes* Bob Bonitati X Joy Boone & Marina Simmers X Randall Borgerson X Pete Borsari X Laura Borsdorf X Nancy Bouse & Norma Morrison X David & Donna Bowman X Deni Boyer & Loretta Imbrogono Brian Boyle & Larry Gee X Beth Bozman* Jim Brady & Mike Hays X Kelly Brennan & Susan McVey* Susan Brinsfield & Barbara Devenport Debora Brooke * Kevin Brown X Lyn Brown & Winsome Boyd Matthew Brown Diane Bruce & Annie Sorvillo* Daniel Bruner & Tim Beymer Jack Bucchioni Donald Bucher & Kevin Paul Carol Buck Al Bulliner X Belinda Buras & Linda Simeone Geoffrey Burkhart & Bruce Williams* Lyn Burleson & Sharon Werner* Carol L. Burnett X Mary Jean Burns & Novalyn Winfield Rob Burns & Cris Hamer* Stephen Burt & Michael Jones Timothy B. Bush X Sherry Butler Randy Butt & Emerson Bramble* James Byrnes X Robertine Cale Debbie Cali & Maddie Cunningham Leslie Calman & Jane Gruenebaum* Pat Campagna & Debra Sansoucie Terri Campbell & Victoria Smith Michele Campisi & Julie A. Slick X Joe Canter Matt Carey X Jim Carlo X Justine Carpenter X

Shirley Carpenter & Mary Coldren X Deborah Carroll & Jill Steiner Alice Casey Jo Cason & Peggy Neidlinger Teresa Cason & Lynda Schepler X Sara Cavendish & Wendy Bunce X Denis Chandler & Sebastion DiMauro Linda Chaney & Irene Lawlor* Dr. Harvey J. Chasser X Mike Chateauneuf X Dan Childers & Ted Hernandez* Tom Childers & John Hall X Sandra Chinchilla & Michelle Holmes X Curt Christensen & Ellen Heald* Billy J. Christian X Dennis Chupella & Rob White X Dottie Cirelli & Myrna Kelley X James Clark Norma K. Clark X Barbara Clipper Amy Clouse & Betty Long X Julie Cockley Carolyn Cole & Sandy McDevitt X Stuart Comstock-Gay X Inez Conover X Bill Cooley & Ken Watkins DVM X Josh Cooper & Steve Rathburn Jeffery A. Coover X Michael Cornell X Lois Corson & Mary Murdoch X Mary Costa & Kris Nygaard* Becky & Tom Craft X Wendy Cramer & Carolyn Baranowski* Theresa-Ann Crivelli & Angela Murray* Robert Crocetti X Bill Cross & David McCall X Donald Crowl* Mark Cunningham & Ken Tattersall X Rich Custer Jamie Cuthbert & KT Tinney Howard Cyr & Lynn Ashley* Ellen Dahl Charles Daniels William T. Darley X Debra Davies & Joanne Saltzberg Denise Davis & Jeanne Bilanin Jeremiah Davis Marsha Davis & Bev Lesher X Kathy Davison & Ruth Dickerson X Scott & Donna de Kuyper Hotel Blue* Frederick Dean & Steven Swierzy X Scott Dechen & James Maino* Michael Decker X Michael DeGraffenreid Susan Deise & Jerri Budzinski Maureen Delaney & Madonna Aldrich Bernie Delia X Frank Dell’Aquila X Claire Dente & Leslie Campo* Tracy Denton & Brenda Welsh Karen DeSantis & Carol Brice* Nancy DeToma & Meg Smith* David DeVargas & Steven Champion X Carolyn DeVito Dawn Devries & Helen Krum Henry & Marcia DeWitt X Romy Diaz & Dennis Bann Julie Dickson X Richard Dietz Mary Dipietro & Wendy Schadt* Deb Dobransky & Ketty Bennett* Arthur Dochterman X David & Lizann Dockety X Peg Dolan & Mary McDevitt X Mary & Polly Donaldson Millie Donnell Debbie & Karen Dorris*

Kathryn Downs Frances Doyle X Paul Dradransky X Zita Dresner Michael Driscoll & Ben McOmber X Susan Dube & Diana Patterson* Deanna Duby & Carol Bruce* Barry Dunkin Gene Dvornick X Sue Early X Frank Echols & Robert Robinson Eden Restaurant X Claire Edmondson & Louise Bylicki Brad Edwards Gail Elliott & Bea Hickey* Pamela Elliott W. Kay Ellis* Ann Evans* Susan Farr & Joanne Pozzo Jane Farrell Alexis Faust Larry & Ro Fedorka* Karen Ferguson* Virginia Fessler & Chris Patton* Jayne & Ro Fetterman* Irene & Edward Fick* Allen Fred Fielding X Joe Filipek & Larry Richardson X Mark Finkelstein & Michael Zeik X Paul Finn & Joseph Porporino* Rick Fischer X Barbara Fischetti & Janet Thoden Gary Fisher & Josh Bushey* James Fitzsimmons & Brian Burdelle Chuck Flanagan X Paul Florentino & Chris Pedersen X Sandra Fluck & Beverly Morgan* Mary Ford & Judy Hedrick X Beebe Frazer X Phil Fretz X Billiemichelle & Evelyn Friel* Neil Frock & Bob Harrison* Bill Fuchs* Marilyn Fuller & Teresa Marigliano Lorraine Gaasche & Jill Mayer* Frank Gainer & Ramon Santos* Lynn Gaites & Faye Koslow X Nina Galerstein* Marcia Gallo & Ann Cammett Jerry Gallucci & Conrad Welch* Kathryn Gantz & Kathryn Gehret Don Gardiner X Cheri Garnet & Cynthia Arno Patricia Garrison Mindy Gasthalter* Wilson Gates X Charles George & Dennis Rivard X Tracey Gersh & Amy Johnson Gary Gillard X Jordan Gipple & Paul Weppner* Joan Glass X Karen Glooch X Ronald Gluck* Jane Godfrey* Randall Godwin X Jackie Goff & Mary Vogt X Katherine Goff Dave Gold & In Memory of James Yiaski X Robert Gold X Suzanne Goldstein & Dana Greenwald X Cindy Gonzalez Milton Gordon & Bill Hromnak X Teresa Gordy & Barb Ford X Dan Goren & Peter Robinson X Anita Gossett & Ronnie Smith* Robert Gotwalt & Norman Jones Amy Grace & Karen Blood* Lisa & Raymond Graff* Angela Grant & Zoe Fitzpatrick* Paul R. Grant & Marc Watrel* Cheryl Graves Continued on page 66

The Circle, Georgetown

Powerful Philanthropy

A donor advised fund at the DCF helps you make a difference in Delaware.

From breathtaking views to diverse cultural opportunities, there’s so much to love about Delaware.

Whatever you love about this community — whether it’s a favorite beach, library, theater or something else — you can make it stronger through a donor advised fund (DAF) at the Delaware Community Foundation.

A DAF is a charitable fund that brings you tax advantages while growing tax-free and helping you support the charities you care about — forever. It’s a smart way to be generous.

Talk with us about how your DAF can make what you love about Delaware even better.

To learn more, visit delcf.org/daf or contact Mike DiPaolo, Vice President for Southern Delaware, at 302.856.4393 or mdipaolo@delcf.org.

MARCH 4, 2022

65 Letters

Continued from page 64

Harvey Grider Kenneth Grier* Richard Grifasi X John Grillone & Paul Schlear Jr. X Joseph Gritz X Wendy Grooms & Barbara Fishel X Carol Gross X James Gross X Richard & Frances Grote* Paula Grubbs X Christopher Guidone Helene Guilfoy X Bill Gunning & Joe Greoski X Marie & Ken Haag* Carolyn Haas & Debbie Williams Jay Haddock & Hector Torres* Gerard M. Haley & George D. Zahner X Cynthia Hall X Barbara Hals & Sharon Dyke Mark Hare & Mike Newman X Kelley Harp X David Harrer & Floyd Kanagy* Thomas F Harris II Mary Hartman & Laurie Nelson Jeff Haslow X Janece Hausch* John & Mary Havrilla* Nancy Hawpe Daniel F.C. Hayes* Gail Hecky* Barb & Len Hedges-Goetti Leslie Hegamaster & Jerry Stansberry* Linda Heisner X Matthew Hennesey* David Herchik & Richard Looman X Fred Hertrich X Howard Hicks & Stephen Carey X Barbara Hines & Nancy Froome X Howard C. Hines, MD X Karen Hinman Janel Hino & Patricia Ann Scully X Cynthia Hogue David Hogue & Michael Utasi Connie Holdridge* Robert Holloran & Ed Davis* Brad Holsinger & Ed Moore Mod Cottage* Chris Holt & Emory Bevill X Mollyne Honor & Shelley Garfield Larry Hooker X James T. Hopkins X Elaine Horan & Debbie Sciallo X Frank Hornstein & Mark Henckel X James Hospital & Jack Fraker* Robert Hotes X Ellan Hylton Batya Hyman & Belinda Cross* Thomas Ingold X Chris Israel & John Stassi X Debbie Isser & Fran Leibowitz* Geoffrey Jackson & Will Delany X Fay Jacobs & Bonnie Quesenberry X Sharon Janis X Steve Janosik & Rich Snell X Kathy Jantzen & Debi Cunn Allen Jarmon & Ward Ellinger X Robert Jasinski* Mary Jenkins & Laura Reitman Susan Jimenez & Cathy Benson X Donna A. Johnson* Ken Johnson X Randi Johnson Tara Johnson Jim Johnston Richard Jolly & Charles Ingersoll X D. J. Jones Dee Dee Jones & Julie Blake Gay Jones & Barb Bartels Glenn Jones X Sparky Jones

Letters 66

MARCH 4, 2022

Tom Jones X Wayne Juneau X Mick Kaczorowski X Bob Kaplan & Jeff Davis X Daphne Kaplan & Steve Scheffer* Sharon Kaplan & Pamela Everett* Kevin P. Kaporch X Amylynn Karnbach - One Day At A Time Gifts, LLC Anne Kazak & Chris Coburn X Peter Keeble & Tom Best Margaret Keefe* Alan Keffer* Donald Kelly* John Kelly & Randy Sutphin X Michael J. Kelly X Ann Kemper John Kennedy Rosemary Kerwin & C Robinson Hunter Kesmodel X Ned Kesmodel & Matt Gaffney X Tom Ketterman Marge Keyes & Julie Arenstein X C. David Kimmel* Spencer Kingswell X Daniel Kinsella* Jane Knaus & Cindy Myers Beth Kopicki in Honor of Barbara Nissley Stephen Kopp John Kort & Hung Lai* Robert Kovalcik & Bob Howard X Myra Kramer & John Hammett* Marcia Kratz* Karen Kreiser & Beth Nevill* Kathleen Kress Kevin W. LaBarge X Adam Lamb & Eli Martinez Peter Lanzaro & Frank Bodsford X Dr. Mathilda Laschenski & Dr. Kathleen Heacock X Ruth Lauver & Judy Wetzel* Kate Lavelle X Jim Lawrence & Bob Palandrani Charlie Lee X Nicholas Lee Jon Leeking & Dieulifete Jean* Sherry Leichman & Keith Snyder Kim Leisey & Kathy Solano Jen Leonard & Claire McCracken Marsha Levine & Susan Hamadock X Arlene & Ginny Levy-Balmforth Barbara Lilien* Cindy Lins & Diane Milam Duwayne Litz X Eleanor Lloyd & Celeste Beaupre Jonathan & Karlyn Lokken* Robert E. Long X Pat Loughlin* Cynthia Lowe & Rae von Doehren Debbie Lupton & Romana Dobbs Diane Lusk X P. Michael Lutz* Minda Lynch Becky Lyons & Ebie Hamrick X Wendy Maclay & Sheree Davis* Christopher Magaha* Joe Maggio X Loretta Mahan* Bernadette Maher & Cheryl Tarlecky* Jack Maher X Nancy Maihoff X Eddie Major X Bruce Majors X Harvey Manchester X Domenic Mannello X Stephanie Manos & Reber Whitner X Anyda Marchant X Charles Marino & Alan Berman* Diane Markey & Randi Snader* Sharon Marquart Michelle Marsh & Barb Sann

Colleen Martin Michele Martin & Rosalee Elson Norma Martin X Linda Martinak & Susan Baker Nan Martino & Patty Rickman* Joe Matassino & Tim Murray* Frank Matero Jason Darion Mathis Nancy Mathis John Matthews & Nick Polcini* Sarah Matthews Eric Matuszak X Lewis Maurer Donna McCabe & Mac Ignacio X Marcia McCollum Edward McCord Kathleen McCormick & Elizabeth Fish X Sean McDonald Mary McElhone & Nancy Kaiser X Sherri McGee & Kris Aulenbach Thomas McGlone X Kathleen McGrath Ellen McKeon & Kay Cummings* Joe McMahon X Joseph McNally & Terry Jones X Charlotte McNaughton Chuck McSweeney & Michael Clay X Jim & Bruce McVey-Back* Mary Medlock & Susan Russell Buck Melton X John Messick X Joseph & Thomas Michael-Ryan Alicia Mickenberg & Kathleen Fitzgerald* Jamie Middelton* Dr. Phyllis J. Mihalas X Melissa Milar* Alicia Miller & Shawn Noel* Bruce R. Miller & Dean D. LaVigne X Frank Miller X Marilyn K. Miller & Candice Zientek* Robin Miller Shelly Miller Todd A. Miller & Michele Frame X Trixie Miller Chris & Joann Miller-Marcin Doreen Millon Lee Wayne Mills X Stan Mills & Marcia Maldeis X Linda Miniscalco & Jeanne Drake* Martha Monell Andrea Monetti & Karen Petermann* Sue Monismith X Jamie Moore Teri Moore & Barb Kulbaba* Mary Morgan & Beth Fitton X Meg Morgan & Susan Lynham X Bob Morris & James Weygandt Pearl Morris* Jack Morrison & Bob Dobbs* Rebecca Moscoso* Barry Moshinski & Robert Ponzini Andrew K. Moss & Richard Blevins X Rick Mowery & Joe Conn X Donna Mulder & Denise Delesio* Brent Mundt X Marie Murray & Deb Ward X Robbin Murray & De Raynes* Cynthia Myers Kathleen Nagle & Susan Blazey Marta Nammack & Francis Murphy Marc Nasberg & Howard R. Nelson X Keith Neale X Cindy Necaise & Debbie Cole X Lee Ann Nelson X Darrell Netherton & Robert Wheeler X James Newkirk & Leon Wilkowsky* Janet Newkirk X Arletta Nicholl & Mary Anderson Scott Nickle

Konrad Noebel, MCAT, LMT & Brian Cox* Teri Noel* James Nolan Janet Nosal Paul Nye & Jerry Hofer Chuck Oakes & Robert Dellanoce* Susan O’Brien* Terry O’Bryan & Jack Musser James O’Dell X Megan O’Donnell James O’Malley X Richard O’Malley X Missy Orlando & Patty Violini X Jeffrey & Lisa Osias X Kathy Osterholm Randy Overbaugh X Sharon Owens & Doreen Halbruner Sally Packard & Dinah Reath X Denise Page Richie Pagnotta X Bud Palmer X Fran Panzo Stephen Pape & Jerry Clark Fred Parham Emilie Paternoster & Monica Parr X Carol Patterson & Carol Hughes* Tim Patterson & Harvey Sharpe X Peggy Paul X Wesley & Connie Paulson* Lucille & Dan Payne Michelle Peeling & Wendy Adams* Caroline Pellicano Beverly Peltz* Roy Perdue X Al Perez & Gary Kraft* Susan Petersen & Luz Cruz Eric Peterson X Elizabeth Petitte & Erin Reid Bruce Pfeufer X PFLAG-Rehoboth Beach* Peggy Phillips & Norma McGrady* Frank Pileggi & Jon Blackman X Arleen Pinkos* Janice Pinto & Lori Swift* Terry Plowman X Jo Pokorny* Claire Pompei & Dolores Yurkovic* Mary Lu Pool Roni Posner X Sue Potts & Karen Kohn X Pat Powell* Renata Price & Yona Zucker* Timothy Price & Gerard Sealy X Glen C. Pruitt* Sarajane Quinn* Jean Rabian & Ralph Hackett X Elaine Raksis & Maxine Klane* Barb Ralph X Rob Ramoy X Bob & Mary Beth Ramsey X Linda Rancourt & M. Sue Sandmeyer* Lewis Rathbone* Nancy Ratner Carole Redman Janet Redman X Carolyn Redmon & Nancy Allen* Randy Reed X Rehoboth Art League* Peter S. Reichertz X Ken Reilly & Tony Ghigi X Virginia Reime & Gene Tadlock* Jeff Reinhart & Jack Miller* Patricia Remeis & Maureen Kane Thomas Resh & Jeffrey Meyers X Judith Retchin & Elyse Wander X Deborah Reuter & Deborah Bea* Sarah Reznek & Babette Pennay Sandie Riddell & Eileen Siner* Marion Ridley & Mark Lundy X Keith & John Riley-Spillane X Joel Robbins & Michael Linder X Sandra Robbins X William Robbins & Gary Ralph*

Sandy Roberts X Rob Robertson & Carlos Taylor X Teri & Amy Robinson-Guy Craig Rocklin X Tim Rodden & Randy Clayton X John & Susan Roehmer* Jeanne Rogers* Roy Rollins X Lauren Romig X Debbie Ronemus & Peggy Sander* Ed Rose & Sandra Robbins X Michael Rose & David Le Sage Peter Rosenstein X Larry L. Ross X Ellen & Terry Roth Perreault X Barb Rowe X Ski Rowland & Gary Mosher X Joan Rubenstein X Mary K. Ryan* Steve Sage & Thom Swiger X Chris Sailer & Min Mancini Joe & Nancy Sakaduski* Margaret Salamon* Cindy Sanders & Donna Smith* Sanford & Doris Slavin Foundation X Kim Schilpp* Nancy Schindler & Eric Youngdale Michael Schlechter & Kevin Sharp X Lisa Schlosser & Sherri Brown Rosemarie Schmidt & Carolyn Horn X Sharon Schmitt* Holly Schneider & Linda Haake Jaime Schneider & Glenn Randall X Peter Schott & Jeffrey Davis* Carol Schwartz X Craig Schwartz & William Pullen X Mona Schwartz & Joanne Tramposch* Diane Schwarz Diane Scobey X John Scotti & Greg Landers* David Scuccimarra & Dorothy Fedorka* Clifton C. Seale & Charles A. Gilmore* Shirley Semple* Marj Shannon* Dale Sheldon & Pat Coluzzi X Banner Sheppard & Marlin Hubler Kelly Sheridan & Debra Quinton* Lynn Sheridan & Melissa Imbergamo David Sherman X George Shevlin & Jack Suwanlert* William Shively & TD Stanger Davis Short & Beverly Castner Francine Siedlecki Frank Silverio X Marc Silverman & John Campbell* Kelly Simon Joanne Sinsheimer & Margaret Beatty* Sandra Skidmore X Ken Skrzesz X Jeffrey Slavin X Anne Smith & Lisa Taylor Carol Smith* Harlan Joe Smith & Dustin Abshire* Leonard Smith X Marty Smith & F. Price Connors Robert Smith Rosanne Smith & Brenda Butterfield* Shannon Smythe & Kevin Subers Claire & Mikki Snyder-Hall Sandra Sommerfield & Cindy Scott X Sandy Souder - Unity of Rehoboth Beach* Lynda Sowbel Stephanie Specht Continued on page 69

gay Women of Rehoboth ®

Join Us At

www.meetup.com/Gay-Women-Rehoboth Learn about women’s activities, dances, discussion groups and singles events in the2:26area. windsor's 28-02_windsor's 14-15.qxd 3/30/2018 PM Page 1

“WHERE FLOWERS SPEAK A BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE” FLORIST SHOP • GREENHOUSES 20326 Coastal Highway • Rehoboth Beach, DE (Next to Arena’s Café)

302-227-9481

THE YMCA WHERE

HEALTH IS RESTORED

The YMCA is so much more than a gym!

It’s a supportive community of new friends, friendly staff dedicated to your health, tons of fun, and so much more.

JOIN TODAY! www.ymcade.org Sussex Family YMCA | 20080 Church Street, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 | (302) 296-9622 Financial assistance is available.

MARCH 4, 2022

67 Letters

ENTERTAINMENT MINUTES FROM THE BEACHES!

MANLY MINUTE Stand-Up Comedy March 12 - 8PM

March 10 - SUPER TRANS AM: Anthems of the 70's / 7:30PM March 11 - MAGNOLIA APPLEBOTTOM: Drag Show / 8PM March 27 - LIVE MUSIC FROM AMP STUDIO / 3PM April 1 - LAST CHILD: Aerosmith Tribute / 8PM April 2 - THE ROCK ORCHESTRA: The Music Of Tom Petty / 8PM April 7 - DEANNA FITZPATRICK: Psychic Medium / 7:30PM April 8 - NEXT BIG STAR: Stand-Up Comedy / 8PM April 10 - EASTER BUNNY TEA: Interactive Live Show / 1PM April 14 - KICK: The INXS Experience / 8PM April 15 - SISTER'S EASTER CATECHISM: Comedy Show / 8PM April 16 - REMEMBERING JOHN DENVER: With Ted Vigil / 3PM & 8PM April 17 - BROADWAY CABARET: Now (& Recently Playing) / 8PM April 21 - DANCING TO DEATH, MURDER AT STUDIO 79: Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre / 6:30PM April 23 - FLIP ORLEY: Comedy & Hypnosis / 8PM April 28 - CELLO FURY / 8PM

SPOKEY SPEAKY Tribute To Bob Marley March 31 - 7:30PM

MILTON ST. PATRICK'S DAY PARADE @ QUAYSIDE Sunday, March 13 - 12pm NOUVEAU Wilmington Ballet April 3 - 7:30PM

12 - 2pm Lower Case Blues 2 - 3:30pm Parade Viewing 3:30 - 5:30pm Hot Sauce Band

CABARET

BROADWAY MUSICAL

IN-HOUSE LIVE PRODUCTION

March 18 - 8pm March 19 - 2pm & 8pm March 20 - 2pm March 24 - 7:30pm March 25 - 8pm March 26 - 2pm & 8pm

For more information on tickets, show details, and full events calendar go to:

FLYING IVORIES World-Class Dueling Pianos April 9 - 8PM

Letters 68

MARCH 4, 2022

www.MILTONTHEATRE.com 302.684.3038 110 Union St. Milton, DE

Continued from page 66

Jim Spellman X Lorraine Stanish & Beverly Miller* Christy Steer X Frank Sterner X Shelley Stevens & Joanne Locke Lisa Stewart X Libby Stiff & Bea Wagner X Milindi Stifler Allison Stine & Pete Jamieson* Terry Stinson* Tracy Stith & Laura McCarthy Dr. Frederick C. Stoner * Michael Stover* Christine Strauss X Lois Strauss X Trish Sullivan & Sandy Hudson Jill Sungenis & Nicole Bano John Swift & Ron Bowman X Melanie Szvitich Gail Tannenbaum & Wendy Walker* Ronald Tate & Jacob Schiavo X Suzie & Robert Taylor - In Memory of Richard Bonnet Micaela Tedford X Martin Thaler David Thomas & David Tiburzio X The Hon. Henry E. Thomas IV & John-Kevin Litschgi X Thomas Tibbetts X Otto F. Tidwell X George Todd & Rusty Baker Cassandra Toroian X Manny Tortosa X Steve Touzell & Marshall Scott Beadle Cheryll & Bill Trefzger* Steve Triglia X Roz Troupin & Mary Harris X Patricia Truitt* Abby Tschoepe & Pat Dunn* Matt Turlinski & Jerry Sipes X Ed Turner & Steve Baker X Judy Twell & Cheri Himmelheber Bruce Uliss X Thomas Urban & Marc Samuels* Donna Valla Debra Van Dyke* Jennifer Varone Joseph Vescio V. James Villareale & Dale Ebert* Gail Vitale & Carmen Garrett Beverly Vogt & Waneeta Mack X Patrick Wadsworth & Mike Converse X Scott Wagner & John Sohonage* Eric Wahl & Eric Coverdale Marianne Walch X Jennifer Walker & Mary Ann Veitch X Paula Walker & Gayle Dumonceaux David Wall & Robert Houck* Kenneth E. Walz & Robert G. Ward, Jr. X Garold Wampler X Michael E. Ward X Robert Warmkessel X Jack Warren* Sharyn Warwick X Ellen Watkins X Troy Watson & Dennis Wolfgang* Barbara Weatherly Debbie Webber & Terry McQuaid* Kathy Weir & Lynn Finaldi* West Side New Beginnings Donna West Gary West & Jay Seitz - In Memory of Richard Pagnotta Patricia West Carl R. Wetzel X Liz Wheeler & Ruth Morse X Steve White & Wayne Williamson X Thomas White & Robert Freeman X Kurt Wibbens

Aimee Wiest & Charlotte King Phil & Stephanie Wikes* Steven Wildasin Keith Wilkinson X Diane & Ken Williams Edward Williams* Jim Williams* Rich Williams X Kelly Williamson & J Ellis Lynne Wilmer & Jeannie Marsh Donna L. Wilson & Laurie R. Levin X Lynn Wilson* Patricia Wojnas David Wolanski* Max Wolf X Carol Woodcock & Carol Lewis* Cody Woodfin & Rich Morgan Michael Wray Robert B. Wright X Marjorie Wuestner & Catherine Balsley* Janet Yabroff Alexander G. Yearley X James E. Yiaski X Linda Yingst* Jay York Vickie York X Sheila & Tim Young James Zeigler & In Memory of Sam Deetz* Carol Zelenkowski* Lorraine Zellers Phyllis Zwarych & Sheila Chlanda*

X Founders’ Circle 10+ years * Members five years or more Names in bold are new or upgraded members as of February 22, 2022 Founders’ Circle designation has been added to our Membership roster. Please send kudos, questions, or listing updates to membership@ camprehoboth.com.

CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERSHIP Join today to support our mission!

RAINBOW MEMBERS RECEIVE:

• Basic Membership Package - Advance ticket sales to CAMP Rehoboth events - Recognition in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth - Rainbow level colored Member window cling(s) - Weekly “What’s Happening at CAMP” email • Discount on CAMP Rehoboth Event Tickets for Levels Green and above (as noted) • Free Health Screenings, Counseling Services, and Support Groups • Youth, Adult and Senior Programs, Services and Outreach • The satisfaction of knowing you are helping others!

PAY ANNUALLY or MONTHLY ☐

PURPLE LEVEL ☐ $2400 annual or ☐ $200 monthly Basic + 25% ticket discount and one 1/4 page ad in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth

☐

INDIGO LEVEL ☐ $1200 annual or ☐ $100 monthly Basic + 20% ticket discount

☐

BLUE LEVEL

☐ $900 annual or ☐ $75 monthly

Basic + 15% ticket discount

☐

☐ $600 annual or ☐ $50 monthly GREEN LEVEL Basic + 10% ticket discount

☐

YELLOW LEVEL

☐ $300 annual or ☐ $25 monthly

☐

ORANGE LEVEL

☐ $180 annual or ☐ $15 monthly

☐

RED BASIC

☐ $50 annual or

NAME

☐ Basic Dual/Family, $85 annual PARTNER/SPOUSE NAME

ADDRESS CITY

STATE

EMAIL 1

CELL 1

EMAIL 2

CELL 2

ZIP

HOME PHONE

☐ Enclosed is my check payable to CAMP Rehoboth for the full annual amount. ☐ Please charge my Recurring Monthly or Annual Membership fee to: CREDIT CARD NUMBER

VALIDATION CODE

EXP. DATE

SIGNATURE

DATE

CORPORATE MATCHING GIFT COMPANY NAME

CONTACT PERSON NAME

EMAIL

PHONE NUMBER

EXPECTED FUNDS DELIVERY DATE(s)

AMOUNT

RATHER JOIN ONLINE? Go to camprehoboth.com/membership Call 302-227-5620 or visit us at 37 Baltimore Avenue.

MARCH 4, 2022

69 Letters

The REAL DIRT

BY ERIC W. WAHL

Red and Wild, that’s Your Theme

R

ecently, on a drive through Avondale, Pennsylvania, I saw my favorite shrub in all its winter glory, with red berries popping against the white snow of a recent storm.

Then I had a flash back to a favorite movie, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar: “Red and wild.

That’s your theme,” says Noxeema Jackson in my head.

So, I decided to spend some time talking about winterberry and how wonderful it is both in functional situations such as helping to block views into a parking lot, and how beautiful it is with its glorious red berries.

Winterberry, or Ilex verticillata, is a native holly that prefers moist conditions such as on the edge of ponds, streams, and even roadside ditches. The straight species can grow upwards of 15 feet tall and readily forms thick masses if left to its own devices.

Winterberry is a deciduous holly, meaning it loses its leaves in the fall.

However, its bright red berries persist through winter, providing beauty to the landscape as well as food for numerous birds. However, be aware that the berries are toxic to humans and our pets.

Winterberry is dioecious, meaning

Letters 70

MARCH 4, 2022

there are both male and female plants.

So make sure you have a male plant nearby when planting the female plants.

The females are the shrubs that produce the berries. Only one male is needed to pollinate six to 10 females. Winterberry produces more berries if given adequate sunlight but will tolerate full-sun to partial-shade conditions.

Winterberry also prefers slightly acidic soils with a good amount of organic matter. If planted in alkaline soils their leaves tend to turn yellow. Adding an acidic fertilizer can help this situation.

Our most popular plants sold at the nurseries usually have a number of varieties and cultivars to choose from for specific purposes in our gardens. Winterberry is no different in this respect. Here are a few that might fit your gardens: Winter Red produces an abundance of red berries and grows up to nine feet.

It is a multi-stemmed shrub that can be used in a buffer or anywhere that a decent size hedge is needed.

Sparkleberry grows up to 10 feet tall and produces a bounty of berries. New foliage growth appears as red that deepens to dark green making this a unique plant. It’s great for large hedges or cover for walls and fences.

Red Sprite is a low mounding shrub that grows between three and five feet in height. Its branches are typically low to the ground, and it works well in mass and in more compact locations of the garden.

Berry Poppins is a dwarf variety that only grows to three or four feet at best.

Its berry production is pretty spectacular.

Little Goblin is another dwarf that is relatively new on the market. Berries are extra big on this small plant. The dwarf varieties also can be used in containers.

Winter Gold produces berries that are gold-orange in color. I know, I know, this is supposed to be a red-and-wild theme, but there’s always one that has to be different, right? This variety can grow up to eight feet tall.

I hope I piqued your interest in one of my all-time favorite native shrubs. This is the perfect time to plan your gardens, and maybe keep some room open for winterberry in your design.

Stay safe and let’s garden together! ▼ Eric W. Wahl is Landscape Architect at Pennoni Associates, and President of the Delaware Native Plant Society.

BE A SHELTER DOG OR CAT'S LUCKY CHARM Midway Shopping Center 18675 Coastal Highway, Suite 8 Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971

ADOPT

DONATE

VOLUNTEER

delawarehumane.org/rehoboth | 302-200-7159 |

immanuel quarter 28-02_Layout 1 3/30/2018 1:54 PM Page 1

delawarehumane

D E E N E W R SUPPORT

YOU

Immanuel Shelter serves those experiencing homelessness in Rehoboth Beach, Lewes and surrounding areas.

Your generous support allows us to continue our mission and helps our community provide assistance for those in need.

FOR INFORMATION ON HOW YOU CAN VOLUNTEER OR DONATE, PLEASE VISIT www.immanuelshelter.org 17601 Coastal Hwy, Unit 11, #431 Nassau, DE 19969 1-888-634-9992

All monies raised go directly to Immanuel located in Rehoboth Beach, Sussex County, DE.

MARCH 4, 2022

71 Letters

Visiting View Guest Column

BY ROBERT DOMINIC

GAG Me! Why I Am a Gay Against Guns

O

n Sunday, January 16, Gays Against Guns (GAG) was joined by US Rep. Carolyn Maloney to demand that the United States Supreme Court let New York state’s strict gun laws stand. The court will rule this year on New York State Rifle Association v. Bruen, the case in which the NRA-affiliated NYSRA seeks to overturn 108 years of New York State law. New York’s strict gun laws are a likely reason the city has not had a public mass shooting like the June 12, 2016 massacre at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, Florida that inspired GAG’s formation.

Recently I joined GAG on a day trip to Fairfax, Virginia to protest outside NRA headquarters. The bus was filled with about 40 activists ranging in age from 16 to 70. People from all different backgrounds—young, old, male, female, gay, straight, married, single; all sharing the same goal. Some have been personally affected by gun violence. Many have been politically active for decades. I was honored to hear stories from ACT UP members; stories from the beginning of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s.

During the bus ride, many of us shared our reason for joining GAG. I spoke about my years as a classroom teacher. The monthly lockdown drills.

The threats to the school via social media. An actual lockdown that lasted until 9:00 p.m. one evening, due to a bank robbery a few blocks away. The feelings

of complete heartbreak, anger, and fear I felt after Columbine. After Virginia Tech. After Sandy Hook. After Parkland.

I could not imagine losing any of my students. The monthly lockdown drills.

GAG NY is an inclusive, direct-action group of LGBTQ+ people and their allies.

It is committed to nonviolently breaking the gun industry’s chain of death—investors, manufacturers, the NRA, and politicians who block safer gun laws.

GAG is NY-based but works with GAG chapters in other cities to ensure safety for all individuals, particularly vulnerable communities such as people of color, women, LGBTQ+ people, religious minorities, and those who struggle with mental health issues.

The first GAG meeting was on June 17, 2016, five days after the Pulse massacre. Attendees were united in their conviction that this sort of tragedy was not acceptable, and something had to be done. They turned their anger and outrage into action.

GAG members participate in a variety of protests and demonstrations. Their largest action: marching in the NYC Gay Pride parade, where over 200 members participate. Every 15 blocks, GAG members lie down on the street. The “die-in” provides a searing visual of what dozens of people murdered in a mass shooting actually looks like.

A few years ago, GAG demonstrated on the 26th of each month outside the FedEx at Penn Station. The date

represents the 26 percent discount NRA members were given for shipping a gun.

In 2019, FedEx finally severed its relationship with the NRA. #GAGforthewin

I spoke about my years as a classroom teacher. The monthly lockdown drills.

Unfortunately, the gun violence epidemic in this country is only getting worse. The unfettered access to guns has led to increased gun violence in almost every major city. There are now 400 million guns in the United States.

The population of the country: 330 million people. We have more guns than people. Seventy million more guns.

I can’t even wrap my head around a number like 400 million. Guns. Gun stores were deemed essential during the pandemic. Couldn’t go to a movie or a bar, but I could buy a gun.

I will march on Washington however long it takes for the ban on assault weapons to become law. I will use my voice as often and as loudly as I can to draw attention to the epidemic of mass shootings in this country. I am tired of running memorial 5ks in honor of teachers shot in school. The solution is clear as day. As the headline of an article in the Onion stated: “No way to stop mass shootings says ONLY country in the world where they regularly happen.”

Gay, straight, queer, all are welcome.

Join us on Zoom twice monthly (next get-together: March 24) from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. We need everyone!

See gaysagainstguns.net for more information. ▼ Robert Dominic splits his time between Brooklyn and Rehoboth Beach. He writes for publications including Instinct Magazine and his blog, The Gays of Our Lives.

Letters 72

MARCH 4, 2022

BEEBE HEALTHCARE,

The Premier Healthcare Facility in Sussex County Beebe Healthcare has become the premier healthcare facility in Sussex County, serving a thriving beach and vacation resort area and a growing year-round population.

For a complete listing of all Beebe job openings, please visit our website

www.beebehealthcare.org

Attracting and retaining the best healthcare professionals is Beebe Healthcare’s top priority.

We offer an excellent patient-focused environment, exciting career opportunities, and leading-edge technology with supportive, progressive leadership.

Joining Beebe Healthcare means joining an exciting healthcare team that is deeply committed to the community. Our customer-service focus is recognized on a daily basis through our patient satisfaction surveys. Our clinical expertise strives to surpass patient expectations.

A variety of work/pay options are designed to meet the needs of team members, including: • Flexible schedules and shifts available based on the needs of the department • Full-time/comprehensive benefits • Part-time/pro-rated benefits • Per diem incentive plan • Competitive shift differential Join us now to take advantage of our excellent benefits and compensation package.

Beebe Healthcare is committed to hiring qualified professionals who provide the best patient care in the region.

EOE | 424 Savannah Rd, Lewes, DE 19958 | www.facebook.com/beebecareers MARCH 4, 2022

73 Letters

WE REMEMBER Stephen M. Janosik Jr.

S

tephen M. Janosik Jr., 78, of Rehoboth Beach, passed away on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, due to complications from a fall. His husband, Richard R. Snell, whom he married July 11, 2013, was at his side.

Steve was born in New York City, New York, June 22, 1943, to the late Stephen M. Janosik Sr., and Helen (Esposito) Janosik. He attended Rice Catholic High School in New York City and was employed for 17 years with Davis Polk & Wardwell as a data processing manager.

After moving to New Jersey, Steve became a very successful realtor, working as a broker associate with REMAX of Princeton, New Jersey. Steve moved to Rehoboth Beach upon retiring from New Jersey and joined Joe Maggie Realty as a Broker Associate part-time.

Steve was among the founders of CAMP Rehoboth, where he spent many hours volunteering, especially for Sundance each Labor Day weekend. He was an usher at Saint Edmonds Catholic Church in Rehoboth Beach, and a Third Degree with the Knights of Columbus Star of the Sea Council 7297.

In addition to his husband, Richard, Steve leaves behind his sister, Helen Clark, and his brother, Larry Janosik, both of New Jersey; his brother-in-law, David H. (Kitty) Snell of Mt Airy, Maryland; his brother-in-law, Wayne Snell, of Long Island, New York; his sister-in-law, Ginny (Snell) Turner, of Florida; and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, a great-nephew, and great-grandnieces. One nephew, JR Janosik, predeceased him.

Donations in Steve’s honor can be made to Saint Jude Children’s Research Hospital or Christiana Hospital Hospice. ▼

Michael Benjamin Herman

M

ichael Benjamin Herman, 80, of Lewes, passed away Tuesday, January 18, 2022, at Beebe Healthcare in Lewes, surrounded by his family. He was born June 25, 1941, in Brooklyn, New York, son of the late William and Rose (Goldstein) Herman.

Michael was a caring and compassionate man who touched the lives of many people. He will be lovingly missed by all who knew him.

In addition to his parents, Michael was preceded in death by his brother, Melvin Herman, his sister, Hannah Band, and his former wife, Ellen Joy Sandler. Michael is survived by his husband, Charles Baker, of Lewes; his children: Jill (Steven) Infanti, and Nowell (Heidi) Herman; his grandchildren: William (Candace) Herman, Nicholas Mazonis, Roc Herman, and Ashley Herman; and his great-granddaughters, Hayley and Emma Herman.

A private funeral service was held on Wednesday, February 2, at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Lewes. ▼ Letters 74

MARCH 4, 2022

Charles Wayne Williamson

C

harles Wayne Williamson (Wayne), 83, of Rehoboth Beach, devoted husband of R. Stephen White for the past 39 years, died Monday, January 24, 2022, after a long illness.

Wayne was born in Wilmington, the son of Anna Belle Garton Williamson and John Meridith Williamson. He attended Henry C. Conrad High School and spent most of his professional life in the real estate business in Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach, ultimately retiring from First State Appraisals, a business he co-owned.

Wayne was predeceased by his parents. In addition to his husband and extended family, he is survived by his four children, Brian K. (Catherine) Williamson and Robert K. Williamson of Wilmington, Michele K. Williamson of Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and Patrick K. (Lisa) Williamson of Harrington; seven grandchildren; his sister, Cindy G. (George) Jackson of Wilmington; his brother, Franklin M. (Mary) Williamson of Bear; and seven nephews.

Wayne loved spending time with Steve and their many friends in the Rehoboth Beach community and he enjoyed painting, partying, dancing, and other creative pursuits.

Burial will be private. To leave online condolences, visit lyonsfs.com. ▼

Michael J. Thawley

M

ichael J. Thawley, 69, of Rehoboth Beach, passed away Thursday, January 20, 2022, after an extended illness.

He was born February 22, 1952, in Easton, Maryland, the son of the late John E. and Doris L. (Trice) Thawley.

Michael spent his childhood in the town of Federalsburg, Maryland. After graduating high school, he moved to Ocean City, Maryland, to establish himself in the hospitality industry, gaining experience in Ocean City restaurants. He lived briefly in Washington, DC, then decided to call Rehoboth Beach his home.

He had a passion for gourmet food and served as the host/ maître d’ at some of Rehoboth’s most popular restaurants: Fran O’Brien’s, La La Land, the Cultured Pearl, and finally Bethany Blues in Lewes, where he had worked since their opening.

Above all, he enjoyed spending time with those he held most dear. He was a loving and devoted partner, uncle, brother, and friend. Mr. Thawley will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

Michael is survived by his loving partner and friend of 48 years, Tom Steele, of Rehoboth Beach; his brother, Wayne Thawley (Sandy) of Salisbury, Maryland; and his two nephews, Kevin Thawley and Richard Thawley, and their families.

Final care for Mr. Thawley was entrusted to Parsell Funeral Homes and Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes. Visit Michael’s Life Memorial Webpage and sign his virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com. ▼

WE HELP FAMILIES:

Serving Delaware & Maryland Families Virtually or In-Office

 Shelter assets from long term care costs

1519 Savannah Road Lewes, DE 19958

 Apply for Medicaid & VA long term care benefits  Create Wills and Powers of Attorney

Tel. 302.628.4140

 Utilize Trusts for probate avoidance  Preserve public benefits for persons with special needs  Administer their loved ones’ estates

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

w w w. p w w l a w. c o m

Planning today to protect your family’s tomorrow.

Delaware Hospice provides more than in-home hospice services.

MORE THAN HOSPICE

Whether it’s palliative care, children’s care or bereavement services you are looking for, we have you covered.

delawarehospice.org 302.683.8948 MARCH 4, 2022

75 Letters

es Local Hero e Forum idat RB Cand Be) Heroes d (We Coul

G T I N E A C R

A

R E M O

I V E S I T P O

T H B O H O R E

Cool It! Welcome to the Dog Days Seasons in The Sun

2019 10 July 26, 29, Number Volume oboth.com campreh

I N G C R E A T

A

M O R E

C R E A T I N G ment That’s Entertain A Passion for Play Taking Dance Tradition for a Twirl

I V E P O S I T

O T H R E H O B

A

M O R E

P O S I T I V E

R E H O B O T H

August 9, 2019 Volume 29, Number 11 camprehoboth.com

June 28, 2019 8 Volume 29, Number m camprehoboth.co

Advertising in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth pays off.

CALL TRICIA MASSELLA AT 302-227-5620 or email ads@camprehoboth.com for more information!

Letters 76

MARCH 4, 2022

Fourth-Page-V

CROSSWORD PUZZLE SOLUTION (puzzle on page 50)

Subscribe today.

C R E A T I N G

A

CAMP Rehoboth Volunteer Opportunities

M O R E

MAR 9: VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES MEETING

Local Heroes RB Candidate Forum (We Could Be) Heroes P O S I T I V E

Don’t miss a thing.

13 issues of LETTERS from CAMP Rehoboth by first class mail.

R E H O B O T H

July 26, 2019 Volume 29, Number 10 campreho both.com

Learn/refresh yourself about volunteering for CAMP Rehoboth, and find out the latest volunteer needs for Women’s FEST 2022. Please note that if you have not been to a Volunteer Orientation in the past two years, you should attend one this year. (There will be two more—one in June, another in September.) Dinner will be provided. RSVP at camprehoboth.com/volunteers.

LETTERS DISTRIBUTION TEAM Volunteers needed to help reload Letters to drop-box points. Must be able to carry heavy magazine stacks, reload distribution points, and report discarded materials to our editorial/publishing team.

CAMPCIERGES

YOUR NAME

Volunteers needed to greet guests, answer phones, and perform other administrative tasks in the Community Center. Please email matty@camprehoboth.com if interested.

PARTNER’S NAME ( IF APPLICABLE)

CAMPSHOTS PHOTOGRAPHERS We are looking for photographers for Letters CAMPshots. Volunteers may use their camera or iPhone, or may sign out the CAMP Rehoboth office camera. More guidelines for photos will be shared with interested volunteers.

STREET MAILING ADDRESS

CITY, STATE, ZIP

☐ YES ☐ NO PHONE

IS THIS A RENEWAL?

Send your check for $40 to CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. If you prefer to use your Visa, MasterCard or American Express call 302-227-5620.

Your volunteer efforts benefit you and others.

Please visit camprehoboth.com/volunteers to register as a volunteer and to sign up for available opportunities.

thank you

to all the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center volunteers for the period: Jan. 21 - Feb. 18, 2022

ARTS TEAM

Jane Knaus Lois Powell Leslie Sinclair Tiffany Smith Patricia Stiles Debbie Woods

CAMP COMMUNITY CENTER

CAMPSHOTS PHOTO VOLUNTEERS

Tony Burns David Camorali Fay Jacobs Laura Reitman

CHORUS LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE

CAMP MAINTENANCE

Matt Brown Bill Fuchs Dianna Johnston Dave Minges Judy Olsen Dave Scuccimarra Sandra Skidmore

CAMPCIERGES

CROP—A SHELTERING HEART

Ann Evans Natalie Moss Sandra Skidmore Alan Spiegelman Eric Korpon

Barbara Breault Max Dick Lynn Eisner Ron Gluck Jim Mease Kim Nelson Pat Powell Patricia Stiles Russell Stiles Joe Vescio

Mark Basile Carol Brice Brian Cox Karen DeSantis Kim Nelson Konrad Nobel Lori Simmons Leslie Sinclair Margaret Tobin

Debbie Woods

GRANTS COMMITTEE

Leslie Calman Kate Cauley David Garrett John Roane Leslie Sinclair

MEMBERSHIP TEAM

Jane Blue David Carder Ann Evans

WOMEN’S FEST COMMITTEE & PLANNING VOLUNTEERS

Pat Catanzariti Dottie Cirelli Helene Guilfoy LETTERS Nancy Hewish DISTRIBUTION TEAM Peggy Hughes Lauren Dobey Fay Jacobs Mary Ellen Mannion Kathy Lehmann Jim Mease Sharon Marquart Jennifer Rubenstein Teri Seaton Kim Schlipp Hannah Simone LETTERS MAILING TEAM Devon Singer Kim Smitas David Hagelin Lisa Soens Nancy Hewish Hope Vella Grant Kingswell Bea Vuocolo Vicki Martina LETTERS ARCHIVIST

Ronald Dempsey

Stephen Palmer Russell Stiles Linda Yingst

WOMEN’S FEST SPORTS TEAM VOLUNTEERS

Connie Fox Sandra Oropel

Rina Pellegrini Mary Rossettini WOMEN’S FEST ACCESSIBILITY TEAM VOLUNTEERS

Ang Almond Shay Almond Barbara Clipper Jan Di Modugno Patty Di Modugno Laura Jednorski Hope Vella Rein Vincent Dr. Michele Warch Nancy Wester VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Chris Beagle Karen Laitman Jim Mease Rina Pellegrini Leslie Sinclair John Michael Sophos Angie Strano Debbie Woods

MARCH 4, 2022

77 Letters

AD INDEX Accent On Travel........................................................ 13 AG Renovations.......................................................... 59 Aqua........................................................................... 35 Beebe Healthcare...................................................... 26 Beebe Healthcare Career Opportunities................... 73 Brandywine Urology Consultants..................................9 bsd.............................................................................. 11 Café Azafrán............................................................... 49 CAMP Chorus The Great American Song Book.......... 55 CAMP Rehoboth Letters Subscription........................ 77 CAMP Rehoboth Premier Sponsors..............................5 CAMP Rehoboth Women’s FEST................................. 17 Caroline Huff, Artist.......................................................7 Cat & Mouse Publishing............................................. 37 Chesapeake & Maine................................................. 63 Chris Beagle Group, Realtors..................................... 31 Clear Space Theatre................................................... 51 Coho’s Market & Grill.................................................. 59 Country Lawn Care..................................................... 78 County Bank............................................................... 27 Delaware Community Foundation............................. 65 Delaware Hospice...................................................... 75 Delaware Humane Association ................................. 71

Letters 78 MARCH 4, 2022

Donna Whiteside, Realtor.......................................... 12 Fifth Avenue Jewelers................................................ 67 Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant............................. 79 Gay Women’s Meet Up............................................... 67 Go Fish Go Brit .......................................................... 71 God’s Greyts Senior Greyhounds............................... 59 Harbour Waterfront Dining......................................... 27 Hugh Fuller, Realtor.................................................... 38 Immanuel Shelter....................................................... 71 Jack Lingo, Real Estate.............................................. 57 Jenn Harpel, Morgan Stanley..................................... 21 Jolly Trolley................................................................ 32 Just In Thyme Restaurant........................................... 21 Lana Warfield, Realtor................................................ 37 Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Realtors............................ 25 Lori’s Café.................................................................. 76 Maplewood Dental Associates .................................. 37 McWilliams Ballard Real Estate.................................. 43 MERR.............................................................................7 Milton Theatre............................................................ 68 Olivia Travel................................................................ 19 Purple Parrot.............................................................. 39 PWW Law.................................................................... 75

Randy Mason/Shirley Kalvinsky, Realtors.................. 21 Rehoboth Beach Dental............................................. 49 Rehoboth Beach Museum.......................................... 59 Rehoboth Guest House.............................................. 32 Rigby’s Bar & Grill....................................................... 61 Saved Souls Animal Rescue....................................... 32 Sea Bova Associates, Realtors................................... 80 Springpoint Choice..................................................... 33 State Farm - George Bunting..................................... 50 State Farm - Jeanine O’Donnell/Eric Blondin............. 37 Sussex Family YMCA.................................................. 67 The Lawson Firm........................................................ 49 The Lodge at Truitt Homestead.................................. 31 The Pines.................................................................... 35 The Warren Group, Realtors....................................... 29 Time to Heal Counseling & Consulting...................... 70 Troy Roberts, Realtor.................................................. 27 Volunteer Opportunities............................................. 77 Volunteer Thank You.................................................. 77 Vote Bucchioni for Senate.......................................... 63 Windsor’s Flowers...................................................... 67

MARCH 4, 2022

79 Letters

LINDA BOVA

BRIDGET BAUER

BROKER-ABR®

ASSOC. BROKER-REALTOR®

CELL

CELL

302-542-4197

302-245-0577

HOLLY OAK - Lewes. New Construction – Summer Delivery!!!

3BR/2BA home is a 1,506 sq. ft. one-level rancher with an oversized 2-car garage. Open concept floor plan. Great room opens to the kitchen and dining area. There is also a sliding glass door leading out to the big 12’x16’ deck.

Main bedroom suite has a walk-in closet & elegant bath with a 5’x4’ tiled “curbless” shower. Split bedroom plan with a tub/shower in 2nd bath.

Bamboo floors. Stainless steel kitchen appliances.

W&D included. Low HOA. $449,900 (2016730)

*A/C

REHOBOTH BAY - Rehoboth.

3BR/2BA 1989 doublewide.

Formal LV & family room w/FP. 4-Season porch. 6 miles to beach. Marina & community pool. $124,900 (2009250) Lot Rent $636/mt.

*A/C

LOVE CREEK PARK Lewes. Marina community.

12’x56’ 1972 2BR/1BA w/ 3season room. Fenced yard.

Big shed. 6 miles to beach. $61,800 (2010028) Lot Rent

$575/mt. includes H20 & sewer.

WOODS EDGE - Lewes.

Classic 1960 10’x50’ trailer w/ 12’x15’ addition. Screened porch. 2BR/1BA. Furnished & Turn Key. 7 miles to beaches. $35,000 (2016684) Lot Rent

~ CALL ~ LUZ ESCOBAR REALTOR ®

302-260-2080 cell email

luz_escobar2000@yahoo.com

$390/mt. includes water.

MULBERRY KNOLL - Lewes. 3BR/2BA rancher is located in a marina community. Approximately 26 slips are on an as-available basis ($450/season). There’s also a boat ramp to launch your watercrafts. The waterway is at the head of Love Creek out to the Rehoboth Bay. 1,540 sq. ft. w/1-car garage. Compact eat-in kitchen. Living room w/ vaulted ceilings.

Generously-sized main bedroom suite. And the other 2 bedrooms are also large. 1/3-acre corner lot. Public sewer coming. HOA $150/yr. $359,867 (2015946)

*A/C

*A/C

ANGOLA ESTATES - Lewes.

2007 3BR/2BA home is 1,724 sq. ft. Kitchen w/morning room Separate dining area Marina & 2 pools. 10 miles to beach.

Lot $175,000 (2012986) Rent $604/mt. includes sewer.

~ CALL ~ LUZ ESCOBAR REALTOR ®

302-260-2080 cell email

luz_escobar2000@yahoo.com

AVALON PARK - Georgetown. This 1976 4BR/1.5BA home is in excellent shape!

Laminate flooring & carpeting in the bedrooms.

0.22 acres. Big L-shaped screened porch.

Carport. Low HOA of just $400/year. Approx. 14 miles to the Rehoboth boardwalk or Lewes public beach. $180,000 (2009614) SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

CAMELOT MEADOWS - Rehoboth Beach. 1988 2BR/2BA doublewide has a 2-car carport to keep your “rides” clean. Composite Trex-style front deck. Living room, den & Florida room. Dining area adjoins the kitchen. community pool. 3 miles to beach & boardwalk. $169,000 (2013896) Lot Rent $810/mt. SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

McNICOL PLACE - Lewes. remodeled 1975 2BR/1.5BA home is 1,180 sq. ft. Big eatin kitchen. Hall laundry w/ W&D. Deck. Shed. 3 miles to beach. $75,000 (2015394)

Lot Rent $634/mt.

COLONIAL EAST - Rehoboth Beach. 1979 3BR/2BA has 10’x20’ enclosed porch. Nicely updated with laminate & tile.

Remodeled baths. 4 miles to beach. $83,500 (2015394)

Lot Rent $528/mt.

20250 Coastal Highway - Suite 3, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971  302-227-1222 office www.SEABOVA.com 

EMAIL

– RealEstate@SEABOVA.com

Office Independently Owned & Operated by SBA, Inc. Prices, promotions & availability subject to change without notice. * “A/C” Active/Under Contract -- Accepting Back-Up Offers