Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 32-12

Connecting Community Sharing Our Bounty Giving Thanks

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

November 18, 2022 Volume 32, Number 12 camprehoboth.com

inside 4 In Brief 6 President’s View WES COMBS

8 CAMP News 10 The Elkins-Archibald Atrium Dedicated to a Higher Cause: Community SONDRA N. ARKIN

12 Community News 14 Volunteers on the Move

A Huge CROP of Worthy Projects FAY JACOBS

16 Community Connections

Moving Forward by Giving Back

THIS ISSUE

VOLUME 32, NUMBER 12 • NOVEMBER 18, 2022

20 WTF: What’s Thanksgiving For?

78 The Real Dirt

KEVIN MALLINSON

ERIC W. WAHL

22 Health & Wellness

80 CAMP Arts

PATTIE CINELLI

82 Booked Solid

Embracing Autumn’s Fragrance

DOUG YETTER

Forest Bathing

24 The Writing Life

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Mister, Are You a Lady?

ROI BARNARD

Sondra Arkin, Murray Archibald, Carolyn Billinghurst, Carol Bresler, and Barb Ralph at the Dedication of the Elkins-Archibald Atrium. See page 10.

28 Four Stellar Volunteers MICHAEL GILLES

30 Straight Talk DAVID GARRETT

34 Words Matter CLARENCE FLUKER

LAURIE THOMPSON

18 Out & About Back on the Blame Game

ERIC PETERSON

58 View Point

MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

Do You Hear What I Hear?

Rights and Wrongs

A Time to Give

38 It’s My Life

42 Sea Salt Table

Make-ahead Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese ED CASTELLI

46 CAMP Stories The Perfect Manhattan RICH BARNETT

Giving Thanks in Times of Trial

62 Be A Sport

Becoming a CrossFit Evangelist HEATHER RION STARR

64 CAMPshots

ANN APTAKER

BETH SHOCKLEY

Wait, Grandma Did What?!

TOM KELCH

ROBERT DOMINIC

94 CAMP Rehoboth Impact Report 100 Training CAMP Intermittent Fasting JON ADLER KAPLAN

106 We Remember

Chesapeake & Maine MICHAEL GILLES

52 Guest House Chronicles

The Gays Survive Another Plague

68 Dining Out

50 Historical Headliners

Was He or Wasn’t He?

92 Visiting View

70 OUTlook

ON THE COVER

House & Heart, by Murray Archibald

The Living Years

74 Celebrity Interview Courtney Act

MICHAEL COOK

76 Q-Puzzle Queen Sighs

See page 28

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.

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

EDITOR Marj Shannon EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE Matty Brown DESIGN AND LAYOUT Mary Beth Ramsey ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Tricia Massella DISTRIBUTION Mark Wolf CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Aptaker, Sondra N. Arkin, Roi Barnard, Rich Barnett, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Pattie Cinelli, Wes Combs, Michael Cook, Robert Dominic, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, David Garrett, Michael Gilles, Fay Jacobs, Jon Adler Kaplan, Tom Kelch, Kevin Mallinson, Tricia Massella, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Richard Rosendall, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Beth Shockley, Heather Rion Starr, Laurie Thompson, 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.

From the Editor

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.

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ou may have noticed—on the upper right of the cover—our three “catch phrases” for this issue: Connecting Community, Sharing Our Bounty, and Giving Thanks. I think you’ll find, in this issue, many examples of each.

There’s the piece on the dedication of the Elkins-Archibald Atrium—a symbol of connection and sharing and giving if ever there was one. And another on four outgoing CAMP Rehoboth Board members, who have collectively given 70 years of service (so far!) to this organization they so cherish. May we all be inspired by their dedication and devotion.

More inspiration: those CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) volunteers whose efforts we read about in each issue. Fay Jacobs tells us how that program— first conceived as Volunteer on Vacation—evolved. It’s a great story of community support and engagement.

There’s also the 2022 Impact Report, which offers so many examples of how CAMP Rehoboth impacts our community. It focuses on four key areas: Health & Wellness, Arts & Culture, Education & Advocacy, and Community Engagement.

Give it a read—there’s a lot in there to savor.

Speaking of savoring—Ed Castelli’s got some ideas; see Sea Salt Table for a tasty Thanksgiving make-ahead. Michael Gilles has some ideas too; you can read about those in Dining Out. And Rich Barnett has the perfect drink to compliment the meal—any meal.

After all that indulgence, maybe you’re thinking about cutting back just a little before the next round of holiday goodies? Jon Adler Kaplan suggests intermittent fasting as one approach.

Or maybe you need a break from the relentless seasonal bustle? Pattie Cinelli introduces us to forest bathing—who knew?! Or if you’re after something more rigorous, see Heather Rion Starr’s paean to CrossFit. Perhaps, this holiday season, you’re looking for your own opportunities to connect, share, and give? Clarence Fluker tells us all about Giving Tuesday—just in time for us to support our own favorite organizations, come November 29.

PRESIDENT Wesley Combs VICE PRESIDENT Leslie Ledogar SECRETARY Mike DeFlavia AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Chris Beagle, Jane Blue, Pat Catanzariti, Lisa Evans (non-voting), David Garrett, Natalie Moss, Tara Sheldon, Leslie Sinclair, and Jason D. White

And for the 16th year, CAMP Rehoboth will serve as a drop-off site for the annual Rehoboth Beach Toy Drive (which also collects coats, hats, and gloves). Donations will go to community members in need. See In Brief for more about that effort and stop by the Community Center with anything you’re able to give.

Connect. Share. Give. Such small words. Such big impact.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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

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.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

3 Letters

World AIDS Day - December 1

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oin us for a service of hope and remembrance for World AIDS Day at All Saints’ Church in Rehoboth Beach. Attendees will meet at CAMP Rehoboth and will walk together as a group to All Saints’ Church on Olive Avenue. The event will be from 4:00 till 6:00 p.m.

World AIDS Day was first observed in 1988. Each year, organizations and individuals across the world bring attention to the HIV epidemic, work to increase HIV awareness and knowledge, speak out against HIV stigma, and call for an increased effort to end the HIV epidemic. The theme for the 2022 observance is “Equalize.”

To have a name of a family member or friend who died from AIDS added to the list of names to be read at the service, please email amber@camprehoboth.com or call the CAMP Rehoboth office at 302-227-5620. For more information, visit the website at camprehoboth.com. ▼ Photo: Dhananjaya Beminwaththa on Unsplash.com

Giving Tuesday at CAMP Rehoboth

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ave the Date! Giving Tuesday is November 29, 2022. CAMP Rehoboth will again participate in Giving Tuesday, a global generosity movement unleashing the power of radical generosity. (Read more about the movement on page 34.) Stay tuned to CAMP Rehoboth’s social media and camprehoboth.com to see how you can get involved. ▼

Community Toy/Hat/Glove Drive

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hrough mid-December, CAMP Rehoboth Community Center will be a drop-off site for the annual Rehoboth Beach Toy Drive. This is the 16th year that CAMP Rehoboth is participating in a community collection of toys, hats, gloves, and coats for community members in need. Help make this year’s holidays brighter for families in need, in partnership with the Rehoboth Beach Bears and other groups and individuals, by signing up to manage and sort the items for the drive at camprehoboth.com/volunteers.

On Saturday, December 3, the drive will rally support with community partners, including the Rehoboth Beach Bears, at the Purple Parrot (12:00-3:00 p.m.) and Diego’s Bar & Nightclub (4:00-8:00 p.m.).

Visit camprehoboth.com for more details.

Donated items will be provided to ACE Peer Resources Center, Christiana Care HIV Wellness Center, and other community organizations that serve those in need. ▼

Transgender Day of Remembrance

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Love In the Pumpkin Patch

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n October 29, CAMP Rehoboth participated in the Sea Witch Parade for the first time in the parade’s history. CAMP’s float theme was “Love in the Pumpkin Patch,” and featured the day’s largest inflatable pumpkin, sparkling letters to spell out L-O-V-E, and volunteer walkers and float wavers decked out in orange.

CAMP Rehoboth’s YouthUp program got involved as walkers, distributing 50 pounds of candy to eager trick-or-treaters. ▼ Letters 4

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tay tuned to CAMP Rehoboth social media to read testimonials and stories honoring transgender community members both past and present for Transgender Day of Remembrance. Celebrated on November 20 each year, Transgender Day of Remembrance was created in 1999 to commemorate transgender woman Rita Hester, who was murdered. This day honors the lives of transgender people lost to acts of transphobic violence.

CAMP Rehoboth will also be holding a Candlelight Vigil on November 20 over Zoom, where testimonials and stories will be shared from the community. To share a story, please email julian@camprehoboth.com.▼

SAVE THE DATE!

Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Presents Judy!

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n Saturday, January 14, 2023, the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington (GMCW) will return to the CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium for two performances of their new show, Judy!

The cabaret show will celebrate the music of one of the original legends—Judy Garland. The GMCW will look back at the music of vaudeville and the silver screen that illuminated the great Garland’s career.

This intimate evening will feature 14 soloists from the GMCW, who will share stories as they sing their favorite Judy tunes. Shows are at 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Seating is limited and past shows have quickly sold out. So, purchase your tickets now! ▼

Block Party—Finally Back!

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n October 16, CAMP Rehoboth’s Block Party returned to the second block of Baltimore Avenue.

The day offered great weather, over 90 vendors, renowned local performers, and good spirits. After three long years of delay due to the pandemic and lousy weather, the event’s return brought together community members for the first time in years. Special thanks to presenting sponsor Brandywine SPCA, which held its “Bark On the Boards” event the day prior at the Rehoboth Beach bandstand.

Co-chairs Chris Beagle and Michelle Manfredi, along with over 50 volunteers, made Block Party possible.

CAMP Rehoboth extends its gratitude to Beagle, Manfredi, the entire planning committee, and all who made CAMP Rehoboth’s largest outreach event of the year a triumph. ▼

ACLU Launches Resource for LGBTQ+ Students

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n Tuesday, November 1, ACLU launched its new Know Your Rights resource with an event at the Lewes Public Library. The resource aims to educate youth on the First Amendment rights that protect LGBTQ+ expression in schools. Two panels presented at the event.

The first panel featured representatives from Parents of Trans Kids (PTK) Delaware, CAMP Rehoboth, ACLU Delaware, and PFLAG Delaware, who discussed how the resource will be valuable to the work they do in the community.

CAMP Rehoboth Board member David Garrett moderated the second panel, which featured authors Margaret Nash and Karen Graves, whose new book, Mad River, Marjorie Rowland, and the Quest for LGBTQ Teachers’ Rights, spoke to the vital US Supreme Court case in which the court’s dissent laid out the First and Fourteenth Amendment rights entitled to LGBTQ+ people. The panel was a great reminder that to address solutions to current issues, history must be properly understood.

Tara Sheldon, CAMP Rehoboth Board member and launch event organizer, reflected on the importance of this effort. “The event at Lewes Library was a coming together of service providers rising to meet the challenges, the struggles—in fact, the burdens—of advocating for and supporting LGBTQ+ students and their families. We are blessed to have support groups such as PTK and PFLAG, core organizations such as NASW-DE [National Association of Social Workers, Delaware chapter], CAMP Rehoboth, and ACLU-DE, and compassionate lawyers ready to represent us. But if all students were treated with respect and kindness and provided the same opportunities as their peers for an education free from harassment, intimidation, and harm, maybe we wouldn’t need them. Until then, tonight was validation that the safety net is there should ever an LGBTQ+ youth (and their family) need a supportive ear and a helping hand. The ACLU-DE Know Your Rights guide for LGBTQ+ students will ensure this is so.” ▼ ⊳

TRAVELS WITH LETTERS ⊲ OLIVIA MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE TO GREECE AND ISRAEL (L-R) Babs Pennay, Sarah Reznick, Lisa DeStefano, Fay Jacobs, Bonnie Quesenberry, Kate McQueen, Gloria Francavilla, Shay Taylor, Sally Taylor NOVEMBER 18, 2022

5 Letters

President’s View

BY WESLEY COMBS

So Much to Be Thankful For

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ith Thanksgiving just around the corner, we often reflect on the past year and hopefully find reasons to be grateful for things in our life. For some, that can mean good health, being employed, or having enjoyed time with friends and family. Simple enough, right?

At a time when there is adversity all around us, it can be challenging to focus on the positives when you consider the alternatives. I again draw on my executive coaching tools to shift my perspective away from going down any number of negative rabbit holes (fill in the blank for your misery of choice).

Instead, I am comforted by what I have been able to accomplish despite any setbacks personally or professionally.

As you might imagine, what happens at CAMP Rehoboth influences my day-to-day life in both obvious and unexpected ways. My husband Greg often says he can tell when things are going well based on my mood. Since assuming the role of Board President in January, there certainly has never been a dull moment.

Like each of the other board members, I know serving in a leadership capacity is not only an honor and privilege, but also comes with a huge responsibility—especially during this time of transition. CAMP Rehoboth is the heart of the community for a reason, and it is our job to keep it as healthy as possible.

Regardless of the task at hand, I am fueled by witnessing the ways CAMP is providing life-changing support to those across our community and by the support we receive from our members all year long. I was overwhelmed with gratitude by the positive response and words of thanks CAMP received as we walked in the Sea Witch parade for the first Letters 6

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time. We know none of this would be possible without the passion of our dedicated staff and countless acts of generosity.

Beginning on page 94 of this issue, you can learn much more about our work in the 2022 Impact Report. It provides a holistic view of CAMP Rehoboth’s operations and the outcomes we can achieve because of generous contributions of time, talent, and—yes, dollars—from our members, foundations, and the state of Delaware. Here are some of the highlights and reasons why I am feeling especially thankful: • More than 260 volunteers provided support at CAMP Rehoboth’s community center and events throughout the year.

• CAMP Rehoboth was awarded $160,000 by the state of Delaware, as part of the General Assembly’s Community Reinvestment Fund. The dollars will fund high-priority capital repairs.

• CAMP Rehoboth distributed 80,499 condoms between January and October via 27 distribution sites and at 19 events across Delaware.

• Women’s FEST and SUNFESTIVAL (combined) drew over 3,300 participants.

• The 84-members of CAMP Rehoboth Chorus returned to in-person performances at Epworth United Methodist Church in May to present a Great American Songbook concert.

Finally, I want my husband Greg to know how much his unwavering moral support helped push me forward when it was most needed.

On behalf of the staff and board of directors at CAMP Rehoboth, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving. ▼ Wesley Combs is CAMP Rehoboth Board President.

TRANSITION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR SEARCH: On October 19, CAMP Rehoboth commenced the search for its new Executive Director by issuing an RFP inviting qualified executive search firms and consultants to submit a written proposal to conduct an executive recruitment. A copy of the RFP can be found on the CAMP Rehoboth website.

To be eligible for consideration, the proposing firm must demonstrate that it, and the principal(s) assigned to the project, have successfully completed similar services to those specified in the Scope of Work section of the RFP, with institutions similar in size and complexity to CAMP Rehoboth.

To guide the process, the board has formed a Search Committee that includes Board President Wes Combs (chair), Board members Pat Catanzariti and Jason Mathis, Interim Director Lisa Evans, and former Board member Glen Pruitt.

The successful vendor will work directly with CAMP’s Search Committee and with any other CAMP representative selected to be involved with activities associated with this project. As of Letters’ deadline, CAMP had received four proposals from prospective executive search firms and the Search Committee hopes to make a selection before Thanksgiving. Once an agreement has been signed, work is tentatively set to begin in early December.

STRATEGIC PLAN: The Strategic Planning Task Force met on November 9 to officially commence the process. Members of the Task Force include Board Vice President Leslie Ledogar (chair), Board member Leslie Sinclair, Board President Wes Combs, Interim Director Lisa Evans, and Communications Manager Matty Brown.

To prepare for the meeting, the Task Force provided MMP Associates (the selected vendor) with background information about CAMP Rehoboth, including the work product from the strategic plan conducted in 2018. At the meeting, Dr. Michela Perrone reviewed the project schedule and together with the Task Force developed a task plan for the data collection portion of the process.

We’re doing our part in Rehoboth Beach to support the community.

Schwab proudly supports CAMP Rehoboth.

As a local business, we think it’s important to support the communities we call home.

That’s why we support CAMP Rehoboth. Visit schwab.com to get answers to any financial questions you may have.

Mark Engberg, CFP® Branch Leader

Stephanie P. Brown, MBA Financial Consultant

Rehoboth Beach Branch 19266 Coastal Highway, Unit 5 Rehoboth Beach, DE 19958 302-260-8731 schwab.com/rehobothbeach

CAMP Rehoboth is not affiliated with Schwab or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates. © 2022 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc. (“Schwab”) Member SIPC. All rights reserved. (1022-2C8K) SCH7700-34 (09/22)

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

7 Letters

CAMPNews CR In PR: Connecting CAMPsafe in San Juan

10th Anti-Bullying Summit

n mid-October, CAMP Rehoboth Health & Wellness Coordinator Amber Lee attended the US Conference on HIV and AIDS (USCHA) on behalf of the CAMPSafe program. The multi-day conference boasted over 3,000 attendees.

The trip provided an opportunity for Lee to network with several different community partners. “It was an incredible chance to network with organizations who are doing great work to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS, and to learn more about the work ahead of us,” said Lee. CAMPSafe thanks the Delaware Division of Public Health for the wonderful opportunity. ▼

he 10th Anti-Bullying Summit, a half-day gathering to connect and uplift members of Gender Sexuality Alliances, their advisors, and allies that support them as they fight for equity and justice, took place on October 15 in Georgetown.

CAMP Rehoboth Health & Wellness Coordinator Tamia Mykles Amber Lee and Youth Peer Leader Julian Harbaugh were speakers, presenting on safe sex and LGBTQ+ history. Tamia Mykles spoke to youth as an HIV positive transgender woman, describing her struggles. Julian’s presentation introduced youth to the YouthUp! LGBTQ History Guide, available at camprehoboth.com/youth, and gave recommendations for reliable queer history media and sources. ▼

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CROP Goes to the Dogs (and Cats)

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n Sunday, October 9, a team of nine CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) volunteers traveled to the Brandywine Valley SPCA in Georgetown to help them meet their mission of putting the “human back in humane.” The intrepid CROP volunteer team stepped up and did a fantastic job re-organizing the pet food pod and removing overgrown brush from the perimeter fence. Last— though far from least!—there was a walk along the facility’s woodland trail with Monkeybread, a beautiful, sweet dog awaiting adoption. ▼

HOLIDAY HANDMADE MARKET ⊲

On Friday, December 9, CAMP Rehoboth will host the Holiday Handmade Market. Entry is free of charge, so shop local and support LGBTQ+/ally artists and makers. You’ll be able to shop to the sounds of Robb the Uke Guy, who will bring his signature Hawaiian flare to cherished holiday classics ▼

SHAPE Conference The SHAPE (Society of Health & Physical Educators) Delaware Conference was held October 14 in Odessa, Delaware. CAMP Rehoboth’s Amber Lee and Julian Harbaugh were speakers, educating attendees about HIV sex education and how to support LGBTQ+ students.▼

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SEEKING VOLUNTEERS

Women’s FEST 2023 Women’s FEST is one of CAMP Rehoboth’s landmark events, bringing fun, entertainment, sports, and tradition to women all over the Mid-Atlantic for 20+ years. FEST 2023 dates are April 27-30, and planning is well underway. Committees now seeking volunteers interested in the planning and logistics of Women’s FEST include: entertainment, sports, auction, volunteer coordination, sponsorships, and publicity.

To join a committee, email FEST Volunteer Committee Chair Liz Aranza at lizaranza16@gmail.com with your name and the committee(s) you’re interested in—or with “general,” if you don’t have a specific one in mind. Sign-ups for specific day-of tasks (e.g., event check-in tables, dance security, auction monitors) will become available closer to the FEST dates. ▼

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.

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O LIVIA WISH ES YOU A

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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9 Letters

The Elkins-Archibald Atrium

BY SONDRA N. ARKIN

Dedicated to a Higher Cause: Community

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n Saturday, October 8, the CAMP Rehoboth community gathered to dedicate the room formerly known as “the big room” as the Elkins-Archibald Atrium. A lot of time has been spent in that room, from community meetings to art exhibitions, from theater to the spookiest Halloween parties ever. From the signing of Delaware SB-121—the bill that added sexual orientation to Delaware’s non-discrimination legislation—to wedding receptions to memorials for too many, I’ve personally been at a lot of events under that roof that have included both laughter and tears.

It was flawless weather to enjoy the courtyard and see so many friends. For many, it was the first gathering since 2019, which seems a lifetime ago. The program included comments from various Board members including current president Wes Combs, past-president Chris Beagle, and past-vice president (and Chair of the Arts Committee) Leslie Sinclair, Rehoboth

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Beach Mayor (and neighbor) Stan Mills, Speaker of the Delaware House of Representatives (and friend) Pete Schwartzkopf, and songs performed by Peggy Raley-Ward and the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Ensemble. Some tears of joy were shed.

Family was asked to sit up front, which was likely a good thing, so nobody saw me pass my damp tissue to Mary Beth, to wipe her eyes, or the three of us clasp hands at one point and all look in different directions to keep from ugly sobbing in public. Coming shortly after both a family wedding and reunion, Mary Beth and I were the only ones representing Steve and Murray’s family (she true, me auxiliary), but we were backed by a crowd of “family” if you know what I mean. I noticed at one point that our feet sat on the heartstone in the center of the courtyard, its faded inscription dedicated to Steve and Murray by Ward Ellinger and Allen Jarmon in 2006.

In the speeches that day, Steve and Murray were celebrated for their vision

and leadership, and Murray acknowledged that there were also a lot of other people whose dedication was a guiding force in the vision of the physical CAMPus. From many town hall meetings to countless volunteer hours, from fundraising to programming, so many folks stepped up and worked hard because they were dedicated to the same vision.

Even before that day, and my being asked to report on it, the many meanings of dedication had been on my mind.

Dedicating a physical space, dedicating a book, being a dedicated worker, being dedicated to a task or purpose…it seemed to me that we’d be celebrating the enormous commitment that it’s taken to amalgamate the power of this community, in addition to dedicating a physical space to permanently acknowledge the leaders at its heart.

Often, I’ve pondered whether it was Pied Piper-ing or Tom Sawyer-ing that Steve and Murray did to get so many people involved, but in looking up those

Room for All. Heart of the Community. All means all. Those are sacred words for CAMP Rehoboth, and the building blocks upon which it was built. references, they both have a deleterious tone. We weren’t being led along by false promises or being asked to do anything they wouldn’t do themselves. We just shouldered whatever part of the load suited our superpowers and plowed ahead.

We, and countless others.

Mary Beth and her husband Bob Ramsey, I and my husband Ron, plus dogs, all bunked up in the little apartment that Steve and Murray rented at 39 Baltimore Avenue since 1990, and as amazing as this sounds, we somehow adhered to a “house rule” to leave the business of CAMP Rehoboth behind. I think it is because the house came before the organization even existed.

But more than a decade ago, we noticed that Murray had given up creating in the studio to work full time as a volunteer, and frankly the best way for us to all spend time together was to work on CAMP Rehoboth stuff. And so more and more we found ourselves in the office, or toting and carrying, or loading in and out, or sweeping up, or preparing for whatever event was on the schedule. We worked hard and had fun doing it for our community.

But every board member, every volunteer, every team captain, every staff member—everyone connected with CAMP Rehoboth—works hard and is dedicated to making the organization work. We all want to have fun and be good hosts and set good examples and be a positive influence. We all want to hang out with our community and make safe spaces and address inequalities and make a difference.

We dance, we work, we travel, we laugh, we bitch, we march, we cry, we hang out, we move on. We did, and do, those things together.

While we honor Steve and Murray with this naming, in this issue we also honor other leaders. With several board members coming to the end of their service, we honor Chris Beagle, Jane Blue, Natalie Moss, and Leslie Sinclair for their more than full-time dedication to this organization, for many late nights, weekends, and overall extraordinary work. Moving on

LETTER FROM MURRAY ARCHIBALD To the Board of Directors, staff, and friends of CAMP Rehoboth, Transitions are not easy. The leadership of CAMP Rehoboth was aware of that fact years before the need for a founder transition arrived. That transition, as they so often are, was hastened by Steve’s death in 2018 and by my decision a year later to step back from my leadership role.

Transition plus pandemic made the task even more difficult.

I say all that as a backdrop for my deep appreciation to everyone who worked to make the dedication of the Elkins-Archibald Atrium a special and memorable day.

The process of change is rarely easy, but eventually we come to a new understanding—to a new alignment with the world within us and around us.

The Atrium Dedication was just such a moment.

Standing in the CAMP Rehoboth courtyard with family, friends, friends who are family, community leaders, and the leadership of CAMP Rehoboth—there was a powerful sense of healing.

The last few years have not been easy for any of us. We have all tried to find our balance in this sometimes-strange world that seems to have become our new reality.

The Dedication reminded us of the essence of CAMP Rehoboth: love, laughter, hope, and a never-ending welcome for all people.

Room for All. Heart of the Community. All means all. Those are sacred words for CAMP Rehoboth, and the building blocks upon which it was built.

And they still stand today.

My deepest thanks to the Board, staff, and volunteers who worked to make the Atrium Dedication an afternoon I will never forget.

I am honored and thankful.

Murray Archibald CAMP Rehoboth Co-founder while staying connected can be challenging; being connected while no longer in leadership can be tricky; but staying dedicated to the organization’s mission and giving support while sitting on your hands is easy. Okay, easy-ish.

Lastly, I couldn’t have been more delighted that Chris Flood at the Cape Gazette used the title I quipped of “auxiliary sister” in his photo caption, or when that photo and caption were texted to me with a giant red heart drawn on from our friend John Sadler, formerly of Abizak’s—the retail space on Rehoboth Avenue where Dos Locos is now—who read the story online from Asheville, NC. We move on. Murray has moved out of the little apartment to our house

“out on the highway.” I gotta admit it is weird to be outside of downtown and not have Baltimore Avenue be the nexus of our Delaware universe. But our community stretches wide and far with people who share our ideas of love and friendship, so, we will see you around.

Even through changes in leadership, we all remain dedicated to a higher cause: community. ▼ Pictured, left to right: Murray Archibald; Matty Brown, Lisa Evans; Delaware Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf; Louisa Watrel, Murray Archibald, Wes Combs; David Garrett, Lisa Evans, Mike Deflavia, Pat Catanzariti, Natalie Moss, Murray Archibald, Chris Beagle, Wesley Combs, Leslie Sinclair, Leslie Ledogar, Tara Sheldon, Jane Blue NOVEMBER 18, 2022

11 Letters

CommunityNews Community Unity Dinner

Kiwanis Club Renews Charter

ehoboth Beach Main Street (RBMS) will be hosting the Community Unity Dinner on Sunday, December 4, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. This year’s pasta dinner will be provided by Big Fish Group and many other downtown restaurants.

Tickets can be purchased at the door or by contacting/visiting the RBMS office (302-227-2772; 509 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach) during its business hours: 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ▼

he Kiwanis Club of Coastal Delaware recently renewed its charter and inducted new members.

“Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time,” said Russ Koerwer, President.

The club meets monthly for lunch at Kings Creek Country Club, and currently is planning a December holiday party for its members and their significant others. “We would love for people to join us to hear more about Kiwanis,” said Koerwer.

For more information, text Russ Koerwer at 215-429-4475 or email coastaldekiwanis@gmail.com. ▼

R

Crawford Wins Prime Hook Photo Contest

E

dward Crawford of Lewes won Best in Show in the annual Friends of Prime Hook US Wildlife Refuge Nature Photography Contest.

Crawford’s photo of a kingfisher with a tiny fish was honored during a Sunday, October 16 opening reception for the contest. It was selected from among 171 photos submitted by 36 photographers. A list of all contest winners is available on the Friends’ website at friendsofprimehook.com.

The exhibit will continue through December 11 and is free and open to the public. ▼

T

Prime Timers’ Boardwalk Stroll

D

elaware Coastal Prime Timers invites you to join them for a Boardwalk Stroll every Tuesday and Thursday morning.

Walkers meet on the boardwalk at the end of Rehoboth Avenue. The Tuesday “early bird” stroll starts at 8:30 a.m.; the Thursday “late sleeper” stroll starts at 11:00 a.m.

Delaware Coastal Prime Timers is a fun and welcoming social group for single and coupled gay men. For information about upcoming events and membership, send your name and email address to coastalprimetimers@gmail.com. ▼

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Letters 12

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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13 Letters

Volunteers on the Move

BY FAY JACOBS

A Huge CROP of Worthy Projects

“S

ee those people in the green tee-shirts? They’re here to help.”

And with that introduction, a brigade of CAMP Rehoboth volunteers descended on the shelter building, buckets of paint and brushes in hand to refresh and rehab a safe place for homeless girls.

The job site could just as likely have been a Habitat for Humanity drywall installation, a transfer of collected non-perishable items to a food bank or, as recently happened at a church, ushering at the memorial service for a notable community member.

The group is the CAMP Rehoboth Community Outreach Program (CROP).

And on the day of the memorial service the volunteers exchanged their green teeshirts for dressier black and white apparel and provided some comforting outreach.

CROP has been lending a helping hand to local non-profits, charities, and worthy projects and adventures since 2009.

Originally invented as a CAMP Rehoboth crew of enthusiastic unpaid workers calling themselves the Volunteers on Vacation (VOV), the crew was led by founder Claire Ippoliti. One of their first projects was responding to a community need by painting the West Rehoboth Community Center.

“I had seen what volunteers had done in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina and thought about giving back here,” Claire says. ”And I knew it would be good for people to get to know individuals in the LGBTQ community.”

According to Claire, while it was the original vision to have people vacationing in Rehoboth volunteer with CAMP Rehoboth, it really turned out to be a group of locals volunteering. Those early volunteers included Glen Pruitt, Sue Goudy, Dan Melesurgo, Kathy Wiz, Gregg Glaviano, Muriel Hogan, Leslie Sinclair, and Debbie Woods.

Some of the first projects saw a Career Day in West Rehoboth, digging a vegetable garden and hosting a holiday party in the community of Burton Village, and Letters 14

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

more. “It was really about getting to know each other and making friends,” Claire says. “And it turned out we had a rewarding impact.”

In an average year, CROP, representing CAMP Rehoboth, will have over 100 volunteers and provide hundreds of hours of service to the community.

VOV found itself providing enriching activities for underserved children and supplying services for senior citizens, the homeless, and more. Claire led the group for five years before changing jobs and having to step back from the leadership role. Leslie Sinclair and Debbie Woods took the helm, although “It was more of a leadership team,” says Leslie.

By 2015, VOV became CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program or “CROP,” a new name that better communicates what the program is all about.

As the program grew, some of the organizations CROP partnered with included Delaware Food Bank, Immanuel Homeless Shelter, Friends of Cape Henlopen State Park, Burton Village 4H Afterschool Program, Delaware Botanic Gardens, and the Center for the Inland Bays. Projects took place not only in Rehoboth, but in Lewes and all over Sussex County.

In an average year, CROP, representing CAMP Rehoboth, will have over 100 volunteers and provide hundreds of hours of service to the community. That’s a lot of food delivery, clearing of park paths, ushering at CAMP concerts, and working with other non-profits.

“One of our major concerns these days is food insecurity,” Leslie says, and Debbie recalls delivering food for the homeless at the Red Mill Inn— “during a

blizzard!” The group has been known for amassing mountains of non-perishable food and a caravan of SUVs delivering it to food pantries. CROP continues to fight hunger in the area by sorting donated food at the Food Bank of Delaware in Milford, packing items into boxes for distribution to other charitable organizations and ultimately for delivery to the hungry.

One of CROP’s most fun projects takes place each spring during the CAMP Rehoboth Women’s FEST. Volunteers from CROP go to the Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding site in Milton to help by power washing facilities, and even “pasture picking” says Debbie with a smile. And as there are many volunteer visitors from out of town at FEST, this project harkens back to the original volunteers-on-vacation idea.

On the horizon for CROP are continued projects for the Brandywine SPCA and a collaboration with the Rehoboth Beach Bears to help keep people warm this winter. CROP and the Bears are heading up a drive to collect hats, gloves, and coats to distribute to organizations helping those in need. It’s certain that another caravan of SUVs, transporting all that collected warmth, will be on the road with CROP this holiday season.

CROP volunteers can still be recognized by their bright green tee-shirts as they work with kids, clear debris from walking trails, deliver to the homeless, sort mountains of canned goods, or greet people at CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Concerts. Each year CROP volunteers contribute hundreds of hours toward making Rehoboth Beach and its surrounding communities a better place to live and visit.

CROP is always looking for more volunteers. It’s an opportunity to make friends and do good. Interested? Contact crop@camprehoboth.com. ▼ Fay Jacobs is the author of five published books and is touring with her one-woman sitdown comedy show, Aging Gracelessly: Still Rock ‘n Roll to Me!

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15 Letters

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS

BY LAURIE THOMPSON

Moving Forward by Giving Back

N

ovember is one of my favorite months of the year.

When the weather turns chilly, I get to break out my favorite sweaters and snuggle by the fire with a good book.

I also appreciate that November is a month of transition as we wind down from the summer/fall and begin to prepare for the coming winter season.

The weather in November can be unpredictably warm and sunny one day and cold and blustery the next.

Much like the month of November, CAMP Rehoboth is in transition as we move forward, preparing for our future.

We have had our share of unforeseeable events like the global pandemic and the realignment of staff after the departure of our former Executive Director. Both events have presented the Board of Directors with an opportunity to redefine how we want to serve the LGBTQ+ community by embarking on a strategic plan.

Since arriving in July as the new Development Manager, I have witnessed a thriving organization that hosted SUNFESTIVAL and the Block Party, both sold-out events. We created an awarding-winning float and marched in the Sea Witch parade and will partner with All Saints’ Church in Rehoboth Beach to gather in the community to acknowledge World AIDS Day. We are a community center in downtown Rehoboth Beach that offers many things, including health and wellness programs. When the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services’ Division of Public Health reached out to CAMP Rehoboth about offering the monkeypox vaccine, we offered the Elkins-Archibald Atrium as a clinic site.

Not just one, but two vaccinations were administered at the site, to more than 200 people. Just a few weeks later, we partnered with Beebe Healthcare to administer over 100 flu shots at no cost.

CAMP Rehoboth coordinates the YouthUP! program that connects LGBTQ+ youth and families with Letters 16

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

resources and educational programs.

We host discussion groups that offer a nurturing space where youth can feel safe and are encouraged to celebrate who they are.

A quick glance at our website reveals a flourishing events calendar filled with monthly programs like Men’s Yoga, Morning Meditation, Women in Circle, and the Flaming Knitters—just to name a few.

I have witnessed a generous and vibrant community center— one that has been made possible through the generous support of donors…

We also have an active arts and culture program that includes visual arts, theatre productions, and our very own CAMP Rehoboth Chorus. Our inhouse art gallery hosts new artists each month. This past August, we hosted the Delaware Division of the Arts’ exhibit that highlighted more than a dozen award-winning artists from across Delaware. We hosted two fabulous sold-out theater productions, the most recent, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche.

The talented CAMP Rehoboth Chorus consists of a diverse 84-member community choir that is a mix of LGBTQ+, straight, young, old, single, and married singers who all share a common love of music. This past year they performed three community concerts and sold over 1,000 tickets.

CAMP Rehoboth has a long history of promoting human and civil rights and in June, several of our Board members were invited to witness Governor John Carney sign this year’s Pride Month proclamation.

I share all this because as the new Development Manager, I have witnessed a generous and vibrant community center—one that has been made possible through the generous support of donors at CAMP Rehoboth and the wider community.

Like so many organizations reemerging after the pandemic, CAMP is in transition and our Board of Directors is actively searching for a permanent Executive Director. It also is moving forward with hiring a firm to work with us on a new strategic plan that will serve as our roadmap for the next three to five years. According to Leslie Ledogar, CAMP Board Vice President, we will reach out to our constituents and conduct interviews and gather data. We will use that valuable information to figure out where we best fit and with whom to best partner moving forward so that we may continue to provide vital services to our community.

Creating a new strategic plan will be exciting as we imagine the possibilities for CAMP’s future. Throughout this process we will look to many of you to offer your time, talent, and financial support. If you are asked, please consider serving on a task force or committee, or volunteering your time where needed, or writing a check to help fund the creation of a new strategic plan. Give as you are able and recognize that by giving back you are moving CAMP Rehoboth forward to ensure that we will continue to be an integral part of the LGBTQ+ community now and well into the future. ▼ Laurie Thompson is CAMP Rehoboth’s Development Manager, overseeing all development, fundraising, and donor relations.

If you are interested in becoming a member, sponsor, and/or a donor, or would like to meet with Laurie to discuss giving opportunities or planned giving, please call her at 302-2275620 or email at laurie@camprehoboth.com.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

17 Letters

Out & About

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

Back on the Blame Game

T

hey say the road to hell is paved with good intentions. So perhaps it’s fitting that one of the most textbook examples of implicit bias I’ve ever heard of happened on the set of Hadestown, a Broadway musical that largely takes place at a train station between earth and the underworld.

Last month, a patron was sitting in the front row, watching the show but also holding a handheld device in front of her face. One of the stars of the show broke character and said to her, “No taping.”

When the patron did not put the device away, the actor repeated the reprimand.

It sounds reasonable. Recording live theatre is against the rules and ranks with talking during the show, singing along, and loud candy wrappers as bad audience behavior.

Except that the patron wasn’t taping anything. She was hard of hearing, and she was using a closed captioning device given to her by the theatre so that she could follow along and enjoy the show.

When she took to social media to recount her evening, she called it a “horrifying and embarrassing experience” that made her feel “ostracized and publicly ridiculed.”

Obviously, the actor did not walk out on stage thinking to herself, “let’s see if I can humiliate someone with a disability tonight.” Lillias White, a Tony-winner much beloved in the Broadway community, clearly believed that someone was making an illegal recording. She meant no harm. And yet, harm was done.

For doing nothing more than simply existing with a disability, this young woman was scolded in public. It’s likely that after Ms. White berated her, however mildly, others in the audience also believed she was in the wrong and shot her evil looks for the rest of the evening. I don’t know whether she put the captioning device away, but I’m sure she was tempted to do so.

The story gets a little better from here, and then it gets worse. The next Letters 18

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

day, producers from Hadestown and Jujamycn Theatres apologized, and reiterated their support for disability access on Broadway. They promised to learn from this experience so it wouldn’t happen again and thanked the young woman for sharing her experience for everyone’s benefit. They even gave her a couple of free tickets so she could come back and enjoy the show if she wished.

…let’s stop trying to find a villain in every story.

But there was no word from Lillias White, the performer who had taken it upon herself to scold an audience member for using an assistive device.

Unfortunately, social media abhors a vacuum. And so, rather than waiting for a public statement, opinions started flying. I myself suggested in a tweet that Ms. White should publicly apologize.

But others went a lot further than that.

There were blanket condemnations of the harshest variety, demands that she be fired from the show or never work on Broadway again—and because the internet’s gonna internet, probably some threats of violence sprinkled in there, too.

Of course, this led to the inevitable backlash to the backlash, defending Ms. White from all wrongdoing because she didn’t mean it. Others pointed out— correctly—that whenever Tony-winner Patti LuPone stopped the show (in much more dramatic fashion) to shame anyone in her audience for taking flash photos or wearing a mask incorrectly, she was lauded as a hero, but when a Black woman does the same thing, albeit much more quietly and politely, she is lambasted.

The hard-of-hearing audience member then re-entered the chat, urging people to stop harassing the performer.

Ms. LuPone then jumped into the fray, choosing this moment to announce to the world that she had turned in her Equity card, noting that she was “no longer part of that circus. Figure it out.”

By the time Lillias White finally made a public statement about the incident, it was the opposite of an apology.

After stating that her fans “know [her] heart,” she proclaimed that she was “NOT SORRY” in all caps for telling an audience member to put their device away, then used the rest of the statement to reaffirm her good intentions and decry the “double standard” and the online harassment she had received.

So, what could have been a learning moment around disability was poisoned by racism. In a moment like this, what’s an ally to do? First, we need to separate these incidents. But more importantly, let’s stop trying to find a villain in every story. Online harassment and hate speech is always wrong, and especially egregious when the whole situation was clearly an honest mistake.

Actors should be made aware of what assistive technologies their own houses are offering to patrons. Moreover, actors should be instructed that it is not a part of their job to enforce theatre rules. If, in the age of cellular technology, we need better systems to prevent people from abusing their handheld devices, let’s figure it out and make it someone else’s job. When faced with a problem, let’s look beyond finding someone to vilify and look for a solution, instead.▼ Eric Peterson is a diversity and inclusion practitioner. His first novel (Loyalty, Love & Vermouth) is available online and at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach. His podcast, The Rewind Project, is available wherever you listen to podcasts.

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19 Letters

UBUNTU

BY KEVIN MALLINSON

WTF: What’s Thanksgiving For?

W

TF? Yeah, I have thought that as well. What’s Thanksgiving for? My perspective on this American holiday has changed so much over the years.

As a kid, my mother admonished us for not finishing the food we put on our plates. She would say “There are starving children all over the world who would love to have this food. Be grateful for this meal.” My sister and I would, of course, roll our eyes. I would eventually learn that—nonetheless—she was right.

I left home at 17, escaping a homophobic environment, and created a ‘family-of-choice’—a mix of LGBTQ folks and straight friends. We often felt dissociated from traditional holiday events, so would gather on Thanksgiving Day to eat, laugh, and enjoy a sense of community. What little we had, we shared with each other.

I sometimes wrapped-up the holiday with an evening shift as a volunteer phone crisis counselor for Key West’s HELPline. Answering calls from folks struggling with addiction, interpersonal violence, or mental health emergencies helped put my own problems in perspective. And reminded me of all I was grateful for.

As a nurse who specialized in HIV care, for many years my life was consumed by that epidemic. As my career advanced, it became possible for me to donate food or money so that others (especially people living with HIV) could enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.

The holiday was no longer about what I wanted, but what others needed.

Over the last two decades—and dozens of trips to Sub-Saharan Africa— I’ve worked with nurses, physicians, and stakeholders to improve the delivery of HIV care. And was fortunate enough to experience the African concept of Ubuntu (roughly translated as ‘I am because we are’) being put into practice.

Each of us has a unique contribution to make to our community and we get to know ourselves through engagement Letters 20

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

with others. Ubuntu reminds us of the universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity.

What little we had, we shared with each other.

In 2011, I moved to the Kingdom of Swaziland for a year. I witnessed how severe drought quickly resulted in food insecurity and widespread starvation.

Yet, it was humbling to see how the Swazi people reached out to help their neighbors.

Wanting to do something to address food instability in a meaningful, sustainable way, I helped teach communities how to develop collaborative gardens to increase the production of vegetables, fruits, and ground peanuts. I helped carry water to older or infirm folks in rural households. I was grateful that I

(a White, well-educated, cis-presenting gay male atheist from the USA) had something valuable to contribute—even in a Swazi community.

As Thanksgiving approached, I thought of the incredible access I had to food back home. Why aren’t we more grateful for our bounty? Why do we promote the obscene idea that Thanksgiving is about stuffing ourselves until we can eat no more?

The time of year that my African friends call the ‘festive season’ is nearly upon us. For the next month or more, we should be expressing joy, happiness, and gratitude. It is a natural time for us to review the previous year and envision a better future.

So, think about it. What’s Thanksgiving for? How will you demonstrate your gratitude for all the good things in your life? Will you be generous with your time (or wallet) to assure that your friends or neighbors in Sussex County are fed? Food banks would be happy to hear from you.

Will you find creative ways to express Random Kindness or commit Senseless Acts of Beauty? Will you sit and share a meal with people who might otherwise have a lonely holiday? Maybe you could mentor someone who needs guidance and support?

For me, the Thanksgiving holiday is now about giving back. Honestly, it doesn’t take much effort to have a meaningful impact.

None of us can do everything, but each one of us can do something. ▼ Kevin Mallinson is a retired university professor, public speaker, and researcher who advocates for disenfranchised groups, particularly LGBTQ+ communities and persons with—or at risk for—HIV disease.

Photo: Kevin Mallinson bringing water to a rural household in Africa.

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21 Letters

health+wellness

BY PATTIE CINELLI

Forest Bathing

Y

ou don’t get naked, you don’t get wet, and you don’t even have to be in a forest. Yet forest bathing is one of the easiest ways for anyone to release tension, get focused, and connect with nature. It’s a practice that is accessible to all, is free, and is inclusive as well as awe-inspiring. It enhances one’s physical, emotional, and mental well-being.

“Our ancestors have always been in concert with nature and that’s what forest bathing is,” explained Sage Raindancer, a certified forest bathing guide in the Washington metropolitan area. “It gives us a moment to slow down and think about our inner self.

When we forest bathe we use nature as an educator and an inspiration.”

“Shinrin Yoku,” the Japanese term for forest bathing, began 40 years ago when the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture noticed a spike in stress-related illnesses. The Ministry encouraged people to improve physical and mental health by walking in soothing, natural settings—no fancy clothing or hiking gear required and no extensive training necessary. All that’s needed is an open mind and open, natural space. You can forest bathe alone, in a group, or with a guide.

“It’s about slowing down. We are sauntering, meandering—not hiking,” said Raindancer. “A naturalist (on a hike) will talk about fauna and flora, but a forest bathing guide talks about how to communicate with the tree, connect with it, see it as more than a piece of wood. To see it as a being just as humans are. The walk might take two-to-three hours, but we may not go farther than a quarter- or half-mile.”

The Journal of Psychology Science states that taking a one-hour walk in nature can improve attention span and memory by 20 percent. “When we turn off electronic devices and enter a natural setting with the intention of being fully present to the experience, nature meets us in unexpected and pleasant ways,” said Raindancer. Forest bathing may also inspire a sense of

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

awe and wonder, which psychologists calls a ‘flow’ state—we become so engrossed in an activity that we lose a sense of time.

“You can even forest bathe in a back yard.”

It also decreases stress hormones and stimulates positive emotions. With each step, we can enhance our mood while minimizing negative or depressing thoughts. Trees help boost our positive response by emitting organic compounds called phytoncides which can boost the human immune system.

“There is no one correct way to forest bathe,” said Raindancer. “You may get inspired to hug a tree and contemplate what communing with a tree means. You use the three I’s: inspiration, imagination, and intuition.”

Within minutes of beginning a forest bathing walk, you can experience a positive, subtle shift in the way you feel.

If variety is something you crave, forest bathing is never the same experience twice because nature is constantly evolving. Forest bathing can be both energizing and relaxing, often in the same walk.

Forest bathing can stimulate a

deeper intimacy with natural places, including our natural selves. Raindancer has observed that unlike early settlers who could read the wind, water, sky, and stars, modern humans are unaware of their surroundings. Forest bathing can help get us back in touch with our connection to nature.

“You can do it on the beach, in a desert, or even in any tiny bit of green space in the middle of the city,” said Raindancer. “You can even forest bathe in a back yard.” Living at the beach affords a multitude of venues where we can forest bathe. Trapp Pond State Park and Cape Henlopen State Park are two of my favorites.

I never realized I was forest bathing when I take my pups to Broadkill Beach. Usually when I walk, I notice the creatures in the sand, and the different kinds of shells along the beach. I feel the sand under my feet. I hear the water lapping on the shore. As I breathe in deeply, I take in the scent of the ocean.

I taste the salty flavor of the air. When I gaze over the shoreline I may notice a buoy, a piece of wood, or seaweed floating aimlessly in the water. I take delight in how joyous my boys are, running free along the shore.

If you enjoy being outdoors you most likely have experienced forest bathing and like me, never realized you had. “It’s like falling into that Zen moment of getting into the zone,” said Raindancer. “It’s free health care for the mind, body, and spirit which can be a very spiritual experience.”

Want to know more? On Amazon: Your Guide to Forest Bathing by M. Amos Clifford, or The Joy of Forest Bathing by Melanie Choukas-Bradley.

You may also contact Sage Raindancer at: raindancerhealingarts.com. ▼ Pattie Cinelli is a journalist and fitness professional who focuses on leading-edgeof-thought ways to stay healthy and get well.

Contact her at: fitmiss44@aol.com.

Photo: Ed van Duijn on unsplash

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 the weekly email newsletter. Meetings are in-person and take place at CAMP Rehoboth unless noted otherwise.

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WOMEN IN CIRCLE

Free, rapid, walk-in HIV testing at CAMP Rehoboth. Get your results in 15 minutes. No appointment needed during the below times. Appointments available for other dates and times.

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

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

Wednesdays........ 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Thursdays............ 1:00-4:00 p.m.

Fridays................... 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Women in Circle is a gathering of LGBTQ women that meets the first and third Saturday of each month. The circle is a welcoming, inclusive, and positive place to meet, connect, and share with other women.

Mondays-Fridays

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

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.

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

YOGA FOR ALL Wednesdays 11:00 a.m.

Come enjoy this new, open-to-everyone, pay-what-you-like yoga class!

11/19, 12/3, 12/17, 10:00 a.m.

YOUTHUP MONTHLY SOCIAL 11/18, 12/16, 6:30 p.m.

The YouthUp Monthly Social takes place on the third Friday of each month from 6:30-8:30 p.m. This event is designed specifically for 11to 19-year-old LGBTQ+ youth. Email youthup@camprehoboth.com for location or other information.

YOUTHUP BOOK CLUB 11/22, 5:30 p.m. (Zoom)

The YouthUp Book Club meets the fourth Tuesday of each month. If you need a copy of the book or want to be added to the mailing list for the Zoom link, email julian@camprehoboth.com YOUTHUP DISCUSSION GROUP

12/8, 6:30 p.m. (Zoom) No meeting November 24 due to the holiday.

The YouthUp Discussion Group meets the second and fourth Thursday of each month. This discussion group is for 11- to 19-year-old LGBTQ+ youth to get together and chat virtually with other LGBTQ+ youth and a supportive adult moderator. These meetings are meant for informal discussions of school, friends, media, and other youth-driven topics. Requests for presentations and other questions from/by adults should be directed to julian@camprehoboth.com.

FLAMING KNITTERS

11/28, 12/12, 6:30 p.m.

Flaming Knitters provides a thoughtful and engaging space for working, conversing, connecting, showing off, sharing resources, and supporting fiber-related crafts/projects in a queerand trans-affirming space. Meets the second and fourth Monday of each month.

COFFEE TALK 11/26, 10:00 a.m.

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

CAMP REHOBOTH BOOK CLUB 11/28, 5:30 p.m.

(Zoom)

The Book Club is a queer-facilitated discussion group dedicated to reading novels about queer topics and/or books by queer authors that tackle a variety of interests and subject matter.

November’s selection: Bad Gays: A Homosexual History by Hugh Lemmey and Ben Miller. ▼

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

23 Letters

The Writing Life

BY ROI BARNARD

Mister, Are You a Lady?

Writing My Way to Rebirth

I

always thought I was a writer. When I was 12 years old, I pretended to be a journalist. Then I became afraid that my father would see my writings and kill me. So, I put that thought way back in my mind. Just like many other thoughts I had to hide—along with my sexuality and identity—from the small, rural, unaccepting, “Good Old Boy” community that was Poplar Branch, North Carolina.

Later that year, I was managing a produce truck at a market in Norfolk, Virginia, when I was robbed and beaten by two Marines. They took all the money I made that day working in the Virginia heat at the city market, and the watch my grandmother gave me—but most importantly, they took the safety I felt in the world outside of Poplar Branch.

When I told the police about the sexually violent acts they committed against me, the police officer said “Boy, we ain’t talkin’ about that. Don’t you mention anything about that now, you hear me?!”

One of many stories I couldn’t tell. But that’s the beauty of writing and living in this great time for me: I finally can share all my stories; people can know them.

And share theirs with me.

In the years that followed, I graduated from high school; I was a popular boy who tried so hard to fit in. Though I had girlfriends for appearances, I also had many male partners and experiences—all the while being scared to death of being found out.

After graduation I married a high school friend who was pregnant and wanting a father for her baby, as well as the safety and security of a marriage. The man who married us (who I later would discover was gay) gave me that look of, “Boy, do you know what you’re doing?!”

We moved to DC so I could live the American Dream while I worked at the FBI. But despite running, I couldn’t run from myself. That world crashed down around me—but I found my way to a better one.

After I separated from my wife and her dear son we were raising, I found myself

Letters 24

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

on a wild ride of modeling, being a hair stylist, a salon owner, and a local celebrity! That dream life of living honestly came crashing down during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.

I dedicated my book to all of the young, confused, LGBTQ+ boys and girls now finding their ways, their identities, and claiming their authentic lives.

Then I was reborn in the 1990s, upon meeting my partner of 25 years, Mr. Joe. Sadly, three years ago he committed suicide after battling Alzheimer’s.

I didn’t know what to do. But a very good friend bought me three Moleskin notebooks and said, “Roi, write!”

And so, I started. After a while, when I put the pen in my hand, I wasn’t just writing—I was having a spiritual experience. The held-back, pent-up emotions, fears, and memories flowed. By the time I finished writing my book, I was free.

Reborn.

We are all human and we all have stories; we communicate through stories.

And we all are able to relate to one another and accept each other through our stories.

I wrote Mister, Are You a Lady? because I had no room left inside of me. Too much baggage from my long journey of life.

I dedicated my book to all of the young, confused, LGBTQ+ boys and girls now finding their ways, their identities, and claiming their authentic lives. There still isn’t enough support for many LGBTQ+ youth, who may ask themselves, “What the hell is wrong with me? Who am I? Who will I tell? What can I get away with? Will I tell my parents, my brothers and sisters, my best friend? Will they accept me?”

I want them to know: if they can make it to adulthood, they will be in a society which in general is more accepting, supportive, and embracing of them every day. I want them to know we can not only survive, we can thrive.

I get that the world’s not gay. But I also understand clearly that we are here, and so we must have a place in it.

I will not apologize for myself anymore because I realize I have had a charmed life, and more importantly, a positive impact on the world and the people around me. ▼ Mister, Are You a Lady? is available on amazon. com; it is also available as an audiobook on Amazon and iTunes narrated by Andrew Charlton.

Roi Barnard is a North Carolina native, a decades-long Washington, DC resident, and a long-time Delaware resident now living in Hockessin. A docufilm based on Roi’s life is in the works.

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18335 Coastal Highway, Suite 102, Lewes DE 19958

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

25 Letters

2023 EVENTS Save The Dates For more than 30 years CAMP Rehoboth has served the LGBTQ+ and wider community in Sussex County. We rely on the generous support of businesses, corporations, foundations, members, donors, and volunteers to fulfill our vision to create proud and safe communities where gender identity and sexual orientation are respected.

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING 2023 EVENTS

LABOR DAY WEEKEND APRIL 27-30, 2023

SEPTEMBER 2-3, 2023

THANK YOU! Your support ensures that we can continue outreach to advocate and educate within the LGBTQ+ community. For more information and for sponsorship opportunities, please contact Development Manager Laurie Thompson at laurie@camprehoboth.com

OCTOBER, 2023

Letters 26

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

302.227.5620 camprehoboth.com 37 Baltimore Avenue Rehoboth Beach DE 19971

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.

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON, DC PRESENTS A CABARET SALUTING THE GREAT JUDY GARLAND JANUARY 14, 2023 4PM & 8PM THE ELKINS-ARCHIBALD ATRIUM AT CAMP REHOBOTH COMMUNITY CENTER TICKETS: $30 LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE PHONE: 302-227-5620 WWW.CAMPREHOBOTH.COM

countybankdel.com

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

27 Letters

FOUR STELLAR VOLUNTEERS

BY MICHAEL GILLES

A Collective Lifetime of Volunteering

T

he history of volunteering in the United States goes back to the founding of the first volunteer fire station

by Benjamin Franklin in the 1700s. Tennessee has been the Volunteer State since the Mexican War, when a call for 2,800 volunteers brought out 30,000 men.

CAMP Rehoboth volunteers don’t have quite the same pedigree; they are neither firefighters nor cavalry. But volunteers have a huge impact on the health and wellbeing of our community.

These four outgoing Board members have served CAMP Rehoboth for a collective 70 years. They have had the will and desire to serve, and the passion and love it takes to devote themselves to a very special cause.

★ CHRIS BEAGLE

Chris earned a BA in sociology from Bloomsburg University and a master’s degree in hospitality from Penn State, where he met his future husband, Eric Engelhart. (“He’s the wind beneath my wings,” says Chris.) They just celebrated their 33-year anniversary.

Chris and Eric came to Rehoboth as a couple in 2003, became full-time residents in 2006, and never looked back. First “officially” joined as a civil union, they later became the first samesex couple to get married in Sussex County.

Chris wanted to serve on the Board in order to give back to CAMP Rehoboth, its allies, and the community. He attended functions (e.g., Sundance, with its online auctions, music, sports, live auctions, dances, award-winning Broadway performers, and more) and became a volunteer. He had a passion for CAMP Rehoboth that continues to this day. He set a goal for getting younger generations involved—“Attract, Engage, Retain”—through fundraisers and programs.

Chris has served 13 years on the Board; he considers it the greatest honor of his life to have served four years Letters 28 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

as CAMP Rehoboth Board President. He has loved playing such a significant role in the growth of the organization and considers himself very lucky to have had the incredible Steve Elkins and Murray Archibald as friends and mentors.

Chris has been proud to take a part in activities such as fundraising and advocacy. He has been an integral part of the Sundance 5K and founded the annual Block Party. Along with Murray, he designed and coordinated the Christmas parade.

They have had the will and desire to serve, and the passion and love it takes to devote themselves to a very special cause.

Chris believes that the arrival of younger staff and volunteers is vital to the health of the organization, as they bring their own passions to sustain CAMP Rehoboth and help to assure it remains relevant. He feels the effort to engage oncoming generations should be a huge part of the new strategic plan.

The pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to the organization, but CAMP Rehoboth still works to continue Steve and Murray’s legacy, meanwhile passing the torch to an infusion of new volunteers.

★ JANE BLUE

Jane Blue was born and raised in New Brunswick, New Jersey. She studied business administration at Rutgers while starting a career in the pharmaceutical business. She enjoyed a 42-year career at Bristol-Myers Squibb, retiring as the operations manager for their clinical testing facility in Princeton.

Within a year of retirement, she visited friends living in Rehoboth Beach

and never left. She and her partner built a home and put down roots “in this wonderful LGBTQ+ community.” Living an “out life” was nothing she had ever experienced. A simple “will you help me out staffing a bar for a fundraiser?” was the start of her volunteerism and many wonderful friendships.

In 2003, the inimitable Steve Elkins suggested she become chair of the Splash Dance in 2005 and 2006. This led her to learning about the activities that CAMP Rehoboth had to offer and was the beginning of her long-time service to CAMP Rehoboth.

The love and goodness of CAMP Rehoboth inspired her to serve on the CAMP Rehoboth Board of Directors when Murray Archibald asked her to do so, back in 2005. She also said ‘yes’ when Murray asked her to chair the CAMP Rehoboth Operations Committee in 2011; she held that position till 2020.

Some of Jane’s volunteering activities include the Volunteer Development Committee, Board Vice President, and Sundance Food Team Captain for many years. Her longest stint has been with the Membership Committee, where she served for several years and has been chair since 2014. The committee has successfully provided a steady stream of financial support to help CAMP Rehoboth maintain its many programs, its advocacy work, its outreach, and its health and wellness work. The committee’s success has brought Jane great satisfaction.

What most excites Jane about CAMP Rehoboth’s future is how strong the organization is, coming out of the pandemic! The organization is making strides toward developing a new strategic plan while simultaneously searching for a new Executive Director.

She loves this great organization and all that it does for the community. She hopes to continue to help draw people to 37 Baltimore Avenue, where they will be greeted with warmth and love—just as she was, almost 20 years ago.

★ Chris Beagle ★

★ NATALIE MOSS

Imagine being lucky enough to have a benevolent (volunteer!) CPA watching over your books for over 30 years, relieving you of the job of making sure things are done right, or teaching CAMP Rehoboth newcomers the financial ropes. Well, CAMP Rehoboth is that lucky: Natalie Moss is in the house!

Natalie is a CPA trying to retire. She attended the University of Maryland, studying accounting and business. She has been a tax preparer, a business owner, a bookkeeper, and a 31-year volunteer for CAMP Rehoboth, first as bookkeeper, then as Treasurer.

Prior to her volunteerism at CAMP Rehoboth, Natalie lived in the DC suburbs and spent 14 years as a buyer and merchandizer. Then she opened an ice cream shop. She sold it after 11 years in the business to be a bookkeeper and tax preparer.

Natalie sold her house and spent a summer in Rehoboth with six other people, enjoying a great summer. She then moved to Eagles Landing with Evelyn (her wife of 30 years), and eventually built a house in 2002.

Natalie believed in Rehoboth’s spirit from the start. It was Natalie’s hope, as it was for many people in the gay community, to make the community meld into one during her time as a volunteer.

She has been more than Treasurer in her time at CAMP Rehoboth. More than 30 years of bookkeeping has meant working on mortgage loans, the 501(c)3 designation, working with lots of volunteers, and financially overseeing the many repairs to the CAMP Rehoboth building (e.g., ADA compliance). Working on these campaigns opened doors and lead to many good friendships.

★ Jane Blue ★

★ Natalie Moss ★

To Natalie, the duties of a volunteer include staying friendly and welcoming. Passion and love for what CAMP Rehoboth is doing will keep volunteering a focus for the organization—an organization can never have too many volunteers! Meanwhile, Natalie knows CAMP Rehoboth needs to change with the times.

Those who work with Natalie know her to be honest and sincere; she is someone who works hard to keep CAMP Rehoboth strong. She thinks the organization needs more people—passionate people—to help it grow. Perhaps people like Natalie Moss?

★ LESLIE SINCLAIR

Leslie studied psychology at the University of Connecticut before moving to San Francisco. While there, she witnessed many defining LGBTQ+ moments, from the early days of the AIDS crisis to the assassinations of George Moscone and Harvey Milk. She spent her 22-year career at Visa. She retired from Visa and moved to Northern Virginia. She is retired, but isn’t defined by her retirement.

Leslie has many passions, such as travel and the outdoors. But most important to her CAMP Rehoboth life: she is passionate about supporting her community.

In 2008, Leslie and her wife Debbie bought a condominium in Rehoboth. It took very little time for them to decide to stay in this vibrant community. They built a house in 2009, and settled in.

Leslie is an at-large member of the Board, and its former Vice-President.

Then, as now, she wanted to make a difference and contribute to the overall future of CAMP Rehoboth.

This long-time volunteer is excited

★ Leslie Sinclair ★

about CAMP Rehoboth’s future.

She feels lessons learned during COVID have made a difference to the community and to CAMP Rehoboth.

Leslie sees a renewed focus on our community priorities, and a bright future ahead, with good leadership and new strategic planning.

So, what has brought Leslie the most satisfaction as a Board member?

First, she is proud of her grants work.

Second, while she has been a volunteer, things have gotten (or are getting) fixed—big, structural things, like a new roof, windows, and doors. Also, Leslie is passionate about the arts. She derives great satisfaction from witnessing CAMP Rehoboth’s contributions to the arts scene: art shows, the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, and occasional plays—CAMP has it all!

Leslie encourages others to see the enormous value CAMP Rehoboth offers the community. She sees the sense of community, the participation in events, and the focus on wellness as key to attracting and retaining volunteers and members.

She wants people to know that volunteering can be your passion as well, and that volunteerism will keep CAMP Rehoboth’s future bright. ▼ Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

29 Letters

Straight Talk

BY DAVID GARRETT

Rights and Wrongs

“W

e hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” Once we accept these words as foundational to our Declaration of Independence and our country at large, everything else seems to be up for grabs. On November 1, the ACLU of Delaware presented an intriguing evening of panel discussion about the rights of LGBTQ students in the state of Delaware. They also shared a new brochure directed to those students, Know Your Rights.

Building on the principles of the First Amendment of the Constitution, the brochure turns to the language of LGBTQ concerns that we use today.

“Don’t be afraid to speak up if you think that somebody is doing or saying things based on incorrect information or assumptions. You always have the right to explain, educate, and inform others about the things you understand.”

Specific rights of LGBTQ students are more broadly explained. They include: the right to start a group or club at school, the right to date who you want, the right to go to school dances with whom you want, the right to privacy, the right to report harassment, the right to not be discriminated against, and the right to be yourself. All of these are rights that should be acknowledged and implemented in all school districts across the First State. Alas, such is not always the case. There are pockets of discrimination and lip service often paid to these marginalized, at-risk students.

The focus of the evening moved beyond the rights of students to the rights of those who teach them. This second part brought two educators to share the insights from the book they co-authored. Margaret Nash and Karen Graves wrote Mad River, Marjorie Rowland, and the Quest for LGBTQ Teachers’ Rights. The Mad River in this instance was the name of the school Letters 30 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

district in Ohio where Marjorie Rowland was a guidance counselor. She was fired in 1974 from her position because she was open about being bisexual.

Rowland filed a lawsuit and her legal battle ended when the case went to the Supreme Court, but the Court declined to hear it. Despite the outcome there, the dissent written by Justice William Brennan became the cornerstone of the

Know your rights. Fix the wrongs and speak out against them. future legal defense of LGBTQ litigants.

Quoting from the book, “Brennan wrote that Rowland’s case raised a substantial First Amendment claim. It was settled law that a state cannot condition public employment on a basis that infringes on free speech.... Brennan’s affirmation that Rowland’s speech addressed a matter of public concern advanced public rhetoric in support of gay rights.

Brennan suggested a parallel with racial discrimination.” Brennan, in his dissent, then referenced the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause. Nash and Graves were eloquent and passionate in their recounting of the trial and tribulations of Marjorie Rowland.

In contrasting this to the current situation in Delaware education, the moderator of this panel strongly encouraged the audience to attend school board meetings and speak directly about the concerns they have on behalf of LGBTQ students. It is no secret that across the country there are organized efforts to dismantle protections of these students. Too often those speaking misuse language and impose labels that are inflammatory.

Those who work on behalf of and believe in the core value of LGBTQ students must take up the challenge of defining their own language and labels.

Outrageous remarks are made by a variety of political candidates. Running for reelection, Governor Reynolds of Iowa stated, “Iowans still know boys from girls.” Governor Ron DeSantis sent a campaign mailer that claimed, “Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan is ‘forcing hard working Floridians to pay back student loans for degrees like Gender Studies and French Poetry.’” Certainly, both of these degrees are worthy of higher education. But the way in which they were presented in his campaign flyer demeans not only the degrees but is a much broader affront on those who are LGBTQ. One woman in Tennessee has responded to the call of speaking righteously amid an unrighteous setting.

Jessee Graham delivered heart-felt comments to the Maury County Board of Trustees recently. The county’s public library director had resigned after backlash from people over the library’s recognition of June Pride Month. Graham criticized the “vile and disgusting” homophobic comments taking place in her region. She exclaimed, “I am so sick of listening to this weird, fake pious crap about Christianity being the reason behind, ‘We have to protect the kids.’”

Rights and Wrongs. Know your rights. Fix the wrongs and speak out against them. Those who advocate for LGBTQ equality and acceptance are on constant alert. This is an ugly time in which we live. Only we can make it more beautiful. ▼ 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.

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

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.

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For nearly 200 years, WSFS Bank has stood for one thing: Service. We’re committed to doing what’s right and helping the communities where we live, work and play. That’s why we’re honored to support Camp Rehoboth.

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

31 Letters

THIS HOLIDAY SEASON Give the Gift of a

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LEWES & REHOBOTH BEACH, DE | WWW.LODGELIFEDE.COM | 844-493-9888 Letters 32 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

clear space theatre company

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

Nov. 25 -- Dec. 11

Tickets On Sale Now! 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.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

33 Letters

Words Matter

BY CLARENCE FLUKER

A Time to Give

T

he two most precious commodities that one may ever earned dollars. Be clear about the organization and its practichave in life are time and money. When one endeavors es before you hand over a check or credit card number. Check to invest either or both commodities in a cause larger out its website and social media, do an internet search to see than his or her own, substantial interest can be earned what others may be saying about its work, and ask friends if from the principle of the initial investment. they are familiar with and have a good opinion of the organizaOn November 29, 2022, millions of people around the tion or program. world will participate in Giving Tuesday (#GivingTuesday), an Secondly, only give at the level that you are comfortable annual “global generosity movement unleashing the power with giving. Don’t feel pressured to give any more than what of people and organizations to you can. If you overstretch your transform their communities and gift, the next person who may the world.” need a donation is you. Begin as No organization, church, college a consistent donor at the level at or university, or any other vehicle which you are now comfortable that is used to help communities, giving, and it is more likely that you can sustain itself without support will continue to give in the future. from people who believe in its As your comfort increases, so also mission. Human rights activist and will your gifts as you begin to build chief planner of the 1963 March on a stronger relationship with the Washington, Bayard Rustin, once beneficiary. noted, “the proof that one truly Just as you should begin believes in action.” To that end, we thinking about your retirement must prove that we believe in orand long-term life plans as early Being a philanthropist does not ganizations around us by investing as possible, one can also consider in them. It is the only way they will idea of planned giving that can mean you give millions of dollars, but the keep going, evolving, and making continue even after your death. It positive impacts. is imperative to the success of our simply that you give.

If you ask any organization what communities to thoughtfully stewthey need most, they will likely ard the transfer of generational tell you “money.” Giving Tuesday wealth. Planned giving can include is a great day to support them. Your financial support is what setting up a charitable trust or including a charity or university keeps lights on, staff paid, and organizations functioning. This in your will. This type of support provides you the opportunity is especially true of community-based organizations where to leave a strong legacy and vital assistance for generations lack of five or ten dollars could very well mean a family may not to come. A development officer would be glad to assist you in eat that night. Giving on any level to any charity or educational making the proper arrangements. institution is greatly appreciated and every dollar does make a Being a philanthropist does not mean you give millions of difference. dollars, but simply that you give. Any organization that you There are several ways to give. Outright gifts are when choose to support will reap significant benefits. You personally you write a check or make a credit card donation. Pledges are also stand to gain from tax benefits—but most important is the just that, usually in written form but sometimes taken verbally. satisfaction of knowing you made a positive difference through They are pledges from individuals who have expressed their your actions. We are the ones that we have been waiting for. intent to make a gift within a certain time frame, sometimes Take this Giving Tuesday as an opportunity to join the generosin installments. One may choose to make a designated gift or ity movement. ▼ pledge to earmark your contribution for a specific program or service performed by the organization. Most organizations preClarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. fer that you don’t make designated gifts, allowing them more Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle flexibility in allocating dollars to programs that may need more periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and help. community. Follow him on Twitter: @CJFluker or Instagram: If you are a first-time donor this Giving Tuesday, there are @Mr_CJFluker. several things you should keep in mind before giving. First, be sure you have done adequate research on the organization.

Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash You are about to support an organization with your hardLetters 34 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

35 Letters

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313 South Boardwalk Rehoboth Beach Delaware 19971 302-226-0675 Letters 36 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

37 Letters

It’s My Life

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

Do You Hear What I Hear?

I

’m supposed to be having a colonoscopy right now.

I was not exactly looking forward to this, but I did want to get it over with, so when the doctor’s office called to say they had to move the date, I was a little annoyed. Thankfully, it was at least rescheduled before my prep day arrived, so I didn’t have to do that for no reason.

And now I have a lot of lime Jell-O and cherry-flavored Gatorade on hand for when I do have to do it.

Because I’d already planned to take yesterday and today off from doing anything else, I decided to use the time to get the latest COVID booster and my first shingles shot instead. Also, coincidentally, right after my colonoscopy was cancelled, I received a call from the audiologist to whom my doctor referred me a week or two ago and she had an opening available during the time when I was supposed to have a camera up my butt.

The vaccinations happened first. I’ve had a lot of vaccinations recently—Hep B, monkeypox, flu, and multiple boosters— and shingles was the last one I needed to cross off my list. I figured it would be more of the same, but when it came time for the nurse to administer the shingles vaccine she said, “I’m not going to lie.

This one hurts.”

It did. Afterward the nurse said, “Some people react to the first dose.

Some people react to the second dose.

You’ll find out which kind you are in a couple of hours.”

Then she sent me to the audiology department. The reason for this visit was the tinnitus I’ve been experiencing for the last 18 months or so. It basically sounds like there are cicadas trilling in my head.

All the time. The onset was gradual, and while I noticed it, it wasn’t unbearable.

But as soon as summer ended and we stopped sleeping with fans on at night, the absence of that white noise made the level of interior racket more apparent, so I decided to have it checked out.

The audiologist put me in a booth and had me repeat words that she spoke into a headset from outside. Dodge. Shawl.

Letters 38 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Witch. I also had to press a handheld button whenever I heard a noise in one or the other ear. It felt a bit like being a contestant on Jeopardy! except that instead of answering questions about Potent Potables we were playing from the Will Mike End Up with Hearing Aids? category.

“I can hear you fine. I’m just ignoring you.”

At one point, while waiting for a noise to register, I had a flashback to my mother asking my father, with great exasperation, “Bruce, can you hear anything I’m saying?” Dad would have been around the age I am now, and I remember finding it hysterical when my father deflected her annoyance with, “I can hear you fine.

I’m just ignoring you.”

My father never did get hearing aids, and for the rest of his life he heard almost nothing anyone said to him. As I sat in the booth thinking about this and waiting for the results of my test, I also couldn’t help thinking about where my father was with his health at my age. In addition to hearing loss, he had prostate cancer, which he didn’t tell any of us about until after he’d undergone suc-

cessful treatment for it. I’ve been tested for that and seem to have escaped that particular ailment. But what else is coming down the road?

I’m very fortunate in that in my 54 years I haven’t had any physical issue that couldn’t be fixed. This thing with my hearing is the first thing that feels like it might be untreatable, the beginnings of something that is likely to get worse, not better. I was curious to see what the audiologist would have to say about it.

According to her, I’m right on the cusp where hearing aids might help. “But the tinnitus will never go away,” she said.

“All we can do is try to mask it.”

I confess it’s distressing to think that I might never experience true silence again. But I also think about my mother, who developed Alzheimer’s in her 60s.

And my sister, who died of cancer at 61.

Compared to those things, some buzzing in the ears is nothing. At the same time, I think anything that makes us realize that things can happen to our bodies that we have little or no control over is a reminder that, eventually, the warranty runs out.

A couple of hours after I got home, the side effects from the vaccinations kicked in. For me this meant all-over body pain and alternating chills and fever. Unable to do much else, I lay down and tried to sleep. Between the cicadas in my head and the soreness making it impossible to get comfortable, though, I mostly stared at the ceiling and thought about getting older.

A whole lot of gay men who should be my age died far too young due to HIV. I’m lucky not to be one of them. And I’m grateful for every single day I get. If vaccinations make me sore, it only means my body is still willing to put up a fight.

But I wish these cicadas would stop screaming. ▼ Michael Thomas Ford is a much-published Lambda Literary award-winning author. Visit Michael at michaelthomasford.com.

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& 1485 9TH St. NW, Washington, DC NOVEMBER 18, 2022

39 Letters

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

41 Letters

The Sea Salt Table

BY ED CASTELLI

Make-ahead Mashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese

I

love holidays, all of them. But Thanksgiving has always been my favorite. Roasting a turkey, watching football, and napping by the fire. A great all-American day!

My husband and I even host a “punkin-chunkin” contest. Everyone wears holiday hats (I’m partial to the one where my head is up a turkey’s butt). And we compete with drunken lack of accuracy to roll pumpkins down the ravine into a creek near our house.

Every fourth Wednesday of November, I cook and bake all day.

It’s my quiet time to reflect on all I’m thankful for. As mountains of dishes are involved, dinner that night is always order-in or eat-out. The day is as much a part of the holiday as breaking the wishbone or Black Friday deals. I look forward to it every year.

On such a Wednesday 12 years ago, my husband and I walked to a restaurant about a mile away. It was there that I got the call that changed our lives forever. My Mom had died in a car accident. A novice driver had made a mistake. Mom was gone. I later learned she had been running her holiday errands. Filling the gas tank and getting pastries from our favorite bakery.

The rest of that night was a blur.

We clutched each other and somehow walked home. We made painful calls to family and friends. We drove to my hometown two hours north to identify her.

The next morning, the funeral home met with us at a time we’d otherwise have been lingering over the Macy’s parade. A time I’d normally be wondering if it was too early to spike my coffee. Instead, we were picking a coffin and writing an obituary.

Later that day, not wanting to be alone, four of us still gathered: us, my sister Lisa, and her son. I remember a very crispy turkey coming Letters 42 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

out of a 400° oven. We quietly rolled pumpkins, hatless. Football was on, but muted. Drinks were drunk.

It wasn’t festive, but it was a little cathartic. Lisa and I stayed up by the fire and cried. And then our first full day without Mom was finally over.

My life continues to be very full of much to be thankful for. And frankly, all of it is fleeting. The key is to appreciate it now, before it’s gone.

You’d think Thanksgiving would be ruined with bad juju. And most certainly the next year was hard. I kept replaying that call in my mind. I still do to this day.

But to my surprise, Mom’s sudden death kind of slapped me into hyper-thankfulness. For her, and that I had her to lose. And for all that I’ve ever had and lost. There are people who grow up without a Mom hug. Or a Dad who carried them on his shoulders. Or memories of a holiday table overflowing with riches.

My life continues to be very full of much to be thankful for. And frankly, all of it is fleeting. The key is to appreciate it now, before it’s gone. And when it’s gone, if you’re sad for the loss, then it’s something to be thankful for, if only that you had it to lose.

I still prepare most of our meal on Thanksgiving Eve. And I always lean into recipes like the one I’m highlighting here because it’s make-ahead. This frees me up to enjoy the day. To laugh and attempt to catch a football. To take a walk and play cards. To miss Mom and be thankful for her.

Let’s get started, shall we?

STEPS

 Mix the following in a large pot: 3 pounds

large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” chunks; 5 large garlic cloves; 1 Tbl kosher salt; and enough water to cover.

 Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to

medium and cook for about 20 minutes until fork-tender. Drain, then smash the potatoes and garlic using a food mill, ricer, or hand masher.

 While still hot, stir in: 4 oz garlic-and-herb

goat cheese, at room temperature; 4 Tbl softened, unsalted butter; 1¾ cups sour cream; ½ cup half-and-half; 4 tsp kosher salt; and 2 tsp pepper.

 Spread in a 3-quart baking dish, then top with ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan.

 Cover and refrigerate. When ready to bake, bring back to room temperature and bake in a 375° oven for 40 minutes, or until browned to your liking.

TIPS • These are a great option for folks who don’t like gravy (yes, those weirdos exist). Sometimes if we’re having a large crowd, I’ll make another plain, make-ahead, mashed potato casserole.

Reach out to me at ed@seasalttable.com and I’ll share that with you.

• You can make these up to three days ahead.

That’s a Thanksgiving lifesaver! But then again, except for roasting the turkey, I make everything in advance (even gravy). I’ll share more of my recipes each year at this time.

• I often leave the skin on and barely smash the potatoes for a chunkier, homey version. I also don’t smooth the top, as I like all the craggy crevices that get a little crispy in the oven.

Heaven!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my readers. I’m thankful for you. ▼

Ed and his husband Jerry split their time between homes near Harrisburg Pennsylvania and Bethany Beach. Ed builds websites to pay the bills but loves to cook, garden, hike, and dote on their dog Atticus.

Recipe requests and feedback welcome: ed@ seasalttable.com.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

43 Letters

pizza salads sandwiches

all located right next to Dewey Beer’s Harbeson Location!

21248 iron throne drive, harbeson, delaware | www.pizzamachinede.com Letters 44 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Happy Thanksgiving, neighbors.

We are thankful to be part of such a wonderful community.

We wish all our neighbors a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

45 Letters

CAMP Stories

BY RICH BARNETT

The Perfect Manhattan

T

he first time I ordered a Manhattan cocktail was in the mid-1980s at the bar in Annie’s Paramount Steak House on 17th Street in Washington, DC. A Manhattan! Lord, I remember it sounded très chic, a symbol of gay urban life beyond the collegiate bourbon and Coke world I was trying to leave behind.

Then I saw Annie, the welcoming proprietress in a faded house dress who often tended bar back in those days, reach under the counter and haul out a yellowed plastic jug from which she poured amber liquid to the top of the rim of a swimming pool-sized martini glass.

She dropped in a plump maraschino cherry and the drink slightly overflowed.

It is often said we taste a cocktail first with our eyes. So much for urban sophistication….

I’m sharing this memory because it seems to me to embody the spirit of the Manhattan, an unpretentious cocktail mixing three simple ingredients— American whiskey, vermouth, and Angostura bitters—that was born in and named after a very pretentious city.

There are two competing stories about the origin of the Manhattan. The famous one says the drink was created in 1874 at the private Manhattan Club founded by J.P. Morgan for a swank party honoring Lady Randolph Churchill.

The problem with this story is that Lady Churchill was in Europe at that time giving birth to her son Winston. Yes, that Winston Churchill. The myth has persevered because the competing story just isn’t very interesting. The cocktail has persevered because it is interesting and tastes good.

Yours truly loves a Manhattan and tends to gravitate towards a “Perfect Manhattan”—2 ounces Kentucky bourbon whiskey, ½ ounce sweet vermouth, ½ ounce dry vermouth, and two dashes Angostura bitters, garnished with a maraschino cherry and served in a stemmed glass. My preference is for Kentucky bourbon because its corn Letters 46 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

base means it’s a tad sweeter than rye whiskey, which brings a bit more spice to the cocktail.

It’s good—the kind of good that makes you want to put on a cashmere sweater and fancy loafers and listen to Cole Porter tunes.

Though I tend to favor classic cocktails, I’ve got an open mind. It was in that spirit that I invited two long-time friends—Manhattan enthusiasts who recently traded in their DC digs for a coastal chateau—to sit by my fireplace on a cool autumn evening and taste test some interesting-sounding takes on the Manhattan I’d recently come across.

The first combined rye whiskey with dry vermouth, maraschino cherry liqueur, and Ramazzotti Rosato, a fresh and fruity Italian aperitif of herbs, hibiscus, and orange blossom. It’s popular with hip Brooklyners, so naturally there was no garnish. We agreed it was quite tasty and uniquely different, sort of a f@!k you to the Manhattan, which is also so Brooklyn.

The Algonquin—rye whiskey, dry vermouth, pineapple juice, and a lemon

twist—sounded better on paper than it tasted in person. One of my taste testers took two sips and poured it out, stating it was “a drink that ought not be drunk.”

A Manhattan riff we all enjoyed was The Charleston, a newish cocktail that combines Kentucky bourbon, Madeira wine instead of vermouth, and an orange peel garnish. It’s a nod to that city’s historic love affair with Madeira wine.

We thought it would taste even better if we were sitting in a parlor wearing white gloves and a fancy hat.

I mixed up a few more Manhattan riffs then turned the cocktail shaker over to my guests who had come armed with a few bottles of bitters to make a special seasonal Manhattan they call Holidaze Sauce.

Here’s their recipe: Into a cocktail shaker full of ice, add 2 ounces of Kentucky bourbon, 1 ounce of sweet vermouth, 2 dashes of orange bitters, a dash of Aztec chocolate bitters (not just any chocolate bitter will do), and a dash of cinnamon bitters. Give the mixture a gentle stir and then strain/ pour into a chilled stemmed glass. Add a maraschino cherry, shave a little orange zest over the top, and then use the orange to rim the glass like you mean it.

It’s good—the kind of good that makes you want to put on a cashmere sweater and fancy loafers and listen to Cole Porter tunes. Or watch a football game. It’s a fantastic sip for colder weather and a perfect drink for the holiday season.

And that my friends is how you know you’re in the presence of a classic cocktail. It tastes good. It’s memorable.

It’s easy to tweak and still maintain its original identity. It’s why the perfect Manhattan is the one you make yourself.

Happy holidaze. ▼ Rich Barnett is the author of The Discreet Charms of a Bourgeois Beach Town, and Fun with Dick and James.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

47 Letters

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

49 Letters

Historical Headliners

BY ANN APTAKER

Was He or Wasn’t He?

Ihara Saikaku and The Great Mirror of Male Love

W

hen rummaging around in LGBTQ+ history and how queer life was lived in various times in various cultures, we have to accept that definitions of morality were often vastly different from what we consider morally acceptable today. So let’s get a contemporary ick-factor out of the way, shall we, and consider the monumental novel, The Great Mirror of Male Love, by the late seventeenth century Japanese poet and novelist Ihara Saikaku.

The ick-factor I’m referring to is what might politely be called May-December relationships: older men and youths.

While we recoil today at extreme age differences in sexual relationships, especially the abhorrent abuse of children, keep in mind that in Ihara’s time the “older” man might be a Samurai warrior in his twenties or thirties, and the youth an adolescent. These relationships often went beyond mere sex; they could be quite loving, even protective. So while our twenty-first century sensibilities might still react with a “eeewww” to these couplings, we need to keep time, place, and culture in perspective.

Moreover, in historical accounts of seventeenth century Japan, homosexual relationships between men and youths was not just acceptable; such relationships were considered a fitting theme for art. According to Paul Gordon Schalow, who translated The Great Mirror of Male Love from Japanese into English, “Popular (sic) literature in premodern Japan did not depict male love as abnormal or perverse, but integrated it into the larger sphere of sexual love as a literary theme.”

Centuries later, Oscar Wilde would agree.

The Great Mirror of Male Love, published in 1687, is divided into eight sections of five chapters per section. The first four sections address love between Samurai warriors and young monks.

(Who would’ve guessed?) The remaining four sections depict relationships between men of the merchant and artisan Letters 50 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

class of the city and youthful actors in the Kabuki theaters.

The stories are equally romantic and erotic and are part of Japan’s Floating World genre. Floating World literature celebrated the pleasures of urban living, particularly the erotic pleasures urban life offers through theater and other entertainments, and brothels.

The stories are equally romantic and erotic and are part of Japan’s Floating World genre.

So who was Ihara Saikaku and why did he write such a novel?

Considering the outright homoeroticism and romance of The Great Mirror of Male Love and Ihara’s other works of prose and poetry, his biography comes as a surprise, and not a little confusion.

He was born in 1642 in Osaka into a wealthy merchant family who named him Hirayama Togo (he took the name Ihara Saikaku in 1673). His talent for writing showed up at an early age, and he started writing “haikai no renga” (linked verse) as early as age 15. By age 20 he was celebrated as a haikai master.

His poetry was admired throughout Japan, but as a young man of the city he recognized the creativity of urban life.

He is credited with creating the Floating World genre, which flourished during the

Edo Period, founded in the seventeenth century and ending in 1867.

The surprise in Ihara’s biography revolves around his personal life. According to the scholarly work done at Princeton University’s Marquand Library (which owns a seventeenth century edition of The Golden Mirror of Male Love), Ihara was happily married to a woman. His grief at her death in 1675 resulted in a lengthy, heartbreaking poem. He continued to grieve until 1682, when he quite suddenly and unexpectedly wrote the first of his prose works, The Life of an Amorous Man. The book was a major success, as were all of Ihara’s novels which followed.

The Golden Mirror of Male Love, solidified Ihara’s reputation as a significant figure in Japanese literature, an honor his name still enjoys today.

The question remains whether Ihara himself was homosexual. On one hand, he was happily married, and grieved bitterly for his wife. On the other hand, his depictions of male love are so sensitive, so all encompassing, it is difficult to believe that he had never experienced a homosexual relationship.

So, was he or wasn’t he? The question has ramifications for us today when controversies about “lived experience” and who has the right to depict certain communities or ways of life are subjects of intense and passionate argument.

But regardless of where any of us place ourselves in that debate, the artists who created the works of the past can’t hear us, and thus can’t argue. Which means that Ihara’s masterwork, The Golden Mirror of Male Love, will have to speak for him, and we can only choose whether to listen or not. ▼ Ann Aptaker is the author of short stories and the Lambda & Goldie award winning Cantor Gold series Murder and Gold. The next in the series, A Crime of Secrets, will be released in July 2023.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

51 Letters

Guest House Chronicles

BY TOM KELCH

Wait, Grandma Did What?!

W

hen Esther reached out to me to make an off-season reservation for her knitting club, I didn’t even raise an eyebrow. A ladies club sounded pretty low-key; maybe even a little boring. I couldn’t have been more wrong.

When they arrived, they definitely looked the part.

A bunch of older ladies with gray hair, knitting bags, canes, and sweaters. Most needed help with their luggage, and a few needed an arm to help with the steps.

I met Hazel, Gigi, Bunny, Cookie, Mimi…. Turns out many of them used to be elementary school teachers, and they got together yearly. Then there was Mrs. Jane Louise Montgomery; she snapped her fingers at me after introductions, then pointed to her bags and turned her back on me. Apparently she was the queen grandma, and I—clearly!—was just the help.

It was just them and me. The weather wasn’t very good and they mostly stayed in the house. I wasn’t surprised that the excitement of knitting ran low quickly, and they began to look for other forms of entertainment. I had some board games, but they showed little interest. They decided they wanted to play cards.

I found a pack of cards in the game pile and brought it out. They were not impressed. They would need a few decks, given there were 15 players. So, I went into my apartment and looked around. I found one pack labeled across the front of each card, “It’s Okay to be Gay!” I figured it would do. I had another pack also, but each card displayed a different picture of a naked gay porn star posing with everything hanging out. I thought they might be offended, so I put it in my pocket just in case.

I brought the cards to the queen; as I’d suspected, two packs wouldn’t do. I pulled the third pack out of my pocket, saying, “Well, I do have one more pack, but I am not sure you ladies are going to like it very much.”

After a glance, a big smile appeared across her face, and she snatched the pack right out of my hand.

Then they started pouring the wine and dealing out the cards. That was the moment I realized this was going to be a very interesting night. As they started playing cards, one-by-one the smiles and giggles began to flow as they discovered each different naked man. The comments came quickly after: “Oh my, Mr. jack of clubs, that is really quite something you got there!”

“Let me see it, Mimi!”

The next morning, to my horror, I spotted one of the ladies lying face-down in the backyard.

Letters 52 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

“No way, you just want to see my cards and cheat!”

“Well, you already told everyone you had the jack of clubs!”

They all began laughing hysterically, including me.

I’d never expected this level of hilarity.

Then a bigger surprise: they suddenly realized they were again running short on cards. Well, after interrogating a few suspicious-looking ladies, the mystery was solved and everyone began laughing. They had been pocketing their favorite cards!

They started to look again at our shelf filled with games and one lady pulled out a box. The game was Cards Against Humanity. She asked me what it was.

Normally, I would have tried to talk the grandma out of playing this game, but after the response to the cards, I felt it would be okay to be honest. I told her, “It’s a very funny game, but it’s a little filthy, naughty, obscene, and it probably will offend some of you.”

She responded, “Great! Let’s play it!”

Well, we played, and it was absolutely hilarious. I felt like I was playing with Sister Mary Margaret, and I didn’t have the guts to explain some of the terms used in the game. So, I set up the Echo device, and taught them how to ask Alexa for definitions of any words they were not familiar with. The grandmas and Alexa quickly became close friends. Soon, Alexa was the star of the show. One lady was laughing so hard at what necrophilia meant, she fell off her chair.

When they decided it was time for a break, the queen grandma pulled a small container from her purse. And, to my astonishment, she pulled out a joint….

The next morning, to my horror, I spotted one of the ladies lying face-down in the backyard. I ran over, fearing the worst, to see if she was breathing. She was fine, and told me, “I looked at those three steps to get back in the house last night, and I decided to sleep out here instead. Just grab me a glass of water and help me to bed. Also, I think I will be needing an additional night to recover.”

I was done. I never again will judge someone’s ability to have fun based on their age or genteel appearance! I also will make sure I always have plenty of cards, just in case a grandma wants to play. ▼ Tom Kelch is the innkeeper and property manager of the Rehoboth Guest House. He is thrilled to share these stories with Letters’ readers.

AQUA WILL BE CLOSED ON NOVEMBER 24 AND DECEMBER 24 & 25

AQUAREHO

WHAT HAPPENS UNDER THE MISTLETOE, STAYS UNDER THE MISTLETOE

NOV. 25-27

Thanksgiving Weekend We're open!

DEC. 3

Santa Bar Crawl

DEC. 10

Mrs. Claus Pet Photos & SPCA benefit

DEC. 31

NYE Tea w/DJ 4PM-8PM

JAN. 1

New Years Day Closing Party 2PM-6PM

57 BALTIMORE AVE, REHOBOTH BEACH, DELAWARE. PHONE:(302) 226-9001 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

53 Letters

Letters 54 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

55 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.

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 Azafrán, 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 Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3 South First St.......................302-527-1400 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 Port 251 Aperitivo Bar & Restaurant, 251 Rehoboth Ave..............302-278-7069 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 56 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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 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

INSURANCE

COUNSELING/THERAPY/LIFE COACH

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

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

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 Reiki CENTRAL, thecentralfirm.com...............................................302-408-0878

PET RETAIL

PET SERVICES

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

Brandywine Valley SPCA, 22918 Dupont Blvd, G’twn.......... 302-856-6361 Humane Animal Partners (formerly Delaware Humane Association & Delaware SPCA).......................................................... 302-200-7159 Parsell Pet Crematorium, 16961 Kings Hwy, Lewes............ 302-645-7445

EVENT PLANNING/CATERING

REAL ESTATE

ELECTRICIANS

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

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.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

57 Letters

View Point

BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

Giving Thanks in Times of Trial We Find Uplift amid Adversity

S

ome learning comes unexpectedly. On October 3, I slipped and fell on a wet subway escalator and hurt my back. In addition to the pain came fear of how my life would be affected.

Happily, my injuries were not as bad as they might have been, and I am recovering well. The experience reminds me of how quickly things we take for granted can be lost and gave me new appreciation for my health insurance and my many blessings.

A month of scans and doctor visits taught me more respect for the challenges of aging. As I deal with my anxieties, I relax on my roof deck on a mild autumn evening. In recent years I have been helping LGBTQ+ refugees in Kenya, and as I look out on my city I am grateful to live where my rights are protected, even as our community and its allies fight to preserve them.

With fear over the fragility of life, my injury also brought appreciation of its preciousness.

Though blessed with help from medical professionals and support from family and friends, I am afraid of failing to achieve my goals, and of what is happening to my country. At the same time, I am still here, with a healthy remindConsidering the er of my limited time.

I am grateful for my survival horrors his people instincts.

On one hand, it saddens have endured, the me that circumstances force me to cut back my help for the refugees. golden spirit that They are at risk of homelessness, starvation, sickness, and hate comes through crimes from a hostile population as they await resettlement to safer in his work is an countries. On the other hand, recognizing my limitations enables me extraordinary act to continue contributing what I can. of grace.

As I work to right-size my humanitarian efforts, I feel renewed respect for the courage and resilience of the displaced people I have worked with. Their continued belief in themselves despite the intolerance around them is humbling to me. The flame of their self-affirmation is the essential source of their survival, without which aid dollars would do little good. Of course there is a need for more international efforts, but a hardy self-esteem drives the whole struggle.

Closer to home, I am grateful for all of those who have loved this country more than it has loved them. I am grateful for their endurance and adherence to their values even when faced with deadly bias.

Letters 58 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

An example occurred on January 7 in Atlanta when screenwriter and director Ryan Coogler had guns pulled on him by police in a Bank of America branch simply for “banking while Black.” He was attempting to withdraw his own money, but being a young black man in a hoodie and dark glasses made him a suspect.

I marvel that Coogler kept his composure and am thankful he did not die there at age 35. He is now 36, and his latest film, Wakanda Forever, the sequel to Black Panther, opened on November 11. His gifts include a dedication to truth-telling while avoiding bitterness. Considering the horrors his people have endured, the golden spirit that comes through in his work is an extraordinary act of grace.

Many other African Americans have shown similar grace in the course of our history. One was Mamie Till, whose 14-year-old son Emmitt was brutally murdered in Mississippi on August 28, 1955. Despite his horrible disfigurement, his mother ordered an open casket and allowed Jet magazine to photograph it. “I wanted the world to see what they did to my boy,” she said with a strength that seemed to well up from the earth. The incident helped catalyze the civil rights movement and is the subject of the recently released movie Till.

The disregard by white nationalists for the contribution of African Americans in holding our nation to its founding principles (which the Founders fell far short of) is not just an offense, but a desecration.

The diversity in our country is an essential quality that cannot be erased, no matter how many people are killed due to unhinged conspiracy theories and scapegoating.

The tree of our national struggle has many branches. On November 2, several women disrupted oral arguments at the Supreme Court to protest the Dobbs decision. One of them shouted, “We will restore our freedom to choose!”

Thank you, sisters. You remind us that we are still creating our country.

Yet another reason to be thankful: it was announced on November 3 that InterPride has awarded Capital Pride Alliance the license to host WorldPride 2025 in DC. ▼ Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist at rrosendall@ me.com.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

59 Letters

Why the YMCA?

POOLS CLASSES FRIENDS AND SO MUCH MORE JOIN TODAY

www.ymcade.org Sussex Family YMCA | 20080 Church Street, Rehoboth, DE 19971

Financial assistance is available.

Letters 60 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

61 Letters

BE A SPORT!

BY HEATHER RION STARR

Becoming a CrossFit Evangelist

M

ay 24 of this year was the day of the elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I felt sick reading about the details of that event. At the time I was solo parenting for most of a week with our younger kid; I knew I needed to find some way to positively channel all my upset energy.

Prior to moving to Delaware in summer 2021 with my spouse Cathy and our two young kids, I’d done many different physical activities over the years—yoga, hiking, bicycling, and something called “super-slow high-intensity strength training” (see: Google). And I’d also had long periods of not being as physically active as I probably should have be (mid-March 2020 through May 2022, for example). Since most of the activities I’d enjoyed in the past aren’t options here in southern Delaware—or aren’t doable in my current parenting-working-life schedule—I finally took the plunge…and looked up the local CrossFit gym.

Five months later, I’m willing to acknowledge that I’ve become one of those people I used to raise my eyebrows about: a CrossFit evangelist. I even find myself spontaneously doing squats when telling someone about what CrossFit has done for me. I couldn’t do a squat at all when I showed up at the gym at the end of May 2022. And now I can begrudgingly do squats for 10 minutes or more if Brett says that “that’s the workout today.”

Brett Gibson is the co-owner and coach at Kal-El CrossFit in Milton, Delaware. (Other CrossFit locations can be found at crossfit.com/affiliate-list.) Brett is a wizard at “scaling” every exercise to be just hard enough to literally—and psychologically—challenge one’s sense of what one is capable of, yet still have it be safe and doable for each of us at whatever level we’re at.

What I’ve learned about CrossFit is that this is not a gym where most of us go and spend an hour on an elliptical or treadmill and then go home. This is a Letters 62 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

group activity that is coach-led.

I have come to love the fact that there is a group of people there every time I go who will provide peer motivation and inspiration. For me, getting to see some of these amazing women (there are men there too, and probably some non-binary folks as well) do Hand-

CrossFit has given me a way to channel my fury over our hurting world.

stand Pushups not only blows my mind but truly gives me a new and up-close image of feminine strength (what my five-year-old calls “Girl Power!”).

There are also several inspirational gym members who are years older than I am, and they inspire me about what is possible even as I, too, grow to accept the realities of age. My peers there are coping with getting through cancer, divorce, post-partum recovery, job changes, and more. But at the gym we tune all that out for an hour and do the WOD (Workout of the Day). Brett is always right there making sure that we are each doing the exercises safely and appropriate to our physical abilities.

Honestly, one of the hardest parts for me about CrossFit is also the reason that it works for me: at Kal-El, at least, the sessions are either at 5:00, 6:00, or 7:00 a.m., or 4:00, 5:00, or 6:00 p.m., every weekday. (There are slightly different times on Fridays and Saturdays, and no scheduled sessions on Sundays.)

I have laughed as I’ve acknowledged that what works for me about CrossFit is that I have no scheduling conflicts at 6:00 a.m., and—it’s true! As long as I can get myself out of bed by 5:40 a.m., I can get there in time to hear Brett go over the day’s workout.

And what a feeling it is to have pushed through and done something I didn’t think possible—by 7:15 a.m. No matter what happens after that, that day, I did a super-challenging workout that I couldn’t have imagined I could complete—and everything else in life seems a little more manageable.

CrossFit really has given me a greater sense of confidence in myself, a greater ability to focus and “just do the thing,” a connection with a whole community of people who inspire me and who I would be unlikely to hang out with otherwise. And there have been countless physical benefits, too. I notice the difference every time I go to pick up my five-year-old, lug my 10-year-old’s saxophone to school, or even just run up the stairs or unload groceries from the car.

I am an all-around better version of myself these days. CrossFit has given me a way to channel my fury over our hurting world. And when Kal-El moves to Milford in January, I’ll get up even 10 minutes earlier because that’s just what I do now: I do CrossFit. ▼ Rev. Heather Rion Starr is the minister for the Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware. She is working on doing a Handstand Pushup by the time she turns 50—and it just may happen!

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

63 Letters

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

Tricks and Treats! Halloween, Sea Witch Parade, Beach Brunch, Block Party, and More!

THIS PAGE (left to right) Halloween in RB: 1) at

Freddie's: Steve Andrade (Cher), Freddie Lutz, Gary D (Joan Rivers), Katie Sorber, Amand Lee, Dillon Lyles, Jack Norcross; 2) at Blue Moon: Barbara Barett, Robyn McKeldin, Russ King, Randy Haney, Tim Ragan, Domenic Mannello, Fred Slagle, Roxy Overbrooke, Charles Esham; 3) at Halloween Spooktacular: Dusty Abshire, Joe Smith, David Lasher, Larry Pennington; 4) at The Pines: David Park, Marc Charon, Clarence Pineda, Jon Dauphine, John Hackett, Tom.

OPPOSITE PAGE 5) at Halloween at the Pines: Tiffany Kuzniar, Richard Thibodeau, Jeremy Clark, Caleb Jones, Michael Peagler, Kristina Kelly, Mark Kehoe; 6) at Sea Witch Parade: Zach West, Della Willey, Liam David, DE State Treasurer Colleen Davis, Jason Mathis, Michael Peagler, Jason Mills, Anthony Colajezzi, Matt Sokolowski, Lisa Evans, Bruce Clayton, Julia Sugarbaker II, Matty Brown; 7) at Bark on the Boards at the RB Bandstand: Jasmine Blue, Roxy Overbrooke, Magnolia Applebottom, Steve Cannon (with Frida), Rob Butt.

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65 Letters

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

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(Continued from page 65) THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at The Elkins-Archibald Atrium Dedication at CAMP Rehoboth: Mary Beth Ramsey, Murray Archibald, DE Speaker of the House Pete Schwartzkopf, Sondra Arkin, Nancy Alexander, RB Mayor Stan Mills, Ward Ellinger, Allen Jarmon, Tara Sheldon, Pat Catanziriti, Karl Zoric, Mark Pipkin, Michael Fetchko, Keith Petrack, Marge Mariotti, Ellen Sinclair, Bo Gordy-Stith, David Scuccimarra, Toni Barrett, Dan Potts, Vicki Gordy-Stith, Ron Parks, Natalie Moss, Evelyn Maurmeyer, Barb Ralph, Cathin Bishop, Tony Burns, Laura Simon.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 2) at True Blue Jazz Weekend: David Meer, Richard Walton, Barry Caudill, Mitch Shavit, Mike Perich (Eden), Bob Diener, Giselle Diener (Café Azafrán), Richard Budesa, Keith Hollis, Michal Beckham, Robert Budesa (Aqua), Sherman Ward, Victor North, Vince Ector, Peggy Raley-Ward, Lucas Brown (Boardwalk Plaza’s Joey Defrancesco Memorial Concert), Patrick Lawler, Debra Dean (Purple Parrot). 3) Delaware Meals on Wheels Beach Brunch: Donna Shifflit, Kay Young, Edward Hourihan, Willis Bininger, Ida Rowe, Jeff Rowe, Sam Steward, Jayson Abella; 4) at Common Cause DE Awards: Claire SnyderHall, Lisa Blunt Rochester; 5) at Mid-Atlantic Symphony: David Streit, Scott Button; 6) at Freddie's: Kim Letke, Rodney Kennedy.

(More CAMPshots page 102) Letters 66 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Dedication...and all that Jazz!

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67 Letters

Dining Out

BY MICHAEL GILLES

Ships Ahoy! It’s Chesapeake & Maine!

S

earching for some seafood specialties? Some slick service?

Some subtle sounds?

I’ll stop now. What I won’t stop is enumerating the good things I have to say about this restaurant on Rehoboth’s main drag. It’s a winner.

Chesapeake & Maine opened in 2016, right next door to Dogfish’s original brewpub, Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats. The sister operations work in tandem, each with specialties worth exploring.

Let’s begin with the service at Chesapeake & Maine. Our server, Siera, was remarkably good, guiding us through the salivation-causing menu and making what turned out to be excellent recommendations. Sally was more adventurous than I was; I ordered exactly what Siera told me to order! It turned out I had no regrets (we’ll get to that later).

Then we found out the most interesting thing about Siera: she not only was an outstanding server, but cooks in the kitchen as well. In fact, she was responsible for the luscious lobster bisque I devoured. A real full-service server!

One of Chesapeake & Maine’s specialties is its oysters. A custom-built raw bar serves a selection of oysters and clams from the waters of Maine and the Chesapeake. The evening we went to the restaurant, six of the nine choices came from Maine, two from Maryland, and one from Delaware. They are served with lemon, house cocktail, and Seaquench Ale Mignonette. You can also get fresh grated horseradish, and hot sauce too.

While waiting for our starters, we had an opportunity to peruse our surroundings. As appropriate for a seafood restaurant, the décor was seafaring in theme. There were portholes in the walls, oyster shell chandeliers, plenty of shiplap, and sea-based sayings from writers such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Herman Melville. Overall, the vision was rustic, coastal New England. Pub-like in nature, but with a full menu. And the music! In too many Rehoboth restaurants, the music is so loud that it makes it nearly impossible to talk with your dinner partner. Here, Letters 68 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

there was a single guitarist playing pleasant background music that satisfied the senses but didn’t overwhelm the room. A nice touch.

Soon (pleasantly soon), our starters came. Sally ordered the mussels, served in an ample terrine with tomatoes in a tasty broth with a touch of lime, bacon,

The [fries] accompanying my meal were some of the best I’ve tried in the area.

bell peppers, and cilantro. Sally described them as delicious and some of the largest mussels she’s ever seen. These plump beauties were Bangs Island Rope-Grown in Maine. Quite a catch! Sally actually threatened to drink the broth right out of the pot!

I was lucky enough to order Siera’s lobster bisque. Rich and creamy, it came with large chunks of lobster accented with just the right mixture of herbs and Cabernet cream. Served in a large bowl with tender lobster, the bisque was a highlight of the evening.

Despite being stuffed to the gills (a bit of seafood humor), we each ordered a full entree. Sally ordered the lobster, a 1¼ -pound beauty. She ordered it closed

(she likes the challenge!), and it came with all the accoutrements without her having to ask. She loved it. (And did not share, I might add.)

I splurged and ordered the Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes. The plate had two nice-sized Jumbo Lump Blue Crab Cakes, filling and quite good. An unusual occurrence: neither cake had a single shell.

Those locals who like crab cakes will attest that that is a rare pleasure. These cakes were worth the experience.

Side note: There are good fries and not-so-good fries. The ones accompanying my meal were some of the best I’ve tried in the area. The hushpuppies I ordered were plenty in number and golf ball-sized; these were also very good.

Finally, the slaw was more savory than sweet, and a perfect complement to the crab cakes.

Unbelievably, we still had to face the dessert menu! Chesapeake & Maine featured their version of the Smith Island Cake, pumpkin cake layered between delicious cream cheese icing. It was nicely spiced, as was the whipped cream complementing the cake. A nice, delicious treat.

Then there was the chocolate thing. It came with three layers: chocolate, white chocolate, and dark chocolate. These layers were fudge-like in consistency and absolutely wonderful. I know the thing has a name. I was too busy swooning to ask what to call it.

The experience at Chesapeake & Maine is what you’d expect from a restaurant with so many positives. There are some seafood specialties, slick service, and subtle sounds. (I know, I said I’d knock it off.) It’s all true. You enter into a restaurant designed like a ship, and walk away with a piece of the sea. My daughter, a true mix of the two of us, will love both the bisque and the lobster. You will, too! ▼ Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

69 Letters

OUTlook

BY BETH SHOCKLEY

The Living Years

I

feel fortunate that I have few regrets, or at least fewer than many people I know. Of the regrets I do have, one stands out: I never came out to my mother. There are good reasons why I didn’t, but I still wish I had when she was alive.

I recently read a story about a man who was terrified to come out to his parents, especially his father. Even after they died. To the point where he visited his dad’s grave specifically to tell him and could not. He went back several times and still couldn’t do it. I feel his pain.

About 10 years ago, long after she had died, I wrote a coming-out letter to my mother filled with anger and blame. I don’t feel that way now, maybe because I’m older, have had a lot of good therapy, and have forgiven her for her role in my troubled childhood. She did the best she could, as we all do.

It doesn’t leave her blameless. But it frees me.

I came out in 1980. I was in South Carolina, 600 miles from my family.

I told my friends and one of my brothers. I was still in college and living with my first partner. When my parents came to visit, I moved stuff from our bedroom into the second bedroom to make it look like we were just roommates. I was not ready to tell them. They did not meet my partner; she and I agreed that my parents seeing us together would have been too obvious.

By the time that relationship ended, I had graduated and was working as a journalist. I was in several more relationships. I had my own apartment, then my own small house. A few more years passed and I still didn’t tell either of my parents.

My mother came to visit several times and would stay with me. Whenever she would ask about my love life, I deflected, saying I was too busy in my career. I don’t think she bought it, but she didn’t press too hard. There were many secrets in my family, and I guess she assumed that I preferred to keep that information to myself. But it was getting harder and harder to keep my “secret.”

In 1988, I moved to DC to work for a US senator.

That put me much closer to my family in Maryland.

It also made me extremely busy. My parents came for a visit at the end of March. My mother had a strange facial tick, and it worried me. I asked my father to make sure she went to the doctor when

I worried that the news would land like a bombshell—the last thing I wanted to do.

Letters 70 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

they got home. She did, and the news was bad.

She had a brain tumor, the result of metastatic lung cancer. She had just turned 58, and by May, she was gone.

I visited her a few times while she was sick. I really wanted to tell her then, but it never seemed a good time. I worried that the news would land like a bombshell—the last thing I wanted to do. She was gravely ill and on morphine. She had always been mercurial; I didn’t want her to be angry or blame herself or feel bad. I wanted to share the news joyfully, not under a blanket of gloom.

On one visit I took the woman I was seeing with me. My mother made it a point (granted she was high) to tell my partner not only how nice she was, but also how beautiful. Not once, but numerous times. It was unusual behavior for my mother. But now I wonder if that was her way of letting us both know that she knew and approved. Hard to know for sure.

I didn’t actually say the words, “Dad, you know I’m a lesbian,” to my father until he came to live with my wife and me in 2009, when I was 49, and he was dying. Of course, he already knew and just smiled kindly. But it was important to me to say the words. I asked him if he thought my mother had known or if the two of them had ever discussed it.

He said they hadn’t. He had no reason to lie, but then, my family carried secrets.

I don’t feel the need to tell my mother at her gravesite like the man in the story. I’ve told her numerous times over the years, including in that angry letter. I believe that had she lived, I would have told her and despite a likely negative first reaction, she would have come around. She would love Sandy and the life we have together. Who knows, maybe she always knew. I just wish that I had let her know in the living years. ▼ Beth Shockley is a retired senior writer/editor living in Dover with her wife and five furbabies.

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73 Letters

Celebrity Interview

BY MICHAEL COOK

Courtney Act

O

ne of the most popular queens to emerge from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6, Courtney Act is one of the most discussed and most requested queens to follow up with.

Luckily, fans can grab her brand-new memoir, Caught in the Act, to dive into all-things-Courtney. Fans can delve into her past as an Aussie drag superstar, her career as a reality show titan, and her perspective on her Drag Race experience. Courtney and I sat down recently to discuss her earliest days Down Under in drag (prior to social media) and how her Drag Race sisters unexpectedly helped her get through another reality show experience.

MICHAEL COOK: The book dives into

your childhood and growing up; what was it like going back and going into those experiences, many of which might have been uncomfortable to revisit?

COURTNEY ACT: After going through the process of writing a memoir, I highly recommend the process of journaling to all and sundry. I have heard people talk about journaling before and never got why it was so cathartic. When you actually go back to memories and write about them in real detail, describing them creatively and descriptively, you get to go back with your adult brain to childhood situations and reevaluate and repackage them in a way that you probably were not capable of doing at the time.

MC: What was it like beginning your drag career in Australia in your earlier days? Doing it in days before social media truly seems revolutionary at this point, and being a young queer person in Sydney at that time must’ve been truly unique compared to now. Are there any queens or moments that stand out?

CA: I am so grateful that social media did not become a thing until I was well out of my wild party days! I had a digital camera, but I was the only one and I still have hard drives full of so many photos from that time—which are such treasured Letters 74 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

memories. What is so interesting about going through those photos is seeing people’s relationship with photographs.

Back then there was nowhere for the photos to go; there was no social media.

There are so many wonderful memories with my drag sisters Vanity and Ashley that were such a highlight; they were so creative and so much fun.

Building all of the costumes for our show

and choreographing and learning the dances and performances and learning all of the aspects of creating a club night were so much fun and hard work. There was a real family vibe amongst the cast and that was wonderful.

MC: Gender identity and the binary is truly an overarching theme in the book.

How do you identify now and what has that journey been like for you?

CA: The purpose of the book is to really go on that journey with me; it is a lot more nuanced than a discreet label.

Now I just identify as being content in my gender, sexuality, and identity. The journey has been up and down because when you get to a place where you feel that contentment, it is indestructible.

MC: RuPaul’s Drag Race was such a pivotal moment for your career. How do you look back on the experience at this point in your career? Is there a world where you could return for an All-Stars season?

CA: Drag Race was a wonderful experience. Getting to spend that time with Adore (Delano), Bianca (Del Rio), and Darienne (Lake), our final four, was so magical. The whole cast, so many names, Milk, Gia (Gunn), Ben DeLaCreme, Laganja (Estranja), so many people on that season are standouts in the franchise up to today. It was so wonderful being a part of it. No—there is not a world where I would return for an All Stars season.

MC: You’ve made forays into other reality shows, winning Celebrity Big Brother and coming in second on Dancing with the Stars, and you have moved on to judging a show like Queens for the Night. What are some of the most pivotal reality show moments that have occurred for you during your career?

Have you had any “a-ha moments” while spinning on the dance floor or living isolated for weeks at a time?

CA: Wining Celebrity Big Brother was a hugely pivotal moment and I think the reasons that I won it were what made it so pivotal. My conversations in the house around sexuality, gender, feminism, politics, and identity were things that went viral in the UK and around the world.

When I came out of the house, people were really interested in my opinions and what I had to say whereas before, I had been a two-dimensional character from Drag Race with a catch phrase and a set of wings. It was nice to be able to come onto Celebrity Big Brother and see a more rounded, fuller image of me.

MC: Is it surreal to see that you have become an inspiration to millions of people all over the world simply by living your life out loud and embracing your individuality?

CA: I guess it is. But when I reflect

Winning Celebrity Big Brother was a hugely pivotal moment and I think the reasons that I won it were what made it so pivotal. back on the people that inspired me when I was younger, it was always the people who I saw were living authentically—like The Spice Girls. I know that they were a produced pop band, but there was something about their expression that did not fit with the status quo at the time. Five women who were acting how they wanted to act in a world that said that they shouldn’t, and I always found that empowering. I’ve tried to carry that forward in my life and I am glad that people have been inspired by that.

MC: What do you hope the legacy of Courtney Act (and Shane Jenek) will be?

CA: I definitely would like to leave the world a better place by having been in it, in some small way. I don’t think it am done yet with the things that I want to do. I am really interested in docu-series and other shows that share people’s stories and help foster empathy. I have a show on ABC in Australia called One Plus One; it’s a long-form interview show, 28 minutes, fairly unedited and uninterrupted, and I am getting to share different stories on there to a wider audience. A lot of the ABC audience is very mainstream—

parents and grandparents. So I have this new fanbase saying that they love watching me on the ABC and that they love my interviews! I try to choose people who have interesting slants on their identities that might not be normally showcased on television. People from queer backgrounds, ethnic and minority backgrounds; I try to humanize them and share their stories to a broader audience, so I would like to do more of that.

MC: What would today’s Courtney Act—with everything you’ve accomplished—tell the Courtney Act that first walked into that RuPaul’s Drag Race workroom, bright-eyed and ready to take on the world?

CA: If only I knew then what I know now! I would tell that Courtney Act the exact advice that my friend Triana, who is a reality show producer, told me before I went in. It was that, “It’s a reality TV show; it’s not a documentary. You are making entertainment.” I remember Triana asking me, “What’s your storyline, what is your character?“ I just didn’t understand at the time. I might have been a little bit more constructed, still authentic, but maybe thought about my character a little bit more. But who knows; I think you have to go into it and hope for the best. Ultimately my story didn’t end there. I have gone on and had a wonderful career and I am very grateful for all of it. ▼ Follow Courtney Act on Instagram: instagram.com/courtneyact/?hl=en Michael Cook has been a part-time resident of Rehoboth Beach for over a decade. He is currently a contributor to Instinct Magazine, World of Wonder’s WOW Report, and South Florida Gay News.

Photo: Joseph Sinclair

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

75 Letters

Q Puzzle Queen Sighs

Solution on Page 109 ACROSS 1 Eagle’s perch 5 Sitcom with a crossdressing corporal 9 Enjoys the scenery at a gay bar 14 Nuts 15 Concerning 16 Injures severely 17 Dixie Chicks’ “Goodbye ___” 18 The folks over there 19 Mosque heads 20 Queen frontman 23 Lance once of ‘N Sync 24 Legal wrong 25 Bedside noises 28 Commercial snap 29 Silly goose 32 “My Heart Will Go On” singer Dion 33 Start of a quote by 20-Across 35 Actor McCormack 36 Vice Versa publisher Lisa ___ 37 Blows away 38 More of the quote 41 Is unruly in a crowd 43 Tournament exemption 44 Hair’s “___ to Be Hard” 45 Bloody Mary stirrer 46 Miss, to Mauresmo 47 In the nude for love, perhaps 48 End of the quote

Letters 76 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

54 Tool in the woodwork shop 55 Opening amount 56 Fox comedy with Jane Lynch 57 Houston team member 58 Daughters of Bilitis cofounder Phyllis 59 East of Eden director Kazan 60 Joins with a torch 61 Nathan of The Producers 62 Woody valley DOWN 1 Symbol on Samuel Barber’s score 2 Jungle warning 3 Area of 160 rods 4 Valuable part of the road to Oz? 5 Gertrude Stein collected his paintings 6 Grate stuff 7 Banana stalk 8 Sylacauga, Alabama, to Jim Nabors 9 “O” of Sapho 10 Entire range 11 Iago, notably 12 Award for Laverne Cox in 2015 13 Teakettle sound 21 Rhett Butler’s final word 22 Magazine section 25 Like sour balls

26 Producer Mervyn 27 Toklas of expats 28 Similar to a flaming queen?

29 Like a top 30 Head helper 31 Full of lip 34 Like a biped 36 ALOTO sport 39 Stock exchange bears 40 Albee’s Three ___ Women 41 Type of triangle 42 Gay cable network 46 Worked one’s shaft 47 Bernstein’s tool 48 “Would ___ to you?”

49 It’s common in row houses 50 Lord of the Rings singer 51 Woods of Legally Blonde 52 Broadway Bound writer Simon 53 Stud poker demand 54 Blow in a comic book

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77 Letters

The REAL DIRT

BY ERIC W. WAHL

Embracing Autumn’s Fragrance

I

f you know, you know. The aroma of autumn cannot be mistaken, at least not for me. It stops me in my tracks.

Suddenly, I am 13 again, riding my Huffy, delivering newspapers in the cool, crisp afternoon. I smell the scent of sweet, warm sugar filling my nostrils as I try to make my inhale last a little longer, hoping to extend every second of breath.

If you’ve ever wondered why autumn smells the way it does, it’s due to the fallen leaves of the deciduous trees beginning to decompose. The sugars and other compounds in the leaves give off that unmistakable scent. And if you are like me, it creates such an intense emotion because we associate it with our memories as kids growing up, playing in leaf piles, riding bikes along woodland trails, or simply helping mom and dad rake leaves in the backyard.

These emotional memories and associations with smells are stored in specific parts of the brain. When the aroma molecules enter our nostrils and trigger this

part of the brain, fireworks ensue. Those feelings of nostalgia and happiness (in my case with autumn) wash over me and in that moment, I am transported to another time and place.

The smell of fall intensifies after a short rain or on a dewy morning. This is most likely because water helps the decomposition process and emits more aroma molecules. I am fortunate to work near a wooded area with a mixture of oaks, hickories, maples, and sweetgums.

Their cornucopia of reds, oranges, golds, and purples is just at its peak as I write this, and the fallen leaves are scattered around the parking lot and sidewalks, filling the air with their earthy sweetness.

A similar aroma comes from a welldone compost pile. A good compost does not stink. The organic compounds and sugars break down similarly to fallen leaves and give off a slightly sweet smell.

But let’s talk compost another time.

Certain trees have a very distinct aroma to their leaves. While attending

Temple University, our Woody Plants professor would take us on campus walks to pick out the specific dozen or so trees and shrubs that were being discussed each week. She always had a story for every specimen, which actually helped us remember every plant.

Trees impact our senses with more than just visual beauty.

For example, outside Dickinson Hall at the Ambler Campus, there stood a picturesque Katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum) with its large, bending branches filled with heart-shaped leaves and tiny banana-shaped seed pods. It turns a brilliant yellow in the fall and its leaves smell like caramelized sugar and cinnamon. In Germany, they are named after how they smell: Kuchenbaum or Lebkuchenbaum which translates to “pie tree” or “gingerbread tree.” Yes, please.

You had me at “pie.”

Every fall semester, I walked by with anticipation each day until the leaves started to turn their golden hue and drop to the ground beneath. It was almost a ritual to get close and take a deep breath on those chilly autumn days. Students of disciplines other than landscaping and horticultural most likely did not know what was causing the scent to waft in the air.

But we did.

Trees impact our senses with more than just visual beauty. They whisper to us when the wind blows; they can be rough or smooth or prickly or crinkly to touch; they provoke memories with their fragrance, often just when we need them to lift our spirit. Trees have a lot to offer; maybe we should give them thanks this holiday season.

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

Letters 78 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

79 Letters

arts+entertainment

BY DOUG YETTER

SPOTLIGHT ON THE

arts

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community CLOSING SOON

From the CAMP Collection

O

nly two more weeks to see From the CAMP Collection before it closes November 30.

Come and see the work of Murray Archibald, Rodney Cook, Sharon Denny, Sue Fortier, Brook Hedge, Jane Knaus, Lee Wayne Mills, and more! And thanks to these generous artists and community members, the proceeds from the sale of this art will support CAMP Rehoboth programs.

ART & AIDS—A Story To Be Told

C

oinciding with CAMP Rehoboth’s World AIDS Day commemoration, an AIDSrelated community art exhibition, ART & AIDS—A Story To Be Told Opens in the CAMP Rehoboth gallery. It’s a story of devastation, loss, anger, and isolation, as well as survival and hope. The show will include work by documentary photographer Vincent Cianni, who shares his personal experiences as care provider to partners and friends. Other relevant artwork explores themes of promising to protect and provide, redemption though love, stigma, and survival.

Join us for CAMP Rehoboth’s World AIDS Day Commemoration, view the exhibition, reflect, and participate in a community walk and a service of remembrance and hope on December 1 (at All Saints Episcopal). Exhibit open through January 6, 2023.

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.). You may view and purchase the art on the CAMP website under the “SHOP” heading.

IMAGES LEFT (clockwise): End Stigma by Leslie

Sinclair; ACT UP March New York City, and Ashes Action Washington DC by Vincent Cianni.

IMAGES ABOVE RIGHT (top to bottom):: Indian

River Inlet Bridge by Sue Fortier; Number 72

by Lee Wayne Mills; Quiet Moment by Brook Hedge.

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 DelawareScene.com.

Letters 80 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

arts+entertainment

artist SPOTLIGHT

Autumn Schneider

What better time than autumn to spend some time with the talented Autumn Schneider!

to attend as many sporting events as possible but also to be there for them simply as their mom.

I taught for years at many different studios working with little ones, middle school, and college age students. I enjoy being part of the Spotlight Show at the Blue Moon once a month. It allows me to “keep my feet wet” while I am busy focusing on my kids. I’ll never stop being an artist.

Doug Yetter: How did you get started?

Autumn Schneider: My mother was a dance teacher/choreographer. My first musical was a show my mom was choreographing, and I attended every rehearsal. The director noticed my intense study of everything happening on stage and invited me to be in the ensemble.

DY: Favorite and least favorite part of being an artist?

DY: Do you have a favorite style of dance?

AS: I love it all! The discipline of ballet, the great fun in jazz, and the musicality and challenge of tap. I have choreographed a LOT of tap musicals.

DY: You sing, dance, and act—a true ‘triple threat’. How would you rank them and why?

AS: I’m a dancer who sings. I’ve studied acting the least and would never put myself on the level of those who have truly studied the craft. My best friend is an acting teacher/actress in NY and I call her for insight as soon as I am cast in anything.

DY: What have been your favorite roles­—and why?

AS: Val/Cassie in A Chorus Line and Donna in Mamma Mia. The potency of A Chorus Line is simply unmatched. I was young when I did A Chorus Line and I could truly relate to the need for the work and the love of it all. Donna is a role from my adult years. I could find so many ways to relate to her and her internal struggles as a mom. And, let’s be honest, that music is too much fun!

DY: Any favorite shows to choreograph?

Too many people think FAME is success in this business. It’s not. It’s about fueling the passion and fulfilling the heart.

AS: Favorite? The community. As a performer/choreographer I’ve met the most dedicated, interesting, and amazing people, and traveling enabled me to learn about new cultures and places. Least? The stigma that this is only a “hobby.” When I was younger, people asked me about my “back-up plan” or when I planned to get a “real” job.

Society applauds the accountant who pursues their passion in the arts, yet career artists are ridiculed for not taking our lives seriously. If an artist steps away from the field for something new or to supplement their income, we’re accused of giving up.

DY: Define success.

AS: I choreographed Cabaret a few years ago and absolutely loved the dancers I worked with. A wonderful experience from start to finish.

DY: Still teaching?

AS: I do a ballet/technique class for Clear Space Theatre Arts Institute and choreograph the musicals at Sussex Academy. Otherwise, I’m fully focused on my kids right now. My son is graduating from Cape Henlopen High this year and my daughter is a freshman in high school. They’re both athletes, so it’s a full schedule. I want

AS: Happiness. Too many people think FAME is success in this business. It’s not. It’s about fueling the passion and fulfilling the heart.

DY: That makes you one of the most successful artists I know! ▼

Doug is the Artistic Director of CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, and Minister of Music at Epworth UMC. Contact him at dougyetter@ gmail.com.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

81 Letters

arts+entertainment

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

BOOKED SOLID Gender Pioneers: A Celebration of Transgender, Non-Binary and Intersex Icons by Philippa Punchard, foreword

by Christine Burns MBE c.2022, Jessica Kingsley Publishers $22.95, 118 pages

Take a left at the first road, then right and right again.

It’s always a good idea to know where you’re going—but then again, getting lost can have its benefits, too. Veering off an easy path gives you a chance to see things, maybe even something better. You can get all kinds of directions for life but sometimes, as in Gender Pioneers by Philippa Punchard, you just gotta step off the road.

In 1912, French audiences were thrilled by the talent of a trapeze artist known as Barbette. The lovely Barbette flew over the heads of Parisians solo, gracefully, and the best citizens followed those performances avidly. By 1919, Babette added to the end of the performance the revelation that “she” was really Vander Clyde Broadway, a male performer.

We might think that being transgender is “new” and just “a Western thing,” but Punchard has reason to disagree: history is dotted with men passing as women, and women living as men.

As Christine Burns says in the foreword, “Trans people are not a new thing.”

Some seemed to do it as a means to an end: Ellen and William Craft wore clothing of the opposite sex in order to escape slavery in 1848. Betty Cooper may have worn men’s clothing for the same reason in 1771. Neither case, says Punchard, indicates “classical” trans behavior, but we’ll never know for sure.

Biawacheeitchish, who grew up to be powerful, wealthy,

Letters 82 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

and with four wives, was kidnapped as a young girl and was encouraged by their Native American adoptive father to engage in male activities, perhaps because he’d lost two sons.

In another time and place, Biawacheeitchish would’ve been called a “female husband.”

Dora Richter, the first woman to receive vaginoplasty, was killed by “a Nazi mob.” Dr. James Barry, a highly renowned surgeon, used “built-up shoes and…padding to appear more masculine….” James Allen and Billy Tipton were both married to women before death revealed that they were female. And Mary Read was a girl, until their mother lost her only son....

In her foreword, Burns says that there are “two awkward challenges” when we talk about trans people in history: were they intersex, rather than trans; and were they people—mostly women—who presented as the opposite gender to gain the benefits of the opposite gender? The questions demand more study and Gender Pioneers offers a launching point.

Open this book anywhere and you’ll see that the theme here is serious, but author Philippa Punchard also lends a bit of breeze. There’s no certain order to what you’ll read, and while the entries reach back to ancient times, they focus more on the past 300 years or so; each of the articles is short and tothe-point, and the soft illustrations invite browsing. For readers who want a quick read, this works.

Be sure to keep going through both appendices of this book, where you’ll find a wealth of further information and dates to remember. Historians and readers of trans history will find Gender Pioneers just right. ▼ Terri Schlichenmeyer’s first book, The Big Book of Facts, is available now in bookstores. Her next two are scheduled to appear in bookstores soon.

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GREEN LEVEL Sharon Bembry & Lois Powell* David Bower* David W. Briggs & John F. Benton X Charlie Browne & Rod Cook X Barry Bugg* Cheryl Buxton* Jay Chalmers & John Potthast X Stephen Corona Lewis & Greg Dawley-Becker* Mike DeFlavia & Tony Sowers* Ann DeLazaro & Annette Potemski Marianne DeLorenzo & Linda Van de Wiele* Max Dick* Diane Dragositz Kathy & Corky Fitzpatrick X Jim & Tom Flower* Cynthia Flynn & Deirdre Boyle X Bill Fuchs & Gerry Beaulieu* Lisa Gilley Richard Green & Asi Ohana X Joe Greenhall & Tom Klingler Bob Gurwin & John Rourke David Hagelin & Andy Brangenberg*

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Jo Hamilton & Donna Voigt* Steve Hoult & Rick Bane X Karen Hugues & Cathy McCallister X Anthony Incalcatera & James Buswold Alex IX & Gare Galbraith Nola Joyce & Brenda Eich* Jocelyn Kaplan & Idalie Adams In Memory of Adeline Kaplan X Linda Kemp* Deborah Kennedy & Beth Yocum* Eric Korpon & Steven Haber* Lee Lambert Leslie Ledogar & Marilyn Hewitt* John J. MacDonald & Douglas James Bob Mancuso & Doug Murray Susan Morrison* Dennis Neason & Steve Bendyna* Kim Nelson & Lori Simmons X Fran O’Brien & David Gifford* Kim Parks & Sharon Denny Keith Petrack & Michael Fetchko* Anne Pikolas & Jean Charles X Gail Purcell & Sandy Kraft* Bill Rayman & Frank King* Marty Rendon & John Cianciosi* Douglas Sellers & Mark Eubanks* Scott Shaughnessy * William Snow X Mary Spencer & Kathy Lingo* Joseph Steele & Chris Leady David Streit & Scott Button* Anne Tracy & Mary Gilligan* Kathy Wiz & Muriel Hogan X Jon Worthington & Bryan Houlette X Karl Zoric & Mark Pipkin X

YELLOW LEVEL Brenda Abell X Ria Allman Keith Anderson & Peter Bish X Gwen Atwell & Marla Hoon Dale Aultman & Paul Gibbs X Shannon & Sarah Avery* Pamela Baker & Diane Dixson* Linda Balatti & Shirley Gilmer X Susie Ball & Susan Delaney X Mike Ballinger & in Memory of Martin Thomas* Miriam Barton* Chris Beagle & Eric Engelhart* Tom Beall Barbara Beavers & Kathy Carrell John Bell Sherry Berman & Deb Hamilton X Abby Bernstein & Karen Frank X Teresa Bolduc & Kim McGeown* Michael Boyle & Greg Murphy X Daniel Bruner & Tim Beymer 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* Steve Clayton & Brad Lentz* Gary Colangelo & Gerald Duvall X

CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERSHIP 2022 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 Karen Faber & Lisa Balestrini Faber* Alice Fagans & Ruth Ann Mattingly* Dee Farris* Lisa Fernandez & Allison Lindon Cecily Fisher & Loretta Higgins Monica Fleischmann & Lona Crist X John Flournoy & Jim Chrobot Roland Forster & David McDonald John Furbush & Tom Feng* Ricki Geiger Marty Goff & Andrew Moran Gail Gormley* Susan Goudy* Ken Green & Joe Kearney* Renee Guillory & Melissa Vila-Guillory Wesley Hacker & David Block* Pete & Joanne Harrigan* Robert Henthorne & Roger Bolduc Carol Holland - Holland Jewelers X Terry Hollinger & Mike May Caroline Huff & Brenda Robertson* Dorsey Johnson & Kay Jernigan* Philip Johnson* Dee Dee Jones & Julie Blake Frank Jump & Vincenzo Aiosa* Marilyn Kates & Laura Glenn* Andy Kite & Karl Martin Rose Korten & Brenda Pinkney* Jay Kottoff & Mark Matey* Greg Kubiak* Carol Lazzara & Sheila Maden* Edmund LeFevre & Keith Wiggs X Greg Lehne Monica Lewis & Ann Zimmerman* David Lindeman & Andrew Phipps Frank Liptak & Joe Schnetzka* Jim Lonsdale & Bryan Hoffman Teresa Madonna & Stacey Mazzacco Patricia Magee & Anita Pettitt X Jill Masterman & Tammy Jackson* Tony Mazzarella - In Memory of Vickie Stapleton Mickie McManamon* Howard Menaker & Patrick Gossett X Ray Michener & Tom Carlson* Sandy Neverett & Pam Cranston X Pat Nickols* Robert Nowak & David Bergman X Donna Ohle & Susan Gaggiotti X Maggie Ottato X Dotti Outland & Diane Mead X Peninsula Gallery - Tony & Carol Boyd-Heron* Joanne Picone & Kathy Bostedo* Frank Pirhalla Stephen Pleskach X Jim Pressler X Lisa Rabigi & Bea Vuocolo* Gene Roe X

Thomas Rose & Thomas Sechowicz X Lucien Rossignol & Tom Harris* Mark Saunders & Bob Thoman* Sheryl Schulte & Jeanne LaVigne* 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* Matthew Stensrud & Michael Cohen* Lenny Stumpf & John B. Pitchford* Brett Svensson & Bill Quinn - Dust Doctors LLC* Thrasher’s French Fries* Lana Warfield & Pamela Notarangelo X Elizabeth Way & Dorothy Dougherty* Michael Weinert X Justin Weitz William Wheatley* Joseph & Diane Wood Steven Wunder & Rod Hastie Jean Sutliff Young* Joanne Yurik* Larry Zeigler X John Zingo & Rick Johnson*

ORANGE LEVEL James Apistolas & Christopher Galanty Ruth Ball & Mary Ellen Jankowski* Romulus Barba & Dean Yanchulis* Paul Barbera & Joseph Nolan Kathleen Biggs & Maria Campos* Janet Blaustein Kathy Board & Jackie Maddalena Boland Family - In Memory of Michael J. Kelly* Richard Bost & Thomas Moore* 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* Randy Butt & Emerson Bramble* Ronald Butt & Steve Cannon* Beth Cohen & Fran Sneider X 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* Donna Dolce* Kevin Doss & Arie Venema* Arlyce Dubbin & Kathleen Heintz* Susan Dube & Diana Patterson* Brenda Dunn & Karen Anderson Susan Eig & Ellen Schiff X Jeanne Embich* Continued on page 86

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

NAUGHTY OR NICE?

BRANDEN & JAMES Christmas Show Nov 26 - 8PM

Magnolia Applebottom with Special Guests

Dec 16 - 8PM

Two performers on two pianos deliver an all-request, 3-hour rock and roll sing-along!

SATURDAY | DEC 31 9:30PM - 12:30AM

ONE DAME WHOOPI

CHRISTMAHANUKWANZAKA

Celebrity Impersonators

Dec 29 - 7:30PM

A CAROLE KING CHRISTMAS

with Michelle Foster Dec 30 - 8PM

MORE EVENTS

NOV 19 - DIVAS NIGHT CABARET NOV 20 - CAPITAL RINGERS: CHRISTMAS REFLECTIONS NOV 25 - AUNT MARY PAT DISABATINO DEC 4 - THE AMERICAN ROGUES DEC 14 - CLOSE TO YOU: A CARPENTERS CHRISTMAS DEC 15 - THE NUTCRACKER SUITE: DELMARVA BIG BAND DEC 17 - POLAR EXPRESS: PAJAMA PARTY SCREENING (11pm & 2pm) DEC 17 - BETTER THAN YOUR OFFICE CHRISTMAS PARTY (8pm)

DEC 18 - HOLIDAY TEA: INTERACTIVE SHOW (1pm) DEC 18 - A NOT-SO-SILENT CHRISTMAS (8pm) DEC 19 - IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: FILM SCREENING (2pm & 6pm) DEC 21 - CHESAPEAKE SILVER CORNET BRASS BAND DEC 22 - SISTER'S CHRISTMAS CATECHISM DEC 23 - CARTOON CHRISTMAS TRIO DEC 28 - THE FUNSTERS: BENEFIT DANCE PARTY

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

www.MILTONTHEATRE.com

302.684.3038 | 110 Union St. Milton, DE

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

85 Letters

Continued from page 84

Eddie Engles Robin Esham Maureen Ewadinger* Ellen Feinberg & Lesley Rogan X Paul Finn & Joseph Porporino* Barbara Fitzpatrick & Denise Centinaro Keven Fitzsimmons & Jeff Stroud X Deb Fox & Deb Bonneau Charles Gable Ron Glick & Tien Pham* William Gluth & Channing Daniel* Ed Gmoch* Mike Gordy & Ed Brubaker* Joe Gottschall & Scott Woody Amy Grace & Karen Blood* Charles Graham* Deborah Grant & Carol Loewen* Robert Grant & Chris Cossette Todd Hacker Siobhan Halmos & Beth McLean* Sharon Hansen X Pat Harte & Nancy Sigman Jacqueline Havriliak Tracey & Erica Hellman Bill Hillegeist X Vance Hudgins & Denny Marcotte* John Hulse X Mary Huntt & Angela Creager* Janet Idema & Patricia Higgins* Anne Kazak & Chris Coburn X Maryl Kerley X Ned Kesmodel & Matt Gaffney X Bonnie Kirkland & Wanda Bair X Myra Kramer & John Hammett* Rob & Jean Krapf X Barbara Lang & Diane Grillo* Kim Leisey & Kathy Solano Jim Lesko Robert & Yen Ling Dale & Sue Lomas* Duncan MacLellan & Glenn Reighart* Marsha Mark & Judy Raynor* James Mastoris & Edward Chamberlain X Michael & Stephan Maybroda* Kathy & Steve McGuiness* Kate McQueen* James Mease & Philip Vehslage* Sherril Moon & Louise Montgomery* Margaret Moore & Sheree Mixell X R. Moore Carol Morris & Ann Abel Lisa Mosley Judy Olsen & Joanne Kempton X Sandra Oropel & Linda Frese* 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* Deena Pers X Grace Pesikey & Janet Urdahl* Peter Pizzolongo & Carlos Prugue* Pierce Quinlan & Ginny Daly* Susan Reinagel & Dawn Henderson* Pat Renninger & Tammy Plumley X Bill Rogers & Jeff Wilkinson Judy Rosenstein & Elva Weininger X Deborah & Charles Ross X Michael Safina & Tim Bean Katherine Sams*

Letters 86

Richard Sargent* Gary Schell & Jim DiRago Laurie Schneider & Margie Ripalda* Carol Scileppi & Valerie McNickol* Teri Seaton Michael Seifert & Harvey Holthaus* Craig Sencindiver & Gary Alexander* Tara Sheldon Frank Shockley & Arthur Henry* Cathy Sieber & Brenda Kriegel* Carol Sieger & Maggie Guardino Anita Smulyan Tina Snapp & Susan Leathery Christine Stanley & Joyce Rocko* Greig Stewart & Jake Hudson* Brian Straka* Sandra Sullivan & Lorie Seaman* Terrence Sullivan Trudie Thompson Susan & Rich Thornberg James Vernicek & Jeff Dailey* Joseph Vescio Tama Viola Don Wainwright & Tom Jamison* Patricia Walker Don Wessel Ralph Wiest & Anthony Peraine* Daryle Williams & Steven Fretwell Lynne Wilmer & Jeannie Marsh Terri Windlan Melanie Wolfe & Monica Niccolai Robert T. Wright & Jack Lim* Sherri Wright & Dick Byrne* Janet & Ron Yabroff Niki Zaldivar & Cecil McNeil X Kathryn Zimmerman Helaine Zinaman & Roselyn Abitbol X

RED LEVEL Guy Abernathey X Dale Adams Jim Affonco X Mark Aguirre & Wayne Gleason X Bill Alldredge X Chris Allison Stephani Allison & Judith Gorra X Alan Anderson X Daniel Anderson & Greg Melanson Andrea Andrus & Maggie Shaw X Peter Antolini X Patricia Antonisse X Wanda Armwood & Illona Williams Cynthia Arno Terry & Gayle August Josh Bach & Edward Ginley Kathleen Bailey X Christine A. Baker John Baker & Richard Latham X Sarah Barnett Curtiss Barrows X Barbara Bastow & Margaret McHale John Batchelor X Karen Beck* Beebe Medical Foundation* Mike Behringer & Nelson Correa* Michael Beigay Alex Belano Sheryl Bender & Doreen DiLorenzo* George Benes & Michael Mallee X Suzanne Bennethum & Deborah Smith* Joe Benshetler & Kurt Angell Jeri Berc X John Berdini X Lisa Beske - In Loving Memory of Steve Elkins*

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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 John Brady X Kelly Brennan & Susan McVey* Susan Brinsfield & Barbara Devenport Laurie Bronstein Debora Brooke * Kevin Brown X Lyn Brown & Winsome Boyd Matthew Brown Diane Bruce & Annie Sorvillo* Jack Bucchioni 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 Stephen Burt & Michael Jones Timothy B. Bush X Sherry Butler James Byrnes X Chris & Richard Cahill X Robertine Cale* Debbie Cali & Maddie Cunningham Ingrid Callmann & Karen Askins* 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 & Anthony Codella Jo Cason & Peggy Neidlinger Teresa Cason & Lynda Schepler X Sara Cavendish & Wendy Bunce X Denis Chandler & Sebastion DiMauro Linda Chaney & Irene Lawlor* Helen Chang & Pat Avery 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 Norma K. Clark X Rob Cline Barbara Clipper Amy Clouse & Betty Long X Julie Cockley Anne Cole & Sandy Freeman Carolyn Cole & Sandy McDevitt X Stuart Comstock-Gay X Inez Conover X Blanche Cook & Clare Coss Bill Cooley & Ken Watkins DVM X Josh Cooper & Steve Rathburn Jeffery A. Coover X Michael Cornell X Lois Corson 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 Mark Cunningham & Ken Tattersall X Rich Custer Jamie Cuthbert & KT Tinney Howard Cyr & Lynn Ashley* Ellen Dahl* William T. Darley X Denise Davis & Jeanne Bilanin Jeremiah Davis Marsha Davis & Bev Lesher X Patricia Davis Kathy Davison & Ruth Dickerson X Celeste De Bease Frederick Dean & Steven Swierzy X Linda Dean & Donna Whiteside* Penny Lee Dean Scott Dechen & James Maino* Michael Decker & Arley Jaimes X Michael DeGraffenreid Susan Deise & Jerri Budzinski 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 Geri Dibiase Photography* Julie Dickson X Richard Dietz Phyllis Dillinger Tony DiMichele & Jeff Smith* 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 Kathryn Downs Frances Doyle X Paul Dradransky X Michael Driscoll & Ben McOmber X Deanna Duby & Carol Bruce*

Barry Dunkin Gene Dvornick X Sue Early X Frank Echols & Robert Robinson John Eckardt Eden Restaurant X Richard Egler Gail Elliott & Bea Hickey* Pamela Elliott W. Kay Ellis* Ann Evans* Lisa Evans & Joann Gusdanovic John Farley & Dennis Wilson X Susan Farr & Joanne Pozzo Jane Farrell Larry & Ro Fedorka* Karen Ferguson* Mark Fernstrom Virginia Fessler * Jayne & Ro Fetterman* Irene & Edward Fick* Ben Ficks & Bob Angell Allen Fred Fielding X Jerry Filbin* Joe Filipek & Larry Richardson X Mark Finkelstein & Michael Zeik X 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* Bill Ford Mary Ford & Judy Hedrick X Beebe Frazer X Jon Frazier Phil Fretz X Neil Frock & Bob Harrison* Marilyn Fuller & Teresa Marigliano Susan Furman Frank Gainer & Ramon Santos* Lynn Gaites & Faye Koslow X Nina Galerstein* Charles Gallagher & James Day Jerry Gallucci & Conrad Welch* Kathryn Gantz & Kathryn Gehret Don Gardiner X Cheri Garnet Mindy Gasthalter* Wilson Gates X Charles George & Dennis Rivard X Tracey Gersh & Amy Johnson Gary Gillard X Michael Gilles Jordan Gipple & Paul Weppner* Angela & Cheryl Gladowska 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 Robert Gotwalt & Norman Jones Bill Graff & Jeff Schuck* Lisa & Raymond Graff* Continued on page 88

New Breed Brass Band, Freeman Stage, Selbyville

Powerful Philanthropy

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

The arts provide food for our souls, and we are fortunate to have a rich and diverse menu in Delaware.

If you’re passionate about the arts — whether it’s our local performing arts companies, storied museums, arts education nonprofits or something else — you can make a difference 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.

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

87 Letters

Continued from page 86

Paul R. Grant & Marc Watrel* Cheryl Graves 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 Helene Guilfoy X Lori Guitson Bill Gunning & Joe Greoski X Mary Gunning* Carolyn Haas & Debbie Williams Jay Haddock & Hector Torres* Gerard M. Haley & George D. Zahner X Cynthia Hall X Roberta Hamer 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* Helen Healy & Lisa Whitehouse Barb & Len Hedges-Goetti Leslie Hegamaster & Jerry Stansberry* Linda Heisner X David Herchik & Richard Looman X Fred Hertrich X Howard Hicks & Stephen Carey X Helen Hilderbrandt Barbara Hines & Nancy Froome X Howard C. Hines, MD X Karen & Mickey Hinman Janel Hino & Patricia Ann Scully X Cynthia Hogue David Hogue Harris Holden X Connie Holdridge* Robert Holloran & Ed Davis* Brad Holsinger & Ed Moore Mod Cottage* Chris Holt & Emory Bevill X Mollyne Honor & Shelley Garfield Larry Hooker X Penni Hope* James T. Hopkins X Elaine Horan & Debbie Sciallo X Frank Hornstein & Mark Henckel X James Hospital & Jack Fraker* Robert Hotes X Peggy Ann Hughes Kaz Huston & Sylvia Daniels Ellan Hylton Batya Hyman & Belinda Cross* Thomas Ingold X Claire Ippoliti 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 X Kathy Jantzen & Debi Cunn Allen Jarmon & Ward Ellinger X Robert Jasinski*

Letters 88

Mary Jenkins & Laura Reitman Susan Jimenez & Cathy Benson X Chip Johnson - In Memory of Joseph Lachac* Donna A. Johnson* Ken Johnson X Randi Johnson Jim Johnston Richard Jolly & Charles Ingersoll X D. J. Jones* Gay Jones & Barb Bartels Glenn Jones X Sparky Jones Tom Jones X Beth Joselow & Tom Mandel Wayne Juneau X Mick Kaczorowski X Darleen Kahl & Susan Poteet* 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 Peter Keeble & Tom Best Margaret Keefe & Dianne Conine* Mark Kehoe X Donald Kelly* John Kelly & Randy Sutphin X Michael J. Kelly X Ann Kemper John Kennedy Hunter Kesmodel X Tom Ketterman Marge Keyes & Julie Arenstein X Rachel King Spencer Kingswell X Daniel Kinsella* Ilene Klein Jane Knaus & Cindy Myers Stephen Kopp John Kort & Hung Lai* Robert Kovalcik & Bob Howard X Marcia Kratz* Karen Kreiser & Beth Nevill* Kevin W. LaBarge X Cheryl Landry & Lisa Corrado 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 Jon Leeking & Dieulifete Jean* Sherry Leichman & Keith Snyder Lisa Lekawa Charles & Matthew Lentz Jill Leonard Marsha Levine & Susan Hamadock X Arlene & Ginny Levy-Balmforth Barbara Lewis Barbara Lilien* Alexander Lincoln Cindy Lins & Diane Milam Duwayne Litz X Eleanor Lloyd & Celeste Beaupre Robert E. Long X Cynthia Lowe & Rae von Doehren Debbie Lupton & Romana Dobbs Diane Lusk X Minda Lynch Becky Lyons & Ebie Hamrick X Joe Maggio X Loretta Mahan* Bernadette Maher & Cheryl Tarlecky*

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Jack Maher X Nancy Maihoff X Eddie Major X Bruce Majors X Scott Mallan & E.B Easter Harvey Manchester X Domenic Mannello X Stephanie Manos & Reber Whitner X Robb Mapou & Mike Zufall* Anyda Marchant X Kathi Marek & Mary Seminara Charles Marino & Alan Berman* Diane Markey & Randi Snader* Harold Marmon & Robert Hill* Michelle Marsh & Barb Sann Colleen Martin Norma Martin X Linda Martinak & Susan Baker Nan Martino* Marie Martinucci* Joe Matassino & Tim Murray* Jason Darion Mathis John Matthews & Nick Polcini* Eric Matuszak X Linda Mazie & Terry Koff Donna McCabe & Mac Ignacio X Marcia McCollum Edward McCord Kathleen McCormick & Elizabeth Fish X Mary McElhone & Nancy Kaiser X Sherri McGee & Kris Aulenbach Thomas McGlone X Kathleen McGrath Ellen McKeon* 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 Gene Miller & Jane Godfrey Marilyn K. Miller & Candice Zientek* Marvin Miller & Dan Kyle X Robin Miller Shelly Miller Todd A. Miller & Michele Frame X 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 Richard Morgante & Edward McHale* Bob Morris & James Weygandt Pearl Morris* Jack Morrison & Bob Dobbs* Rebecca Moscoso*

Barry Moshinski & Robert Ponzini Andrew K. Moss & Richard Blevins X Donna Mulder & Denise Delesio* Brent Mundt X Mary Murdoch X Joanie Murphy Marie Murray & Deb Ward X Cynthia Myers 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* Janet Nosal Chuck Oakes & Robert Dellanoce* Terry O’Bryan & Jack Musser James O’Dell X James O’Malley X Richard O’Malley X Lisa Orem & Debby Armstrong* 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 Diane Pasatieri Emilie Paternoster & Monica Parr X Carol Patterson & Carol Hughes* Tim Patterson & Harvey Sharpe X Peggy Paul X Lucille & Dan Payne Michelle Peeling & Wendy Adams* Caroline Pellicano & Jodi Foster Beverly Peltz* Roy Perdue X Al Perez & Gary Kraft* Susan Petersen & Luz Cruz Don Peterson & Jeff Richman X 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 Sam Profeta X Sarajane Quinn* Jean Rabian & Ralph Hackett X Joie Rake & Nan Flesher X Elaine Raksis & Maxine Klane* Barb Ralph X

Rob Ramoy X Bob & Mary Beth Ramsey X Linda Rancourt & M. Sue Sandmeyer* Lewis Rathbone* 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* Don Reppy 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 Linda Rikard & Mary Jo Tarallo Keith & John Riley-Spillane X Heather & Cathy Rion Starr 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 Allison Rosenberg Peter Rosenstein X Larry L. Ross X Ellen & Terry Roth Perreault X Barb Rowe X Ski Rowland & Gary Mosher X Joan Rubenstein X Herbert Russell* Steve Sage & Thom Swiger X Chris Sailer & Min Mancini Joe & Nancy Sakaduski* Margaret Salamon* Cindy Sanders & Donna Smith* Sanford & Doris Slavin Foundation X Richard Scalenghe & Thomas Panetta* Kim Schilpp* Nancy Schindler & Eric Youngdale Michael Schlechter & Kevin Sharp X James Schmidt & Carl Horosz 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 Diane Schwarz Diane Scobey X John Scotti & Greg Landers* David Scuccimarra & Dorothy Fedorka* Shirley Semple* Janet & Elaine Shaner & Elizabeth Taylor Marj Shannon & Carla Burton* Continued on page 91

Wrapping up your affairs is the best gift you can give the people you love this holiday season.

225 High Street Seaford, Delaware 19973

1519 Savannah Road Lewes, Delaware 19958 Tel. 302.628.4140 www.pwwlaw.com 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

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

89 Letters

e th d n a H T O B O H E CAMP R S R A E B H C A E B H REHOBOT

E V I R D Y O T L A U N ApluN s Hats, Gloves Coats &

Letters 90

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Continued from page 88

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 Frank Silverio X Marc Silverman & John Campbell* Ann Singleton & Twila McDonough Joanne Sinsheimer & Margaret Beatty* 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* Rich Snell X Claire & Mikki Snyder-Hall Sandra Sommerfield & Cindy Scott X Sandy Souder - Unity of Rehoboth Beach* Stephanie Specht Dee Speck & Linda Kauffman X Jim Spellman X Lorraine Stanish & Beverly Miller* Ginger Stanwick Christy Steer X Frank Sterner X Shelley Stevens & Joanne Locke Lisa Stewart X Libby Stiff & Bea Wagner X Russell & Patricia Stiles* Allison Stine & Pete Jamieson* Terry Stinson* Caroline Stites & Elizabeth Coit X Tracy Stith & Laura McCarthy Dr. Frederick C. Stoner * Rev. Barry Stopfel Michael Stover* Christine Strauss X Lois Strauss X Jackie Sullivan & Sharon Padbury John Swift & Ron Bowman X Melanie Szvitich Stephen Szymanski Gail Tannenbaum & Wendy Walker* Ronald Tate & Jacob Schiavo X Micaela Tedford X Martin Thaler David Thomas & David Tiburzio X The Hon. Henry E. Thomas IV & John-Kevin Litschgi X Laurie Thompson Thomas Tibbetts X Otto F. Tidwell X Linda Toggart & Jane MacDonald Cassandra Toroian X Manny Tortosa X Steve Touzell & Marshall Scott Beadle Cheryll & Bill Trefzger* Carol Trenga & Cheryl Harding Steve Triglia X Roz Troupin & Mary Harris X Matt Turlinski & Jerry Sipes X Ed Turner & Steve Baker X Judy Twell & Cheri Himmelheber Charles Tyrell Bruce Uliss X

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

91 Letters

Visiting View

BY ROBERT DOMINIC

The Gays Survive Another Plague

F

inally, some good news from the CDC for a change. According to an October 17 NPR article, “Monkeypox cases have declined since a peak in early August—from 440 cases a day, down to 60—and they’re the lowest they’ve been since June. The virus has continued to circulate almost entirely within gay and queer sexual networks. And vaccine supply is plentiful, even outstripping the current demand.”

That’s a far cry from the beginning of the summer when the queer community was in a panic with monkeypox cases rising in all major cities, especially NYC, where I live. (Why is NYC always the epicenter of a virus!)

As we have done time and time again in the LGBTQ community, we mobilized to save ourselves. Gays waited in lines, some for hours, to get vaxxed. We told our friends to get vaxxed. Many wouldn’t have sex with those who hadn’t been vaxxed. The gays, in a way, saved themselves. Again.

This isn’t our first rodeo when dealing with a plague. I am sure I don’t have to remind readers of the devastating AIDS epidemic in the early 80s. I used to wonder why gay male friends in their late 50s/early 60s often hung out with much younger people, until they told me, “I am the only one left alive.” A generation of gay men lost.

ACT UP. GMHC. Queer Nation.

And the Band Played On. These are just some examples of how the queer community saved itself during the AIDS epidemic because no one else was saving them. If you haven’t seen the 2012 documentary How to Survive a Plague, do yourself a favor and rent it immediately. More recently, the dramatized HBO Max/BBC America’s It’s a Sin tells the story of a group of twentysomethings in 1980s London.

They’re at the precipice of their lives, with no awareness of the “gay cancer” faintly appearing on the horizon. Be forewarned: it’s heartbreaking.

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saving itself. In July 2021, a COVID outbreak in Provincetown during Bear Week gave witness to how we save ourselves. It literally changed the course of the disease and how the CDC tracked outbreaks. In an NPR article titled, “How a Gay Community Helped the CDC Spot a Covid Outbreak—and Learn More About Delta,” it was written, “The speed of the investigation—and the exceptional participation from the mostly gay men involved in the outbreak—helped the CDC learn new information about the delta variant.”

In July 2021, a COVID outbreak in Provincetown during Bear Week gave witness to how we save ourselves.

“The norms of the gay community say: Share your medical history, share your risks with other people so that they can be responsible and take care of themselves as well,” data scientist Michael Donnely said. “That came with years of practice within the community, particularly around HIV and AIDS.” Once again, the queer community saving itself. Even the notion of the ‘gayborhood’ can be traced back to that idea. Ever wonder how the Castro in San Francisco or Boystown in Chicago came to be? We don’t have to wonder as right now a gayborhood is being created in Cleveland, Ohio—of all places!

I was lucky enough to attend the Grand Opening of the Fieldhouse at Studio West 117 (SW117) in Cleveland’s Lakeland neighborhood. SW117 is a “first-of-its-kind sustainable ecosystem created for and by the LGBTQ+ community.” The Grand Opening featured Phase 1, the Fieldhouse, “a

5,000-square-foot gymnasium and three restaurants, including a rooftop patio, an outdoor courtyard, a demonstration kitchen, and event spaces.” Ongoing programming is expected to include “…LGBTQ+ youth sports leagues, Stonewall sports leagues, senior fitness programming, group fitness classes, drag shows, brunches, pageants, balls, Pride festivities, art exhibits, and more.”

In the coming months, SW117 will open additional entertainment, retail, medical, and residential properties specifically designed to support the LGBTQ+ community and LGBTQ+ business owners. Daniel Budish, cofounder of SW117, had this to say: “Everyone should have a place to go where they feel comfortable in their own skin and can grow and explore. We hope the LGBTQ+ community in the Cleveland area and beyond will find that and much more at Studio West 117.”

The Grand Opening atmosphere was electric and it was beyond exciting to see an actual gayborhood being created.

Plus, RuPaul’s Drag Race royalty Latrice Royale, Roxxy Andrews, and Detoxx were on hand for the festivities!

I am beyond proud to be gay, to be queer, and to be part of a community that constantly looks out for each other. But please, no more plagues: I think we have been through enough! ▼ Robert Dominic splits his time between Brooklyn and Rehoboth Beach. He writes for publications including Instinct Magazine and his own blog, The Gays of Our Lives.

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NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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Stabilizing, Strengthening, and Setting a Course for the Future INTRODUCTION from Wesley Combs, President, CAMP Rehoboth Board

A

s we near the end of 2022, the Board of Directors is pleased to present this overview of CAMP Rehoboth’s programs and services, along with a summary of outcomes achieved year-to-date.

Over the past two years we have done our best to highlight what CAMP Rehoboth does in and for our community via email updates and in Letters.

Through this report, we are providing even more information about how funds raised are put to work.

Previously, CAMP Rehoboth has published a report near the end of the year that summarizes year-to-date financials as well as program outcomes.

Some viewed this as an annual report,

but it is better described as an impact report.

This year we have taken a slightly different approach due to the pandemic’s effect on day-to-day operations and income. In 2020, most programs and services were paused, with some shifting from in-person to virtual venues to ensure the safety of our staff and members.

While the roll-out of a vaccine in early 2021 enabled CAMP Rehoboth to restart some activities, a “new normal” did not arrive until late in the year.

Thanks to the enforcement of safety precautions and additional protection from booster shots, in 2022 CAMP Rehoboth (along with the rest of the country) resumed functioning in a way that more closely compared to our preCOVID operating model.

The 2022 Impact Report includes an overview of CAMP Rehoboth’s

financials for the year 2021, for which the audit was completed in mid-November. The financials will soon be available in the About Us section of our website. While we only publish annual financial data once an audit is completed the year following, we can report that income and expense percentages for 2022, year-to-date, mirror percentages shown for 2021.

The report also includes a summary of the organization’s 2022 operations and its impacts on the LGBTQ+ people who live in Sussex County and across the state of Delaware.

In this year of transition, CAMP Rehoboth remains strong and vibrant. We invite you to learn more about CAMP Rehoboth’s continuous and ongoing commitment to providing the LGBTQ+ community with life-affirming support in this report. ▼

FINANCIALS AT A GLANCE CAMP REHOBOTH’S FINAL 2021 REVENUE figures reveal that nearly three-quarters (72 percent) of total revenue dollars came from Memberships, Grants, Donations and Special Events.

CAMP REHOBOTH FINAL 2021 REVENUE TOTAL: $1,282,847

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CAMP REHOBOTH’S FINAL 2021 EXPENSE figures show that program services (the community center, outreach, and health & wellness) account for 72 percent of total expenses.

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MEMBERSHIP

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

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GRANTS

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OUTREACH

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DONATIONS

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COMMUNITY CENTER

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SPECIAL EVENTS

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FUNDRAISING & DEVELOPMENT

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PPP LOAN FORGIVENESS

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MANAGEMENT & GENERAL

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NEWSLETTER

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RENTAL OPERATIONS

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RENTAL INCOME

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INVESTMENTS | <1%

$260,282 | 20% $228,608 | 18% $224,931 | 17% $203,686 | 16% $151,034 | 12% $140,648 | 11% $72,613 | 6%

CAMP REHOBOTH FINAL 2021 EXPENSES TOTAL: $1,142,202

$298,411 | 26% $287,445 | 25% $240,879 | 21% $120,672 | 11% $151,034 | 10% $78,205 | 7%

CAMP REHOBOTH | IMPACT REPORT 2022

OUR HEART: CAMP REHOBOTH’S FACILITIES, STAFF, AND VOLUNTEERS FACILITIES

Community Center CAMP Rehoboth owns several properties on its downtown campus situated around a center courtyard open to the public: the community center, two retail spaces, and a space dedicated to health and wellness services. Although CAMP Rehoboth has expanded to include many off-site and outreach activities, the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center remains a safe space that houses not only offices, but also resources, education, artistic expression, entertainment, health information, and a place for supportive partners to conduct their essential activities.

The state of Delaware awarded CAMP Rehoboth a $160,000 grant to address high-priority capital repairs.

Facility Improvements In 2022, CAMP Rehoboth was awarded a $160,000 grant from the state of Delaware as part of the General Assembly’s Community Reinvestment Fund. The funds are targeted for highpriority capital repair projects. The improvements will increase energy efficiencies with resulting cost savings, enhance space used for the delivery of vital services, and enable several other renovations aimed at preserving the integrity of the property.

Retail Space The majority of CAMP Rehoboth’s retail space is rented, helping to offset costs associated with maintaining its physical plant. The one exception is a second-floor apartment with adjoining studio, just vacated in August 2022 when co-founder Murray Archibald moved.

The Board is assessing possible uses of this space.

Grants from the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services/Division of Public Health (DHSS/DPH) and TCC Gives (foundation of Verizon), will

enable the conversion of a small portion of the retail space to a Health & Wellness program office. Once completed, this space will enhance client privacy for those receiving confidential HIV testing and counseling services.

Elkins-Archibald Atrium In October 2022, CAMP Rehoboth formally dedicated its community space as the Elkins-Archibald Atrium in recognition of its founders, Steve Elkins and Murray Archibald.

The Elkins-Archibald Atrium serves as a community gathering space for CAMP Rehoboth’s members as well as other local nonprofits, supports community service opportunities through the CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program, and houses annual programs and key events including Women’s FEST and SUNFESTIVAL. In 2022, more than 22 community partners used the Elkins-Archibald Atrium for purposes including meetings, productions, clinics, trainings, service delivery, workshops, and presentations.

STAFF CAMP Rehoboth employs six full-time and one part-time staff. Two key staff positions were filled in 2022: Financial Assistant Derrick Johnson, and Development Manager Laurie Thompson.

Two key staff positions were filled in 2022.

Interim Director Following the departure of Executive Director David Mariner in May, CAMP Rehoboth’s Board of Directors hired Interim Director Lisa Evans to oversee day-to-day operations and help assess the current and emerging needs of CAMP Rehoboth. In September 2022 the Board engaged the services of Michela Perrone, PhD, founder of MMP Associates, to help guide CAMP Rehoboth’s strategic planning process.

Executive Director The Board is currently seeking a search firm or consultant to conduct an executive recruitment for a new executive director. The Board will work with the selected vendor to provide guidance in developing a transition plan, ensure the executive director job function aligns with strategic priorities, and implement a transition process that will result in the successful selection of new executive leadership early in 2023.

Volunteers As of the end of October, 260 CAMP Rehoboth volunteers had contributed 1,459 hours to supporting both CAMP Rehoboth and other community organizations.

As of the end of October, 260 CAMP Rehoboth volunteers had contributed 1,459 hours to supporting both CAMP Rehoboth and other community organizations. Their efforts made possible CAMP Rehoboth’s community events, art shows, fundraisers, and outreach activities.

Between January and mid-October 2022, CAMP Rehoboth Chorus members contributed hundreds of rehearsal hours, performed three concerts, and gave four ensemble performances.

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CAMP REHOBOTH | IMPACT REPORT 2022

OUR FOUR PILLARS

PILLAR 1: HEALTH AND WELLNESS Supporting the health and wellness of our community is an essential part of CAMP Rehoboth’s mission.

During 2022, CAMP Rehoboth provided free and confidential HIV testing, sexual health counseling, wellness programs, flu and human monkeypox (hMPVX) vaccines, and more.

CAMPSafe Between January and October 2022, the CAMPSafe program distributed 80,499 condoms via 27 distribution sites and 19 events across Delaware.

In 1998, CAMPSafe was established as an HIV/AIDS education and outreach program to gay and bisexual men in Kent and Sussex Counties. Since that time, it has grown to include an array of onsite and outreach prevention, testing, and counseling programs. Between

January and October 2022, CAMP Rehoboth: ■ Distributed 80,499 condoms via 27 distribution sites and at 19 events across Delaware ■ Administered free and confidential HIV tests to 118 people at our 37 Baltimore Avenue location and 275 people at our Western Sussex County location.

■ CAMPsafe’s staff attended or sponsored 19 events in Sussex County to provide HIV education and condom distribution.

Classes, Activities, and Support Groups CAMP Rehoboth hosts a wide variety of programs that promote physical activity, social interaction, and spiritual/mental health. Among them are Men’s Yoga, Morning Mindfulness, and Flaming Knitters. One of the most popular is the Women’s Golf League, a group of 80 players who play nine holes each week between May and September.

PILLAR 2: ARTS AND CULTURE CAMP Rehoboth offers theater productions, CAMP Rehoboth Chorus concerts, and art shows showcasing LGBTQ+ artists. All serve to promote cooperation, understanding, and inclusivity throughout the community. After two years of limited events and live streaming, this year CAMP Rehoboth was thrilled to return to in-person activities, reaching 80 percent more people than in the previous year.

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus The 84-member chorus celebrated its 13th anniversary in 2022 with a return to in-person performances in May that drew approximately 1,000 people.

Celebrating its 13th anniversary, the 84-member CAMP Rehoboth Chorus returned to in-person performances in May with the “Great American Songbook” concert series. With attendance at the three concerts totaling approximately 1,000 people, the chorus serves as a vital CAMP Rehoboth ambassador to the community at large.

■ The Chorus Ensemble, composed of 20 chorus members, presented four outreach performances (through October 2022).

Art Shows Through October 2022, CAMP Rehoboth hosted nine art shows in its gallery and atrium, featuring over 80 artists.

From January to October, CAMP Rehoboth hosted nine art shows in the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery and the Elkins-Archibald Atrium, featuring over 80 artists. The ART + ACTIVISM exhibit celebrated Black History Month and Letters 96

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OUR FOUR PILLARS

was our most successful yet. More Black artists than ever participated, including students from Delaware State University. For the sixth year, CAMP Rehoboth hosted the Delaware Division of the Arts’ 2022 Individual Artist Award winners.

Handmade Markets CAMP Rehoboth’s five Handmade Art Markets provided 50 craftspeople an opportunity to display and sell their works.

The CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard was the venue for five Handmade Art Markets, providing a total of 50 craftspeople with the opportunity to display and sell their works. Performers were added this year, adding a new dimension to the events.

CAMP Rehoboth Theatre CAMP Rehoboth’s resident theater company is now in its fifth year. In June, the group held three al fresco performances of two one-act plays in the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard; in September, they sold out three (indoor) performances of 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche.

The Elkins-Archibald Atrium also hosted two additional productions: ■ Rehoboth writer and sit-down comic Fay Jacobs performed two sold-out shows of her new show Aging Gracelessly: Still Rock ‘n Roll to Me on September 23.

■ Delaware Shakespeare Community Tour premiered its Spanish-English musical version of Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras, on October 21.

Film At the invitation of the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, in mid-November CAMP Rehoboth cosponsored the showing of All Male: The International Male Story.

PILLAR 3: ADVOCACY AND EDUCATION CAMP Rehoboth’s statewide efforts to foster the mental and physical health of LGBTQ+ individuals of all ages are especially critical in the current social climate.

CAMP Rehoboth continues to provide diversity, equity, and inclusion training for city and state park police on an annual basis, and advocates for LGBTQ+ equality at the local and state level.

Advocacy Despite years of progress, LGBTQ+ people in America continue to face discrimination in their daily lives, with state legislatures advancing bills that target transgender people, limit local protections, and allow the use of religion to discriminate. CAMP Rehoboth’s commitment to promoting human and civil rights was demonstrated in its advocacy and education work this year.

CAMP Rehoboth: ■ Co-signed a letter to President Biden from the National Women’s Law Center urging the administration to deliver on its broad promise to clarify Title IX’s protections for LGBTQ+ students in the face of escalating threats to their well-being, safety, and educational opportunities.

■ Continued the annual tradition of meeting with US Senator Tom Carper at CAMP Rehoboth to discuss more ways the state and federal government can support LGBTQ+ individuals in the First State.

■ Issued a statement denouncing the SCOTUS Dobbs decision and its devastating consequences for LGBTQ+ people, and all who need safe access to reproductive care.

■ Sent a letter to the Delaware Congressional delegation urging the federal government to expand funding for distribution and access to the hMPVX vaccine beyond high-density population areas

to places where those who need it most are concentrated, like Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Board members were invited to Delaware’s Legislative Hall in Dover

by Governor John Carney to attend his signing of this year’s Pride Month proclamation recognizing the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

In partnership with the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, CAMP Rehoboth hosted a community town hall addressing the hMPVX public health emergency.

In celebration of Transgender Awareness Month, CAMP Rehoboth co-sponsored an ACLU event entitled “Speaking Freely: LGBTQ+ Expression in Schools.”

Police Training CAMP Rehoboth Health & Wellness Coordinator Amber Lee and Board member Chris Beagle conducted sensitivity training for more than 50 Rehoboth Beach Police cadets, Delaware Natural Resources and Environmental Control officers, and state park personnel.

Tax Preparation CAMP Rehoboth partnered with AARP to offer tax assistance, beginning in mid-February, to 216 community members.

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OUR FOUR PILLARS

PILLAR 4: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT OUTREACH Community engagement is key to CAMP Rehoboth’s growth and impact. CAMP Rehoboth pursues engagement through a variety of means designed to connect, inform, and positively impact individuals and organizations in Delaware.

Through October 2022, CROP’s 130 volunteers donated 320 hours of support to organizations and causes that share our goal of building a better community.

CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) CROP began in 2009 as Volunteer on Vacation (VOV), when a group of individuals got together to respond to community needs and paint the West Rehoboth Community Center. In 2015, VOV became the CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Pro-

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gram or “CROP.” Today CROP continues to offer community service opportunities to all who have the time and willingness to make a difference.

CROP provided 130 volunteers who donated 320 hours of support to organizations and causes that share our goal of building a better community. Support was provided to the Food Bank of Delaware, Southern Delaware Therapeutic Riding, Cape Henlopen State Park, the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk, and Brandywine Valley SPCA.

Youth Outreach CAMP Rehoboth offers a variety of programs for LGBTQ+ youth (ages 11-19) and young adults (ages 18-25). These include: ■ YouthUp! Monthly Social, aimed at connecting youth so they might create community and develop friendships.

■ Youth Discussion Group, which creates a safe, open space for LGBTQ+ youth to engage with other like-minded individuals in conversation without fear of being bullied, ridiculed, and/or isolated.

■ Young Adult Discussion Group, a

virtual group designed for young adults, ages 18-25, which offers support through a life period full of changes. This group is a partnership between CAMP Rehoboth and NAMI Delaware.

■ Youth Book Club, a virtual group which reads and discusses a book, selected by other youth, that revolves around queer identities and lives.

EVENTS

Women’s FEST Women’s FEST, a four-day long celebration each April, returned for its 21st year as an in-person event that included keynote speakers, vendor expo, singles mixer, silent and live auctions, sporting events and games, comedy acts, dances, and concerts featuring nationally and regionally renowned entertainers.

It wrapped up with the Broadwalk on the Boardwalk, which raised funds for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition.

More than 3,000 people participated in CAMP Rehoboth’s Women’s FEST and SUNFESTIVAL events this year.

CAMP REHOBOTH | IMPACT REPORT 2022

OUR FOUR PILLARS

SUNFESTIVAL SUNFESTIVAL, CAMP Rehoboth’s largest fundraiser of the year, was a huge success. Events included a 5K, SUNFESTIVAL’s sold-out auction and show headlined by Emmy Award-winning comedian Judy Gold, and the return of Sundance, featuring DJs Robbie Leslie and James Anthony. It featured an ecstatic crowd, rejoicing that they were back together once again, after 2.5 years of isolation and uncertainty.

Block Party In October, more than 2,000 people and 92 vendors attended the CAMP Rehoboth Block Party, which returned for the first time since 2018—uncooperative weather and COVID each having resulted in cancellations during the intervening years.

Battle of the Bachelors The 31st annual Battle of the Bachelors was held at Aqua Bar & Grill in August 2022, raising $26,650 to support CAMP Rehoboth’s critical programs and services.

COMMUNICATIONS

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth From February through October 2022, 51,500 copies of Letters were printed and made available at 116 distribution points throughout the area.

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth continues to serve as a vital resource for the LGBTQ+ community, providing information on CAMP Rehoboth’s events and programs, advertising space for local businesses and nonprofits, and visibility for LGBTQ+ voices and topics. Letters is the most visible part of the CAMP Rehoboth operation in the general community, serving to educate and inform the broader public.

In 2022 (February through October issues), 51,500 copies of Letters were printed. They were made available at 116 distribution points throughout the area.

across the board, with followers of Facebook pages (e.g., CAMP Rehoboth, Women’s FEST, CAMP Rehoboth Chorus) up about four percent for each page (March to October). Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram followers have increased by four to nine percent over this same time period.

Website CAMP Rehoboth’s website is heavily used; year to date, approximately 74,000 users had nearly 100,000 sessions with more than 230,000 page views. Google analytics statistics reveal a 40 percent increase in users over the March to October 2022 time period, with a corresponding 43 percent increase in sessions, and a 29 percent increase in page views.

The site is currently undergoing modernization and update, with completion planned for early-2023. ▼

Social Media CAMP Rehoboth’s social media communications continue to build momentum. Metrics are up nearly

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Training CAMP

BY JON ADLER KAPLAN

Intermittent Fasting It Might Be for You!

A

s a fitness trainer who is aging, I am constantly looking for hacks to keep my body as healthy and young as possible. I recommend Intermittent Fasting (IF) to shake up your routine.

IF is not new. The practice has been around for years but has gained popularity recently. IF offers multiple benefits to fitness enthusiasts. It’s not complicated, can improve your metabolism, reduce sugar and snack cravings, and enhance the fat-burning process.

History shows that eating frequently was often not an option for hunters and gatherers. In modern times, we keep eating throughout the day without giving the body enough time to burn the fat. During IF, you focus on consuming healthy (nutrient-dense) calories with an emphasis on proteins.

There are many popular ways to do intermittent fasting, but the most popular is the 16:8 method. This method encourages fasting for 16 hours of the day with an eating period of eight hours.

Taylor Domann, a registered dietitian at Rise Fitness + Adventure, suggests starting with a schedule that is realistic for you. “Everybody is different and to achieve success with IF you must work within your schedule.” Taylor also recommends that you stay well hydrated during your fasting hours with non-caloric fluids. This includes water, coffee, herbal teas, bone broth, and non-caloric energy drinks.

During your eight-hour eating window it is recommend you eat slowly and frequently. Domann suggests eating every two to three hours so you can get your calories in. She also reminds us: this eating plan is not for everyone— especially those with pre-existing health conditions—and you should always talk to your primary healthcare provider before starting a new diet.

There are several evidence-based benefits of IF: Letters 100

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Can help you lose weight. IF results in eating fewer meals, most likely eating fewer calories. Additionally, IF enhances hormone function to facilitate weight loss. As a result, short-term fasting increases your metabolic rate, helping you burn even more calories.1 Changes the function of cells, hormones, and genes. When you don’t eat for a while, several things happen in your body: → Blood levels of insulin lower significantly, which helps to burn fat.2 → Blood levels of human growth hormone (HGH) may increase. Higher levels of HGH encourage fat burning and muscle gain..3 → The body promotes cellular repair, such as removing waste material from cells.4 → There are beneficial changes in certain genes related to longevity and protection against disease.4 Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. Several studies show that IF may enhance the body’s resistance to oxidative stress which is one of the steps toward aging and other chronic diseases.

Other studies show that IF helps fight inflammation.5 Promotes various cellular repair processes. When we fast, the cells in the body begin a “waste removal” process called autophagy (breaking down dysfunctional proteins that build up in the cells over time). Increased autophagy may provide protection against several diseases, including cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.6 Improves brain health. IF improves various metabolic features known to be important for brain health. Several studies in rats and mice show that IF increases the growth of new nerve cells, which benefits brain function.7 May extend your lifespan. One of the most exciting things coming out of research is the ability to extend our lives. In some of the studies, the effects

were dramatic. In one study, rats that fasted every other day lived 83 percent longer than rats which didn’t fast.

Given the known benefits for metabolism and other health markers, it shows promise that IF could help you live a longer and healthier life.8 The bottom line—IF has been demonstrated to increase muscle mass and burn body fat. It activates systems in your body to help the production of HGH to aid in bone and muscle growth.

Not only does it help reshape your body, but it may also protect against certain diseases and increase your lifespan.

Before trying IF, be sure to consult with your physician to see if it might be right for you. If you decide to give it a try, I would love to hear from you! ▼ Jon Adler Kaplan is a Health Coach and Fitness Trainer both virtually and at Rise Fitness and Adventure. Email Jon with any fitness questions at jonadlerkaplan@gmail.com.

1 Varady, Krista A et al. “Clinical application of intermittent fasting for weight loss: progress and future directions.”

Nature reviews. Endocrinology vol. 18,5 (2022): 309-321. doi:10.1038/s41574-022-00638-x 2 Park, Sunmin et al. “Intermittent fasting reduces body fat but exacerbates hepatic insulin resistance in young rats regardless of high protein and fat diets.” The Journal of nutritional biochemistry vol. 40 (2017): 14-22. doi:10.1016/j. jnutbio.2016.10.003 3 Nakajima, M. Nihon Naibunpi Gakkai zasshi vol. 47,8 (1971): 550-60. doi:10.1507/endocrine1927.47.8_550 4 Mattson, Mark P et al. “Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.” Ageing research reviews vol.

39 (2017): 46-58. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005 5 Dong, Tiffany A et al. “Intermittent Fasting: A Heart Healthy Dietary Pattern?.” The American journal of medicine vol. 133,8 (2020): 901-907. doi:10.1016/j.amjmed.2020.03.030 6 Antunes, Fernanda et al. “Autophagy and intermittent fasting: the connection for cancer therapy?.” Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) vol. 73, suppl 1 e814s. 10 Dec. 2018, doi:10.6061/ clinics/2018/e814s 7 Gudden, Jip et al. “The Effects of Intermittent Fasting on Brain and Cognitive Function.” Nutrients vol. 13,9 3166. 10 Sep. 2021, doi:10.3390/nu13093166 8 Mehta, Linda Hotchkiss, and George S Roth. “Caloric restriction and longevity: the science and the ascetic experience.” Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences vol. 1172 (2009): 28-33. doi:10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04409.x

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

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

101 Letters

1

(Continued from page 67) THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at CAMP Rehoboth Block Party: Kip Kunsman, Lori Waldee-Warden, Steven Haber, Eric Korpon, Jay-Xavier Johnson, Derrick Johnson, Amber Lee, Matty Brown, Lisa Evans, Jeff McCracken, Garrett Gacusano, RB Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski, Wendy Eaby, Chris Rouchard, Marvin Miller, Steve Cannon, Matt Rice, Mike Deflavia, Ron Butt, Marc Donnelly, Chris Wilbert, Joe Kearney, Ivy Blue Austin, Sam Gerbino, Brian Helson, Terri McNamara, Brian McDevitt, Maureen Hough, Linda Bova.

OPPOSITE PAGE 2) at La Fable: Jim D’Orta, Jed Ross; 3) at Purple Parrot: Peggy Reed, Christopher Rounds, Hugh Fuller, Patrick Hegarty; 4) at Blue Moon: Martin Morris, Ryan Williamson; 5) at Ava’s Pizzeria & Wine Bar: David Carder, Richard Thibodeau; 6) at The Pond’s 40th Anniversary: Jinx Jenkins, Claire Snyder-Hall, Mikki Snyder-Hall, John Renshaw, Liz Renshaw; 7) at The Pines: Seth Sikes, Matt Aument, Rob Crosby, Jeff Whitesell, Xavier Mondoza, David Bunch, Jeff Smith, Tony DiMichele; 8) at Aqua: Scott Shaughnessy, Santiago Lopez, Franck Hevry, Maria Delucia, Chris Handlin, Angelo Tabbita: 9) at Café Azafran: Hilton Garrett, Carol Bresler, Carolyn Billinghurst, Michele Garrett. ▼ Letters 102

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Delaware Hospice provides more than in-home hospice services.

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

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

Letters 104

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

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

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

delawarehospice.org 302.683.8948

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 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

105 Letters

WE REMEMBER Jordan James Gipple

J

ordan James Gipple, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, passed away at home on Saturday, October 29. He was born on August 12, 1966, in Washington, DC. Jordan grew up in the metro DC area and lived and worked there as a chef and restaurant manager. He graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in 1987.

Jordan was an exceptionally talented chef, salesman, and event organizer, planning everything from presidential inaugural ball dinners to fêtes for Princess Diana. For most people, that would have been enough. But Jordan loved growth and challenges.

He went back to school at George Mason University and finished with a BS in information systems in 2001. He built a career as an IT project manager first for Verizon, and more recently, the Grant Street Group out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was a self-proclaimed technology geek who also loved to connect with people and was as comfortable writing software as he was cooking amazing food for his friends and family.

Jordan met the love of his life, Paul

Weppner, 26 years ago. They were joyously married on September 6, 2014, which Jordan described as the best day of his life. Paul’s large extended and loving family enveloped Jordan, bringing him great happiness. Rehoboth, where they enjoyed an extensive network of family and friends, became their primary residence in 2014.

Jordan reveled in traveling with Paul, friends, and family. He liked to stay active and social with fitness classes, skiing, snowboarding, and scuba diving.

Often, he could be found relaxing on the beach, cooking, and doing home projects around the house.

Jordan was also a dedicated volunteer for AA and CAMP Rehoboth. He was passionate about both these organizations, and happily devoted much of his time and effort to them.

Above all, time spent with those he held dear was what he cherished most.

Jordan loved his family. His youth and energy endeared him to his nieces and nephews, who treasure memories of beach vacations with Uncle Jordan and Uncle Paul. Jordan was a loving hus-

band, brother, uncle, and friend.

Jordan is survived by his beloved husband, Paul Weppner; his brothers: E.G. Gipple (Karin) of Annapolis, Maryland, and Jesse Gipple of West Virginia; his sister, Jean Gipple (Doug Oliver) of Oregon; his mother-in-law, Winnifred Weppner, of Frankford, Delaware; many extended family; and countless friends.

The family suggests donations in Jordan’s memory to CAMP Rehoboth at camprehoboth.com. ▼

Montserrat Carmen Miller

M

ontserrat Carmen Miller died on October 1, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia, of breast cancer. Montserrat was born on March 28, 1969, at the military hospital of Fort Belvoir, Virginia to Captain Alan and Clara Miller. She grew up in Springfield, Virginia and loved spending summers with her extended family in Costa Brava, Spain.

Montserrat received a BA from George Mason University and a JD from American University Washington College of Law. She began her distinguished law career in the US Senate as Judiciary Committee Counsel to Senator Dianne Feinstein before serving as a trial attorney for the US Department of Justice, Immigration and Naturalization Service. She continued her work in immigration and data privacy as a partner at Arnall Golden Gregory LLP in both the Washington, DC and Atlanta offices. Throughout her career, Montserrat was guided by her Letters 106

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

tenacious commitment to the rights of all people seeking a new home in the United States.

Montserrat sought out the friendship and company of people like herself: change makers with big hearts. Whether at the office, at church, on the golf course, on epic outdoor adventures, in her world travels, or paddle boarding on the marsh near her beloved house in Rehoboth, Montserrat made a lasting impact on the many people she encountered, creating lifelong friendships and indelible memories.

In February of 2018, Montserrat met the love of her life, Mignon Crawford. The couple lived in separate cities for less than a year before Montserrat left Washington, DC to make a home with Mignon in Atlanta. They were married at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church in Atlanta on September 18, 2021, followed by a ridiculously joyful celebration with family and friends.

Montserrat is survived by her wife Mignon; her mother Clara; many extended family; countless friends; and two devoted cats.

The family requests memorials be directed to St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Atlanta, Georgia, in honor of Montserrat’s ministry with the altar guild. ▼

WE REMEMBER Donna F. Mulder

D

onna F. Mulder, 66, of Georgetown, passed away Tuesday, September 20. She was born March 27, 1956, in Sioux Center, Iowa, where she lived until enlisting in the Army after high school.

While serving in the Army, Donna was recruited to play basketball and continue her education at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. Donna was a key member of the Elizabethtown women’s basketball team for four years and helped lead the team to its first NCAA National Championship in 1982. Donna received a bachelor’s degree in accounting in 1982 and later earned a master’s degree in taxation from Widener University.

She joined the firm Chubb & Associates in Pennsylvania, where she quickly rose to partner as a CPA. The firm merged with Pennsylvania accounting firm Brown, Shultz, Sheridan & Fritz,

Dennis Franklin Shuell

D

ennis Franklin Shuell, 73, of Lewes, passed away Monday, October 10. He was born May 27, 1949, in Vancouver, Washington.

Dennis graduated from Jefferson High School in Portland, Oregon, and from the University of Maryland, where he received a bachelor’s degree in psychology. He was a proud veteran, having honorably served in the US Air Force from 1969-73. Following his discharge, Dennis worked for the federal government in various agencies for over 38 years, where his final job was with the Department of Transportation for the US Coast Guard at Buzzard’s Point. Dennis lived for a time on Capitol Hill before retiring to Rehoboth Beach.

Above all, he enjoyed spending time with those he held most dear. Dennis was a loving and dedicated partner and friend.

Dennis is survived by his partner of 37 years, Richard Wiglarz; his sister, Carmen Clark, of Oregon; his brother, Monte Wolfer, of Idaho; numerous nieces and nephews; and many, many close friends. ▼

where she remained partner until moving to Delaware in 2008.

She then became owner of Tax & Accounting Associates in Lewes.

Donna enjoyed riding her bike, gardening, and reading. The beach was her happy place, where she loved spending days with her lifelong partner, Denise, and their dog, Bella. Throughout her life, Donna positively touched many people’s lives in many ways. Her kind, loving and generous nature will be greatly missed by all who were blessed to have known her.

Donna is survived by her spouse, Denise Delesio, of Georgetown; her siblings and in-laws; and many extended family.

Memorial contributions may be made in Donna’s memory to the American Heart Association, or The Shepherd’s Office, 408 N. Bedford Street, Georgetown, Delaware 19947. ▼

Carl J. Caratozzolo

C

arl J. Caratozzolo, 79, of Milton, passed away Friday, October 21, at Accent Care Hospice Center in Wilmington. He was born November 27, 1942, in Brooklyn, New York.

Carl grew up in Brooklyn but spent most of his adult life in the Boston area. He and his partner, Jerry, ran successful businesses together, culminating in their beautiful fine gifts and confections boutique, Sweet

Thoughts, in Melrose, Massachusetts.

Carl, along with Jerry, was the ultimate host and enjoyed many years of entertaining friends and family.

In 2016, they retired to Milton to be closer to family.

Carl always stood out for his adventurous nature, artistic style, and compassion for those around him. He loved cooking, the arts, fine dining, and travel, but most of all he loved his family. ▼

Richard “Rich” P. Ritter

R

ichard “Rich” P. Ritter, age 80, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, passed away on Thursday, November 3. He was born on September 4, 1942, in Jersey City, New Jersey. He earned his bachelor’s degree in business from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

As a painter and interior decorator, his career brought him much joy as he helped to help create beautiful spaces for people. He also thoroughly enjoyed antiquing, volunteering his time to help those in need, and spending time with his family and friends. He was a loving and devoted son, brother, uncle, partner, and friend who will be deeply missed by all who were blessed to know him.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his beloved friend, Henry J. Wojtowitz, and his brother, Robert W. Ritter. He is survived by his brother, Harold V. Ritter, Jr.; his sister-in-law, Patricia M. Ritter; and many extended family.

The family requests contributions in his name to St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 152 Tulip Drive, Lewes, DE 19958 or stjudelewes.org. ▼ NOVEMBER 18, 2022

107 Letters

thank you 5 LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE Brian Cox Bob Croker Richard Dietz Lissa Dulany Mary Gilligan Dennis Harr Rochelle Parks Mary Rossettini Brenda Zenoka

ACLU’S “SPEAKING FREELY: LGBTQ+ EXPRESSION IN SCHOOLS” EVENT Barbara Breault Mary Gilligan Sharon Morgan Kim Nelson TJ Sheldon Lori Simmons ARTS TEAM Logan Farro Jane Knaus Lois Powell Leslie Sinclair Patricia Stiles Debbie Woods BEEBE HEALTHCARE FLU CLINIC Lissa Dulany Richard Gamble Paul Lindsey

Letters 108

BLOCK PARTY VOLUNTEERS Ivy Blue Austin Chris Beagle Joe Benshetler Lillian Berenberg Indiana Bones Scott Burdette Rick Buske CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Ensemble Joe Catrambone Destiny B. Childs & Freddie’s Cast Bruce Clayton Clear Space Theatre Ensemble Wesley Combs Chris Cossette Jeff Dannis Mike Deflavia Diamond Doll & Port 251 Cast Richard Dietz Aura DuBoyz Lissa Dulany Eric Engelhart Michael Fetchko Dan Foran Peter Garneau David Garrett Sam Gerbino Kasey Gonzalez-Cruz Bob Grant Brian Heldson Jim Hoban Muriel Hogan Mollyne Honor

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Jay-Xavier Johnson Kristina Kelly Mona Lotts Michelle Manfredi Rick Miller Natalie Moss Tamia Gisele Mykles Dennis Otten Roxy Overbrooke Keith Petrack Robert Ponzini Barb Ralph Linda Rikard Dennis Rodriguez Jennifer Rubenstein James Schmidt Diane Scobey Leslie Sinclair Tony Sowers Frank Steyh Julia Sugarbaker II & Shrimpy’s Cast Gail Tannenbaum Mary Jo Tarallo Joe Vescio Wendy Walker Kathy Wiz Debbie Woods John Zingo

CAMP COMMUNITY CENTER Glenn Lash Natalie Moss Sandra Skidmore

CAMP MAINTENANCE Eric Korpon CAMPCIERGES Joe Benshelter Barbara Breault Ken Currier Lynn Eisner Jim Mease Kim Nelson Patricia Stiles Russell Stiles Joe Vescio

CAMPSAFE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING E.J. Kenyon Sharon Morgan Alan Spiegelman Joe Vescio CAMPSHOTS PHOTO VOLUNTEERS Tony Burns David Garrett Laura Reitman CHORUS LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE Bill Fuchs Dianna Johnston Judy Olsen Dave Scuccimarra Sandra Skidmore

to all the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center volunteers for the period: September 30 - November 4, 2022

CONDOM/BUTTON/ BAG STUFFING PARTY Joe Catrambone Mark Eubanks Richard Gamble Todd Hacker Paul Lindsey Shawn McCugh Jim Mease Dennis Otten Doug Sellers CROP AT THE FOOD BANK Deb Carroll Mark Eubanks Kristine Evenson Robert Grant Pete Gulas Todd Hacker Donna Hitchens Jim Mease Doug Sellers Dave Walker DE SHAKESPEARE COMMUNITY TOUR Rick Buske Bobby Croker Richard Dietz GRANTS COMMITTEE Leslie Calman Kate Cauley David Garrett John Roane Leslie Sinclair

LETTERS DISTRIBUTION TEAM Todd Hacker Glenn Lash Jim Mease LETTERS MAILING TEAM Nancy Hewish Grant Kingswell Vicki Martina Stephen Palmer Russell Stiles Linda Yingst MEMBERSHIP TEAM Jane Blue Ann Evans SEA WITCH PARADE Karen Anderson Chris Beagle James Buswold Candi Clark Bruce Clayton Wes Combs Jordan Crump Brenda Dunn Eric Engelhart Kasey Gonzalez-Cruz Marilyn Hewitt Carl Horosz

Tony Incalctera Jay-Xavier Johnson Leslie Ledogar Jen Leitner Michelle Manfredi Jason Mathis Harper Maull Edith Romero James Schmidt Aubrey Scott TJ Sheldon Joe Vescio VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Liz Aranza Chris Beagle Jim Mease Kim Nelson Rina Pellegrini Leslie Sinclair John Michael Sophos Debbie Woods

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CAMPSHOTS PHOTOGRAPHERS Shoot CAMPshots for Letters! Use your camera or iPhone, or the CAMP Rehoboth office camera. More guidelines will be shared with volunteers.

CAMP REHOBOTH HOLIDAY HANDMADE MARKET Volunteers needed for the Holiday Handmade Market in the CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium, Friday, December 9, 5 - 8 PM. Tasks include set-up, greeters, bar, and breakdown.

Sign up at camprehoboth.com/volunteers.

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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.

— PLEASE VISIT — camprehoboth.com/volunteers

to register as a volunteer and to sign up for available opportunities.

Fourth-Page-V

CROSSWORD PUZZLE SOLUTION (puzzle on page 76)

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

302-227-9481 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

109 Letters

AD INDEX Accent On Travel....................................................13 AG Renovations......................................................40 Aqua Bar & Grill......................................................53 Atlantic Jewelry......................................................36 Beebe Healthcare..................................................71 Beebe Healthcare Career Opportunities............ 105 Brandywine Urology Consultants...........................17 Brandywine Valley SPCA........................................35 bsd..........................................................................43 Café Azafrán...........................................................73 CAMP Rehoboth 2023 Save the Dates..................26 CAMP Rehoboth Letters Subscription................. 109 CAMP Rehoboth Premier Sponsors.........................8 Caroline Huff, Artist................................................15 Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.......................................7 Chesapeake & Maine, Dogfish Head.....................69 Chris Beagle Group, Realtors.................................25 Clear Space Theatre...............................................33 Coho’s Market & Grill..............................................37 Country Lawn Care.............................................. 110 County Bank...........................................................27 DE Div of Public Health, Tobacco...........................21 Delaware Community Foundation.........................87 Delaware Hospice............................................... 104 Diego’s Bar Nightclub............................... 48, 49, 51 Donna Whiteside, Realtor......................................12 Dos Locos Fajita & Stonegrill..................................63 Drift Seafood & Raw Bar.........................................32

Letters 110 NOVEMBER 18, 2022

Fifth Avenue Jewelers............................................45 Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant..........59, 61, 111 Fulton Bank............................................................69 Gay Men’s Chorus DC.............................................27 go fish go brit.........................................................89 Hugh Fuller, Realtor................................................54 Humane Animal Partners Delaware.......................40 Immanuel Shelter................................................ 104 Jack Lingo, Real Estate....................................... 101 Jenn Harpel, Morgan Stanley.................................19 John Black/Bill Peiffer, Realtors.............................41 Jolly Trolley............................................................89 Just In Thyme Restaurant.......................................31 Lana Warfield, Realtor............................................89 Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Realtors........................93 LifeMed Institute....................................................77 Lori’s Café..............................................................76 Loves Liquors.........................................................37 Maplewood Dental Associates............................ 109 McWilliams Ballard Real Estate..............................39 MERR Institute..................................................... 104 Milton Theatre........................................................85 Nassau Valley Vineyards........................................15 New Wave Spas......................................................60 Olivia Travel..............................................................9 Pizza Machine........................................................44 Purple Parrot..........................................................55 PWW Law................................................................89

Randy Mason/Shirley Kalvinsky, Realtors..............19 Rehoboth Beach Bears...........................................83 Rehoboth Beach Dental.........................................40 Rehoboth Guest House..........................................40 Reiki CENTRAL........................................................73 Rigby’s Bar & Grill...................................................79 Saved Souls Animal Rescue...................................73 Sea Bova Associates, Realtors............................ 112 Southern Delaware Chorale...................................25 Springpoint Choice.................................................72 State Farm—George Bunting.................................31 State Farm—Jeanine O’Donnell/Eric Blondin.........45 Sussex Family YMCA..............................................60 The Lodge at Truitt Homestead..............................32 The Pines................................................................47 Time to Heal Counseling & Consulting..................82 Toy Drive.................................................................90 Troy Roberts, Realtor..............................................27 Unfinished Business...............................................45 Urban Float.............................................................69 Village Volunteers............................................... 108 Volunteer Opportunities...................................... 109 Volunteer Thank You........................................... 108 Westminster Presbyterian Church..........................19 Windsor’s Flowers............................................... 109 WSFS Bank.............................................................31

NOVEMBER 18, 2022

111 Letters

LINDA BOVA

BRIDGET BAUER

BROKER-ABR®

ASSOC. BROKER-REALTOR®

CELL

CELL

302-542-4197

302-245-0577

HOLLY OAK - Lewes. New Construction – Late Winter Delivery.

Double 1-acre lot. 3BR/2BA home is a 1,506 sq. ft. one-level rancher w/oversized 2-car garage. Open concept floor plan. Great room opens to the kitchen and dining area. There is also a sliding glass door 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. $490,000 (2029152)

SANDY BEACH - Dagsboro. 2019-built 3BR/3BA home is 2,048 sq. ft. with an additional 1,120 sq. ft. in the full, unfinished basement.

Luxury vinyl plank flooring on the main level with 9’ ceilings. Living room opens to the kitchen, which has quartz countertops & stainless appliances. The kitchen adjoins formal dining area.

1st-floor main BR suite.

Other 2 bedrooms are upstairs next to the family room. 13 miles to Bethany Beach. Boat slip leases are available *ask for details* $473,500

CAMELOT MEADOWS Rehoboth. 1988 2BR/2BA w/den & 4-Season porch.

1,386sf. Big shed w/electric.

Carport. 3.5 miles to beach.

Community pool. $169,000

(2029962) +$5,000 Seller Assist Credit at Settlement

(2032118) Lot Rent $810/mt

CAMELOT MEADOWS Rehoboth. 1973 2BR/2BA is 1,488sf. Sunroom & enclosed porch. Fencing & shed. 3.5 miles to beach. Community pool. $150,000 (2027780) Lot

Rent $827/mt

~ CALL ~ THERESA CAPPUCCINO REALTOR ®

609-515-5820 cell email

DelawareBeach@yahoo.com

CLEARWATER - Frankford.

1998 3BR/2BA Key Weststyle home. Corner lot with a fenced yard. 2.5 miles to the Bethany Beach boardwalk.

Condo dues $950/yr. Pool & Tennis. $539,000 (2032036)

COFFEE RUN - Hockessin. 1974 3BR/2BA 3rd-floor condo in an elevator building. Pool views from the balcony & all rooms! Giorgi Kitchens of Wilmington designed this condo’s kitchen & main bath. Condo dues of $650/mt. include water, hot water, heat, AC, and cable/Internet. $309,000 (DENC2031966)

LOCHWOOD - Lewes. New Construction Delivery TBD. The Cedarwood is 3BR/2BA 1,634 sq. ft. home. Popular open floor plan.

Gas fireplace. Kitchen will feature stainless steel appliances & granite countertops. 0.23 acres. 10 miles to beach. Low HOA fees $280/year. $484,900 (2027444)

~ CALL ~ PAMELA M. SCHAEFER REALTOR ®

302-388-8299 cell email PMS1530@aol.com

SILVER VIEW FARM Rehoboth. 2011 3BR/2BA doublewide. Living room & sunroom. Split BR plan.

Big kitchen. Pool & just 3 miles to beach. $189,900 (2031176) Lot Rent $646/mt.

POT-NETS CREEKSIDE Long Neck. Nicely remodeled 1985 2BR/2BA home is +1,300sf. Big kitchen.

Fenced yard. Shed w/elec. So many amenities! $199,000 (2031668) Lot Rent $689/mt.

ANGOLA ESTATES - Lewes.

2006 3BR/2BA home is 2,384 sq. ft. 12’x40’ sunroom. LV & family room w/gas FP. Marina & 2 pools. 10 miles to beach. $224,900 (2030318) Lot Rent $725/mt. includes sewer.

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