Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 35, No. 4

Welcoming Summer Celebrating Pride Thriving Together

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

May 16, 2025 Volume 35, Number 4 camprehoboth.org

MAKE AN IMPACT TODAY Your support helps us forge proud and safe communities where gender identity and sexual orientation are respected.

EXPLORE WAYS TO GIVE We strongly believe in the mission of CAMP Rehoboth. We know CAMP Rehoboth is a big reason why we have a tight knit group of friends, marriage equality, and a local support system that can be activated with one phone call or email. We want CAMP Rehoboth to succeed, especially over the next four years.

— Jennifer Rubenstein & Diane Scobey

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GIVE NOW u Contact our Development Manager, Laurie Thompson, at laurie@camprehoboth.org to learn more about these ways to give.

Give.CAMPRehoboth.org Letters 2

MAY 16, 2025

EIN # 51-0331962 © CAMP Rehoboth 2025

From the Executive Director

BY KIM LEISEY, PHD

And Yet, We Persist

E

very day, individuals seek out the safe space of CAMP Rehoboth—a place where they can speak without fear, exist without shame, and dream without limitation. It’s a place where a parent of a trans teen can access affirming healthcare information, where an elder who lost their life partner can find bereavement support, and where young adults can find a social network.

But what happens if that space disappears? This isn’t about closing a building or program; it’s about erasing lifelines and an affirming culture that has existed for decades.

When organizations like ours disappear, people don’t just lose resources— they lose connection. They lose access to someone who will say, “I see you,” in a world that still too often looks away. Our work isn’t abstract. It shows up in health empowerment programming, support groups, socials, healthcare referrals, cultural events, safety planning for those fleeing violence, and in joyful community events that affirm identity and belonging.

In this short year we’ve helped over 10 people who lost a spouse or life partner to access bereavement services and support. Without our support many of them would need to travel hours to find LGBTQ+ bereavement support.

We’ve helped many parents and caregivers of LGBTQ+ youth find support, counselors, a community, and access to helpful school administrators. Real people with real situations are supported and cared for.

Over the years, our organization hasn’t just supported individuals—it’s helped

transform the cultural and economic landscape of this region. We’ve created space for stories, voices, and leadership to thrive. We’ve helped shift public attitudes, train schools and businesses, and build a visible, resilient queer presence in a place where silence once prevailed.

There is power in this moment. Power in what can happen when we stay.

This current year, so far, CAMP Rehoboth has trained police in four cities as well as our state park personnel throughout Delaware. The trust and deep ties between state and local agencies and CAMP Rehoboth have been built over many years. Relationships with healthcare systems, state departments, and politicians throughout the state have built a foundation of trust, respect, and appreciation. Decades of CAMP Rehoboth’s strong presence with a reputation of service, support, and compassion have garnered an ability for many LGBTQ+ folks to live authentically.

We’ve seen how quickly progress can unravel when the support behind it disappears. Safe spaces vanish. Community events don’t return. New generations grow up without seeing themselves reflected in the community.

As we learn about the defunding of important programs and services, we must be alert and ready for scenarios that risk our existence. We don’t hold dangerous assumptions that someone else will step in to serve our community. We fill gaps

that no one else sees or understands, because we are the community we serve. Without us, those who are already marginalized will be pushed further to the edges—out of support networks, out of sight, and back into the closet. The loss wouldn’t just be felt by LGBTQ+ people—it would impact the openness, vibrancy, and humanity of the entire region.

There is power in this moment. Power in what can happen when we stay. Donors and allies have the ability to choose visibility over invisibility, compassion over complacency, and living authentically over hiding. Your support keeps us here as a community, it keeps someone on the other end of the line, it keeps hope alive, and it keeps the culture of the region affirming and open.

I don’t want to talk about what happens if we disappear. I want to talk about what’s possible when we thrive. We want people to feel a sense of belonging and to have access to good and supportive healthcare. We want seniors to have culturally competent care as they age. We want youth to imagine futures with hope and enthusiasm. We want our businesses to thrive. We want to celebrate with our allies.

You have the power to keep our work and this community going. Your support is the difference between presence and absence, between silence and care. Please give to CAMP Rehoboth now and in the coming months. ▼ Kim Leisey, PhD, is Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth.

CAMP REHOBOTH THANKS OUR ANNUAL SPONSORS

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

MAY 16, 2025

3 Letters

inside

98 Booked Solid

GINA M. WILSON

100 Celebrity Interview

Silicon Valley East

6 In Brief

42 CAMP Stories

News & Notes

8 President’s View LESLIE LEDOGAR

10 Women’s+ FEST Wrap Up

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Kameron Michaels

Save the Seeds, Children

MICHAEL COOK

RICH BARNETT

102 Sea Salt Table

46 Out & About

Zesty Lemon Bars

Questions and Cancers

ED CASTELLI

NANCY SAKADUSKI

ERIC PETERSON

14 Serving Those Who Served

50 A Bicycle Built for Two

FAY JACOBS

16 It’s My Life Blockheads

MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

18 Community News

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

28 Flash Fiction: Second Place

They Came to Play at Women’s+ FEST 2025

BETH SHOCKLEY

CHRISTOPHER MOORE

MARY JO TARALLO

58 Be a Sport

Hope and Courage

SHARON MORGAN

Fair Winds & Following Seas!

110 Meet Matt Bomer Gwen La Roka entertains the crowd. See Women’s FEST Wrap Up, page 10.

52 OUTlook

20 Health & Wellness 24 Sailing, Sailing…

105 Opinion

Looking Sweet

54 Here Comes the Sun(screen)

Am I Blue?

VOLUME 35, NUMBER 4 • MAY 16, 2025

38 The Writing Life

3 From the Executive Director KIM LEISEY, PHD

THIS ISSUE

CONNIE FOX

Going for the Gold…or Bronze

56 Historical Headliners Katharine Lee Bates ANN APTAKER

Too Long TJ MYERS

32 CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Presents The Magic of Motown BILL FUCHS

34 There Once Was a Limerick…

NANCY SAKADUSKI

36 Born To Run State Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall

NANCY SAKADUSKI

60 CAMP News 62 Travels with Letters 64 CAMPshots Springtime in RB!

112 WorldPride 2025

MIKEY ROX

114 We Remember

My Expert Travel Advice

82 Hit the Trail!

STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

84 Straight Talk

Raising Voices, Singing for Life DAVID GARRETT

RICHARD ROSENDALL

PATTIE CINELLI

You Can’t Always Get What You Want ROBERT DEDOMINIC

72 Words Matter You Better Werk!

CLARENCE FLUKER

ON THE COVER⊲

Matt Rice graces the cover of our Memorial Day issue, welcoming the summer season!

Easing Into an Active Summer

88 The Real Dirt

ON THE COVER

ERIC WAHL

Cover art by Murray Archibald

Flower Box Magic

Heavy Metal

JEFFREY DANNIS

94 End-of-Life Doulas

A Compassionate Care Partner MICHELE STUTZMAN

96 CAMP Arts LESLIE SINCLAIR

EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE: Matty Brown DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Mary Beth Ramsey

Letters 4

MAY 16, 2025

Summer!

90 Talking Trash (and Recycling)

EDITOR: Marj Shannon

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth welcomes submissions.

Email editor@camprehoboth.org. Photographs must be high resolution (300 dpi). Documents should be sent as attachments in Microsoft Word®. Deadline for submissions is two weeks prior to the issue release date.

Letters to the Editor (up to 300 words) are published at the discretion of the Editor on a space-available basis.

Letters may be edited for length or clarity.

STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

Nine Hikes in Delaware

86 Reflections

70 Visiting View

CHRIS AZZOPARDI

74 Byways

68 View Point

What We Leave to the Crows

Mid-Century Modern

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Tricia Massella DISTRIBUTION: Mark Wolf CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Aptaker, Chris Azzopardi, Rich Barnett, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Pattie Cinelli, Michael Cook, Jeffrey Dannis, Robert DeDominic, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, Connie Fox, Bill Fuchs, David Garrett, Fay Jacobs, Leslie Ledogar, Kim Leisey, Tricia Massella, Christopher Moore, Sharon Morgan, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Stephen Raskauskas, Richard Rosendall, Mikey Rox, Nancy Sakaduski, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Beth Shockley, Leslie Sinclair, Michele Stutzman, Mary Jo Tarallo, Eric Wahl, Gina Wilson

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth is published 11 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. © 2025 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 MISSION CAMP Rehoboth is an LGBTQ+ community center determined to Create A More Positive (CAMP) environment that is inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities in southern Delaware and beyond. We seek to promote cooperation, understanding among all people, and well-being, as we continue our to work to build a safer community with room for all.

VISION CAMP Rehoboth envisions communities in southern Delaware and beyond where all LGBTQ+ people thrive.

VALUES Community | Belonging | Positivity Diversity | Visibility | Transparency Safety | Partnership | Compassion

PRESIDENT Leslie Ledogar VICE PRESIDENT Teri Seaton SECRETARY Pat Catanzariti TREASURER Polly Donaldson AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Amanda Mahony Albanese, Wes Combs, Lewis Dawley, Mike DeFlavia, David Garrett, Jenn Harpel, Kim Leisey (non-voting), Michelle Manfredi, Kevin Ussery, and Hope Vella

BY MARJ SHANNON

H

ey—you found me! Yes, we’ve changed up a few pages in this issue; we expect more changes in the coming months as we undergo a bit of a “refresh.” Stick with us; it’s all good.

Enough about that—here comes summer! Well, OK, not quite yet—but we’re eager for it to arrive, so we’ll kick it off in this issue anyway. After all, the parking meters are back; if that doesn’t say “summer,” we don’t know what does.

As always, we have lots for you to enjoy in this issue. For one—just open to the centerfold for our annual Pride Listicle! There’s something there for most everyone—a Pride flag raising, Pride festivals, a Pride Build (with Habitat for Humanity), walks, parties, events—and more. You’ll want to calendar some of these, for sure.

For another—the second-place winner of our Flash Fiction contest is on page 28; it’s a terrific story. CAMP Rehoboth and the Lewes Public Library are partnering to host a Reading featuring all five Flash Fiction winners on Friday, June 6, at 7:00 p.m. Do come and listen to an hour of great stories.

Then—just a glimpse back, with a Women’s+ FEST wrap-up on page 10, and a special FEST sports wrap-up on page 58. Browse the photos and stats—clearly, it was a FESTive four days.

We have some ideas for outdoor summer fun: Terri Schlichenmeyer suggests a bicycle built for two, and Stephen Raskauskas profiles nine southern Delaware trails, perfect for a hike or even just a stroll. Mikey Rox offers those of us traveling some hard-won advice.

There’s indoor fun, too: the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus has a mid-June concert; see Bill Fuchs’s profile of one of the soloists. And the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery will soon be hosting Moments of Reflection, local artist Gary Fisher’s solo show. See CAMP Arts, where you’ll also “meet” incoming Visual Arts Program Coordinator Logan Farro.

Of course, not every aspect of summer is fabulous. Christopher Moore is slathering on the sunscreen, and Pattie Cinelli writes about the importance of easing our bodies into summer activities—especially if we spent the colder months vegetating.

Lest we get too wrapped up in sun-and-fun—we have year-round topics, too: Fay Jacobs offers us a glimpse into CAMP Rehoboth’s LGBTQ+ Veterans Group. The recently-formed group is helping to assure the veterans among us have a safe place to share stories, find support, and problem solve. New members are welcome. And Sharon Morgan writes about The Blue Zones, those global spots where it appears a disproportionate number of people live to age 100 or beyond.

Finally, just a quick shout-out to those of you who submitted limericks in response to our Opportunity Box invitation—you’ll find those on page 35, right next to an article about limericks (which includes some cheeky examples).

As always, thanks for reading Letters! ▼

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Kim Leisey

CAMP REHOBOTH

37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 tel 302-227-5620 email editor@camprehoboth.org www.camprehoboth.org

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.

OPPORTUNITY BOX

SIX-WORD PRIDE:

In honor of Pride Month, send us your six words about Pride by Friday, May 30. You might find some inspiration here: sixwordmemoirs.com/top-six-wordsfor-lgbt-pride/.

All submissions to: editor@camprehoboth.org

MAY 16, 2025

5 Letters

Protecting the Right to Marry

O

n April 3, Delaware State Senator Russell Huxtable introduced Senate Bill 100, co-sponsored by Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, which is “the first leg of an amendment to the Delaware Constitution establishing that the right to marry is a fundamental right and that Delaware and its political subdivisions shall recognize marriages and issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender,” according to the Delaware General Assembly.

CAMP Rehoboth supports Senate Bill 100 and is grateful to its primary sponsor Senator Huxtable for introducing it. “It is more important than ever that we ensure we have protections at the state and local level. The right to marry is a fundamental right. LGBTQ+ people and their families deserve the same basic protections as everyone else—to live their lives with safety, privacy, and dignity,” said Kim Leisey, PhD, Executive Director at CAMP Rehoboth.

As of this writing, the bill is awaiting consideration in committee. Should the bill pass, the amendment will require a second leg to pass both Chambers of the subsequent General Assembly to become part of the Delaware State Constitution, i.e., it will take at least two years to go into effect. ▼

Protecting Against Long-term Care Discrimination

O

n April 3, Delaware State Senator Russell Huxtable introduced Senate Bill 83, which “amends the long-term care resident’s bill of rights to provide that residents may not be subject to discrimination based on their membership in a protected class,” according to the Delaware General Assembly website.

In part, the bill, co-sponsored by Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, stems from Senator Huxtable’s participation in CAMP Rehoboth’s January “Protecting Progress” panel, which also hosted Delaware State Representative Claire Snyder-Hall and ACLU of Delaware Executive Director Mike Brickner. There, the CAMP Rehoboth community joined together to share concerns about legal protections and/or challenges that face the LGBTQ+ community and its allies. After raising concerns about same-sex couples potentially facing discrimination in long-term healthcare facilities, Senator Huxtable affirmed that there was an opportunity to offer legislation to protect the LGBTQ+ community in this area.

As of this writing, this bill is awaiting consideration in committee. ▼

Letters 6

MAY 16, 2025

CAMP Rehoboth Expands Seasonal Cadet Training

I

n April, CAMP Rehoboth trained seasonal officers with the Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, Milton, and Seaford police departments with its annual Human Relations training, providing context and answering questions about the LGBTQ+ population that lives in and visits southern Delaware, promoting a sense of understanding and cooperation for all in our community.

The partnership stems from over 25 years of this training program with the Rehoboth Beach Police Department. Reflecting on the longterm relationship, RB Chief Keith Banks said, “This vital relationship fosters trust, enhances safety, and promotes inclusivity, ensuring that everyone feels supported and valued.”

CAMP Rehoboth extends its gratitude to all who serve, and to our local Police Departments for their partnerships.▼

Out for the Summer: CAMP Kickoff

M

emorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start to the summer season, and CAMP Rehoboth is celebrating with a social called “Out for the Summer: CAMP Kickoff.” Community members are invited to kick off Memorial Day Weekend on Friday, May 23, at 4:30 p.m. for a vibrant evening of connection, celebration, and community.

This event will offer the chance to explore the fresh new renovations to CAMP Rehoboth spaces (including the CAMP Rehoboth Library!), enjoy complimentary drinks, meet new staff members, and reconnect with old friends—or make a few new ones!

This event is free and open to LGBTQ+ folks and allies (21+ for alcoholic beverages).

Come out, be fabulous, and let’s start the summer off right! ▼

“Here to Pee”

C

ombining laughter and purpose, the nation-wide “Here to Pee” Tour, organized by trans activists and comedians, will stop in Delaware on Saturday, May 24, at Theater N in Wilmington at 7:00 p.m. This first-ofits-kind tour will stop in all 50 states highlighting trans performers and local LGBTQ+ organizations doing life-saving work in their communities.

“We’re bringing trans visibility to every corner of the country. Although this tour is founded in potty humor, it sheds light on the very real, very menacing issue of barring trans people from accessing public spaces,” said organizer and trans activist Ren Q. Dawe. “But we are going to have the last laugh.”

Ren Q. Dawe, lead organizer of the “Here to Pee” Tour, saw firsthand the need for this groundbreaking tour after visiting 40 cities in 16 states and performing in front of over 10,000 people in 2024. In each city, members of the local trans community shared their own experiences and the ways that the current political climate has impacted their lives.

Proceeds benefit both CAMP Rehoboth and the Delaware Sexuality & Gender Collective. Tickets available at camprehoboth.org/events. ▼

Welcome, Gina and Sophie!

C

AMP Rehoboth is excited to welcome two new staff members to its team.

Gina Leigh (she/they) joined the team on Monday, April 28, as CAMP Rehoboth’s part-time Administrative Assistant. Gina will manage the fabulous CAMPcierge team and support administrative tasks at the CAMP Rehoboth office. As a recent transplant to Lewes, Gina also is a touring puppeteer, previously touring with the Jim Gina Leigh Henson Company.

On May 5, Sophie Wagner (they/them) joined the CAMP Rehoboth staff as its first ever Event and Volunteer Coordinator. This new position is possible due to a generous capacity-building donation by two anonymous donors. In this role, Sophie will coordinate events, build relationships with sponsors, engage volunteers, and forge meaningful community relationships. Sophie joins the team from the state of Washington and brings an enthusiastic background in event coordination and creative storytelling to the table.

Stay tuned to our June issue to learn more about both Gina and Sophie! ▼

SUNFESTIVAL Announces Returning DJs

C

AMP Rehoboth is excited to announce its DJ lineup for SUNFESTIVAL’s Night of Dance on Sunday, August 31. Robbie Leslie and Joe Gauthreaux will return to cap off the summer with disco and big electronic beats at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. A veteran of the famous Studio 54, as well as top clubs around the world, Leslie is respected as one of the first-generation DJs and has been a major feature at Sundance/ SUNFESTIVAL since the tea dance debuted in 2018.

Returning favorite Joe Gauthreaux is known for primarily vocal house music infused with tribal rhythms and melodic trance beats. Gauthreaux is one of the most sought-after DJs and producers in the industry and has played at New Orleans’s Oz Nightclub, URGE Festival, Winter Party Festival, WE Party Madrid, White Party— Palm Springs & Zurich, Song Kran Bangkok, New Year’s Rio, and Atlantis Cruises, and has had club residencies in Miami, Chicago, DC, San Francisco, and Atlanta. He also wrote and produced the sleeper hit “You Are My Family,” which became a gay Pride classic.

Both DJs join the SUNFESTIVAL lineup headlined by comedian Zach Zimmerman, who will appear on the Night of Comedy on Saturday, August 30. Zach is a stand-up comedian, TV writer, author, and most importantly, a friend. Zach has appeared on TV—The Late Late Show, Watch What Happens Live, After Midnight—and written for TV on Peacock’s Love Undercover. Zach tours internationally and their comedy album Clean Comedy debuted on the Billboard Top 10.

SUNFESTIVAL is CAMP Rehoboth’s signature Labor Day weekend fundraiser, returning August 30 and 31 to the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center. Tickets will be available soon, first exclusively to CAMP Rehoboth members. ▼

Looking for Travels with Letters?

See page 62.

MAY 16, 2025

7 Letters

President’s View

BY LESLIE LEDOGAR

Come Together

W

e are living in a time when federal actions posing as “protective measures” against "domestic terrorism" threaten both the nonprofit sector writ large and members of our community in particular. We've seen executive orders trying to force trans people out of all facets of public life, cabinet members actively targeting and removing LGBTQ+ services and history from the government at large, and bigots writing hateful bills into the national conversation.

In the face of chaos, fear, and uncertainty at the federal level, CAMP Rehoboth’s Board and staff are doubling down on ensuring that our beloved organization will continue to survive and flourish well into the future. Executive orders are not laws and obeying in advance is not an option.

As I described in my last column, we are keeping our eyes focused on what matters— namely, our mission and who we serve. It is the nonprofit sector that points us to a civil society, and CAMP Rehoboth is no exception.

For over 30 years, CAMP Rehoboth has continued its core tradition of helping to create a space in which LGBTQ+ people may safely live, work, and play. Celebrating and governing strategically are key functions of our Board, and it turns out we did a bit of both in April.

Celebrating was the name of the game at Women’s+ FEST 2025. Folks from all over the country converged on the Rehoboth Beach area to play, dance, laugh, and be themselves.

A huge shout-out to this year’s FEST (Fun, Entertainment, Spring, Tradition) co-chairs Christa Marks, Karen Laitman, Michelle Manfredi (also a Board member!), and Lissa Dulany for putting together an amazing weekend. From headline entertainment starring Be Steadwell and Gwen La Roka to sports, dances, art, and the speaker series featuring Maj. Gen. Tammy Smith’s interview with Col. Margarethe Cammermeyer, there truly was something for everyone. We also deeply appreciate our sponsors, without whom this event would not be possible.

Governing strategically was behind the Board’s decision to add three new areas of focus to its governance duties: 1) keeping

Celebrating is necessary. Planning is equally necessary.

Above all, standing together is necessary.

Letters 8

MAY 16, 2025

abreast of the executive orders, 2) contingency planning, and 3) expanding revenue sources.

First, members of both the Board and the CAMP Rehoboth staff are spending more and more time attending frequent calls with the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement, the National Council on Nonprofit Advancement, Centerlink, Actionlink, and others to understand the executive orders (EOs) and edicts, and the myriad court cases arising from them.

These calls provide invaluable information not only on the content of the EOs but also on what other nonprofits are doing, both locally and nationally, to handle their impact on their organizations.

Second, Board Vice President Teri Seaton led the effort to write the charter for the Board’s new Ad Hoc Contingency Planning Committee, which will be front and center in our contingency planning efforts. Led by former Board president Wes Combs, the express mandate for this committee is to identify and assess risks, alternative courses of action, and the circumstances that will trigger acting on those courses of action.

Third, the Board’s Development Committee, led by Pat Catanzariti (who is also Board Secretary), is focusing on diversifying revenue sources. This committee, along with the Ad Hoc Committee and the Board’s Finance Committee, chaired by Board Treasurer Polly Donaldson, are exploring alternative actions in the event that federal actions threaten our foundational structure.

It's a lot, but it’s necessary. Celebrating is necessary. Planning is equally necessary.

Above all, standing together is necessary. In these trying times, we must sustain ourselves and our community center together.

It is clear that we need each other now more than ever. Share the impact that CAMP Rehoboth has had on your life with your family and friends. Donate time and treasure. Become a frequent attendee at CAMP Rehoboth events or just drop in to let us know what’s on your mind. In the words of Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” ▼ Leslie Ledogar is CAMP Rehoboth Board President.

Letters rrs s ffrom frrrom om C CA CAMP AMP Rehoboth

READING JOIN US!

June 6, 2025 7 P.M. Lewes Public Library

111 Adams Avenue Lewes, DE 19958

Hear the stories!

Meet two local winners!

First-place ⊲ Renée Rockland, “Survivor” Second-place ⊲ TJ Myers, “Too Long” Third Place ⊲ Terri Schlichenmeyer, “Done” (read by Dan Carney) Honorable Mentions ⊲ Tara Campbell, “A Little Motivation” (read by Lori Rocheleau); TJ Myers, “You Be Careful Out There” There will be an opportunity after the reading to meet the authors and readers.

This opportunity 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. Additional support comes from donors and advertisers. For more information, call 302-227-5620.

MAY 16, 2025

9 Letters

It’s a Wrap!

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

From Far and Wide to FEST This weekend was a fabulous celebration of the community, and it allowed people to come from all over the country, including the West Coast, to safely gather and enjoy each other. That's what CAMP Rehoboth is all about: empowering people to be their authentic selves in a safe and affirming atmosphere.

– KIM LEISEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, CAMP REHOBOTH

FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY

Yes, there were people from Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, but there were also folks from as far away as Oregon and California. A firsttime attendee named Stacia, who traveled from Vermont, called Women's+ FEST “a bucket-list trip.”

TO OUR OWN BACKYARD

The local community is always well represented, and the “+” let everyone know that Women’s+ FEST was a safe and welcoming place.

FROM THE US GOVERNMENT

Congresswoman Sarah McBride delivered the keynote address at the Atlantic Sands

to over 250 people at a special members-exclusive event. “The need for CAMP Rehoboth has never been higher,” said McBride, while also highlighting the importance of making ourselves heard when the lever at our disposal is the court of public opinion.

TO A US HISTORY-MAKER

Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, the highest-ranking officer to challenge the military’s anti-gay regulation in federal court, captivated the audience while relating her experiences with the legal and political struggles that contributed to social justice for gays and lesbians serving in the military.

“The need for CAMP Rehoboth has never been higher.”

Letters 10

MAY 16, 2025

FROM DANCING

GirlsRoom got everyone on their feet and DJ Peggy Castle kept them on the floor at the always-fun Premier Dance.

TO DRAG QUEENS

Amethyst Diamond called the tunes at Mingo (music bingo) on Friday and Jasmine Blue hosted on Saturday.

Amethyst also emceed the Drag Brunch, with headliner Zhané Dawlingz (Miss Continental 2024), along with Alizee LaDiamond, Princess Escade, and DJs Alonza and Jocelyn.

FROM LONG-TIMERS

What a great job the organizing crew did this year. I had a blast as an attendee and loved seeing FEST attracting so many visitors and new faces.

–FAY JACOBS

... Rehoboth is a wonderful place for women to gather….

It’s community, folks!

TO FIRST-TIMERS

A couple who knew nothing about Women’s+ FEST or CAMP Rehoboth learned about FEST Friday night and decided to check it out. They walked away with the top prize from the auction—an Olivia cruise for two to the Greek Isles.

AND OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS

The hugely supportive/ positive/let’s-do-this courage of these four events, almost in a row for me: Rep. Sarah McBride, then singer/songwriter Tret Fure, then Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, and then the Drag Brunch.

Standing together in love and courage!

– LISSA DULANY

I am a returning volunteer for Women's FEST because I enjoy helping to make the weekend a success. These events are hard to come by, and Rehoboth is a wonderful place for women to gather…. It's community, folks!

– ZIP

OUR COMMUNITY CAME TOGETHER

As just one example, after a fierce back-and-forth for the Freedom Boat Club cruise with a Lori's Café catered

lunch for six, a representative from the club decided to donate another trip so both top bidders could walk away as winners.

Generous sponsors, supporters, and volunteers, including our remarkable FEST co-chairs, Christa Marks, Karen Laitman, Michelle Manfredi, and Lissa Dulany, as well as Teri Seaton, who coordinated the sound and light for the Sands and RBCC, and Kim Smitas, who coordinated the Expo, are what made Women’s+ FEST 2025 great.

FEST delivered on bringing the community together, from far and wide. The power of arts, music, comedy, health, education, sports (see page 58 for highlights!) and ultimately, gathering together, forged connections and a sense of belonging for all attendees to live authentically.

KEY TAKEAWAYS ⊲ 2,700 people attended ⊲ Nearly 30 events

over four days

⊲ With the help of

Lorne Crawford, the live auction raised $16K

⊲ New activities

such as Mingo were a big hit

⊲ Old friends

and new are already looking forward to Women’s+ FEST 2026 ▼

MAY 16, 2025

11 Letters

THANK YOU SPONSORS FOR MAKING WOMEN’S+ FEST 2025 A BIG SUCCESS

ANNUAL SPONSORS

PRESENTING SPONSOR

DIAMOND SPONSOR

RUBY SPONSORS Chris Bowers Wes Combs & Greg Albright Christine Lay & Dr. Mari Blackburn

EMERALD SPONSORS MEDIA SPONSORS

JOE FILIPEK & LARRY RICHARDSON

Judy & Carole Jesiolowski Polly Donaldson Nancy & Tora Kennedy Connie Fox & Donna Adair

AMETHYST SPONSORS

Kenneth Currier & Mike Tyler Sharon Hoffer Laura Jednorski Leslie Ledogar & Marilyn Hewitt Evelyn Maurmeyer in memory of Natalie Moss

Kim Leisey & Kathy Solano Cathy McCallister & Karen Hughes Sherri McGee & Kris Aulenbach Gwen Osborne & Katie Handy Leslie Sinclair & Debbie Woods

On behalf of the entire team at CAMP Rehoboth, Thank You for sponsoring Women’s+ FEST 2025!

Letters 12

MAY 16, 2025

BEER SPONSOR

WINE SPONSOR

VENUE SPONSOR

AUCTIONEER

Thank you to these businesses that supported

Women's+ FEST

Above the Dunes Alni Vegan Arena's Bethany Blues Big Chill Cantina Blue Eagle Insurance Christine Havrilla

Darkes Band Girls Room GoldStar Lori's Oy Vey Café Mama's Black Sheep Off 24

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

Palm Beach Bar & Grill Rehoboth Beach Ale House The Listening Booth The Wheelhouse Thompson Island

THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS FOR SUPPORTING WOMEN’S+ FEST 2025!

Danielle Alboro Brandon Alboro Chris Allison Karen Anderson Dee Atwell Kris Aulenbach Cathy Balsley Alex Baugh Celeste Beaupre Mary Ann Brewer Deb Bricker Beth Buchter Jett Butterworth Ken Currier Jeff Dannis Melissa Danskin Liz Davis Page Denise Polly Donaldson

Jeff Donovan Kathy Dougherty Lissa Dulany Brenda Dunn Dawn Dupre Debbie Duran Sue Ebbitt Jeanne Embich Mark Eubanks Kathleen Fitzgerald Jason Fluke Karen Folger Connie Fox Kate Galloway Kasey Gonzalez-Cruz Cindy Gruman Helene Guilfoy Barb Hals Taylor Hazzard Sarah Herrmann Fay Jacobs Paul Janak

Leslie Jennings Dawn Kasow Beth Kopecki Karen Laitman Colleen Law Leslie Ledogar Kathleen Lehmann Kathryn Lienhard Eleanor Lloyd Kim Lokhard Liz Lokhard Lucia Lombardi Teresa Madonna Michelle Manfredi Robb Mapou Ann Maresca Nancy Maresca Christa Marks Maryann Martinelli Reagan Mathews Evelyn Maurmeyer Marce McCollum-Martin

Sherri McGee Sally McGovern Alicia Mickenberg Andrea Miller Beverly Miller Milan Mladjan Liz Nagel Beth Newman Sandy Oropel Maggie Ottato Denise Page Alonza Parker Rochelle Parks Joanie Pegler Kevin Pelland Rina Pellegrini Nedy Perez Denny Pintello Deb Quinton Barbara Ralph Carole Redman Colleen Reft

Elizabeth Rois Larry Rosen Mary Rossettini Karen Rubin-Hamilton Diane Schwarz Teri Seaton Doug Sellers Susan Shollenberger Nancy Silverman Leslie Sinclair Deb Small Tammy Smith Kathy Solano Melissa Sorenson Lorraine Stanish Ruth Steelman Russell Stiles Patricia Stiles Judy Stout Kathy Styer

Gail Tannenbaum Mary Jo Tarallo Susan Taylor Kathleen Taylor Jo Thomas Allison Timmons Kevin Ussery Jennifer J. Varone Joe Vescio Wendy Walker Paula Walker Mary Ann Wangemann Zip Warmerdam Lee Whitehead Kim Witmer Melanie Wolfe Debbie Woods Mary Yasson Yona Zucker

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

CAMP Rehoboth Library Open Monday - Friday, 2 - 4 PM Featuring hundreds of LGBTQ+ titles in fiction, LGBTQ+ history, performing arts, and more!

Special thanks to volunteer Glenn Lash for organizing the CAMP Rehoboth Library!

Please note: CAMP Rehoboth is no longer accepting donations to the CAMP Rehoboth Library after reaching capacity. Find out more online at camprehoboth.org/programs.

MAY 16, 2025

13 Letters

Serving Those Who Served

BY FAY JACOBS

Veterans Gather and Everyone Has a Story

T

he first thing noticeable about the men and women sitting around a table at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center is that the military rank of those gathered is extraneous to the conversation.

These military veterans have come together to discuss a new group forming under the CAMP Rehoboth umbrella to provide a community for LGBTQ+ veterans. The group’s mission is helping veterans and their allies come together to talk of shared experiences, navigate current and threatened changes in veteran services, and have an organization to support each other.

“We could never have anticipated the shocking personnel cuts and changes to veterans’ services we have already seen,” Army veteran Tammy Smith says.

“And now, visibility is key. It’s crucial for our veterans to tell their stories and have a safe space to work through their issues and help others do the same.”

Tammy, who moved to the area when she retired from the service, envisions a way for LGBTQ+ veterans to gather together for support, socializing, and most importantly, problem solving on issues

pertinent to those who have served.

“For me,” says Tammy, “it’s part of carrying my responsibilities into my private life.”

So last fall, Tammy met with CAMP Rehoboth’s Executive Director, Kim Leisey, to see how such a group could operate under the wide tent of the community center. Discussions included what a program for military LGBTQ+ veterans would look like, and how it could be organized.

Military retiree Paula Walker joined the discussions, helping to form a mission statement and enumerate issues like navigating the changes at the Veteran’s Administration, the call for banning transgender service members, and assisting veterans with their benefits.

“We want to support each other,” Paula says, “and we know there are local veterans who may be due benefits and don’t know how to apply. We will be able to help.”

Last November, on Veteran’s Day 2024, CAMP Rehoboth sponsored a coffee and bagel meet-up at the community center where military veterans were invited to exchange stories and learn

“We know there are veterans who may be due benefits and don’t know how to apply. We will be able to help.”

Letters 14

MAY 16, 2025

about plans for a safe, meaningful space to work together on issues of mutual interest.

Former Army service member Dick Hospital attended and says, “For those who were in war zones dealing with Agent Orange and burn pits, who have active disabilities, it’s hard to get our just due.”

How many LGBTQ+ veterans are there? “Well,” says Vietnam veteran John Zinsmeister, “it’s estimated there are 58,000 veterans in the state of Delaware. I’m sure there are a lot of LGBTQ+ people among them.”

Since that first meeting, the fledgling group, including Army, Navy, and Air Force veterans, has added a slew of LGBTQ+ military-centric books to the CAMP Rehoboth library, and hosted an information table at last month’s Women’s+ FEST Expo.

Veteran Anne Smith put together a fact sheet for the table and both men and women volunteered to introduce attendees to this new volunteer effort.

“It was so much fun, “John says, with Tammy adding “and people were very surprised and, I think pleased, to see us there.”

John and Anne both deemed the veterans’ first venture “a huge success.”

The volunteers gathered pages of email addresses of interested persons. “I met so many women who had been in the service,” John says, “and I’m hopeful they’ll be interested in joining our effort.”

“Many veterans met with us, wanting very much to tell their stories,” Tammy reports. Those stories include harrowing tales of investigations and harassment of LGBTQ+ service members, both in the past and currently. “People in the service, veterans using the VA for medical care, the transgender community, everyone is walking on eggshells. We want to be here to help,” says Tammy.

“Trans people in the military are especially vulnerable right now and we can be a voice for them,” Paula says.

Responding to the number of people eager to talk about their military experi-

People who want to share their experiences will have the opportunity to do so to a welcoming audience,” ences, the group already has plans to host a storytelling program for Veteran’s Day 2025 in November. “People who want to share their experiences will have the opportunity to do so to a welcoming audience,” Tammy says.

According to John, “back in the Vietnam era, one day you’d see somebody and then they’d be gone. Disappeared.” He says it’s far better now, and he’s fairly optimistic about the future.

Tammy agrees, although she says that current affairs has made this group “needed now more than ever. And we hope to become a well-known, credible source providing relevant information to veterans and their families as well as a social outlet and safe harbor.”

Ideas emerging from a recent meeting range from planning a fun contingent for the Rehoboth Beach Sea Witch® parade to serving as a clearinghouse for information and a link to other local veterans’ organizations.

Tammy adds “I think affiliation with CAMP Rehoboth will tap into an additional layer of our LGBTQ+ community that hasn’t been brought together before.”

Navy veteran Bonnie Quesenberry says, “This group can be a powerful advocate for LGBTQ+ veterans and have great visibility in the community.”

To that end, the veterans discussed potential participation in Rehoboth’s Memorial Day events and other opportunities for visibility.

In addition, the group seeks to build close connections with established organizations already operating in the region such as the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. ”All veterans are in this together!” Tammy says.

So, the call is out for LGBTQ+ veterans, spouses, offspring from veteran families, enlisted or officers, all manner of allies, to come together to form a strong voice for our veterans under the CAMP Rehoboth umbrella. Meetings will be open to all, with a core organizing group leading the effort.

For more information or to join the email list of LGBTQ+ veterans, contact Matt Castrina at CAMP Rehoboth, 302-2275620 or email mcastrina@camprehoboth.org. ▼ Fay Jacobs is a freelance writer, storyteller, and author of six books of (mostly) comic essays. She has written for the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, The Advocate, the Washington Blade, Delaware Beach Life, and—for 30 years—Letters.

MAY 16, 2025

15 Letters

It’s My Life

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

Blockheads

I

HOPE YOUR DOG DIES. The comment, written in all caps, was posted on an Instagram photo of me holding our elderly Chihuahua, Lillie. The person who left it left a dozen more on other photos, mostly on one in which I’m holding up a copy of my young adult novel Suicide Notes. In these, he responded to individual readers who had commented saying how much they loved the book, informing them that they were “sick,” “perverts,” and “obviously hated children.”

A look at the person’s profile revealed him to be, ostensibly, an older teenager.

There were a handful of photos of him dressed in a football uniform, attending a school prom, hanging out with friends.

Nothing to suggest that the account was a bot or otherwise illegitimate. Just a young man who decided that me, my book, and my readers were worth singling out for reproach.

Blocking the profile was the work of a second, and the comments disappeared.

But, of course, when this kind of thing happens it makes me wonder what made the person decide to take time to do what they did. I’ve been a published author for more than 35 years. I write books for both young adults and adults. I often write about topics that can be difficult for some people: mental illness, queerness, sex. I am not a stranger to strong reactions to my work.

In the case of Suicide Notes, the most frequent source of criticism is a scene in which the teenage protagonist, a boy undergoing a 30-day stay in a psychiatric ward following a suicide attempt, has his first sexual experience with another boy, also a patient. It’s an encounter fraught with emotional turbulence, and reader reaction to it varies widely, often depending on the individual’s personal history with such things.

The book has been out in the world for 17 years and has enjoyed renewed interest due to readers on TikTok discovering it. Apart from this recent negative interaction, messages from readers have been overwhelmingly positive, which makes this Letters 16

MAY 16, 2025

incident particularly interesting to me. It’s natural for people to tell you when they like something you’ve created; when they go out of their way to tell you they hated it, something else is usually going on.

Most likely this is simply a young person reacting strongly to a fictionalized situation that brings up feelings he either isn’t comfortable with or doesn’t know how to handle. But in the current political climate, you never know. Not only am I a queer author with a visible social media presence, I’m also a board member of Right to Read Ohio, a group advocating for support of libraries in a state with increasing incidents of attempted censorship and declining financial support for publicly funded institutions. Several of us on the board have received attention from individuals who believe limiting access to books is a perfectly fine idea and see us as one of the greatest threats to moral decency society has ever faced.

There was a time in my life when I might have engaged the person who commented on my photos, attempting to have a discussion about whatever it was that upset him enough to write what he did. Instead, I closed the door on him.

I’m older now, and more tired than I was even a few years ago. More and more, I doubt that people who perceive the world in certain ways can be reached through open dialogue. And I’m weary of hearing their wails of discontent. Besides, you don’t wish ill on a dog and get a second chance with me.

This is not the only incident. Last week, while waiting to check out at the grocery, the woman in front of me launched into an extended tirade about the prices of the items in her cart. “But don’t worry,” she declared. “We’re fixing this with the tariffs.”

I didn’t say anything, but my face betrayed me. “Don’t you roll your eyes at me,” she admonished.

I should have let it go. I did not.

“Explain to me what a tariff is,” I said.

She seemed pleased to be able to educate me. “It’s a tax foreign countries pay to sell stuff here.”

“That is exactly what it is not,” I told

her. “It’s a tax we pay to import things from other countries. They’re not paying it. You are. I am. We all are. And it doesn’t make prices go down. It makes them go up.”

“Whatever,” she said, snorting.

Again, I should have let it go. Again, I did not. “This is the problem,” I said. “You don’t even understand how a tariff works.

You just believe every stupid thing you’re told without questioning it.”

“Well, if I’m stupid then a lot of other people are stupid too,” she said. “Because a whole bunch of us voted for this and are happy about it.”

With that, she stormed off, her version of hitting the block button on social media.

Last year, a friend of mine ran for local office, knowing she had almost no chance of winning in a district that heavily favors the opposing party. But she campaigned widely, using the slogan “I’m Here to Listen” and setting up stations at public events where people could sit down and talk to her about the issues important to them. Often, she was met with hostility.

And she did not win her race. However, she recently encountered a group of people she had met while campaigning.

“A bunch of them told me that they had never voted for someone from my party but had voted for me because I took the time to listen to them,” she reported to me. “So, I’m running again next year. I probably won’t win, but who knows, maybe if I keep listening, eventually enough of them will realize that they have a better option than what they’re currently voting for.”

I want to think she’s right. I want to think that people are open to discussion and change. Maybe if I were a better person. But I’m not. Not right now anyway.

Right now, I’m just tired.

Still, I would never wish ill on anyone’s dog. ▼ Michael Thomas Ford is a much-published Lambda Literary award-winning author. Visit Michael at michaelthomasford.com.

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17 Letters

Community News

Fund for Women Awards Grants and Honors Community Champion Kelly Sheridan

T

he Fund for Women (FFW), a giving circle at the Delaware Community Foundation (DCF), hosted its 2025 Grant Awards Event on May 14. The event celebrated the transformative work of 18 nonprofit organizations that are improving the lives of women and girls across Delaware. FFW awarded more than $227,000 in grants this year to nonprofits in the areas of healthcare, education, housing, economic empowerment, and recovery services. A list of the awardees can be found at FFW’s website, fundforwomende.com.

At the same event, the FFW presented CAMP Rehoboth member Kelly Sheridan with its prestigious Driving Force Award for her exceptional leadership, unwavering service, and dedication to empowering women and girls.

Sheridan has this to say: “I got involved in Fund for Women in 2014, shortly after I moved here and was hired at the DCF. I was intrigued that there was a giving circle focused solely on empowering women and girls in Delaware; we didn’t have anything like that in Baltimore from what I knew. It didn’t take long before my mentor, Lynn Kokjohn, got me on the Sussex Committee where in four short years, I would find myself chairing that same committee and sitting on the Board of Directors for the Fund.

“I believe, now more than ever, that we have to do everything we can to ensure women’s and girl’s rights are not taken away, and to do all we can to make sure they can succeed, no matter their class status, education, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. One day—and it might not happen in my lifetime—we need to prove to this country that we would be better off if women were the decision makers and top leaders.”

Remembering Rosedale Beach

O

n June 21, from 1:00-2:00 p.m., at the Old State House, 25 The Green, Dover, Delaware, historian Tamara R. Burks will present “Remembering Rosedale Beach.” Her presentation is a compilation of historical accounts and oral histories of people who experienced the magic of one of the greatest cultural institutions in America: the former Rosedale Beach Hotel and Resort, located near Millsboro, Delaware.

During the depression era and beyond, Rosedale Beach was a fantastic place of leisure and activities for people of color along the American east coast. Due to segregation policies and practices, people of color were barred from frequenting various types of public facilities, such as hotels and restaurants.

These communities created and ran their own entertainment venues, facilities, and leisure activities.

Rosedale Beach was a major East Coast vacation destination during this time. People came to Rosedale Beach from points north, south, east, and west to vacation for the day, the week, or the summer. Visitors came to see top-of-the-line entertainers and to enjoy leisure activities. Learn more from Tamara Burks, as she shares information she has compiled on Rosedale Beach. ▼

Letters 18

MAY 16, 2025

Were You There? We Want to Know!

O

n July 4th in 2015, there was a National LGBT 50th Anniversary Ceremony at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. It celebrated the 50th anniversary of the day a group of courageous gay and lesbian activists laid the foundation for the organized LGBT civil rights movement.

(You can read all about it at lgbt50.org.)

If you were there and are willing to share your memories of the event for a possible future feature, please contact editor@ camprehoboth.org. ▼ REHOBOTH BEACH MAIN STREET

Margarita Crawl

On Saturday, May 31, 2025, from 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., head downtown for the annual Margarita Crawl! Enjoy a tasty margarita at each of the 25 participating restaurants.

Tickets are $25 and are available for purchase at the RBMS office—509 Rehoboth Avenue—or by calling 302227-2772. ▼

Pride Shabbat at Seaside on June 6

S

easide Jewish Community will hold its annual Pride Shabbat service on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 7:30 PM. Those who would like to attend need to register by Thursday, June 5, 2025, at seasidejewishcommunity.com/event/shabbatevening-service76.html When registering, please be sure to include the number and names of people in your group. The service can be attended via Zoom or in person.

Seaside’s Social Justice and Worship Committees are co-sponsoring this service. Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation Justice—Tzelem Elohim (All are created in the image of God)—is one of the seven areas of emphasis for the Social Justice Committee. This committee promotes Seaside as being a welcoming environment for the LGBTQ+ community. It supports practices and policies for the fair and equitable treatment of all. Seaside’s Pride Shabbat is held in unity with Pride events occurring around the globe during the month of June.

Seaside’s address is: 18970 Holland Glade Rd, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. For more information, contact seasidejewishcommunity@gmail.com. ▼

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MAY 16, 2025

19 Letters

health+wellness

BY SHARON MORGAN

Am I Blue?

I hope to arrive at my death late, in love, and a little drunk.

A

– ATTICUS

s long as I can remember, I have had only five goals in my life: go to college, have a career, have a strong relationship, have a child, and live to be 100. Life has certainly blessed me. I hold not one, but three college degrees. Uncle Sam kindly paid for college degree number one, which led to career number one, which then allowed me to save money with government 2:1 matching funds, culminating in college degree and career number two.

Through my commitment to the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC), I met my former husband and had a son with him. He has two children from a previous marriage which, despite age gaps, has blended into an expanded family unit. While our marriage did not last, the family unit and commitment to each other has, and is now further integrated with

Letters 20

MAY 16, 2025

my current spouse, her two children, and assorted grandchildren. So here I am in early retirement with a newly-minted Medicare card, contemplating that last item on my bucket list: I want to see my 100th birthday.

In 1959, the year of my birth, about 3,700 centenarians were estimated to be in the US. By 1990, that number was just over 37,000. Per the US Census, as of 2024, the US had 101,000 centenarians, a number expected to blossom four-fold over the next three decades. Females are three times more likely than males to live to be 100; five times more likely to live to be 105; and 10 times more likely to live to be 110. Moreover, despite current health disparities overall, the CDC estimates that Hispanics and Blacks born in 2018 will be more likely to live to be 100 or older than their White counterparts.

Worldwide, 85 percent of centenarians are women, although the reasons are unclear. One theory is that the same sex-based attributes that provide an evolutionary edge at an early age, may prove

Five key areas globally have been identified where people consistently live to be 100 or older. an impediment later in life. For example, testosterone contributes to red blood cell and bone production and promotes muscle strength. However, as males age, this primary sex hormone can contribute to atherosclerosis, leading to heart disease and stroke.

Another hypothesis is that the evolutionary drive toward natural selection and species survival rests primarily within the X chromosomes; females are defined as having XX chromosomes versus males having XY. While one of females’ XX chromosomes is eventually inactivated, it’s postulated having that choice on which to inactivate is an evolutionary advantage.

That said, male centenarians tend to be more functionally intact, presumably because if they lived that long, they must really be the cream of the genetic crop.

Five key areas globally have been identified where people consistently live to be 100 or older. Coined “Blue Zones”

by National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner, the five areas are Loma Linda, California; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; and Okinawa, Japan.

Starting in 2004 and following up the 1990’s gerontological work in Sardinia by researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, Buettner and his team traveled the globe, exploring other reported areas of longevity. Like Pes and Poulain, blue concentric circles mapped what became known as the Blue Zones.

Buettner and his team eventually identified nine evidence-based commonalities among the centenarians that the researchers believe slow aging. Several of these deal with nutrition and how one eats. Centenarians tend to have plantbased diets, with meat eaten five times per month, on average. For example, food consumption in Sardinia centers around whole-grain bread, beans and legumes, and locally produced fruits and

health+wellness

vegetables. Similarly, the Ikarians follow a Mediterranean diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and olive oil. Likewise, the Adventists of Loma Linda, in following biblical teachings, eat primarily leafy vegetables, legumes, and nuts.

[Researchers] identified nine evidence-based commonalities among the centenarians that [they] believe slow aging.

Except for the Adventists, wine is a routine part of meal consumption. Drinking is always in moderation, however: no more than one to two glasses per day.

How one eats is also a common thread throughout the Blues Zones. Centenarians tend to follow the Confucian mantra of hara hachi bu, which reminds them to stop eating when their stomach is 80 percent full.

Those who live to 100 or older have a sense of purpose. The Nicoyans refer to it as “plan de vida” or “why I wake up every morning.” This same belief is embodied in the Okinawans’ sense of “ikigai,” or “a reason to wake up.” To that end, centenarians engage their minds through puzzles and learning new life skills, like embracing evolving technologies.

Not only do centenarians have a

sense of intent, but they also have a sense of belonging. To many, a faithbased community is important, as with the Adventists. Loved ones are critical to longevity, with family living with or nearby centenarians. Beyond family, those that have longevity have a strong sense of tribe, social networks where healthy living is mutually supported.

Centenarians do not engage in rigorous or extensive physical training, but have natural movements that encourage stress-free exercise, such as gardening and walking in groups.

Finally, centenarians are more likely to minimize stress in their daily lives. In one survey by Dan Buettner, 75 percent of centenarians stated they got eight hours or more of sleep a night and 72 percent said they laughed or giggled every day.

Okinawans take a daily moment to remember their ancestors. Adventists have daily devotionals. Ikarians take their naps and Sardinians drink their wine socially.

Not only is the number of centenarians expected to rise over the next several decades, but researchers are starting to see an increase in the number of super-centenarians—those who live to 105 and beyond. Like centenarians, the older cohort follow the eating and lifestyle routines that promote longevity.

In addition, several studies suggest as we age, the rate of dying declines. More intriguing, however, is the possibility that some have a genetic leg up to longevity.

Italian and Swiss scientists recently have identified chromosomal changes in super-centenarians that indicate they have better DNA repair capability.

So, in pursuit of my fifth bucket list goal, I play pickleball. Now maybe it’s not the best stress buster, but it gets me outside and I’m meeting all sorts of lovely people. Plus, I’m guaranteed a nap every time I play. I just saw where Haley’s Comet will next be visible in the year 2061.

Maybe I’ll extend my stay. ▼

Critics have questioned Buettner’s methodology and noted that he has turned the “Blue Zone” concept into a rewarding business venture. Verifiable record keeping in many of the Blue Zones have been challenged as faulty or incomplete. (For more information: New York Times, October 24, 2024; Science, Vol 386, Issue 6724.)

That said, the human species is living longer, and medical experts do not argue that the common factors for longevity—healthy eating, a sense of purpose and community, and minimizing stress—have merit.

Youth Crisis Support: Crisis intervention services for children under 18.

Parents and caregivers are connected to a crisis clinician. Available 24/7. Call 800-969-4357 or text DE to 741-741.

988: Free, confidential support and resources for anyone in distress.

Available 24/7. Call 988.

Delaware Hope Line: Free coaching and support. Links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services.

Available 24/7. Call 833-9-HOPEDE (833-946-7333).

LET’S STAY CONNECTED! All of CAMP Rehoboth’s programs, services, and events are listed here: camprehoboth.org/community-calendar.

Please visit the site often to ensure you have up-to-date information on what is being offered—and when. ▼

Sharon A. Morgan is a retired advanced practice nurse with over 30 years of clinical and healthcare policy background.

MAY 16, 2025

21 Letters

CAMPsafe Serves Our Community

BY VINCENT DELISSIO

Testing, Testing...

T

he sun is out, the weather’s finally warm, and summer fun is calling. But don’t forget to take care of your health first!

Before you dive into parties, beach days, and new connections (wink), make sure you’re ready. May and June are the perfect time to get tested for syphilis and HIV at CAMP Rehoboth. We are open and excited to see all the beach-goers again.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! May 18 is HIV Vaccine Awareness Day—a reminder of how far we’ve come and how important prevention still is. And on June 27, join us in recognizing National HIV Testing Day—know your status; protect yourself and others. Testing is quick, easy, and confidential.

Stay safe, stay informed, and let’s make this summer unforgettable for all the right reasons. Get a test from CAMPsafe today! ▼ Vincent DeLissio is the CAMPsafe Program Coordinator at CAMP Rehoboth.

TESTING & COUNSELING

Free, rapid, walk-in syphilis and HIV testing and counseling is available in the CAMP Rehoboth Health Suite.

CAMP Rehoboth 37 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE Tel: 302-227-5620 Mondays...................................................9 AM-4:30 PM Tuesdays...................................................9 AM-4:30 PM Wednesdays............................................9 AM-4:30 PM Thursdays.................................................9 AM-4:30 PM Fridays ...................................................9 AM -12:00 PM SCAN CODE TO BOOK APPOINTMENT ONLINE

KNOW YOUR STATUS! Results in only 15 minutes!

GET TESTED with Joe Vescio, HIV testing volunteer, on Wednesdays, 1-4 p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth

Letters 22

MAY 16, 2025

MAY 16, 2025

23 Letters

Sailing, Sailing…

BY MARY JO TARALLO

Fair Winds & Following Seas!

A

t the end of March, an adventurous group of Rehoboth Beach women sailed on the Olivia 35th Anniversary Jubilee Cruise. We made quite an impression with other cruise goers while sporting our turquoise and yellow RB t-shirts!

Chats went something like this: Question: Oh, I saw a couple of other women with those same t-shirts. Do you know them?

RB Answer: Well, we have 140 women from Rehoboth Beach on this cruise so maybe or maybe not.

At this point, the questioner’s eyes widened, and the jaw dropped.

Second question: Where is Rehoboth Beach????

And so, it went for the first couple of days as we got to know each other and many of the 2,600 cruisers, some of whom became fast friends.

We danced, we sang, we played pickleball, we laughed ourselves silly with some great comedians like Vicki Shaw and Gina Yashere, and we listened to fabulous music from vocal artists like Chris Williamson and Roxanna Ward. We snorkeled, searched for conch shells, explored the baths on Virgin Gorda, and walked on sparkling white beaches. We bobbed in the clear, pristine waters of Turks and Caicos Islands, shopped in Tortola, and visited Half Moon Cay. We marched in what was billed as the “World’s Largest Pride Parade on the Sea.” We did an RB group photo with everyone we could squeeze into the picture! We made solid friendships with many we previously had seen only in passing at a local RB watering hole. And we probably ate way too much!

Above all, we enjoyed being together and knowing that we were all on that ship for a blissful week of carefree fun. When word got out about the cruise from a handful of people, the floodgates opened. Most of the women who went, did so because friends were going; for many, it was their first Olivia cruise.

Renee Guillory said she wanted to have a new experience

and thought it would be interesting to be with so many from her home community. “I enjoyed the shows and team trivia,” she said.

“I met so many new people. I teamed up with people I just met at trivia which was so cool.”

Above all, we enjoyed being together and knowing that we were all on that ship for a blissful week of carefree fun.

The cruise was also a first for Terry Koff and her wife, who both were impressed by the friendliness of the entire group.

CAMP Rehoboth Board President Leslie Ledogar said that a couple of friends invited her and her wife Marilyn to join them.

“It warmed my heart to see many women so very happy and free to be themselves in safety,” said Ledogar.

Tama Viola signed up “because so many women from Rehoboth were going.” She, along with other locals, have already booked an Olivia Alaska cruise next year. Viola is a veteran, and she liked the fact that there were veterans’ meet-ups conducted

by Major General Tammy Smith and her wife Tracy. “It was great to meet other female veterans and first responders,” Viola said.

“It was also nice to hear Commander Emily Shilling speak.”

Deb Bievenour was blunt about why she went. “Because I was single and there were 140 women from Rehoboth going,” she said. Bievenour is the lead singer for the popular women’s band Off 24. It’s no wonder that she most enjoyed the karaoke and the musical entertainment. “Olivia does a great job of entertaining the lesbians,” she said with a wink. Also known as Beave, she belted out some tunes on karaoke nights.

Guillory, Viola, Koff, and Bievenour all play in CAMP Rehoboth’s Women’s Golf League.

A few women who recently relocated to Rehoboth saw the cruise as a way to meet new friends. Gail Atchison hails from Palm Springs, California; Dee Marlin transplanted from Boulder, Colorado; and Phyllis Dillinger made the leap from DC. Marlin admitted she simply wanted to see what an Olivia lesbian cruise was like. Dillinger learned about it from the other two and decided to go. “It was so fun,” she said. “The group I was with really made it great!” She would do it again “if some of the same ladies would go.”

By the time the cruise ended, we had met just about everyone on the ship. I guess you could say that we put Rehoboth Beach on the international gay women’s map—one t-shirt at a time! ▼ Mary Jo Tarallo is a former journalist and public relations professional for various non-profits including a ski industry trade association. She won a Gold Award for a United Way TV program starring Oprah Winfrey.

Photos: Mary Jo Tarallo

Letters 24

MAY 16, 2025

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! Make This Your Year to Travel with Olivia

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MAY 16, 2025

25 Letters

s av e t h e dat e labor day weekend august 30–31, 2025

Rehoboth Beach Convention Center a benefit to support camp rehoboth

202 5 headliner comedian zach zimmerman saturday, august 30 A NIGHT OF COMEDY PLUS! LIVE AUCTION!

sunday, august 31 || 7:00 pm a night of dance DJ ROBBIE LESLIE DJ JOE GAUTHREAUX

one ticket, two dances

Tickets coming soon! For accessibility and event information, visit www.camprehoboth.org.

Letters 26

MAY 16, 2025

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

Become a SUNFESTIVAL 2025 Sponsor By sponsoring SUNFESTIVAL 2025, you champion CAMP Rehoboth’s mission to build safe, inclusive spaces for the LGBTQ+ community and its allies.

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BENEFITS INCLUDE BRAND OR NAME RECOGNITION Tickets, Premium seating, VIP Tables and Lounge Access, and More!

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37 Baltimore Avenue Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 302-227-5620 camprehoboth.org MAY 16, 2025

27 Letters

BY TJ MYERS

Too Long

2nd PLACE READERS PANEL COMMENT “‘Too Long’ was my favorite. I liked the way it dropped the reader right into the middle of a long relationship between siblings and it really evoked a sense of emotion, both with the things said and the things that were unsaid. I also liked how there was not too tidy an ending.”

Letters 28

MAY 16, 2025

T

he wind shivered the silk flowers, probably left there by his sister. Paul raised his collar, wishing he had worn a scarf.

He hadn’t visited his brother, not since the funeral. Three years of thinking and he still had no idea what to say.

“Damn you, Steve,” was all that came out.

His sister’s house looked just as he remembered it, if it really was her house.

Their parents were still a presence, lodged in the walls, even after all these years. Alice had bought the house with her divorce money, and the cash had paid the nursing home bills. She hadn’t changed much, Paul decided. The house or otherwise.

“Coffee?” she asked.

“No, thanks,” he replied, even though the chill of the cemetery was still on him.

A car accident, he could have understood. Or COVID. But not by his own hand, undramatic and protracted as it was. A toxic mix of alcohol, tobacco, and seclusion. Slow, but effective. His best friend until puberty, when they developed interests other than climbing trees—Steve, cars and motorcycles; Paul, one of the boys on his JV swim team.

“You’ve stayed away too long,” Alice said, slicing an onion. He had seen her a month ago when she visited him at Christmas, so it wasn’t that.

“Maybe,” he replied as her hands worked the knife. So much like their mother’s, time beginning to twist the knuckles.

After their meal, he wandered the house. She followed him, watching.

“I can help sort some of their things.

If you want,” he suggested, seeing the stacked boxes in his old bedroom, now nothing more than a storage locker.

“OK. Tomorrow, maybe.”

In the morning, he began, even though he knew Alice didn’t want him to. So, he organized, rather than discarding things, not wanting a fight. It was nearly all junk, his Great Depression parents loath to abandon what might be useful someday, just in case, you never know. Occasionally, Alice would come in, hover, and leave.

At the bottom of one box, he found a large, oval cookie tin filled with photographs. He remembered as a small child struggling to carry the oversized tin to the church social for his mother. It still smelled faintly of divinity and peanut butter cookies with Hershey’s kisses pressed into them.

He brought the tin to the kitchen where Alice was filling the crock pot.

“Sit with me,” he asked.

She slid the carrots in and dried her hands. They perused in silence for a while. Paul built a stack of flower garden photos their father had taken. The same daffodils, front porch in the background, that only changed from black-and-white, to color, to Polaroids, to four-by-sixes with their matte finish.

“I don’t remember this,” Paul said. It was a Polaroid of Steve, standing precariously on an inner tube raft, grinning, arms outstretched, legs wide, clear blue water surrounding him, an upper corner obliterated by sun glare. He handed it to Alice.

“Florida. He flew with Grandma to see her sister. Spring, senior year of high school. You would have been away at college by then.” She regarded the photo for a time. “He was the only one to inherit Mom’s dimples,” she said. And it was true. You could see them there, even at a distance, even through the Florida glare.

He must have been ecstatic that day, Paul thought. Steve’s dimples only appeared when he smiled hard.

Alice turned the photo over and handed it to Paul. Steve had written ‘The swimming is great. Wish Paul was here.’

There were other pictures; times and places Paul hadn’t recalled in years. He found himself smiling. Alice occasionally laughed. And why not? There had been joy, hadn’t there? And laughter. It was good to remember that, Paul thought. To be reminded.

In the end, they threw nothing out.

Nothing from Paul’s room. Not even the redundant daffodils.

That afternoon, once Steve’s estate was closed with the lawyer, they went to a movie and dinner. Her soup would keep.

He must have been ecstatic that day, Paul thought.

Steve’s dimples only appeared when he smiled hard.

His treat, as a thank you, Paul said.

In the morning, the tin was still on the kitchen table. Alice set it aside and plated the eggs.

“Wish you could stay longer,” she said.

“I know.”

After breakfast, Paul retrieved his bag, donned his coat. Alice slipped a Polaroid in Paul’s coat pocket—the one with the dimples.

“Keep it,” she said, hugged him, kissed his cheek.

Paul shouldered his bag while looking at the table. He laid a hand atop the tin.

“I could take this with me,” he suggested. “Maybe do something with them.”

“That would be nice.”

“Visit me at Easter, if you can.”

Paul kissed her cheek, tucked the tin under an arm, and left for the interstate. ▼

W I N E

•

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TJ

is a retired veterinarian living in Snow Hill, MD, with his husband of 32 years, Tom Sullivan. He writes for the joy of the craft and has a self-published book of poetry entitled If A Child Ever Asks (available on Amazon).

When not writing, TJ enjoys birdwatching, gardening, and beekeeping. ▼

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•

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31 Letters

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Presents….

BY BILL FUCHS

The Magic of Motown Spotlight on Gwendolyn Miller

B

ell bottoms, high waists, hip huggers, platform shoes, polyester leisure suits, Afros, bold patterns—funky fashion from the ’60s and ’70s. After three sold-out performances of “On Broadway,” CAMP Rehoboth Chorus continues its 15th season and celebrates African American Music Appreciation Month with “The Magic of Motown,” featuring songs from the golden age of the Motown sound.

Performances are June 13 and 14 at 7:00 p.m., and June 15 at 3:00 p.m. All concerts are at Epworth United Methodist Church, 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach. Tickets are available at camprehoboth.org.

Many concert-goers over the years have asked for a Motown revue, and this concert delivers!

From 1961 to 1971, the Motown record label had 110 top 10 hits. Motown played a vital role in the racial integration of popular soul music with crossover appeal to White audiences.

Smokey Robinson summed up the impact very well: “Into the 1960s, I was still not of a frame of mind that we were not only making music, we were making history. But I did recognize the impact because acts were going all over the world at that time. I recognized the bridges that we crossed, the racial problems and barriers that we broke down with music. I recognized that because I lived it. I would come to the south in the early days of Motown and the audiences would be segregated. Then they started to get the Motown music, and we would go back, and the audiences were integrated, and the kids were dancing together and holding hands.”

The Magic of Motown brings to life some of the icons and memorable songs that Motown offers. The Monotones ask, “Who Wrote the Book of Love?” “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” that there will be “Dancing in the Street” by Marvin Gaye. The Temptations reveal that it was “Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me).” Stevie Wonder’s contributions are

Letters 32

MAY 16, 2025

legend, and this concert features an impressive ’60s medley as well as “You Are the Sunshine of My Life.” And, of course, a rousing rendition of Tina Turner’s classic cover, “Proud Mary.”

SOLOIST GWENDOLYN MILLER Soprano Gwendolyn Miller channels Aretha Franklin in an explosive rendition of “Respect,” but promises to give it her own twist. She sang her first solo at age 10 and says that “Music has been a constant companion in my life.” Classically trained, she received a Bachelor of Music degree from the Cleveland Institute of Music. Gwendolyn has sung operas under the direction of James Levine and won numerous awards and competitions.

She has joined many classical music groups, musical theater productions, and touring ensembles in the US and Europe.

Gwendolyn credits her birth into a military family with giving her an open-minded perspective and appreciation of diversity. Born in Japan and raised in France, Italy, and Germany, she was educated locally and gained empathy for diverse and marginalized communities. Gwendolyn continued her education and received advanced degrees in both education and applied psychology; she was an elementary and middle school teacher, and music and theatre director.

Gwendolyn and her husband bought a summer home in Delaware in 2006 and moved permanently 10 years later. Gwendolyn joined the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus in 2022. For her, this was an unusual foray into the popular music genre. She attended her first rehearsal and immediately fell in love with the group. In her own words: “The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is much more than a musical group. It’s a lively celebration of welcome and acceptance that nurtures a deep sense of belonging for every member. Here, my individuality is not just recognized; it’s joyfully celebrated with open arms. The Chorus fosters a warm and inviting atmosphere where differences are not merely accepted but

“The CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is…a lively celebration of welcome and acceptance that nurtures a deep sense of belonging for every member.” embraced. It’s this supportive environment that keeps me coming back—it’s not just about singing; it’s about being a part of something larger, something overflowing with love and happiness.”

On being an ally, Gwendolyn quotes Lady Gaga: “I was born this way.” She continues, “Being an ally entails active support and advocacy for marginalized communities and a commitment to confronting injustices. Above all, to be an ally signifies the embodiment of empathy, respect, and solidarity in all actions, to foster a more equitable and inclusive world for all. These experiences have fortified my determination to combat inequality and inspired me to educate others on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.” ▼ Bill Fuchs has been with the Chorus since 2016.

He has the distinction of having married two college sweethearts—not at the same time! He loves music, theater, travel, and his long-haired Chihuahua.

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus MUSIC FROM MOTOWN LEGENDS: F O U R TO P S

S T E V I E WO N D E R

DIANA ROSS AND THE SUPREMES T E M P TAT I O N S

SMOKEY ROBINSON

M A RV I N G AY E THE ISLEY BROTHERS ARETHA FRANKLIN

JAC KS O N F I V E SAM COOKE THE DRIFTERS

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Epworth United Methodist Church Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

$30 Adults, $15 Students

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

MAY 16, 2025

33 Letters

There Once Was a Limerick…

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

Five Lines and a Laugh The limerick packs laughs anatomical Into space that is quite economical.

But the good ones I’ve seen So seldom are clean And the clean ones so seldom are comical.

H

ear the phrase “There once was,” and whether your mind drifts to the Duchess of Kent, the man from Nantucket, or that hermit named Dave, you know the destination is probably going to be a limerick. Most are too bawdy to relate here, blushing maidens as you all are, but I’m on good terms with the editor, so let’s see what I can get away with.

Limericks are five-line poems with a distinctive rhythm and an AABBA (not the musical group) rhyme scheme, meaning that the ends of the first, second, and fifth lines rhyme, and the ends of the third and fourth lines rhyme with each other. There are other niceties and a few variations, but most limericks focus on silly subject matter and use humor and wordplay. More than a few are naughty, often in an outrageously offensive way.

The poem’s name originated from Limerick, Ireland, in reference to a popular nonsense song that included the phrase “Will (or won’t) you come to Limerick?”

However, the poem’s form is much older.

The general consensus is that Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) wrote the first limerick. It’s boring (in English as well as the original Latin), so I’ll not relate it here. Shakespeare wrote a drinking song in Othello that reads like a limerick (also boring).

Edward Lear (not boring) is often, but incorrectly, called the father of

the limerick for his 1846 collection of illustrated short poems, A Book of Nonsense. These poems established the still-popular limerick form of “somebody” from “somewhere.” Ogden Nash was also a fan. Limericks can be found in the works of Lord Alfred Tennyson, Rudyard Kipling, Robert Louis Stevenson, and even Isaac Asimov. Most limericks have been passed around so much, the author is unknown.

The best limericks, like the best jokes, are specific in their details: There once was a lady named Cager, Who as the result of a wager, Consented to fart The entire oboe part Of Mozart’s quartet in F-major.

Others contain wordplay: There once was a lady of Natchez, Whose garments were tatters and patches.

When comment arose On the state of her clothes, She drawled, “Where Ah itchez, Ah scratchez!”

– OGDEN NASH

But most are delightfully cheeky or just plain rude: A certain young sheik I’m not namin’, Asked a flapper he thought he was tamin’: “Have you your maidenhead?”

“Don’t be silly!” she said, “But I still have the box that it came in.”

There once was a sailor named Bates Who was dancing the mambo on skates.

He fell on his cutlass, Which rendered him nutless, And practically useless on dates.

There was an Old Man with a beard, Who said, “It is just as I feared! — Two Owls and a Hen, Four Larks and a Wren, Have all built their nests in my beard.”

– Edward Lear Letters 34

MAY 16, 2025

On the breast of the lovely Miss Hale Was tattooed the price of her tail.

And on her behind For the sake of the blind Was the same information in braille.

There was a young man from Stamboul, Who soliloquized thus to his tool: “You took all my wealth and you ruined my health, and now you won’t pee, you old fool.”

There was a young fellow called Lancelot Whom his neighbors all looked on askance a lot; Whenever he’d pass A presentable lass, The front of his pants would advance a lot.

There are a fairly large number of limericks with LGBTQ+ themes, but sadly, most of them are homophobic. Here are a couple I found acceptable.

A yogi from far-off Beirut For women did not care a hoot, But his organ would stand In a manner quite grand, When a snake-charmer played on his flute.

There was a young man of Ostend Who went for a drink with a friend; They had a few jars With two boys in some bars, And so each had a friend in the end.

– E. O PARROTT

Want to write a limerick? Here’s an easy formula: There once was a [person] from [place] Whose [body part] was [special case].

When [event] would occur It would cause [him, her, or them] To [do something obscure]. ▼ Nancy Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and editor who owns Cat & Mouse Press in Lewes, Delaware.

Illustration: (public domain) Edward Lear, A Book of Nonsense, 1846

Limericks May 12 was National Limerick Day. We invited our readers (and writers) to craft some of their own — and they did not disappoint!

It's now known there's a Boson named Higgs That creates both bananas and pigs So it really does matter how particles scatter Some by zags and still others by zigs.

It’s spring! Daffodils are a-blooming While oak and pine pollen are looming.

I greet spring with a sneeze, Cough, red eyes, and a wheeze— My allergies are all-consuming!

Summer comes soon to our beach: Restful days on the sand within reach.

See a show, get some sun, But don't have too much fun Or your skin turns a crisp shade of peach.

– W. WHITMAN

– JOE GFALLER

It started with Steve and with Murray But got larger in quite a big hurry.

It’s being put to the test,

By Trump and the rest, Yet CAMP will prevail, don’t you worry.

There once was a gal in denial, Whose dress was incredibly vile.

She wore two-toned socks That clashed with her frocks.

Who am I to say what is in style?

– NANCY SAKADUSKI

– SHARON MORGAN

If you demonize immigrant labor And move on to deporting your neighbor, Though you may feel elation At dividing our nation, Better hope you don’t meet my lightsaber

We protest and we march and we rally, Sign petitions, call reps, and then sally Forth, find a spot Reconnoiter and plot Our upcoming escape to fair Bali!

– RICHARD ROSENDALL

– JQ PUBLIC

– MARILYN HEWITT

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MAY 16, 2025

35 Letters

Born to Run

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

Delaware State Representative Claire Snyder-Hall

I

f you live in Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, or the southern part of Lewes, odds are that Claire Snyder-Hall has knocked on your door at least once. She’s knocked on more than 6,000 doors to speak with voters—and that’s just during her last campaign. She won the election, defeating two opponents in the primary and one in the general election, and has represented the 14th district in the Delaware House of Representatives since 2024 (the first woman to do so). Inquiring minds wanted to know more.

NANCY SAKADUSKI: You’ve said you felt compelled to run in 2024 because you saw it as the most important election of our lifetime. Does it feel good or bad to have been right?

CLAIRE SNYDER-HALL: I’m horrified things turned out the way they did.… We knew it was going to be bad if Trump got elected, and it’s even worse, I believe, than anybody expected.

And it’s a difficult time to be a leader in Delaware, because people are turning to us for strength and guidance and leadership. I have people coming by my house and breaking down crying in the kitchen. People asking, “what can we do, what can we do?” And we don’t know what to do right now, and that’s very hard.

I am glad that I’m in this position because I do feel like I want to be able to do as much as I can to protect Delawareans.

NS: You have a PhD in political science from Rutgers University, with a major in political philosophy and minors in political economy and women and politics, and you started as an academic. How different are things in the real world?

CSH: You can have all these ideas about how you want things to be, but then when you’re in the governing seat and you have to look at the fact that, hey, we don’t have the money for that.… I felt like there’s a huge disconnect. I think of myself now as my philosophical commitments and then my political life.

NS: It sometimes seems as though you just plain outwork your campaign oppoLetters 36

MAY 16, 2025

nents. How much do you rely on shoe leather to succeed?

CSH: I do think that we worked really hard during the campaign.… We were just relentless. My wife [Mikki Snyder-Hall] was my campaign manager...it was 24/7 with us. It was all we did for the whole year that we were running. So, we did work really, really hard.

NS: Do you think people see how that translates into how hard you are working as a legislator?

CSH: Yes. Some people told me…that they saw how hard I was working on the campaign trail, and they thought, ‘well, she’s probably going to work hard once she gets elected,’ and I am.

NS: A good part of your life has been spent on encouraging civic participation.

Do you think our system is still working?

CSH: When I was an advocate, I was very

critical of the lack of opportunities for the public to really participate in a substantive way in democratic politics, and that is even more clear to me now…. So I would like to see more opportunities for the public to have an impact…. But I do think people can take a more active role in terms of writing letters to the editor and being engaged with the issues.

NS: Common Cause is often characterized as a watchdog group. Do you consider yourself a watchdog? [Rep. Snyder-Hall is a former executive director of Common Cause Delaware.]

CSH: I think I am still a watchdog, because I’m watching what’s going on, but from inside the caucus…my mode is much different now…. At the same time, I guess I need to be watched by the watchdogs [laughs]…. That’s part of the democratic process.

I force myself to be positive and hopeful and remember that “it always seems impossible until it’s done” [Nelson Mandela]…

NS: In your book (Battling the Prince: A Woman Fights for Democracy), you mention a time while you were at Smith College when you learned about “compulsory heterosexuality” and the liberating possibility of a lesbian existence.

How did that affect your life?

CSH: I remember distinctly the day I read Adrienne Rich’s Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence…. That really turned on a light bulb for me and it’s a great example of the way that higher education can really open up doors for people. That opened up the possibility of living a life as a lesbian and it helped me with my own process of coming out, which was a little rough with my family.

NS: You had not come out before that?

CSH: No.… I didn’t know.… Now that I’m much more educated, this is going to sound like a stupid thing to say, but at the time, when I was 18, 19, I was like, ‘How do you not know what your sexuality is? How can I be unsure about my sexuality? That’s ridiculous.’ But I wasn’t sure…and I grew up in Florida. It was very homophobic.… I thought I might be gay when I was 13 years old and it was the most horrifying thing that I could imagine…and so I very actively repressed it.… It was when I got to Smith and I started reading and being around a more supportive environment that I was able to open up my thinking and have the courage to come out, which was not well received in my household.

NS: You’ve done a lot of advocacy work that involved lobbying politicians. What’s it like being on the other side of the desk?

CSH: It’s so funny…. One of my Republican colleagues, who I got into a major political battle with when I was with Common Cause and I was a little worried about my relationship with him, but he didn’t take it personally at all. And so now he’s always teasing me about it.… It does feel different when you’re on the receiving end.

NS: Have you ever been swayed to change your stance?

CSH: Well, some issues you don’t un-

derstand. I’ve been enlightened about a few issues that maybe I wouldn’t have thought about.… A lot of things I’m really not movable on—things that are core values.

NS: You work so hard. What do you do for fun?

CSH: We have a very active social life.

The Rehoboth area is so much fun. And there’s such a great community. We particularly like going out and hearing live music. I really love cooking, and I also really love reading. I’m trying to support long-form journalism and get outside the echo chamber.

NS: What do few people know about you?

CSH: I enjoy country and western two-stepping.

NS: Women are often criticized with terms like “abrasive,” “pushy,” and of course, “bitchy,” terms that are seldom used to refer to men. Do you feel comfortable owning any of those adjectives?

CSH: Yes! I’m all about embracing the negative adjectives. It’s like back in the day when we reclaimed “dyke.”

NS: You were the only representative, Democrat or Republican, who voted against HB65 (changing the Delaware primary to align with the presidential primary during election years). Do you feel confident standing alone like that?

CSH: You know, I felt, as I said in caucus, ‘I hate to be odd man out,’ because everybody else wanted the bill, but I actually did not feel uncomfortable, because I felt very strongly that I did not support the bill. I was happy to have an opportunity to show the fact that I’m an individual thinker and I’m not just going to go along with anybody.

NS: You’ve made some enemies along the way. Are you more inclined to mend fences or move on?

CSH: When I was growing up, I was always considered “too nice,” and I never thought I’d end up with an enemies list.

It really depends on who the enemies are. Some people, I feel like they have an irrational animosity towards me, and a lot of times that’s not something that can

be ameliorated.… I have mended fences with some people who were enemies.

NS: You express a wish in your book that we can face our situation head on and, “despite the odds, persist in our hope for a better world.” Do you still maintain a sense of optimism?

CSH: I force myself to be positive and hopeful and remember that “it always seems impossible until it’s done” [Nelson Mandela].… Who would ever have thought that the Berlin Wall would come down? Who ever thought that Apartheid would end? Who ever thought that slavery would be ended? Numerous things seem like they will never end, and you just keep working against all odds and just force yourself to be hopeful and positive.

NS: Your wife, Mikki, is such an integral part of your political life. How has she inspired you?

CSH: Just on a personal level, Mikki is one of the most courageous, authentic people I’ve ever met. She’s a very strong person and she’s always her authentic self, regardless of anything…. For the campaign, she’s very good strategically and she’s a software developer, so she’s very good with the technical stuff and she always has very creative ideas… and she’s fun. She’s so gregarious. She works every room she’s in, and I’ve been able to develop that skill, but she’s a natural. She remembers everybody and their story…and that’s inspirational.

NS: You’ve been a college professor, executive director of Common Cause Delaware, author, and legislator. What’s your next step?

I plan to work as a legislator, probably for the duration.… I just really want to do this job. I feel like it’s the perfect job—a fantastic district.… I love the people in the district and I’m really enjoying the work. ▼ Nancy Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and editor who owns Cat & Mouse Press in Lewes, Delaware.

MAY 16, 2025

37 Letters

The Writing Life

BY GINA M. WILSON

Silicon Valley East Battling Imposter Syndrome

A

s an executive coach, I have the privilege of working with stunningly accomplished professionals and leaders across tech, healthcare, and a variety of industries.

Yet even those at the highest levels of an organization and those recognized as experts in their field sometimes struggle with imposter syndrome. Despite advanced degrees and industry know-how, why is it so many of us still ask ourselves if we are enough—are we doing enough, are we leading well enough, are we smart enough?

Cognitive science tells us that our thoughts are within our control. We have the power within us to change what and how we think. Yet we tend to fall back to patterns of self-doubt, even when evidence exists that would easily dispel notions that we aren’t enough or don’t belong. These doubts stem from experiences of being minimized, overlooked, or bullied. They are fueled by a barrage of microaggressions and disparaging comments from peers and authority figures, even family.

Systemic exposure has a lasting impact on one’s self-image, even for those having overcome seemingly unsurmountable challenges. Though deep down we may know our abilities, when we look in the mirror, we don’t see them. Imposter syndrome is so pervasive in my coaching practice, especially among—but not limited to—women and LGBTQ+ individuals, I felt compelled to write about it. I wove this theme and its relatives, bullying and anxiety, into a story of a young woman’s search for her place in the world. My hope is to inspire anyone who’s been plagued with limiting beliefs to believe in their own power of agency.

There are plenty of books about famous tech innovators and entrepreneurs, yet few feature women and the hurdles they face in an often unwelcoming and competitive industry. My debut novel, Silicon Valley East, explores these themes while celebrating the evolution of informaLetters 38

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tion technology in its early east coast hub in Philadelphia’s western suburbs. The novel is both a testament to the power of perseverance and passion and a tribute to the pioneering software developers and healthcare workers who paved the

Silicon Valley East is…a timeless portrayal of a driven woman making difficult choices in charting both her professional and personal life, woven together with themes of identity [and] triumph… way for today’s electronic medical record.

Set in the early 1980s, Silicon Valley East follows the journey of Christina Como, a young woman with a vision who shakes up the tech world. We ride along as Christina takes a promising job and moves from her Delaware home, sampling nightclubs in Manhattan and exploring the city, until a new job lands her right where she is meant to be.

As she navigates the challenges of her career, Christina must also confront the personal costs of her ambitions. She traverses the country, from Philly to the Bayou, to Chicago, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Alaska, developing hospital systems while battling sexism, loneliness, and isolation.

Friends and family question her defiance of social norms while she dismisses

traditional gender stereotypes. A strong belief in her own abilities is met with the constant stress of having to prove herself again and again.

I wrote Christina’s story both to spotlight the experiences of women in STEM during a pivotal moment in tech history, and to honor the women who dared to challenge the status quo—those who pushed boundaries and inspired others to do the same. Fast forward 40 years, and we still find workplace issues of underrepresentation, naysayers, and those trying to thwart others’ success. Leaders still wrestle with imposter syndrome.

Christina’s story offers hope and inspiration, illuminating how kindness, meaningful relationships, supportive mentors, and passion can cultivate resilience and allow innovation to flourish.

Infused with empathy and a deep understanding of the complexities of human relationships, Silicon Valley East is more than a retro romp through the eighties. It is a timeless portrayal of a driven woman making difficult choices in charting both her professional and personal life, woven together with themes of identity, triumph, and what it means to honor one’s belief in self. It reminds us to follow our passions and create our own happiness in the world without sacrificing our true selves.▼ Silicon Valley East available to order through Browseabout Books or Amazon.

Gina M. Wilson, MS, is a holistic executive coach and author of Skills That Build: The Hard Science of Soft Skills for Work and Life, Fearless First Year: A Student Guide for College Transition, Success, and Well-Being, and the recently released Silicon Valley East.

She is founder of System Strategies Consulting and Coaching and is an active member of the Rehoboth Beach Writers’ Guild. For more information, visit ginamwilson.com.

MAY 16, 2025

39 Letters

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MAY 16, 2025

41 Letters

CAMP Stories

BY RICH BARNETT

Save the Seeds, Children

T

he small painting of a harlequin in the hand-painted frame caught my eye. Tucked out of the way on a wall in a Key West antique shop, it looked out of place among the vintage Cuban license plates, ceramic tchotchkes, and paintings of fish and roosters.

Despite the black mold on the linen matboard and the frame, it evoked a sense of sophistication and world travel, a piece one might see in a gentleman’s library. Frankly, it felt kind of queer to me.

I asked the owner about it. Without hesitation he told me the painting was

by Henry Faulkner and probably inspired by one of his trips to Italy. When I said I didn’t know this artist, the owner lit up.

Henry, he said, spent a lot of time in Key West. He had a pet goat named Alice that drank bourbon whiskey and accompanied him to parties and gallery openings. He ran around on the island with Tennessee Williams.

Ha! I knew it. Can gaydar apply to art?

It took all my willpower not to whip out a credit card and buy it. But given that I own more artwork than I can possibly display, I passed. That said, I did locate an out-of-print book on the artist because my interest had been piqued and because I thought it was an interesting story to share as we move into Pride season.

Henry Faulkner was born into poverty in the remote mountains of eastern Kentucky in 1924 and raised mostly in orphanages and by conservative foster families, one of which believed art was the work of the devil. Henry, nevertheless, started painting as a boy, using crushed berries and mud to make pigments for his paintings. This resourceful approach reflected both his creativity and connection to the natural world around him.

(An interesting aside—artist Ward Ellinger, who used to run a gallery in the CAMP Rehoboth courtyard, once told me he’d started painting using the juice from berries while growing up in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley.)

In the early 1950s, Henry was sent to jail for solicitation and later to DC’s Saint Letters 42

MAY 16, 2025

Elizabeth’s psychiatric hospital for his homosexuality. After his release, he worked as an artist, moving around between Los Angeles, New York, and Key West where his paintings and his free-spirited lifestyle eventually caught the attention of gallery owners and the rich and famous.

Actors Bette Davis and Vincent Price

He regularly transported his menagerie via station wagon between his farm and his home on Peacon Street in Key West... collected his works. Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway befriended him.

In fact, there’s a Faulkner painting of Hemingway’s abode and its cats hanging in the master bedroom of the Hemingway House Museum.

In contrast to his depressed upbringing, Faulkner’s paintings mostly featured lighthearted and fantastical renderings of landscapes, nature, and figures. He was known for his use of vibrant, bold colors.

His stye was often described as a combination of surrealism and folk art.

Henry adored animals. With his earnings, he purchased a farm outside of Lexington, Kentucky, where he kept dozens of dogs, cats, chickens and goats.

His favorite companion—Alice the white goat—was also his muse and appeared in

many paintings. Flowers, butterflies, and unicorns were also among his favorite subjects. He regularly transported his menagerie via station wagon between his farm and his home on Peacon Street in Key West where he lived during the winter months.

Henry had a less whimsical side too. He was interested in naturopathic medicine and organic gardening. He was involved in left-wing politics. And he provided valuable information about his sexual experiences to Albert Kinsey. It’s said around 500 photographs and letters from Faulkner are still housed at the Kinsey Institute in Indiana.

The eccentric Appalachian painter died in December 1980 in Kentucky. A drunk teenager behind the wheel of a big Dodge automobile sped through a red light and plowed into Henry’s Toyota, breaking his neck and killing him instantly.

There are a couple of things I find particularly inspiring about Faulkner’s story.

The first is that he never hid his homosexuality. For example, he was a slight man who sometimes liked to wear dresses and pearls and dance in public. He had a taste for sailors. Naturally, this combination attracted ridicule and a few beatings. Yet despite the tough circumstances of his life and the extreme prejudices of the times in which he lived, he always stayed true to himself.

Faulkner also believed it was essential to preserve stories, photos, and art to be passed on like precious heirloom seeds to future generations. “Save the seeds, children” he often said. I couldn’t agree more. It’s important to keep LGBTQ+ history alive, especially as the Trump administration and its misguided supporters seem hell bent on erasing it. We can’t let that happen. For if we don’t preserve and pass on our stories, then who will?

In retrospect, I should have bought that painting. ▼ Rich Barnett is the author of The Discreet Charms of a Bourgeois Beach Town, and Fun with Dick and James.

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43 Letters

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45 Letters

Out & About

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

Questions and Cancers

A

fter five seasons of watching a show I’ve really enjoyed, you’d think the decision to tune in for Season 6 would be something of a given.

And it would have been an obvious yes, if the show wasn’t The Handmaid’s Tale and the year wasn’t 2025. Enough said.

But I did try. And honestly, I’ll try again. The reviews are fantastic, and it is something I want to see…someday. By “try,” I mean that I watched exactly one episode of the new season, turned off the television, ate an entire pint of Ben & Jerry’s, and put myself to bed. The next night, I returned to Hulu, hoping to do better and at least happy that my freezer had no more ice cream for me to pillage.

But instead of watching Episode 2, another show on Hulu caught my eye. This one was called Dying for Sex, which is sort next door to the plot of The Handmaid’s Tale anyway, if you think about it. When I clicked on the title to learn more, I discovered that it starred Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate, and I was intrigued.

First of all, I am convinced that Michelle Williams will one day be regarded as one of the great actors of her generation. She’s not great in a particularly showy way; she doesn’t try on a new accent every time she takes on a new role, nor does she play roles that ask her to chew the scenery. She inhabits her roles quietly, but completely. Still, she’s been nominated for five Academy Awards and by my reckoning, should have won at least two of them—so I’m not the only one who’s noticed.

Jenny Slate is a very different kind of actor. I first noticed her in Obvious Child, the “indie pro-choice rom-com” from 2014 (if that sounds like something you’d like, then it definitely is), but she is most famous in my group of friends as the voice of Marcel in Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (which defies explanation but is heartily recommended).

Dying for Sex is based on a podcast Letters 46

MAY 16, 2025

by Nikki Boyer that she co-hosted with her friend Molly Kochan. It chronicles Molly’s dating life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, leaving her marriage, and embarking on a journey of sexual exploration. The podcast won the 2021 Ambie Award for Podcast of the Year, but sadly, Molly died while the show was still in production, so never got to experience the fandom or the accolades. So yes, the title is annoyingly on-the-nose. But that’s really the only thing about the show that isn’t surprising and delightful.

Dying for Sex… chronicles Molly’s dating life after being diagnosed with terminal cancer…

In the adaptation, Williams plays Molly—ironically, the showier role of the two—a woman who has never had an orgasm with another person in the room.

Years after beating a breast cancer diagnosis, she experiences a sudden pain in her hip. The discomfort takes the form of the worst possible news—she now has cancer in her bones. It’s treatable, but not curable, and she will almost surely die young. Faced with the certainty of an early exit, there are suddenly a lot of things in her life she wants to change, most notably being married to a whiny dweeb (Jay Duplass) and the whole orgasm situation.

Slate plays Nikki, a well-meaning flibbertigibbet who now must take over the primary caretaking role in Molly’s life. She doesn’t get to play the after-effects of chemotherapy or any of the wild sexual situations that pepper the series, but her slow transformation from kooky girlishness to responsible-but-still-witha-touch-of-kooky adulthood is so subtle you almost miss it. It’s not until the show

is over that you realize how much Nikki has grown before your eyes. It’s an astonishing performance The show also features Rob Delaney (Catastrophe) as Molly’s creepy-hot neighbor and Sissy Spacek as Molly’s mother with a complicated past. Among the sexcapades that are explored with glee and abandon are gay actor (and 2025 Tony nominee) Conrad Ricamora’s hilarious performance as a human dog who really, really wants to be housetrained, and a Wall Street banker (Zack Robidas) who wants to be humiliated for his (ahem) anatomy, despite (spoiler?) not really having anything to be ashamed of in that department. And yes, Molly’s sexual adventures do include some detours into queer territory, most notably a scene with a lesbian “dom” (Robby Hoffman) that is built up to be raunchy comedy and ends up being one of the sweetest, most tender moments in the entire show.

If you were embarrassed just reading all that, this might not be the show for you. But if you’re intrigued by the Sex & the City/Terms of Endearment mashup you didn’t know you needed, give it a whirl. It’s eight short episodes and is easily binged over two evenings. Ben & Jerry’s is optional.

Gilead can wait, for now. ▼ Eric Peterson is a Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) practitioner, pop culture junkie, and sometime novelist. His debut novel (Loyalty, Love & Vermouth) is available at Broweseabout Books and online.

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47 Letters

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49 Letters

The Bicycle Built for Two

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

You, Too, Might Look Sweet

E

xactly how right was Freddy Mercury?

Well, love is pretty crazy.

People bite the dust. Someone’s going to rock you sooner or later. We absolutely must never let Bismillah go! And we all want to ride our bicycles.

Sometimes, though, we don’t want to do it alone.

But before we get to that, a basic history of bicycles and women: historically, the two mixed well, starting with the earliest creation of the former but with contentious results aimed at the latter.

Women took to bicycling quickly, mostly because riding was a new, inexpensive method of travel, hence a new, inexpensive way to gain some independence.

Men, for their part, enjoyed leisurely bike-riding with the women they loved—it was, after all, a way to keep their ladies safe and under watch—but that was where many men drew the line. For a married woman to go gallivanting all over the country by herself?

Never!

Yeah, you can imagine how men of the 1880s felt about women’s pantaloons or bloomers for bike riding, or the special “bicycle corset” that might (gasp!) allow a woman’s body to jiggle, or the preposterous notion that a bicycle seat might turn their wives into oversexed beings.

But did our intrepid great-great grandmothers care?

Eh, not much. Women bicyclists were arrested, they were assaulted, they very likely had major arguments with both husbands and fathers, and whatever. But they embraced bicycles just as much as did men (or more!) and soon, the guys had no option but to accept what was going on with women on two wheels.

Except.…

In about the mid-1880s, a new-fangled bicycle began to capture the fancy of courting couples: the tandem bike: one vehicle, four pedals, two wheels, two seats.

There’s some argument over who came up with the tandem bicycle—or the “bicycle built for two,” as it’s often Letters 50

MAY 16, 2025

called—but the most accepted accounts are that a Danish inventor named Mikael Pederson was the creator, or that a couple guys from Brooklyn came up with the idea. In either case, tandem bikes fully wheeled into American consciousness by the 1890s.

…riding with someone on the same device takes practice, cooperation, and excellent balance…

The first ones, called “courting bikes,” were meant for just that, for a couple who wanted to spend some publicly-sanctioned, fun get-to-know-you time together, without a Victorian-mandated chaperone. Courting bikes were lighter weight, and the woman was meant to sit in front so as not to muss her skirts. The man sat in back, and steered.

This, as you can see, put the man in charge. It placed the woman in the position to catch bugs, wind, mud-puddle splashes, and projectiles. Yippee.

And yet, riding such a vehicle was so popular a pastime that a very famous song was written about it, exhorting “Daisy, Daisy” to marry her boyfriend, who promised that “it won’t be a stylish marriage, I can’t afford a carriage, but you’ll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.”

Yeah, okay, stay with me here. It was charming back then.

By the beginning of World War I, though, many riders—especially men— decided that if they were going to ride together, they’d ride apart together and the tandem bike morphed into basically what it mostly is today, with the steering in front and pedaling done by both riders, as equally as possible, depending on the person in the secondary position.

So why doesn’t everybody have a tandem bike?

The reasons are many: dating styles, for one, are different than when greatgreat grandpa was wooing great-great grandma; a bike-ride date today is unlikely to be done on a bicycle built for two.

Then there’s the logistics: it’s hard to ride a tandem bike alone, which means you need to have a willing friend. Willing, and initially patient: riding with someone on the same device takes practice, cooperation, and excellent balance. Most of the tandem bikes you’d rent for fun are nowhere near tricked-out enough for great speed. To own a tandem bike requires serious real estate in a garage or shed because of their overall size, and they’re pricey, considering how much use you’d realistically get from one.

Plus: cars.

Plus, let’s admit it: in many cases, they can be kind of throw-back, ironic-dorky.

Fun, super-fun, but kind of dorky.

And yet, despite their decline, you’ll still see them in surprising places. Look for specialized tandem bikes for disabled riders. You’ll find tandem bikes in bike races, in the Olympics, and in clubs for riders and fans of the vehicles. You’ll find them in old movies and television shows, and extralong-sized ones in parades and festivals.

You might find one for sale somewhere nearby that you can ride.

“Fat-bottomed girls,” indeed. ▼ Terri Schlichenmeyer’s third book, The Book of Facts and Trivia: Science, came out in September 2024.

MAY 16, 2025

51 Letters

OUTlook

BY BETH SHOCKLEY

Hope and Courage

I

don’t know about you, but I can barely keep up. Each day, somehow, the horrors of our political regime get even worse than the day before. My wife and I are marching and calling our reps and working to keep hope alive. There’s a funny meme of Christopher Walken, hair standing on end, holding a cup of coffee. On his face, a look of horror, disgust, surprise and contempt all wrapped in one. The caption: “My reaction to absolutely everything right now.”

I don’t know if I can make that same face, but the meme perfectly captures my mood, as it has for many of us. Times are especially tough for those who face mental health challenges. Like any other condition that strays in any way from cis, White, Christian, and male, any difference can make you stand out—and that can make you a target. Like being a person of color, LGBTQ+, a woman, an immigrant, a federal worker, and the list gets longer every day.

As someone with mental illness, in treatment for it most of my life, these days can be particularly frightening, even triggering PTSD that had been dormant for years. When that happens and I start a cycle of panic attacks, I take the action I know will help—therapy and an increase

in my maintenance meds.

So, this year, National Mental Health Awareness Month takes a more urgent and personal turn as it reminds me I’m better but not cured. It’s a time for selfcare and reaching out to others. It’s a time to take action, even when that’s harder than normal.

I try to get out into nature. My wife and I are planting some native plants in our garden for pollinators. We are doing yoga and walking. We decided to move up our usual fall beach vacation, and were fortunate to snag a place where we can watch the waves, walk the avenue, eat some very (and not so) good food, and spend time with friends.

This is the celebration of our 20th anniversary together—the longest I’ve ever done anything, and with the most wonderful woman on the planet. These two decades have flown by and I wouldn’t want to grow older with anyone else. She is the love of my life and I feel so fortunate that we found each other, especially later in life.

Another wonderful thing to look forward to: seeing my musical hero, Paul Simon, in concert in a few months at the Kimmel Center near Philly. He is one of the trifecta of amazing living artists that I have always admired, Janis Ian and

So, this year, National Mental Health Awareness Month takes a more urgent and personal turn as it reminds me I’m better but not cured.

Joni Mitchell being the other two. When I found out Paul Simon was touring, at 83, I listened to his latest album Seven Psalms.

And when I found out he was coming so close to us—we snapped up tickets.

So, getting the help I need, moving around a bit more, putting in motion things to look forward to—all of these actions are helping me deal with the worst of the constant stress of this political regime.

When we marched in Dover last month, we got a surprise visit at the demonstration from US Representative Sarah McBride. She is truly someone you can look up to, to find hope and courage, especially in tough times. She is the epitome of a leader. Her words and actions give me hope. Being at the demonstration, doing something, seeing hundreds of other people in the fight—all give me hope.

Congresswoman McBride reminded me that we can’t lose hope because generations before us had even greater reasons and hardships to deal with— Black people crushed under a system that made them feel less than human. Or people during the Great Depression who were trying to feed their families and put a roof over their heads—they did not give up hope, McBride said. So now is not the time for us to give up hope.

I have a new favorite quote, from Kamala Harris, that I wrote down on a pad I keep on the kitchen table: “Fear has a way of being contagious. But courage is also contagious.”

When I march, I am courageous.

When I write about having mental illness, I am courageous. When I manage some days only to get myself in the shower, go outside, or eat healthy food—those are all courageous actions in their own ways. I can only hope some of it is contagious.

But dammit, I just checked the news and I’m making that Christopher Walken face again. ▼ Beth Shockley is a retired writer and editor; she shares life with her wife and three kitty boys.

Letters 52

MAY 16, 2025

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MAY 16, 2025

53 Letters

Here Comes the Sun(screen)

BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE

Going for the Gold…or Bronze

A

s summer creeps closer, the sun is priming itself for yet another season of brilliance and mayhem.

In case you were raised exclusively in a bomb shelter: the sun is that glowing ball of fire in the sky that everyone on social media seems to worship like it’s handing out free concert tickets. And listen, they have a point: the sun powers our planet, helps plants grow, boosts our mood, and provides just enough light to make patio brunch Instagram-worthy.

But for those of us with fair skin— and I’m talking porcelain, ghost-in-thedaylight, reflective-as-a-mirror kind of fair—the sun is less “warm embrace” and more “casual assassin.” While the masses stretch luxuriously under its golden rays, I’m calculating UV indices like a doomsday prepper, wearing a hat with a brim the size of a hula-hoop.

For anyone with skin like mine, the fantasy of a tan is real. I, too, long for that effortless sun-kissed glow—the kind where people say things like, “You look so healthy!” But the path to that look is often paved with sunburn, aloe vera, and regret. No matter how strategic I am, if I spend more than a little time outside, my skin reacts like it’s under siege. And, scientifically speaking, it kind of is.

UV radiation from the sun causes actual damage to skin cells. People with more melanin—the natural pigment that helps absorb and disperse UV rays—get some built-in protection. People like me?

We get burned. And the worst part is, it’s unpredictable. Some days I walk away from an afternoon outdoors with a subtle glow. Other days, despite being slathered in SPF 50 like a frosted sheet cake, I end up looking like I lost a wrestling match with a toaster oven.

Growing up, this was especially confusing. My dad, tanned to a golden bronze 90 percent of the time, fully embodied Tommy Bahama energy. My friends were glowing by July without trying. My partner? I’m convinced he doesn’t know what SPF stands for, and Letters 54

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yet he tans like he’s under contract with the sun. Meanwhile, I was the one at the beach in all black, looking like Wednesday Addams under the umbrella.

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about vanity.

Okay, maybe it used to be a little bit about vanity—but it’s mostly about survival. I’ve finally learned that the summer glow I

I was the one at the beach in all black, looking like Wednesday Addams under the umbrella. chased in my teens and twenties (ok… and thirties) came with long-term consequences. Dermatologists call this tanning through damage, which sounds about as appealing as “bronzing through blunt force trauma.” Essentially, any tan I got was only after I’d already fried my skin like bacon. That beautiful golden hue? A literal sign of trauma.

It turns out there are some hard facts behind my lifelong lobster cosplay. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, having just five or more sunburns in your life doubles your risk for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. And even one blistering sunburn during childhood or adolescence more than doubles your chances of developing melanoma later on. If that doesn’t make you want to live under a parasol, I don’t know what will.

So now, at 44, I’ve stopped pretending I’m one good beach day away from “glowing.” I’ve chosen to trade risk for SPF. I’ve found sunscreens that work with my skin instead of turning me into an oil slick. I reapply diligently. I sit under umbrellas, and yes, I will turn you down if you suggest an outdoor brunch without shade. I’ve made peace with my paleness. Kind of.

But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t envy the golden gods and goddesses of summer. There’s something infuriatingly unfair about watching other people bask in the sun, turning the color of caramel,

while I’m doing math about how much zinc oxide I’ll need for 30 minutes of light walking. It’s not just jealousy. It’s grief. I’m mourning the version of myself that once thought I could outrun my biology.

And yet, I’ve also learned that caring for your skin—especially if it’s fair and prone to burning—is not weakness.

It’s power. It’s defiance in a culture that equates tan with healthy, even though that’s a myth. Pale is not sickly. It’s safe.

It’s deliberate. It’s smart.

Of course, I still want to look good. I’m not made of stone. But now, I prioritize looking good later, not just in the moment.

I’d rather be the person with laugh lines at 70 than the one trying to zap off sun spots at 40. I still enjoy the sun—just from a safe distance. Like a rational person does with rattlesnakes or lava.

So as we head into another season of pool parties, hikes, rooftop bars, and outdoor weddings on fields with no shade whatsoever, I offer this: embrace the sunscreen. Learn to love the radiance of health over the glow of UV damage. And if you’re a fellow pale traveler in a land of bronze, know you’re not alone. Our skin may be high maintenance, but it’s worth protecting.

Because while the sun may be a brilliant, life-giving marvel, it’s also an unpredictable frenemy. And for some of us, friendship with the sun comes with boundaries, zinc, and maybe a little shade—figuratively and literally. ▼ Christopher Moore is a writer, a teacher, and a lover of music, NPR, yoga, caulk guns, abandoned shopping malls, reproductive freedoms, peanut M&Ms, and a man who lives in Toronto. His email is moore.cc@gmail.com.

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MAY 16, 2025

55 Letters

Historical Headliners

BY ANN APTAKER

Poet of America: Katharine Lee Bates

I

rony can be funny, or it can be bitter, but on January 20, 2025, it was both at the same time. The joke was on the man inaugurated as President of the United States on that day, and the bitterness was the taste the inauguration left in my mouth, and the mouths of millions of LGBTQ+ Americans, Americans of color, immigrants, and women.

So what was the irony, and why did I chuckle through my tears? Because when “America the Beautiful” was sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir at the event, the joke was on the man assuming the office of president. Because, you see, the lyrics of “America the Beautiful” were written in 1893 by a woman who was a college professor, an activist for progressive social causes, a champion for the rights of people of color, women’s suffrage, international peace, and she was a lesbian.

Born in 1859 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, Bates’s young womanhood experienced the post-Civil War exuberance of America, particularly in the triumphant northern states like Massachusetts, where the Industrial Revolution was in full swing, and industry was booming. It was that industrial boom, and the miserable working conditions in the factories, which first brought Bates into social activism. She remained a supporter of labor unions all her life.

Unlike what was expected of respectable young ladies of the time, Bates was attracted to the life of the mind.

She attended Wellsley College, itself a forward-looking institution whose mission was to empower women for a modern world. Bates thrived in the school’s heady intellectual environment, graduating in 1880. Upon graduation, she taught at Natick High School and then at the Dana Hall School.

Her love of literature led her to try her hand at writing, and in 1889 Bates’s Rose and Thorn, a young adult novel featuring working class and impoverished characters, won a monetary prize. The book sold well. Together, the profits from book sales and the monetary prize enabled Bates to Letters 56

MAY 16, 2025

travel to England in 1890 to further her studies at Oxford University.

In 1891, she returned to Massachusetts where she once again enrolled at Wellsley in pursuit of her Master of Arts while also teaching as an associate professor. When the degree was conferred in 1893, Bates was elevated to a full professorship of English literature.

Katharine Lee Bates espoused a patriotism larger than the political tribalism infecting our body politic today…

So, what of “America the Beautiful?” In the summer of 1893, before formally joining the Wellsley faculty as a full professor, Bates travelled to Colorado Springs to teach a summer course in English Literature at Colorado Springs College. Bates and a group of teachers from the college took an afternoon to ascend Pikes Peak.

After what Bates acknowledged was a tiring trek, the group reached the top and its astounding view of the Rocky Mountain range and the vast expanse of America.

She later said, “But when I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonder of America seemed displayed there.…” Filled with this joy and energy, Bates wrote “America the Beautiful” as a poem, its words later set to music by composer Samuel Ward.

Bates included the full poem in her

1912 book, America the Beautiful, and Other Poems. The full poem not only expresses Bates’s love of America, but her condemnation of its Industrial Age harshness and Gilded Age excesses at the expense of the working class and poor.

Though the opening lines, “Oh beautiful, for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesty,” speak of Bates’s awe at America’s beauty and enormous potential, the lesser-known lines, “America! America! God mend thine every flaw. Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law” and “America! America!

God shed his grace on thee, til selfish gain no longer stain the banner of the free!” speak of Bates’s call to activism to right the country’s oppressive wrongs. It is no wonder that today’s so-called patriots and the president they hail ignore these more condemning lyrics.

Bates’s personal life was no less brave than her poetic one. Her long-term relationship with Katharine Coman, Professor of Political Economy at Wellsley, was conducted at a time when such same-sex relationships were frowned upon, though similar relationships did indeed take place at Wellsley and other women’s colleges.

These were the relationships called “Boston Marriages.”

Katharine Lee Bates espoused a patriotism larger than the political tribalism infecting our body politic today, especially by the American right wing. For her, her poem “America the Beautiful” was a plea for what America—blessed as it is with vast lands, rich forests, and bountiful waters—could and should be.

Those of us who laughed at the irony and tasted its bitterness at the presidential inauguration should reclaim the anthem, all of it—both its praise of America and its warnings. ▼ Ann Aptaker is the author of short stories and the Lambda & three-time Goldie award winning Cantor Gold series. Her latest in the series—Gold for the Dead—will be released in October 2025.

Image: c. 1880-1890. Courtesy Schlesinger Library, flickr.com/ photos/schlesinger_library/14549382879/

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MAY 16, 2025

57 Letters

Be A Sport

BY CONNIE FOX

They Came to Play at Women’s+ FEST 2025

W

hat a fabulous weekend for sports! OK, a little cool, a little wet for golf.

The ”liquid sunshine” phrase was overused! Lots of smiles, lots of really good play, and lots of casual play for fun.

More than 200 women participated in sports this year, with over 50 volunteers running the sports.

A special thank-you to sports coordinators Dawn Dupree and Barb Thompson for the 18-hole Evie Simmons Memorial Golf Tournament, to Mary Rossetini for pickleball, to Susan Schollenberger for the G Linda Rikard 9-hole golf, to Debbie Duran for bowling, to Rina Pelligrini for cornhole, to Sally McGovern for Par 3, and to Kathy Solano as co-chair Sports Coordinator.

Special thanks to Mary Jo Tarallo for securing gift cards for sports prizes and raffles. Thank you: Above the Dunes, Alni Body Care, Arenas Downtown, Bethany Blues, Big Chill Cantina, Palm Beach Restaurant, Rehoboth Ale House, Thompson Island Grill, The Listening Room, and The Wheelhouse.

AND THE WINNERS ARE: 18-hole Evie Simmons Memorial Golf Tournament • 1st place team: Susan Keyser, Traci Wilson, Marcia Leighton, Kyle Stokes, and Stacy Kay • Longest drive: Deb Ward • Closest to the line: Cindy Knotts • Two closest to pins contest winners: Cheryl Landry and Fran Panzo

Pickleball Doubles Tournament

(played in three Flights, representing ability levels) A Flight Winners • Gold: Kathleen Dougherty and Karen Molliver • Silver: Carey Buck and Katie Rickards • Bronze: Lindsay Trout and Cheryl Guarna • Stars: Karen Malek and Jenny Bower Letters 58

MAY 16, 2025

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Be A Sport continued B Flight Winners • Gold: Karen Beling and Tara Kiefe • Silver: Belle Racer and Christine O’Hara • Bronze: Teddie Dyson and Leigh Kidd • Stars: Theresa Crivelli and Lynn Kimberly C Flight Winners • Gold: Gillian Rader and Caroline Ashe • Silver: Evie Willis and Marianne Sheridan • Bronze: Dianna Poindexter and Babette Penney • Stars: Michelle Bybee and Theresa Pusateri

9-hole G Linda Rikard Memorial Golf Tournament

• 1st place team: Rina Pellegrini, Noelle Navarro, Nan Martino, and Sally Baum • Closest to the pin: Suzanne Furman • Longest drive: Sally Baum

Bowling Tournament

• High scorer: Diane Sweeney

Par 3 Golf Tournament (rain shortened to 9 holes) • 1st place team: Kathleen Nilles and Maryann Veitch • Closest to the pin (two winners): Shelley Stevens and Kathleen Nilles

Cornhole Doubles Tournament

• 1st place: Kathleen Barkas and Sharon Jann • 2nd place: Susan Schollenberger and Sue Green And let’s hear it for those women who played more than one sport! Too many to list here, but hats off to Renée Guillory who played golf, rain or, well, more rain.

Renée was there for the Evie Simmons Memorial 18-hole, the G Linda Rikard Memorial 9-hole, and the Par 3. Three days of sunrise golf—if the sun had appeared. ▼

Images opposite page (L-R): Par 3 Tournament, Closest to the Pin #13: Shelly Stevens; G Linda Rikard 9-hole winners: Susan Shollenberger, Sally Baum, Rina Pellegrini, Mary Jo Tarallo, Noelle Navarro, Nan Martino; Pickleball Flight A winners: Kathleen Dougherty, Karen Moliver (Gold); Carey Buck, Katie Rickards (Silver); Lindsey Trout, Cheryl Guarna (Bronze); Karen Malek, Jenn Bower (Superstar); Par 3 Tournament, First Place winners: Kathleen Niles, Maryann Veitch; Pickleball Flight B winners: Karen Beling, Tara Kiefe (Gold); Belle Rader, Christine O’Hara (Silver); Teddie Dyson, Leigh Kidd (Bronze); G Linda Rickard 9-hole intrepid volunteers: Anita Broccolino, Laura Hackell, Pat Wojnas; Pickleball Flight C winners: Gillian Rader, Caroline Ashe (Gold); Evie Wills, Marianne Sheridan (Silver); Dianna Poindexter, Babette Penney (Bronze); Michelle Bybee, Theresa Pusiteri (Superstar) Putting contest winner: Carol Pellicano; 18-hole golf first place winners: Susan Keyser, Traci Wilson, Marcia Leighton, Kyle B. Stokes, Stacey Kay.

• 1st place team: Kim Walls, Cindy Murphy, Janie Evans, and Diane Sweeney MAY 16, 2025

59 Letters

CAMP News

Pride Month Listicle As Pride month approaches, check below for many of the ways CAMP Rehoboth will be celebrating and partnering with others to celebrate living in authentic truth. These events/programs are just a sample of ways CAMP Rehoboth will promote Pride; watch camprehoboth.org for an up-to-date full listing.

Rehoboth Beach Pride Flag Raising June 1, 12 p.m.

The City of Rehoboth Beach will celebrate Pride by raising the Pride flag in front of the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center.

Mayor Stan Mills will read the Pride Proclamation on behalf of the city, and guests are invited to cheer on the raising. A celebration will be held at Aqua Bar & Grill afterwards.

Lewes Rainbow Social Club June 1 & June 29

Sponsored by CAMP Rehoboth and Beebe Healthcare, join the Lewes Rainbow Social Club for two socials during June to show your Pride. The location for these socials will be shared closer to the events.

Pride Build with Sussex Habitat for Humanity June 2

Sussex County Habitat for Humanity is hosting a Pride Build on Monday, June 2. CAMP Rehoboth’s offices will close for the event, so join the staff and board members at the Build for fellowship, community, and service.

CROP Packs the CAMP Van for Food Bank of Delaware

June 4 & 5, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. (with a site visit on June 10)

The CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) is stepping up to organize a food drive for the Food Bank of Delaware. Community members are invited to stop by CAMP Rehoboth to donate non-perishable foodstuffs on these dates and times. Volunteers will be outside to Letters 60

MAY 16, 2025

accept donations and pack the CAMP Rehoboth van, assembly-line fashion, so no parking to achieve drop-off is required! Visit the site to learn more about what donations will be accepted.

Wear Orange BoardWALK to End Gun Violence June 6, 1 p.m.

Join CAMP Rehoboth and Moms Demand Action for another BoardWALK to End Gun Violence. Attendees that day are encouraged to wear orange to honor National Gun Violence Awareness Day and meet at the Rehoboth Bandstand for a photo op followed by the walk on the boards.

Flash Fiction Reading

June 6, 7:00 p.m.

CAMP Rehoboth and the Lewes Public Library will partner to host a Flash Fiction Reading at the Lewes Public Library. The five featured stories are the winners of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth’s Flash Fiction contest.

2nd PLACE

Delaware Pride

June 7, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Legislative Hall, Dover

As Delaware's only State Pride festival and the largest Pride fest in the state, join members of the queer community and their allies to encourage an inclusive and vibrant environment. The event is FREE and includes headliners Alisabeth von Presley (American Idol) and Maddelyn Hatter (Dragula S3), vendors, entertainment, a beer garden, kids’ zone, food trucks, speaker panels, and more. This event is for all ages and is family friendly.

WorldPride June 7 & 8

Join the next CAMP Rehoboth Bus Trip as we travel to WorldPride 2025 in Washington, DC! There are two dates to choose from (or both!) PLUS an opportunity to join CAMP Rehoboth and be in the WorldPride Parade (Saturday, June 7) and/or march in the International Rally + March on Washington for Freedom (Sunday, June 8).

Prism Beach Bonfire June 11, 6 p.m.

Join the CAMP Rehoboth Prism Young Professionals Group for its June outing—a bonfire on Johnnie Walker Beach in Lewes. Rain date is June 18. Bring your own snacks!

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus—The Magic of Motown June 13 & 14 at 7 p.m., June 15 at 3 p.m.

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” that CAMP Rehoboth Chorus continues its

CAMP News

15th season by giving some “Respect” to The Magic of Motown. Concerts are at Epworth United Methodist Church, Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach.

Audiences will find out who wrote the "Book of Love” and be reassured by Stevie Wonder’s “Everything’s Alright.”

Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for students at camprehoboth.org/events.

forest, and along the Indian River, and offers numerous habitats to see various kinds of birds.

Milton Pride

Chicago Is My Kind of Town

June 14, 4-8 p.m.

CAMP Rehoboth will have a presence at Milton Pride, co-presented by Milton Theatre and Sussex Pride, held at Milton Theatre’s Quayside. This year, pay what you can online or at the gate, and be a part of a vibrant, inclusive celebration of love, diversity, and acceptance. Help keep the spirit of Pride alive.

Moments of Reflection—Art Reception

June 14, 5-7 p.m. (exhibit open June 14-July 31)

Renowned local artist Gary Fisher appears at CAMP Rehoboth with his solo exhibition, Moments of Reflection.

Known for his richly textured oil paintings, Fisher captures a deeply personal and colorful world—from expressive abstract landscapes to luminous still lifes and evocative figurative pieces.

Plan to view the art and meet Gary at the reception.

Pride Nature and Photography Walk with The Nature Conservancy June 20, 7 a.m.

Join CAMP Rehoboth and The Nature Conservancy at the Conservancy's Bullseye-Ferry Preserve near Millsboro for a guided birding and photography hike at a location that is rarely open to the public. The two-to-three-mile hike will pass through a meadow, mature

feature music by Kerry Hallett. Kerry Hallett is a Milton, Delaware-based musician who writes original songs and plays tons of fun covers. Kerry is known for her warm, velvety vocals and unique arrangements of familiar songs. She also plays in a local band called GoldStar with Storm Reid.

Register in advance.

June 28, 5 p.m.

The Summer Solstice White Party June 21, 5:30-9 p.m.

It’s the Ultimate White Party! The Lodge at Truitt Homestead will host its fourth Summer Solstice fundraiser, with all proceeds benefiting CAMP Rehoboth. White attire is suggested. The event includes heavy hors d’oeuvres, two drink tickets, and entertainment by Pamala Stanley.

Cookie Decorating Class with CAMP Families at Lavender Fields June 22, 1 p.m.

Join CAMP Families and MaddBatter Desserts for a cookie decorating class at Lavender Fields in Milton, Delaware. The class will feature Pride-themed cookies, with instruction by MaddBatter Desserts.

Lavender Fields also offers a petting zoo with Nigerian dwarf goats, onsite lunch options, and a chance to explore the various gardens. Tickets and more information at camprehoboth.org.

Pride in the Courtyard June 27, 4-6 p.m.

Celebrate Pride with CAMP Rehoboth at a social in the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard and Elkins-Archibald Atrium. Light refreshments will be provided. Donations accepted.

Pride in the Courtyard will

CAMP Rehoboth is excited to host Chicago Is My Kind of Town, a theatrical production written by Lisa Graff with Holly Lane on vocals and John Francis Flynn on keys. The show is an autobiographical journey into Lisa’s life, and a tribute to a man named Mark who, according to Lisa, “taught me—rather, modeled for me—that gay people can be more fun than straight people!”

Holly Lane and John Flynn helped Lisa choose songs to accompany the one-hour show. Together, the troupe has sold out four performances in the last two years and is thrilled to bring the show to CAMP Rehoboth.

Lisa is a former columnist for the Cape Gazette, the author of two novels, and is planning to produce her first play, Happy Anniversary. Holly Lane and John Flynn are local staples of the music scene, playing weekly at Café Azafrán.

Tickets are available at camprehoboth.org/events. ▼

MAY 16, 2025

61 Letters

More CAMP News

⊳

TRAVELS WITH LETTERS ⊲

KAUA’I, HAWAI’I

ICELAND

Robb Mapou

OLIVIA TRAVEL’S 35TH ANNIVERSARY JUBILEE CRUISE Group of 140 women from Rehoboth Beach

NAGASAKI, JAPAN

A tour group from UUSD

Mark Eubanks, Annette Stellhorn, Doug Sellers

ANTARCTICA

Dennis Morgan, Paul Christensen

Hosting a birthday party?

Conference? Board meeting? Performance?

Summer potluck?

Hold your next event in CAMP Rehoboth’s Atrium!

The Elkins-Archibald Atrium is the perfect place for your event.

Ask us about rates and availability.

Call 302-227-5620.

37 Baltimore Ave Rehoboth Beach, DE

Letters 62

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MAY 16, 2025

63 Letters

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

Springtime in RB!

All about Women's+ FEST! Rehoboth Beach Easter Bonnet Crawl, Gumbo Crawl, Bandstand Protest, and More!

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1 ) at Women’s+ FEST Georgette Krenkel Welcome Dance: Tannice Jean Pierre, Lisa Louis, Maggie Ottato, Laurie Thompson, Jenipher Johnson, Lisa Johnson, Karen Laitman, DE State Rep. Claire Synder-Hall, Mikki Synder-Hall, Nancy Commissio; 2) at Women’s+ FEST Friday Night Headliners + Live Auction: Tina Maddox, Gwen La Roka, Deb Bievenour, Linda Ruddick, Mary Yasson, Kirstin Painter, Maria Scannapieco, Be Steadwell.

OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Women’s+ FEST Keynote Presentation: Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Maryanne Graham, Donna West, Chris Yochim, Marj Shannon; 4) at Women’s+ FEST G. Linda Rikard Golf Tournament: Jo Picone, Kathy Bostedo, Peggy Castle, Doreen Hartley; 5) at Women’s+ FEST Drag Brunch: Victoria P, Tamara M, JC, Maria; 6) at Women’s+ FEST Tret Fure Concert: Nohemi Sanchez, Valerie Roberts, Celia Molofsky, Janel Bosies, Tret Fure.

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3 (Continued from page 65 THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at FEST Sip N Mingle for Singles: Sarah Brunelle, Lori Taranto, Elizabeth Sposato, Sara Tischler, Mindy Drath, Lee Nelms, Kay Sledgianowski, Stacy Stickels, Joyce Hall, Rita Scczevlewski; 2) FEST Expo: Kathy Solano, Kim Leisey, Linda Kemp, Barb Ralph, Sandra Skidmore, Lissa Dulany; 3) at FEST Art Reception: Susan Young, Susan Herrold, Kim Witmer, Sabrina Troncone, Trevour Ross, Marj Shannon, Carla Burton, Matty Brown.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 4) at FEST Speaker Presentation: Col. Grethe Cammemeyer, Tret Fure; 5) at FEST Premier Dance: Teri Seaton, Christa Marks, Kathy Solano, Colleen Law, Diane Schwartz, Lucia Lombardi, Teresa Madonna; 6) at FEST Singles Dance: Lynn Farina, Donna Scheenloop, Mary Ellen Garrity; 7) at FEST Evie Simmons Memorial Golf Tournament: Kyle Stokes, Marcia Leighton, Cindy Gruman, Pat Catanzariti, Wendy Schadt, Shelly Steven, Suzanne Baxter, Mindy Drath, Wendy Tabb, Elizabeth Sposato; 8) at FEST Sarah McBride Reception: Jeanne Drake, Linda Miniscalco, Leslie Sinclair, DE State Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, Debbie Woods, Kim Leisey, RB Mayor Stan Mills, Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Kay Young, Donna Shifflet.

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67 Letters

View Point

BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

What We Leave to the Crows

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ust now a pleasant breeze came through my window, and I momentarily forgot that our entire country is coming apart.

The crows in my neighborhood like to cavort on the wind at dusk. They fly happily over the rooftops, cawing to one another and maybe to me. I realize I’m a short step from Dorothy Gale in Depression-era Kansas singing, “If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, why oh why can’t I?”—except for me, the inspiration is a murder of crows.

I briefly imagine the entire Trump administration turning into crows and flying away; but the crows are my neighbors and I would never wish that on them.

If I wanted to summarize all the court rulings that went against Trump in the past two weeks, and follow that with highlights (lowlights?) of his sinking poll numbers, I would not have enough space.

Instead, let’s talk about the amazingly awful Nevada politician Michele Fiore whom Trump recently pardoned. She raised money to build a statue for a fallen police officer, then spent it on plastic surgery, rent, and her daughter’s wedding. She’s also a gun fanatic and a fan of Cliven Bundy who fantasizes about Bureau of Land Management officers pointing guns at her so she can shoot at them in self-defense.

Do you ever wake up and wonder who sent you on a trip to Crazy Town?

How is it that people are being disappeared for having tattoos or writing mean op-eds while our government is being run by convicted felons and photogenic numbskulls who blab defense secrets into unsecured phones?

After the death of Pope Francis, Trump said that he and Melania were looking forward to attending his funeral, as if boasting that they had scored tickets for a hot new show.

Dear Leader has a gift for tone-deaf observations like that. Another is his lack of concern for the stock market chaos he

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generated. He also has a habit of saying things like he’s been getting calls from world leaders eager to grovel, which sounds like a BS’ing undergraduate.

Every time he says, “People have been telling me,” get ready to hear a lie.

It’s as if random people call him up to chat. Apparently, his phone is just as insecure as his defense secretary’s. Don’t worry. It’s not as if he has the nuclear launch codes. Oh, wait.

Reform is a journey that we undermine if our attitude is that you have to be perfect or you can go to hell.

I joke to avoid crying, but our basic liberties and values are under assault.

Judges are being arrested. People are being abducted by masked men and put into unmarked vans.

So do I feel common cause with Michele Fiore? Not for a moment. At the heart of what is going on is a double standard by which aggrieved White supremacists and Christian nationalists (who are not Christian at all, judging by the teachings in the Gospel) feel entitled

to do whatever they please while people of color, religious minorities, immigrants, and queers are treated as criminals or vermin.

Speaking of Christianity, the late Pope Francis was a kind and compassionate man whose pastoral gifts markedly contrasted with the medieval authoritarian he replaced. He had his blind spots, including failing to understand the science of gender identity. But his statement about gays, “Who am I to judge?” was a welcome change from his predecessors.

Reform is a journey that we undermine if our attitude is that you have to be perfect or you can go to hell.

I spent many years working for police reform and improved community-police relations in the nation’s capital. My colleagues and I built on the work done by the generation before ours. The LGBTQ+ community has come a long way since gay men were cruised and then arrested by plainclothes vice cops in Lafayette Square. The trans community has had a harder time, including in employment.

But the progress made becomes clear in light of the aggressive efforts by Trump to reverse it.

We are never done. We always have more struggles ahead. One problem is that we often judge Democrats more harshly than Republicans. Arguably, that is how Trump won.

I read about the leading opposition candidate in Turkey being arrested by the Erdoğan regime. Trump would do the same to his opponents if he thought he could get away with it. If we do not continue standing up to him, he will. Then the only ones who won’t have to fear arrest will be the crows. ▼ Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist at rrosendall@me.com.

Photo by Pete Nuij on Unsplash.

MAY 16, 2025

69 Letters

Visiting View

BY ROBERT DEDOMINIC

You Can’t Always Get What You Want

G

reetings, Letters readers, Robby from Brooklyn here writing on a glorious May 1 here in NYC. This just might be the nicest day of the year so far. The sun shining down gives me life today, which I need. In the past month, I have experienced two major setbacks on beloved projects I have been a part of. These setbacks were obviously not intended or prepared for, and I am wondering where to go from here.

The first is the cancellation of my just-created “Know Your Gay History” class. To describe the class as a complete flop would be an understatement.

Zero interest, zero calls, zero registrations, zero. We create an idea, we think there is an audience for it, and sometimes we are wrong.

The room rental was over $100 for each class, so with multiple classes with zero registrations, it seemed silly—and frankly, unaffordable—to continue moving forward.

Looking back, marketing and publicizing the class might have been an issue, as a few friends to whom I mentioned the cancellation were not aware the class even existed. If close friends didn’t even know the class existed, how was the general public supposed to be aware? Maybe there is a world where the class returns—however, in a different space, different time, different iteration.

The second setback concerns an AIDS charity event (AIDS/Lifecycle) that I have been part of for decades, which is ending this year. This would have been my seventh time participating, but after MAJOR red flags with my team and team management, it became clear to me—and other veterans—that dropping out was the only course of action. When multiple people use the exact same words—“It’s going to be a s***show”—you have to listen.

This AIDS/Lifecycle is a week-long, glorious ride filled with amazing people and activities. Millions and millions of dollars are raised for HIV/AIDS-related services benefitting thousands and thousands of people. I am beyond proud to have been a part of it and will continue to be proud of my involvement.

The week is also hard work. Our rest stop team leaves camp daily around 8:00 a.m. to drive to our station for the day (usually 60-80 miles away). We have two hours to set up before we open around 1130 a.m. We are open until approximately 6:00 p.m. to serve the 2,500 cyclists who are riding. We serve them food, drinks, have photo ops, and are in charge

It’s time for Robby to get right back up and keep on walking.

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of bike parking and safety. It is extremely rewarding and satisfying, but also not easy.

Throw in even the slightest mismanagement, and the day turns from hard, satisfying work to grueling and exhausting. Packing the truck wrong (which means packing and repacking it multiple times in a day), getting lost on the drive back to camp and missing dinner…. Both of these seem minor on paper, but after a 13-hour day of working in the California heat, they are soul-crushing.

The lack of any type of communication from higher-ups this year was the main reason I dropped out. An initial ask about room on the team in October was not answered until January (that should have been my first clue). I found out I was on the team when I was added to a group text chat. No message, no introduction, no welcome to the team. Nothing.

Multiple requests for a meeting as the weeks and months went on were ignored. We finally had our first meeting in April. For an event that is in June, the timing of this first meeting is, forgive the hyperbole, disastrous.

The decision to drop out was not an easy one by any means. I have been a part of this event for over 20 years. This being the last one means I won’t have another chance to participate. However, even though my involvement with this ride and my team ended, I am still Ride or Die for them and wish them nothing but huge success. I just had to remove myself from the equation.

A HUGE thank you to my donors, not only from this year but from years past, many of whom have supported me over and over.

So, where do I go from here? Like Carrie Bradshaw said in the now iconic Sex and the City episode “The Real Me,” where she falls down on the runway and Stanford calls her fashion roadkill, “When real people fall down in life, they get right back up and keep on walking.”

It’s time for Robby to get right back up and keep on walking. Hey, there is a Boston-to-NYC AIDS ride in September; maybe there is room on the crew!

Until next time, readers, Happy May! ▼ Robert DeDominic is a queer freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Follow Robert on Bluesky at robertdominic. bsky.social.

MAY 16, 2025

71 Letters

Words Matter

BY CLARENCE FLUKER

You Better Werk!

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t was the first day of a new job; that meant I would spend the morning doing paperwork, watching an orientation video, and listening intently to whatever additional onboarding training that was required. It also meant that at some point, my supervisor would give me a tour of the office suite and begin the process of introducing me to other colleagues and sharing how their work was connected to mine.

There were nearly 20 people who worked in our department, some I’d work directly with and others more indirectly depending on the workflow.

My tour would begin at the very front of the department suite and wind all the way to the back where my cubicle sat just outside of my boss’s office. Along the way, he introduced me as his new program manager and talked about how he was looking forward to me working there and being a part of the team.

I was young and eager to make a good impression. One by one, we made our way down the long hallway and as we ping-ponged from cubicle to cubicle everyone seemed welcoming. Until we got to the end. Perhaps my boss knew this would be the most difficult and that is why he saved this introduction for last.

The gentleman that he presented me to seemed very hesitant to extend his hand for a greeting. I didn’t know what to think of it. Maybe it was just his personality—but when we walked away, I could hear him having a much easier conversation with another colleague that seemed to be very different than the energy I got from him in our brief interaction. With optimism, or naivete, I attributed it to him not knowing me very well yet and figured he just needed time to warm up to new people.

But as time went on, I realized that it was just me that he was standoffish with.

Later, I learned that he was a Mississippi native and since I have family that’s from there, I tried to use that as another entry point for conversation.

When I approached his working area to engage, he seemed even more

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distant than he’d been before and not at all interested. I cut the one-sided conversation short and went back to my desk. Time and time again, I would find myself in his presence along with others and no matter how many people were involved in the conversation, he would never say anything directly to me or even look at me.

“I missed out on that because I was being small-minded and a jerk, so I want to apologize to you.”

Eventually, someone told me that the man I’d been trying so unsuccessfully to engage didn’t particularly care for gay people and had noted to others in the office that he found me to be too flamboyant. While it didn’t feel great, it offered the clarity needed for me to end my futile attempts at positive interaction.

Over the next year and a half, I built a great working relationship with the entire team except him. During that time, he never spoke to me.

One evening at the end of a very long week, I packed my things to head home, happy to have the weekend to myself.

I went out the door and headed down the hallway as I always did to take the steps to ground level. As I was walking, I heard a voice from behind, “Have a good evening.” To my surprise it was the same man that had given me the silent treatment for the last 18 months. I told him, “I hope you will do the same—have a great weekend.” I was a bit shocked.

I continued to walk but I was playing it cool. Then he asked me to stop, and I did.

He walked as close to me as he’d ever gotten intentionally. “Man, I just want to apologize to you. You’ve gotten close to everyone here, and they’ve talked about your great work, and I missed out on that.

I missed out on that because I was being

small-minded and a jerk, so I want to apologize to you. I hope you can accept my apology.”

Without hesitation I offered few words, “I am so glad we can start this all over again. My name is Clarence, it is a pleasure to meet you. I hope you have a great weekend.” Our relationship shifted.

We grew a working collegial relationship.

I am not sure what the catalyst for his revelation was, but I was glad that he’d had it.

In our current politically- and emotionally-charged times, I think about that experience often. I was at a restaurant recently with a close friend and two straight guys at the table next to us struck up a conversation about music.

That lead to chat about travel, sports, food, and work. One shared how nervous he is about the threats to the trans community because the hardest working and most liked person on his team is a trans woman. Prior to working with her he’d not known someone with that lived experience. And now he knows, cares, and advocates.

However difficult or easy—depending on your workplace—showing up as your authentic self is a powerful act that breaks down barriers, builds understanding, and tells the true story. The story of people just trying to make a good living and good life. The universal and very human story of all of us. A story that as we live it, and share it, can and will make a difference. ▼ Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community. Follow him on Instagram: @Mr_CJFluker.

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MAY 16, 2025

73 Letters

Byways

BY MIKEY ROX

My Expert Travel Advice Live—and Let Live

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s a van-lifer who regularly updates a nomad-based Instagram account, I see a lot of algorithmic memes, reels, and comments about travel.

From articles on how to keep your money safe from pickpockets to video tips on scoring the cheapest airfare to user anecdotes on hidden gems in some of the wildest places on the planet, there’s no shortage of adventure-forward content if you’re looking for it.

But I’ve noticed an interesting underbelly emerging from this content wherein keyboard warriors have the first-world privilege of shaming other travelers for not leaning into every aspect of a particular culture or, at the very least, for traveling like tourists. American-on-American bullying, at its finest—because we’re a nation of never-ending micro-aggressions.

“It be your own people,” as somebody once wisely observed.

Recently I ran across a social-media post that put down picky eaters traveling to foreign countries. The caption, under a video of Americans in a fast-food restaurant, suggested something along the lines of ‘what kind of people travel abroad to eat at McDonald’s?’

It’s me. I’m that kind of people.

I don’t strictly eat at fast-food restaurants when I’m traveling abroad—I enjoy supporting local restaurants—but I also have a limited palate and lots of self-imposed dietary restrictions.

I was in Tokyo recently, and I don’t like fish. There’s a lot of fish in Tokyo. So I went to the grocery store to buy food for my hotel mini-fridge, I dined at steakhouses and, if I was out pounding the urban pavement all day, I popped into McDonald’s for lunch.

In my own defense, I don’t eat McDonald’s here at home often. Occasionally, I’ll slide into the curbside for a 10-piece but those instances are few and far between.

That says nothing about the quality of the food, but rather that I’m still traumatized by pandemic fast-food practices Letters 74

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I travel to see stunning sights with my own eyes, meet interesting people, and elevate my understanding of the world and my place in it. where I had to order through the app but couldn’t pick it up because my van, a Ram ProMaster 2500, wouldn’t fit through the drive-thru.

I was told at a Wendy’s during peak COVID, while standing at its front door pleading for attention from the aloof workers inside, that I had to go around the building and stand in the drive-thru to pick up my order, with vehicles in front of me—and likely vehicles behind me eventually—so I could look like a lunatic.

What would I do when I got there— lower my head in embarrassment?

Apologize silently to the family in front of me—and the one over my shoulder—for being the first weirdo they encounter today? Pop in my AirPods and sporadically shuffle forward every time a stoner drives away with a sack full of Dave’s Singles?

My $5 Biggie Bag was not worth that humiliation.

I arrived at a Starbucks one morning to pick up my drink that I could see sitting on the counter inside as I approached the front door, but I couldn’t get to it because the door was locked.

There I am again, banging on the vault to all the riches at the US Mint, hoping that some 17-year-old with a broccoli-top would have pity on me.

When they finally noticed me, I did my best sign-language impression of a customer who ordered a hot chocolate but who also drives a van that can’t fit through the prohibitive drive-thru. After a few minutes, they brought my venti to the door and beamed it through the crack so they wouldn’t catch my hypothetical cooties.

I feel differently about foreign McDonald’s specifically, however.

I love the instant familiarity in a place Continued on page 78

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Byways continued from page 74

where everything that surrounds me is new. I love looking at the interesting menu items that we don’t have at home.

And I love ordering a McChicken (yes, I’m a chicken-tenders-everywhere-I-go guy) when I want protein without emptying my pockets.

For some reason, that offends people.

You probably know the type, too.

I think I finally get what they mean by ‘we’re here for a good time, not a long time.’

That idea is interesting to me.

The idea that someone is privileged enough to travel the globe, experience the wonders of distant worlds, participate in unique cultures and customs— likely without an ounce of gratitude— and they’re annoyed that not everybody wants to eat tiger balls and monkey paws?

That sentiment speaks to a broader offense, I think: We’ve largely forgotten why we’re traveling.

A high-school buddy asked me on Facebook recently, after a new series of travel photos I posted, why I didn’t start a YouTube page dedicated to van life when I started it nearly five years ago. He suggested that it probably wasn’t too late, as if I’d miss an opportunity if I didn’t seize it.

But it was never about missing that proverbial boat—because I consciously chose not to get on it.

When I started planning my van-life adventure in 2018, I had a successful media career in Manhattan, and all the material things that came with it, but I was burnt out—for lots of reasons, many self-imposed—and I wanted a change.

So I sold my real estate, bought the Ram, and hit the road. I only intended to explore the country for a year, year and a half before settling down, but that’s somehow morphed into nearly half a decade in the wild, and I have another couple of years planned.

From the onset, I decided this experience was all or nothing, and a detractor from that would be to turn this into a Letters 78

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content-fest. I have an Instagram, and I enjoy updating it, but it’s more about showing off dope ’fits (for a 43-yearold) and chronicling this adventure for myself so I have something to look back on fondly when I’m old and tired instead of collecting space-stealing souvenirs to serve as those memories.

Thus, no YouTube content then, no YouTube content now.

Regardless of my willingness to do it (or lack thereof), that space didn’t need another voice pretending that this lifestyle is a dream. It’s a lot of things—a lot of things for which I’m grateful—but easy it isn’t, and I’ve therefore deduced that much of the rose-colored, self-edited, social-media van-life content is glorified BS. Permit me to explain something else: Before van life, I was feral. I spent four years snorting coke inside a Virginia fraternity house before moving to downtown Baltimore to steal alcohol from neighborhood bars before running the streets of New York City for 10 years, where, in my neighborhood of Harlem, the residents affectionately called me White Mike.

The point is that I’ve lived, in my own little way—but, admittedly, not always in the best or even healthiest way.

It’s only dawned on me recently—a debt that’s probably owed to lab-formulated edibles from central Florida—that I enjoy living. I was sick and sad for so long, inundated from all sides all the time, that I completely forgot who I am and what I’m here for.

That’s not to sound grandiose, either.

Quite the opposite. It’s just to say that I think I finally get what they mean by ‘we’re here for a good time, not a long time.’

All those things I thought were most important in the past—the money, the houses, the vacations and parties (where shirtless bartenders handed out Freixenet parting gifts—because Pretentious was my middle name), the closets and closets full of clothes (full transparency, I might miss that just a bit)—have become the least important things in my life.

The anger that’s had a stronghold on my heart since I can remember is starting to loosen its grip. I can literally feel it evaporating sometimes—although it’s probably that Sunshine State sativa.

My creativity is returning—this is the first legitimate article I’ve written in years—and I’m starting to forgive people for however I think they’ve wronged me.

But, more importantly, I’m starting to forgive myself for how I’ve wronged them.

That forgiveness hasn’t come without apologies, either. In a move that surprises even myself, I’ve reached out to individuals to formally apologize for my past behavior, and I plan to continue that.

These years of solo travel have afforded that growth, and a full-time, nomadic life on the road also has changed my perspective on travel.

I don’t travel to show off or to pretend that I’m cultured—although I have been guilty of that in the past. Instead— now that I’m comfortable with who I am (wisdom comes with age, it seems)—I travel to see stunning sights with my own eyes, meet interesting people, and elevate my understanding of the world and my place in it.

That’s the experience that appeals to me, and that’s what I want out of this life experience as well. Furthermore, those epiphanies have only come from dedicating myself to a purposeful life of open-minded exploration—without worrying about what other people are doing with theirs.

Living—and letting people live in whatever way brings them joy and peace and happiness—is all any of us should strive for in these United States that are consistently divided; among people who are increasingly negative and dissatisfied, especially online (both the cause and the effect); and in a world that often seems hopeless.

Travel, for whatever reason we’re doing it, helps us forget about those soul-crushing constants, however briefly, and in best-case scenarios, sometimes restores our faith in ourselves and each other.

And at the end of the day, I’d like fries with that. ▼ Mikey Rox is an award-winning freelance journalist whose passion for travel has taken him to all 50 states, 17 countries, and a couple drivethrus he couldn’t get into. Follow his continuing adventures on Instagram @mikeyroxtravels.

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81 Letters

Hit the Trail!

BY STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

Nine Hikes in Slower Lower Delaware

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ational Trails Day, celebrated annually on the first Saturday of June, is the perfect opportunity to reconnect with nature. Delaware has more than 150 miles of trails in 17 state parks, as well as one national park, one protected river, and one national trail. As the “quiet” resorts become noisier and noisier, our local parks give us moments of calm, reflection, and actual quiet!

Having trouble deciding just where to explore? Grab your best walking shoes and check out one of these nine trails!

1. GORDON’S POND TRAIL (CAPE HENLOPEN STATE PARK)

A highlight of Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes, the Gordon’s Pond Trail offers stunning views of salt marshes, dunes, and coastal wildlife. You can spot herons, egrets, and ospreys—a dream for wildlife enthusiasts, photographers, and painters. During World War II, the area played a crucial role in coastal defense, and you can still see the watchtowers that are remnants of the era.

2. PRICKLY PEAR TRAIL (DELAWARE SEASHORE STATE PARK)

Named for the native prickly pear cactus, this trail in Bethany Beach meanders through sandy pine forests and freshwater wetlands. Although these cactuses here aren’t ideal for eating, they add a unique charm to the landscape. You may also see deer and foxes. This loop trail provides a sense of seclusion despite being located near one of Delaware’s busiest beach areas and is excellent for anyone looking to escape the crowds for a bit.

loop’s cool, shaded environment makes it particularly appealing on warm summer days. As you hike, you’ll see evidence of the forest’s industrial past, now overgrown with vegetation reclaiming the area.

adds to the trail’s charm, especially in spring and summer when wildflowers bloom in vibrant colors. This easy, family-friendly trail is ideal for those seeking a relaxing outdoor experience.

4. MISPILLION RIVER GREENWAY—GOAT ISLAND

Trap Pond in Laurel is home to one of the northernmost natural stands of bald cypress trees in the United States.

These towering trees rise dramatically from the water, creating a magical atmosphere. The park features several trails, with the 4.6-mile Bob Trail being the longest and most popular. The park was once a millpond and retains a rich history tied to Delaware’s early settlers.

In addition to hiking, kayaking or canoeing through the cypress swamp offers a unique perspective.

Pro Tip: For a quieter visit, plan your hike during weekdays—it can get very busy on weekends!

The Mispillion River Greenway in Milford combines natural beauty with local history. Goat Island, one of the highlights of the greenway, features a raised boardwalk that traverses tidal marshlands. As you walk, you’ll be immersed in the sounds of marsh birds and the gentle rustling of the grasses. This section of the trail also ties back to Milford’s shipbuilding heritage, making it a fascinating mix of natural and historical exploration. The trail is short but offers plenty of rewarding scenery.

5. BLAIRS POND LOOP (MILFORD MILLPONDS NATURE PRESERVE)

Though called the Milford Millponds Nature Preserve, this peaceful escape is actually located in Greenwood. The Blairs Pond Loop winds around the scenic pond, with opportunities to spot turtles sunning themselves on logs and waterfowl gliding across the water. The surrounding forest

6. TRAP POND STATE PARK

7. HOLTS LANDING STATE PARK

Holts Landing in Dagsboro offers a delightful mix of coastal forests and open meadows. Once farmland, the area is now a state park with beautiful views of the Indian River Inlet. What sets this park apart is its crabbing pier—the only one

3. REDDEN STATE FOREST HEADQUARTERS LOOP TRAIL

The Headquarters Loop Trail at Redden State Forest is a shaded, well-maintained path winding through a mix of hardwood and pine forests in Georgetown. Once a center for timber and charcoal production, the forest has been transformed into a haven for outdoor lovers. The Letters 82

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As the “quiet” resorts become noisier and noisier, our local parks give us moments of calm, reflection, and actual quiet!

You can spot herons, egrets, and ospreys—a dream for wildlife enthusiasts. in Delaware’s state park system—along with a boat launch that provides direct access to the ocean.

Pro Tip: Go at sunset for breathtaking skies and a slice of serenity.

accessible, but the remaining trail is still well worth exploring.

Pro Tip: Avoid visiting during the very hottest months, when you’ll be swimming through clouds of insects.

Our state and national parks are under threat. Now, it’s more important than ever not only to visit your local parks, but to let lawmakers know how important these spaces are so we can preserve them for future generations.

8. ABBOTT’S MILL NATURE CENTER

Abbott’s Mill Nature Center in Milford features a short, serene hike through woodlands, meadows, and wetlands.

The highlight of the area is the historic gristmill, dating back to the 18th century.

The trail is perfect for a leisurely walk and offers opportunities to learn about local ecosystems, too. It’s an excellent spot for families or anyone looking for a peaceful outdoor escape.

9. BURTON’S ISLAND NATURE PRESERVE

Part of Delaware Seashore State Park,

Burton’s Island Nature Preserve offers a scenic loop through salt marshes and maritime forests. The trail provides breathtaking views of Rehoboth Bay— especially at sunrise or sunset—and is a hotspot for birdwatchers. Due to erosion, some parts of the preserve are no longer

Stephen Raskauskas is a Sussex County native who has produced content for radio, TV, digital, and print.

Photo opposite page: Trap Pond State Park, courtesy of Chesapeake Bay Program. Photo this page: Cape Henlopen, courtesy of Mike Mahaffie.

Bank With the Best!

Years

MAY 16, 2025

83 Letters

Straight Talk

BY DAVID GARRETT

Raising Voices, Singing for Life “The only thing better than singing is more singing.”

W

– ELLA FITZGERALD

hat is a chorus and choir leader (a master musician in his own right) to do when a kind-hearted lady with Parkinson’s Disease approaches him about starting a singing session for those who are in the clutches of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and need to strengthen their vocal cords and diaphragms?

Well, if your name is Doug Yetter, you do some basic research into the relationship between Parkinson’s and the advantages of singing. Then, you arrange an inspiring gathering for vocal exercise and fellowship.

Doug Yetter has centered his life around the gift of music. He is the Artistic Director of CAMP Rehoboth Chorus and also Minister of Music at Epworth Church.

Music is his life and his love. Doug has committed himself to leading a group of those diagnosed with PD so they can sing. And sing they do. No auditions are necessary. In addition to those who have PD, their caregivers are also welcome to sing.

DAVID GARRETT: Doug, how were you

first approached about leading this group?

DOUG YETTER: Rose was diagnosed with PD in March 2023, and started reading about how she could stave off any worsening of her symptoms.

Exercise is the first way to stay healthy, so most patients join Rise gym, as they have programs and trainers who work specifically with PD. Most patients are referred to a speech therapist so a baseline can be established. Many who deal with PD have difficulty speaking and swallowing. Singing is one of the best ways for patients to maintain a healthy voice.

DG: What research did you do to help make the decision to begin this group?

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DY: There is an incredible number of resources online. The Parkinson’s Voice Project site is filled with great vocal exercises and ways to strengthen the voice and the swallowing mechanisms.

DG: To what degree were you aware of the value of singing in treating symptoms of PD? DY: I have had several friends who have PD, and they were told to join a choir or take voice lessons. It truly is a “use it or lose it” situation. My first goal is to assess the problem and work on strengthening their voices.

Many who deal with PD have difficulty speaking and swallowing. Singing is one of the best ways for patients to maintain a healthy voice.

DG: How many people attend your

singing sessions? And how many are PD patients?

DY: We recently started our third session, which runs from May 1 to July 24, and has had 38 participants. Over half of the group have been diagnosed with PD, some as recently as April, some as long as 20 years.

DG: How has this activity been helpful to those who participate?

DY: My first sign that the classes were helping was from the wife of one of our members. It had taken some time after symptoms started to when he was diagnosed, but one of the biggest warnings was the softening of his speaking voice. After a few weeks of attending, she said she could hear him much better and that he was always singing around the house. The group has grown by 40 percent since we started last fall. I think that growth is the best indicator that this is a worthwhile venture.

DG: Are you working in coordination

with a Parkinson’s support system in the area?

DY: Although this chorus has become part of my music ministry, we work in tandem with the Sussex County Parkinson’s Support Group. We are developing plans to help other groups get started.

DG: Are you spreading this type of support to others outside our area?

DY: One of our members is a retired pastor who asked a friend to come to our public performance. There is an article coming out in a nationwide Methodist publication that we hope encourages other communities to begin similar groups.

DG: What else is happening behind the scenes?

DY: We are fortunate to have [retired pastor] Sterling Green in the group.

Before he read scripture one recent Sunday, he mentioned having PD. A former choir member was thrilled to hear about the group, since her husband had PD. She offered financial support in his memory, in the amount of $10,000! This has inspired others to make donations that will change lives.

Doug Yetter is changing lives every day.

He accepted this challenge on behalf of those who have Parkinson’s Disease. He brings meaning and music to life for many in our community. Just as Ella said, “The only thing better than singing is more singing.” ▼ 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.org.

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85 Letters

Reflections

BY PATTIE CINELLI

Easing Into an Active Summer

A

s a woman who owned her own fitness business for 25 years, I like to think I know how important it is to keep up a consistent exercise routine. But I must confess that this past cold, windy, snowy winter held me hostage on my couch wrapped in thick blankets cuddling with my fluffy dogs. I didn’t walk my boys as far or as often as I wanted, nor did I play my regular pickleball games twice a week outdoors as I have other winters. The wicked chill from frigid temperatures kept me inside and inactive, not pumping iron or sweating on my rower with any consistency. I diminished my cardio capacity and lost tone and strength in my muscles as well as weakened my core.

As soon as spring emerged, I was out on the courts again—and feeling the neglect. I expected aches and muscle soreness, but I didn’t count on the breathlessness the first few times playing. I fell on the court. I didn’t get hurt, but it was my wake-up call. Having made friends again with my free weights, BOSU ball, and kettle bell, I am appreciative that muscles have memory—it’s easier to retrain than to start from scratch.

When we try to move in unfamiliar ways or in ways we haven’t tried in a long time, our bodies are often out of shape.

We are unprepared for movement or outdoor activities that have been abandoned for several months such as walking, swimming, biking, or racquet sports.

When you add heat into the mix, jumping into summer fun without preparation can become dangerous.

Injuries are more likely when we don’t prepare our bodies for new physical activity. We don’t engage in exercise without first laying groundwork for the movement.

Medstar Health recommends increasing whatever you are doing by 10 percent each week. Start small and have patience with yourself.

Stretching is an integral part of the preparation. Listen to your body, not your ego. I like to say, “Your body whispers. If Letters 86

MAY 16, 2025

you don’t listen, it shouts.” Some delayed-onset muscle soreness is normal 24-48 hours after you exercise, but not being able to get out of bed the next day is not. It means you pushed too far.

During hot weather, it is important to choose light clothing, slather on sunscreen, and stay hydrated.

Know what your body will tolerate.

Last year the coach on a paddling team of which I was a member wanted me to work out in a way I knew would hurt me. When he insisted, I quit the team rather than pushing myself past my comfort zone with the possibility of getting injured.

During hot weather, it is important to choose light clothing, slather on sunscreen, and stay hydrated. Dehydration can lead to health issues such as feeling tired or fatigued, increased risk of falling, low blood pressure, and kidney failure, warns MedStar Health. While it’s great to drink during the activity, it’s better to up

your fluid intake at least 24 hours before.

If I know I’ll be walking the Georgetown-Lewes Trail, for example, I start drinking my water with electrolytes added the night before I hit the pavement.

Working out in the heat can offer physiological benefits that include increased blood flow to the skin for better cooling, improved thermal regulation, and potentially enhanced cardiovascular endurance and metabolic rate. Higher temperatures can increase muscle flexibility and range of motion. When a body is warm it’s less likely to experience pulls, strains, and sprains.

However, how you move in 65-degree weather is different from moving in 90-degree weather. A few summers ago, even though I was drinking plenty of water, I developed heat exhaustion because I was sweating it out as fast as I was pouring it in. Adding electrolytes to my water eliminated that problem.

Movement is key to feeling good. Our bodies were made to move. It impacts our mood, including endorphin release, neurotransmitter activity, and hormonal balance. It also promotes resilience to daily life stressors and can enhance memory.

It doesn’t matter what activity you choose. It doesn’t have to be a competitive sport or an intense activity. You can always find a way to be more active. Focus on moving more. Everything counts.

Turn your fitness into something you enjoy. Making a conscious effort to prioritize movement every day is a mindset change.

Take it slow and don’t be concerned about what others are doing. There’s still plenty of time to get started on building an effective, sustainable workout regimen or habit of movement that can help get your body ready for whatever summer activity you choose. ▼ Pattie Cinelli is a writer and a holistic health & fitness professional. Email her with questions or column ideas to: fitmiss44@aol.com.

Photo courtesy of the author.

MAY 16, 2025

87 Letters

The Real Dirt

BY ERIC W. WAHL

Flower Box Magic

I

f you’re like me, you procrastinate with everything, even prepping your containers and flower boxes when spring arrives. Currently, my three flower boxes that typically hang on the porch railing are on the concrete floor with traces of last year’s planting.

Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner, preparing your containers and flower boxes properly is crucial for a successful growing season. So let’s get those containers and boxes ready!

water from pooling at the roots, which can lead to root rot.

STEP 4: REFRESH OR REPLACE POTTING SOIL ⊲ Over time, potting soil be-

comes compacted and loses its structure and nutrients. While you can sometimes rejuvenate old soil by mixing it with fresh potting mix and compost, many gardeners choose to replace most or all of it each season for the best results.

STEP 6: PRE-MOISTEN THE SOIL ⊲

Before you plant, water the new potting soil slightly to make it easier to work with.

Soil that’s too dry can wick moisture away from new plant roots, making it harder for them to establish. Pre-moistening ensures a better start for your plants.

STEP 1: CLEAR OUT OLD PLANTS AND DEBRIS ⊲ The first step in prepping

containers is to remove any remnants of last season’s plants. Dead foliage, old roots, and leftover soil can harbor pests, fungi, and bacteria. Pull out any remaining plant material and discard it—preferably not in your compost if it was diseased.

If your containers held annuals, you’ll likely need to remove all the old soil.

For containers with perennials, carefully assess whether the plants have survived winter and trim back any dead growth.

STEP 2: THOROUGHLY CLEAN YOUR CONTAINERS ⊲ Dirty containers can

spread diseases to new plants. Wash your flower boxes and pots thoroughly using a stiff brush and soapy water. If you had pest or disease problems last year, consider disinfecting containers with a solution of one part bleach to nine parts water. Soak them for about 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly and let them dry completely.

For wooden boxes, check for signs of rot or loose boards. Repair or replace as needed to ensure the containers will support healthy plant growth.

STEP 3: INSPECT FOR DAMAGE ⊲

Before you begin planting, inspect your containers for cracks or weaknesses.

Ceramic pots can develop cracks from freeze-thaw cycles, while plastic ones can become brittle over time. Replace broken containers or repurpose them in creative ways (such as turning cracked pots into garden art)!

Drainage holes are especially important. Make sure they are clear and unobstructed. Proper drainage prevents Letters 88

MAY 16, 2025

the middle (like petunias, begonias, or coleus).

• Spiller plants cascade over the edges (like ivy, sweet potato vine, or lobelia).

Choosing plants with complementary colors and textures can create a harmonious and visually appealing display. Try to avoid using invasive species that spread by seed. If they typically spread through roots, then the container will act as a barrier. However, still monitor them closely.

STEP 7: PLANT CAREFULLY AND WATER WELL ⊲ When planting, gently loosen

…a simple formula for a stunning container design is “thriller, filler, spiller.”

Use high-quality potting soil designed for container gardening. Garden soil from your yard is too dense and may not drain properly. For a boost, mix in slow-release fertilizer, compost, or other organic matter to enrich the soil and support healthy plant growth.

STEP 5: PLAN YOUR PLANTINGS ⊲

Before you start planting, take a moment to plan your container designs. Consider the sun exposure, watering needs, and growth habits of the plants you want to use. Aim to group plants with similar needs together.

As I’ve mentioned before: a simple formula for a stunning container design is “thriller, filler, spiller”: • Thriller plants are tall and dramatic (like ornamental grasses or upright flowers).

• Filler plants add body and fill in

the roots of each plant to encourage them to spread out into the new soil. Plant at the same depth they were growing in their nursery pots. After planting, water thoroughly until you see water draining out of the bottom holes. This helps settle the soil around the roots and eliminates air pockets.

SOME FINAL TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Mulch: A thin layer of mulch on top of the soil can help retain moisture and reduce weeds.

• Fertilize: Use a balanced, slow-release fertilizer to feed your plants throughout the season.

• Monitor Moisture: Containers dry out faster than garden beds, so check soil moisture regularly and water when the top inch feels dry.

By taking the time to properly prep your containers and flower boxes, you’ll create the perfect environment for lush, healthy plants to thrive all season long. A little work at the start pays off in beautiful blooms and bountiful harvests later!

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

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89 Letters

Talking Trash (and Recycling)

BY JEFFREY DANNIS

Heavy Metal

N

ational Pack Rat Day is coming up: May 17th. Remember that clutter is stressful. It’s your opportunity to review what you’ve been keeping around, thinking that there would be a good use for this someday. Decluttering has been proven to reduce stress.

I do keep some things around for someday, but in most instances, I have a good idea what I won’t get around to.

I always have to go back to the motto: When in doubt, there really is no doubt.”

The doubt I often have is not what should be done, but my reluctance to do the right thing.

I’m not a big collector of stuff and often am ready to get rid of things and find better homes for them. Recently I made a trip to the landfill and brought scrap metal from my home and my neighbor’s home there. Included was a pull-up bar that had been replaced, recessed light fixtures (now replaced by LED puck lights), an old ceiling fan, floor vents, and some other items.

I understand that Sussex Scrap Metal, Inc. does take scrap metal for free, but I brought this week’s load to the landfill (a small minimum fee for a load) because I was going to the landfill anyway. I used Sussex Scrap Metal last fall when I disposed of an old treadmill that didn’t move on Facebook Marketplace.

During my time in the waste industry, I learned that scrap metal doesn’t have to be all metal, just more than half of the weight must be metal.

Why not just put it in my trash? Unfortunately, it appears that most people do. Two-thirds of residential scrap metal goes into the trash and is buried in landfills or incinerated (12.3 of 19.2 million tons in 2018). But that is not the right thing to do.

Consider the energy saved by recycling metal: Aluminum production is a huge consumer of electricity. Aluminum can be recycled for about five percent of the energy that it takes to make aluminum from ore. Steel can be recycled for about 26-45 percent of the energy of

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steel from ore. Recycling copper uses 15 percent of the energy used to make new.

So yes, as someone who cares about the environment, and the cost of the products I buy, the more I recycle metal, the less energy cost and the lower the cost for manufacturers in general.

Furthermore, there is less earth trauma created by mining ore. Those are better for everyone.

Residentially, about 71 percent of steel/tin cans are recycled.

Unfortunately, recycling metal in America could use some better participation. Given the great rewards for recycling aluminum, we Americans are terrible about recycling. The latest data, based on a survey of aluminum can recyclers and can makers, government and other data sources, found that only 43 percent of aluminum cans shipped in the United States in 2023 were ultimately recycled— far below the average rate of around 52 percent when tracking began in 1990.

According to Charles Johnson, president and CEO of the Aluminum Associ-

ation, “While we recycled more than 46 billion cans in 2023, we threw away more than 61 billion cans—that’s nearly $1.2 billion worth of aluminum that ends up in a landfill every year. This is bad for the economy, the environment, and national security. It also puts the United States toward the bottom of aluminum can recycling compared to peer countries.”

Steel rates aren’t better. Residentially, about 71 percent of steel/tin cans are recycled. But it is the other steel that drags the residential recycling rates down to 44 percent, putting 56 percent in landfills and incinerators.

Unfortunately, in the US the capacity to recycle some metal no longer exists.

Our capacity to recycle copper has diminished to where we export about half of the scrap copper we produce. Our country lacks operating secondary smelters capable of processing the complexity/ diversity of the copper scrap market. In the marketplace there are 14 categories of scrap brass and 40 categories of scrap copper.

Yes, we need to improve how we handle scrap metal and bring some of these industries back home.

There are proposed bills and policy to fix this on the national level. Congress should pass the Recycling Infrastructure Accessibility Act (RIAA) and the Recycling and Composting Accountability Act (RCAA). These will increase access to recycling services and improve tracking of recycled material that is essential to America’s supply chain security, sustainable economy, and manufacturing base.

In the meanwhile, we each should continue to declutter, but declutter in the way that is best for our environment, our industries, and our peace of mind. Don’t put the scrap metal in the trash. Save it up, gather it from your neighbors, and make sure it gets recycled. ▼ Jeffrey Dannis is a Delaware professional engineer, nutrient consultant, and certified composter. He can be reached at FitnessEngineering.net or at Jeff.

Dannis.FE@outlook.com.

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91 Letters

Secret of the Bi Guy

Solution on Page 116 ACROSS 1 Former Trump portrayer Baldwin 5 Respond to a Judy Garland song 10 Start of a Mozart opera title 14 Bankhead’s home, for short 15 One that ought to be paddled 16 ___ all-time high 17 Start of the secret of the bi guy 20 Lang. of Hedwig 21 Chile chain 22 Mapplethorpe work 23 It could leave a salty taste in your mouth 25 Gets rough with 26 Narrow passages 27 Opposite of congress?

29 Came before 30 Ethiopia’s Selassie 31 More of the secret 37 Big name in footwear 40 Sapphic poems 41 Kazan, whose desire was a streetcar 42 Taxing org.

43 Got a little behind 44 Ceramic decor 46 ___ Hall University 48 Some rainbow colors 49 End of the secret

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MAY 16, 2025

53 Prefix that means “queer” 54 Got in the game 55 Carrie Chapman Catt, once 59 Margaret Mead ___ Me Gay 60 Isle near Corsica 61 Pernod flavorer 62 Britten’s pub potables 63 Elite Navy diver 64 Triangular desert DOWN 1 Little Miss Sunshine star Breslin 2 Trans rights advocate Cox 3 City hue in Oz 4 Where a trucker parks his bottom 5 Public outbursts 6 2022 Oscars cohost Sykes 7 Years ago 8 Expresses awe 9 Born, in gay Paree 10 O Pioneers novelist Willa 11 Idle 12 Seasonal mall employees 13 Heavy metal bars?

18 “For Your Eyes Only” singer Sheena

19 Sally Ride’s point farthest out 24 Allow the pussy out of the bag?

25 Sheehan’s sport 27 Fondled rudely 28 Famous Queens Park 30 David ___ Pierce 32 Shorten leaves of grass 33 Burned at the steakhouse?

34 Former netman Nastase 35 Windshield feature 36 Fag ___ (women with gay friends) 37 Writer Yukio 38 Like some church statements 39 On your stallion 43 “Double Fantasy” artist 44 Do the master’s work 45 Sea off Greece 47 You blow them among the reeds 48 Gore in the library 50 Part of YSL 51 Manicurist’s tool 52 C&W star McEntire 56 Drag queen’s accessory 57 Org. for bears 58 St. of Liberace Museum ▼

MAY 16, 2025

93 Letters

End-of-Life Doulas

BY MICHELE STUTZMAN

A Compassionate Care Partner

T

he end of life is a profound and often challenging phase, not only for the individual experiencing it but also for their loved ones.

In recent years, the role of an end-oflife (EOL) doula has emerged as a vital support person, providing compassionate care and guidance through this critical time. EOL doulas (also known as death doulas) offer emotional, spiritual, and practical support to individuals and their families, helping them navigate the complexities of the dying process with dignity and grace. Their presence can transform the EOL experience, making it a time of meaningful reflection, connection, and peace.

End-of-life issues are a significant concern for everyone, but they can be particularly complex for the gay and lesbian community. These complexities arise from a combination of legal, social, and emotional factors that can uniquely affect LGBTQ+ individuals. Understanding these issues is crucial for providing compassionate and equitable care to all individuals as they approach the end of their lives.

LEGAL CHALLENGES

One of the primary concerns for gay and lesbian individuals at the end of life is the legal recognition of their relationships.

Despite significant progress in LGBTQ+ rights, including the legalization of samesex marriage in many countries, legal challenges persist. For instance, in some regions, same-sex marriages or partnerships may not be recognized, which can complicate matters such as inheritance, medical decision-making, and access to benefits.

In the absence of legal recognition, partners may face difficulties in making critical healthcare decisions. Advance directives, living wills, and healthcare proxies are essential tools that can help mitigate these issues. It is crucial that LGBTQ+ individuals ensure these documents are in place and legally binding to avoid potential disputes with family members who may not recognize or respect their relationships.

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MAY 16, 2025

SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

The social and emotional aspects of EOL care for gay and lesbian individuals are equally important. Many LGBTQ+ seniors face isolation, either because they have been estranged from their biological families or because they have lost their chosen families over time. This isolation can lead to a lack of support during a critical period.

End-of-life doulas offer a compassionate and holistic approach to dying, honoring the individual’s journey and supporting them through one of life’s most profound transitions.

Moreover, the fear of discrimination in healthcare settings can prevent LGBTQ+ individuals from seeking the care they need. Studies have shown that many LGBTQ+ seniors are reluctant to disclose their sexual orientation to healthcare providers due to past experiences of discrimination or the fear of being treated differently. This reluctance can result in inadequate care and support.

FINANCIAL CONCERNS

Financial issues may be another significant concern for the LGBTQ+ community at the end of life. Historically, LGBTQ+ individuals have faced economic disparities due to discrimination in employment, housing, and other areas. These disparities can result in fewer financial resources available for EOL care.

MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Mental health is a critical component of EOL care, and LGBTQ+ individuals may face unique challenges in this area. The stress of dealing with legal, social, and financial issues can take a toll on mental health. Furthermore, the experience of

discrimination and stigma throughout their lives can lead to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

THE ROLE OF CHOSEN FAMILIES

For many LGBTQ+ individuals, chosen families—those formed through friendships and community connections rather than biological ties—play a crucial role in providing support and care. These chosen families can offer emotional, social, and practical support during the EOL process.

However, the legal system often prioritizes biological family members over chosen families, which can create challenges in ensuring that the wishes of the individual are respected. It is essential for LGBTQ+ individuals to legally document their wishes and designate their chosen family members as decision-makers whenever possible.

COMPASSIONATE, HOLISTIC SUPPORT

End-of-life issues for the gay and lesbian community are multifaceted and require a comprehensive approach to address legal recognition, social support, financial stability, mental health care, and the role of chosen families. By understanding and addressing these unique challenges, EOL doulas can help ensure that LGBTQ+ individuals receive the dignity and respect they deserve as they approach the end of their lives.

In a world where death is often a taboo subject, EOL doulas offer a compassionate and holistic approach to dying, honoring the individual’s journey and supporting them through one of life’s most profound transitions. Their work is a testament to the power of empathy, understanding, and human connection in the face of life’s ultimate inevitability. ▼ Michele Stutzman is a retired registered nurse who is currently practicing as an EOL doula (INELDA trained) in Sussex County, Delaware. She can be reached via email at moonshadow63@ comcast.net or by cell at 302-245-5570.

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MAY 16, 2025

95 Letters

arts+entertainment

BY LESLIE SINCLAIR

SPOTLIGHT ON THE

arts

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community

Spring into Summer with the Arts at CAMP Rehoboth As spring blossoms into summer, creativity is in full bloom at CAMP Rehoboth—inviting you to explore, reflect, and celebrate the season through art.

FEST Art + 2025 Through June 6, 2025

H

IMAGE (detail): Cosmic by Forrest Rose.

undreds of visitors came through the doors to experience FEST Art + 2025, an absorbing exhibition presented in conjunction with Women’s + FEST. This year’s show celebrates the feminine spirit through the power and perspective of art—and the feedback has been a resounding wow!

Opening weekend brought a flurry of activity to the community center. As FEST attendees picked up their passes, they were treated to a visual showcase of 40 diverse works on display throughout the gallery and atrium. The Opening Reception on April 10 was a lively and memorable event. Juror Lauren E. Peters joined us to share her thoughtful insights into the jurying process and what drew her to the selected works. The afternoon was filled with engaging conversation, camaraderie, and connection among artists, art lovers, and guests.

A new highlight this year was an Open House on Friday, which welcomed even more FEST participants into the space, adding another layer of discovery to the weekend.

If you missed it, you still have time! FEST Art + 2025 is on view through June 6 during regular community center hours. Don’t miss the chance to immerse yourself in this celebration of creativity, voice, and vision.▼

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.

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MAY 16, 2025

arts+entertainment Moments of Reflection: A Solo Show by Gary Fisher June 14-July 31, 2025 Opening Reception: Saturday, June 14, 5:00-7:00 p.m.

T

his summer, acclaimed Rehoboth Beach-based artist Gary Fisher appears at CAMP Rehoboth with his solo exhibition, Moments of Reflection. Known for his richly textured oil paintings, Fisher captures a deeply personal and colorful world—from expressive abstract landscapes to luminous still lifes and evocative figurative pieces.

“My art is an expression of the beauty I see all around me,” Fisher shares, “from the coastal sunrises and sunsets reflected in Delaware’s wetlands and bays, to the gardens outside my studio, and the amazing places I travel. My goal is to paint the world through my unique lens.”

Whether you’re an art aficionado or simply looking to be inspired, Fisher’s work promises a fresh and exciting visual experience.

Join us this season as we turn the page to summer with art that inspires, connects, and transforms. ▼

Logan Farro: CAMP Rehoboth’s Incoming Visual Arts Coordinator

A

s Leslie Sinclair, long-time Visual Arts Coordinator, steps away from that role, Logan Farro, a member of the Visual Arts Team, steps into it. We talked with Logan to capture some details we could share by way of introduction….

CAMP REHOBOTH: How did you come

to know about the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery, and begin exhibiting here?

LOGAN FARRO: I first learned about CAMP Rehoboth when I was in high school. My design teacher would always share creative opportunities with the class, and one day she mentioned that CAMP Rehoboth was looking for people to submit artwork. I submitted a painting and was featured in the exhibition, and I’ve been involved ever since.

CR: How long have you been volunteering with the Visual Arts Team?

LF: I have been involved with the Visual Arts Team for roughly three to four years.

CR: Tell me something about what the team does….

LF: The Visual Arts Team handles everything that goes into an exhibition.

From brainstorming to reception night, everyone works together to make the show the best it can be. We often start with a meeting to brainstorm an exhibition idea and to create a short-list of contacts for that particular show. From there, it’s reaching out to artists and the community to get all of the pieces to-

gether. Finally, we all work together on the finishing touches, such as installing the artwork and planning a reception.

CR: What is your own background?

LF: I am a creative at heart. I studied graphic design and media while in high school and later went on to get my associate’s degree in marketing. I am also an artist, with a focus on acrylic painting.

CR: What are you most looking forward to as you become the Volunteer Coordinator for CAMP’s Visual Arts program?

LF: I am really excited to work with the team to come up with amazing exhibition and show ideas. With everyone’s work and input, I have no doubt we will be able to host some amazing artists.

CR: What do you think some of the challenges will be?

LF: Leslie left some really big shoes to fill! I’m hoping my work with CAMP Rehoboth and the Visual Arts Team will be able to reach the community in the same way her work has.

CR: Are there any special topics/ideas around which you’re hoping to develop an exhibit?

LF: One of my goals is to bring more young adults into the space. I want to give young creatives a way to get started in the arts, just as CAMP Rehoboth did for me. Whether it’s showcasing the behind-the-scenes of exhibitions and planning, running a creative event,

or exhibiting works in a gallery space, I want to reach aspiring creatives and let them know there is space for them here.

CR: If someone would like to learn more about helping with the Visual Arts program at CAMP Rehoboth, what should they do?

LF: Reach out! As we work together through this transition of leadership, we will need ideas and helping hands more than ever! If anyone is interested in helping the team, they can either call CAMP Rehoboth (302-227-5620) or email me at logan@camprehoboth.org. ▼ Leslie Sinclair is a member of the Delaware State Arts Council and a passionate leader of CAMP Rehoboth’s visual arts program.

MAY 16, 2025

97 Letters

arts+entertainment

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

BOOKED SOLID When the Harvest Comes

by Denne Michele Norris © 2025, Random House, $28, 304 pages Happy is the bride the sun shines on.

Of all the cliches that exist about weddings, that’s the one that seems to make you smile the most. Just invoking good weather and bright sunshine feels like a cosmic blessing on the newlyweds and their future.

It’s a happy omen for bride and groom or, as in the new book When the Harvest Comes by Denne Michele Norris, for groom and groom.

Davis Freeman never thought he could love or be loved like this.

He was wildly, wholeheartedly, mind-and-soul smitten with Everett Caldwell, and life was everything that Davis ever wanted. He was a successful symphony musician in New York. They had an apartment they enjoyed and friends they cherished. Now it was their wedding day, a day Davis had planned with the man he adored, the details almost down to the stitches in their attire. He’d even purchased a gorgeous wedding gown that he’d never risk wearing.

He knew that Everett’s family loved him a lot, but Davis didn’t dare tickle the fates with a white dress on their big day.

Everett’s dad, just like Davis’s own father, had considerable reservations about his son marrying another man—although Everett’s father seemed to have come to terms with his son’s

bisexuality. Davis’s father, whom Davis called the Reverend, never would. Years ago, father and son had a falling-out that destroyed any chance of peace between Davis and his dad; in fact, the door slammed shut to any reconciliation.

But Davis tried not to think about that. Not on his wedding day. Not, unbeknownst to him, as the Reverend was rushing toward the wedding venue, uninvited but not unrepentant.

Not when there was an accident and the Reverend was killed, miles away and during the nuptials.

Davis didn’t know that, of course, as he was marrying the love of his life. Neither did Everett, who had familial problems of his own, including homophobic family members who tried (but failed) to pretend otherwise.

Happy is the groom the sun shines on. But when the storm comes, it can be impossible to remain sunny.

What can be said about When the Harvest Comes? It’s a romance with a bit of ghost-pepper-like heat that’s not there for the mere sake of titillation. It’s filled with drama, intrigue, hate, characters you want to just slap, and some in bad need of a hug.

In short, this book is quite stunning.

Author Denne Michele Norris offers a love story that’s everything you want in this genre, including partners you genuinely want to get to know, in situations that are real. This is done by putting readers inside the characters’ minds, letting Davis and Everett themselves explain why they acted as they did, mistakes and all. Don’t be surprised if you have to read the last few pages twice to best enjoy how things end.

You won’t be sorry.

If you want a complicated, boy-meets-boy, family-mess kind of book with occasional heat, When the Harvest Comes is your book. Truly, this novel shines. ▼

HAPPY Shortcutz

FOR ALL YOUR LANDSCAPE NEEDS THIS SEASON!

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MAY 16, 2025

MAY 16, 2025

99 Letters

Celebrity Interview

BY MICHAEL COOK

Kameron Michaels

A

Entering the Fitness Arena & Embracing OnlyFans fter being a Top Four finalist during Season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, Kameron Michaels quickly hit the Las Vegas stage as part of the inaugural cast of RuPaul’s Drag Race Live! (and subsequently, the docuseries RuPaul’s Drag Race: Vegas Revue).

After being forced to slow down during the pandemic, Kameron took some time away from the stage (and social media) and dove headfirst into fitness and “hit the books”; he’s now a certified personal trainer.

Michaels is also jumping into a bit of a spicier platform, launching an OnlyFans (with full frontal officially being revealed on Valentine’s Day). I sat down for a chat with the notoriously private Michaels, and we talked about his fitness journey, the chances of a return to the RuPaul’s Drag Race main stage, and the relationship that he feels, right now, is “perfect.”

MICHAEL COOK: We are seeing a

whole new Kameron Michaels in 2025, with both your OnlyFans debut and the launch of your own fitness program.

What can longtime fans expect from Kameron Michaels now?

KAMERON MICHAELS: New year, new me! In 2025, we are doing exactly what we want to. I’ve dreamed of jumping into the fitness industry for years and it is long overdue. Drag will continue to be a part of my life, but it is time for new adventures.

MC: You are already well known for your fitness on RuPaul’s Drag Race and off, but was it difficult to step away from drag and into the fitness realm?

KM: I have not stepped away from drag; pulled back perhaps? I started studying for my personal trainer certification in 2021 and I just couldn’t juggle the traveling and studying. So I took the necessary time I needed to stay home, hit the books, and make my dream my new reality.

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MAY 16, 2025

MC: What is your best advice for someone starting their own fitness journey?

KM: My best advice for someone starting their fitness journey is, “get ready.”

Get ready for your whole life to change.

The positive effects of fitness will not only alter your physical and mental health, they will change your whole outlook on life.

MC: OnlyFans is a fearless and fantastic way to embrace and own your own creativity. Was there a specific moment that you decided to take the leap? How did you ignore the voices that said, “don’t do it”?

KM: I secured my URL back in 2021. I suppose I had my reservations over the years, but after a tough year of depression and some mental health struggles, I finally felt confident enough to hit post.

And I’m so excited that I did. I no longer care about outside opinions of how I choose to live my life. I’m having a blast so far!

MC: What are you looking forward to most about venturing into OnlyFans and revealing aspects of yourself that

My best advice for someone starting their fitness journey is, “get ready.” Get ready for your whole life to change.

people may not be familiar with?

KM: I’m most excited to just have fun.

Posting artsy or suggestive photos has always been on the sideline of my social media. But having younger fans watching my socials, I wanted to give my spicy content a home where adults can enjoy it.

MC: You are very evidently choosing happiness; what has been the secret to finding your own happy place at this point in your career and life?

KM: I think finding happiness really is the meaning of life. No amount of money or fame is going to give that to you.

So, taking a step back and reassessing the trajectory of my life has put me on the path to doing things that bring me happiness and joy. Oh, and I love not traveling as often for work. I’m such a homebody…that brings me happiness.

MC: Relationships in our community can be challenging and keeping them for yourself can be even harder in the social media world; how are you navigating that?

KM: My relationship is just that: private.

I think finding happiness really is the meaning of life. No amount of money or fame is going to give that to you.

And it’s perfect just the way that it is. I see no need to change that.

MC: You probably get a version of this question all the time, but I am going to change it up a bit: If you were to hypothetically return to RuPaul’s Drag Race for an All Stars season, what do you think your talent would be in the talent show that opens that show?

KM: I would probably go home first. I have no idea what my talent would be.

Nor do I care. I have tremendous talents in so many other areas of my life that don’t require a spotlight or a stage.

MC: Final question; do you think we will ever see a time when you and your partner go Instagram official? Or are you enjoying keeping it just for the two of you?

KM: I don’t know what the future holds,

but I do know that I am happier than I’ve ever been and things are perfect just the way they are. ▼ Follow Kameron Michaels on Instagram here: instagram.com/ kameronmichaels/?hl=en Follow Kameron Michaels OnlyFans here: onlyfans.com/kameronmichaels

Michael Cook has been a part-time resident of Rehoboth Beach for over a decade. He is currently a contributor to WERRRK.com., OUTSFL, & The Philadelphia Gay News.

MAY 16, 2025

101 Letters

The Sea Salt Table

BY ED CASTELLI

Zesty Lemon Bars STEPS

 Preheat your oven to 350°. Coat

a 9” square glass or ceramic pan with nonstick spray.

 In a large bowl, mix until crumbly: • 1 ⅓ cups flour • ½ cup softened butter • ¼ cup white sugar

Gently press into the bottom and

little up the sides of your pan. Bake 18 to 20 minutes until lightly browned.

 Meanwhile, in the same bowl, beat

H

allelujah, it’s May! I’m pumped because I’m craving warmth and sunshine and salty air. I know you are, too.

Sadly, it can also be a stressful month. The dreaded time we assess last year’s bathing suits. For me: board shorts, boxer cut, or speedo? Can I still pull off rainbow stripes? And the most terrible question of all, does this make me look fat?

When I weigh myself first thing in the morning, naked, having just used the restroom, and not having eaten, I’m a steady mid-150-pounds kind of guy. Day after day, year after year. Meanwhile, I’m somehow getting rounder.

You see the males in my family have this thing we call the Castelli Belly.

You’ve heard of love handles? We have love railings.

We look thin-ish until we take our shirts off and you see the roll just above our beltline...front, sides, and back. I know, I’m painting a picture of hawt! Let’s just say at 59, gravity isn’t my friend.

I did go through a chunky phase as a kid. Every Easter and new school year, Mom corralled me into the “husky section” at the local Grants. Yes, there really Letters 102

MAY 16, 2025

was such a section. With a big sign and an arrow, that said “Huskies Shop Here.”

Don’t worry, my Jordache knockoffs were just as bellbottom-y and Andy Gibb-ish cool. They just offered “a roomier fit for today’s larger than average boy.”

Now I know you’re saying “But Dad Bods are in.” I hear ya, except I’m not cub or bear enough to pull off that look.

Dad bod is more a cute pooch in the front, and maybe a little moob action. It screams I’m too busy coaching my kids’ soccer, and fixing things around the house, to spend time at the gym. Yeah no, that is not me.

So, with bathing suits on our minds, you’d think I’d feature a healthy recipe this month. Something good for slimming the waistline and beachy glow. Nah. Let’s be “all in” one last time with my Zesty Lemon Bars!

I challenge you to find a better dessert for your Memorial Day picnic. These are the perfect balance of sweet vs. tart.

If you love the flavor of lemons, you’re gonna eat these up.

And if these ruin your diet, come sit next to me on Poodle Beach in the judgement free zone. Yes, I just made that up.

Let’s get started, shall we?

together: • 1 ½ cups white sugar • 4 large eggs • 4 Tbl flour • 6 Tbl fresh lemon juice (do not use bottled) • ½ tsp baking powder

 Carefully pour over hot crust and bake another 18 to 20 minutes until set. Allow to cool, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.

TIPS • For an extra tender crust, swap vegetable shortening for some or all of the butter.

• For the lemon mixture, swap up to a quarter-cup of brown sugar for the white. It gives these bars a rich, slightly caramelized flavor.

• It’s not necessary, but I like to keep these in the fridge. I think chilling them makes the lemon pop in an extra refreshing kind of way. ▼ 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.

MAY 16, 2025

103 Letters

PRIDE In Progress SCAN FOR INFO

Join us! Become a member today!

Support our mission. Join with others to continue our mission

of celebrating diversity and building a strong community for all.

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MAY 16, 2025

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Opinion

A Sporting Chance

BY DWAYNE BENSING, President, The Board of Delaware Stonewall PAC

T

he Delaware Stonewall PAC is a non-partisan political organization representing the interests of LGBTQ people in Delaware. We know our community, including our kids. Some of them feel, from an early age, that they were born into the wrong body: some who were labeled one gender at birth find their true selves are more aligned with a different gender. When their families and communities love and support them, they are likely to grow up happy, safe, and well. When they are rejected, they are likely to be depressed and worse: there’s a high rate of suicide among those who are shunned by their families.

Some of our kids play sports. They do so for the same reasons all kids do: for the fun of the sport, for the thrill of competition, for the health and well-being of their bodies and minds, and to learn how to work and play well with others. Kids seek team sports because they crave a few hours in the day where they can just be kids, where the focus is on the sport and not the problems at home, at school, or in the world, and where they can develop friendships and a sense of community and belonging. Kids want to learn the skills they will need as adults: fairness, leadership, cooperation, resilience, perseverance, courage, confidence, sportsmanship, and how to win and how to lose graciously.

Recently, Thomas S. Neuberger and Sussex County Republican Sen. Bryant Richardson, long opposed to inclusive policies for girls’ sports in public schools, have filed a federal complaint that seeks to prevent transgender girls from playing on girls’ middle and high school sports teams. Neuberger and Richardson want the state to lose $336 million in federal funds annually—about 10% of the total cost to run Delaware K-12 public schools—if it continues to follow established federal and state laws respecting students’ gender identity, including in sports participation. When questioned about this proposed legislation, a spokesperson for Delaware’s governor said, “Gov. Meyer doesn’t believe that trans girls should be playing in girls’ sports, but ultimately he defers those decisions to the leagues and localities.”

Prior to his election, when he was seeking the political endorsement of Delaware Stonewall PAC, Gov. Meyer sang a different tune: He assured us that “every Delawarean deserves the freedom to be healthy, prosperous, and safe,” adding “one of the greatest dangers to our youth today is that they too often are taught not to love their true selves.” He also promised to “promote and support a culture of inclusivity and fairness in our schools.”

We are disappointed and angry at his about-face. His current position aligns with the hateful and harmful rhetoric of outspoken anti-LGBTQ+ bullies in our government. Our kids deserve better.▼ MAY 16, 2025

105 Letters

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

1

(Continued from page 67) THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at RB Easter Bonnet Crawl: Joe Parker (Winner), Richard Williams, Rob Robertson, Smitty, Scott Silber, Al Drulis, Mark Kehoe, Pam Silvers, Mike Pierorazio, Kevin Miller, Igor Lima, Tony Burns, Paul Frene, Jacki Gerber, Jenny Gerber, Chuck McSweeney, Michael Clay, Richard Thibodeau, Joseph Colleti.

OPPOSITE PAGE 2) at RB Museum Reaching Out Across the Aisle: DE State Senator Russ Huxtable, Heidi Nasstrom-Evans, DE State Senator Brian Pettyjohn; 3) at Blue Moon: Steve Falchek, Letez Hudson, Trevor Brown, Artez West, Bornie James, Randy Haney, Tim Ragan; 4) at Rigby's: Ricky DiDomenici, Valentina Azmat, Dylan Scarangelia, Ryan Williamson, Hunter Gooder, Maria Jose Gooder; 5) at RB Gumbo Crawl: Raela Perez, Jan Dunn, Glenn West, Chris Jacona, Michael Clay, Michael Hunt, Bill Murray, Jackie Strack, Christy Herc, Tamia Mykles, Cathy Christine.

(More CAMPshots page 108) Letters 106

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107 Letters

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

1

2 (Continued from page 107) THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Sussex Against Martial Law Protest at the RB Bandstand: Governor Matt Meyer, Donna L West, Yleen Yisser, Linda Wolfe, Fay Jacobs, VIcki Gordy-Stith, Bo Gordy-Stith, Jamie Forshey, Sandra Skidmore, Maggie Ottato, Glenn Lash, Mark Paugh; 2) at Diego's: Terrance Santiago, Alonza Parker, Jordan Crump, Dave Lyons, Colin Gallagher, Rich Hardy, Jeff Seese, Dominick Cerminaro, David Snell, Joe Smith, Dusty Abshire; 3) at The Pines: David Gonce, Bryce Lingo, Jeff Raver, Chris Brandon, Mat Gulick.

OPPOSITE PAGE 4) at Purple Parrot: Cathrine DeVioda, Sean Evans, Ruth Kloetzli, Cathy Picard, Patrick Lawler, Debra Dean, Patty Kim, Richie Weslong, Linda Herkalo, Rick James; 5) at Aqua: Will Freshwater, Stephen Creman, Willis Bininger, Edward Horihan, Bruce Clayton, Nicholas Biagioli, John Bator, Brian Sparrow, Kevin Naff; 6) at Eden: Rick Coe, Robin Coe, Russell Stucki, Michael Calderon, Monte Steinman; 7) at Lewes Rainbow Social Club at Cambria Hotel: Kevin Pelland, Jimmy Villareale, Laura Johnson, Stephanie Hoenig, Wrea Wene; 8) at Coastal Concerts Boyd Meets Girl: Rupert Boyd, Laura Metcalf. ▼

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109 Letters

Meet Matt Bomer

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Healing—and Hilarity—in Mid-Century Modern

T

Matt Bomer is finally letting his perfectly coiffed hair down. he out actor—celebrated for bringing groundbreaking LGBTQ+ stories to life in The Normal Heart, Netflix’s 2020 remake of Boys in the Band, and the Showtime thriller Fellow Travelers—now dives headfirst into comedy with Hulu’s Mid-Century Modern, delivering a performance that just about no one saw coming. Not even Bomer himself.

As Jerry, the endearingly naive member of a Golden Girls-esque friend group sharing a Palm Springs home, which includes Nathan Lane’s Bunny and Nathan Lee Graham’s Arthur, Bomer trades historical trauma for sassy gay jokes. His character navigates these friendships, dating apps, and Palm Springs’ unique queer ecosystem with wide-eyed bewilderment and undeniable charm—a man who hilariously confuses PrEP with Preparation H. “That’s a testament to the brilliant people I’m surrounded by,” Bomer says when I mention his quotable one-liners, crediting the behind-the-scenes crew—and Will & Grace creators Max Mutchnick and David Kahn—for crafting comedy that’s “smart and sharp and funny.”

For an actor whose queer roles have often been defined by societal oppression, Mid-Century Modern represents something revolutionary: the chance to be messy, funny, and unapologetically gay without the weight of historical burden. It’s representation that feels simultaneously groundbreaking and wonderfully ordinary.

“I will always do my best to try to give voice to our stories,” Bomer tells me, adding with genuine warmth, “I hope this show provides laughter and community to anyone out there who needs it right now.”

In our recent video chat, Bomer also reflects on how his Mormon upbringing informed his portrayal of Jerry, his full-circle moment with co-star Nathan Lane, and why this political moment desperately calls for “queer joy.”

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MAY 16, 2025

CHRIS AZZOPARDI: If you would’ve asked me 15 years ago if, one day, I’d hear Matt Bomer say lines like, “Don’t bottom shame me” and “I told you so, queen” onscreen, I don’t know if I would’ve said yes.

MATT BOMER: [Laughs.] Honestly, same!

And I think reading these scripts and realizing that they were pushing the envelope a little bit and talking the way I’ve heard people talk was something that made the show really appealing to me.

“I hope this show provides laughter and community to anyone out there who needs it right now.”

CA: How fun was it to be able to lean into the way real gay adults talk?

MB: Look, after having spent over a decade exploring the more trauma-induced, tragic, harrowing, really painful aspects of our history and our culture that have changed me for the better— and I wouldn’t trade for the world, and I hope I get to do it again at some point—it was nice to get to go to work and just experience joy through the characters and try to translate that joy to the audience and hopefully to folks at home who

are watching who may need to laugh, as much as I know I needed to laugh going into this.

When I saw the folks involved—Ryan Murphy asked me, I had a great conversation with Max and David, and I’ve been such a huge fan of the entire iconic cast for years—it was just a no-brainer to be a part of this.

CA: What parts of this friend group and your character, Jerry, did you personally identify with?

MB: There was a lot of humanity in these characters and their flaws. I think that’s a lot of what found family is—finding that group of people who embrace you for your most authentic self, unapologetically. There are parts of you that may annoy them, just like any family. [Laughs.] And there’s parts that may create a lot of trouble or get you into some hijinks.

CA: There’s definitely a Rose Nylund quality to Jerry’s wide-eyed innocence.

How did you approach building this character, and did classic sitcom characters like Rose from Golden Girls influence your portrayal?

MB: In the initial conversations I had with Max and David, they talked to me about a lot of the great kind of fool characters that they had loved, whether it was Edith from All in the Family or Woody on Cheers or Rose on Golden Girls. I thought about all three of those performances, but then I tried to just build the character the same way you build a character in any medium, which is you take the circumstances and then build the life around it.

And he did have this rich backstory.

I mean, the fact that he was raised Mormon says so much about who he is and his positivity and his enthusiasm about the world, and his need for family and his desire for that to the extent that he would even forsake a part of himself to try to create a family before he realized that cost a lot of people emotionally, including himself.

CA: After working on queer-themed dramas and now a comedy, how do you feel

I think that’s a lot of what found family is—finding that group of people who embrace you for your most authentic self, unapologetically. these genres connect with audiences in different ways?

MB: I can only speak from my experience. I’ve been so fortunate to be a part of things like Fellow Travelers, where people stop me on the street and want to share so much of their personal story and how it resonated with them. But for me, if there was ever messaging involved in something, I always got the message a lot deeper if I laughed along the way.

Over the course of taping this season, we obviously experienced a lot of really challenging and heartbreaking things, but the fact that we got to laugh through it all helped us all along the way. I hope this can provide people who watch with some much-needed laughter. We need some queer joy on screen.

CA: In the episode “Love Thy Neighbor,” Jerry serves as the moral compass as he and his friends navigate a Republican neighbor supporting anti-queer legislation. How did you approach that episode, and how significant do you feel it is to release it at this moment?

MB: To me, as somebody who has people in my life who are on both sides of

the aisle and who can see the humanity on both sides, it was important for me to try to get underneath that. It’s something that I felt I could bring to the character and the performance. Even though I stand firmly on my side and always will, I am able to love people who see differently than me, even heartbreakingly at times when their vote may mean it’s a vote against me. We’re asking to be seen as three-dimensional human beings who want to be seen and loved and understood. I think we have to try to give that same level of humanity to people who we might not see eye to eye with.

CA: I’ve been thinking a lot about the importance of LGBTQ+ pioneers, and you get to work with one in Hollywood: Nathan Lane. What was it like knowing you’d be working with him? And how do you reflect on Nathan’s influence on you as an actor, especially with projects like The Birdcage?

MB: My experience with Nathan Lane predates The Birdcage. I used to sit in our drama club library that was in a closet, the irony of which is not lost on me. I get the metaphor, people. But I would leaf through all these plays, and

all my favorite ones, Nathan was at the center of: Lips Together, Teeth Apart, Love! Valour! Compassion! And Laughter on the 23rd Floor. And there in the lone picture they would have from a production would be Nathan Lane. And I was like, “Who is this guy that’s at the center of American theater?”

Nathan Lane’s just been hugely formative to me, and he’s so generous of spirit as an artist. He helped me find my voice as the character and set a beautiful tone for all of us on the set that was loving and fun and joyful. We could laugh at ourselves and take risks in front of each other and fall on our face in front of each other and shine in front of each other.

It was just the kind of gift you dream of. Sometimes, it takes 30 years to get there, but then there you are, and it’s not lost on me. ▼ Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi.

Photos courtesy of Hulu.

MAY 16, 2025

111 Letters

WorldPride 2025

BY STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

WorldPride Comes to Washington, DC

B

ut wait—what’s WorldPride?

WorldPride is an event put together by InterPride and is hosted in different locations each time. For more than 40 years, InterPride has brought together Pride organizations from around the globe to share resources, knowledge, and continue the fight for equality.

The first WorldPride was held in 2000 in Rome. The 2019 WorldPride in New York City coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. An estimated five million people attended, making it the largest Pride event in history!

Since its inception, WorldPride hasn’t exactly happened regularly. (In the LGBTQ+ community we’re both very organized and not very organized, no?) But, it’s gaining more and more momentum, and now takes place about every two years.

This year’s WorldPride comes to Washington, DC, from May 17 to June 8.

The festivities coincide with the annual Washington DC Capital Pride Parade, which will be held on June 7. And what’s extra special, this year, we also commemorate the 50th anniversary of Pride celebrations in DC. As you might imagine, since WorldPride lasts weeks and weeks, there are dozens if not hundreds of events scheduled. For a full line-up of official events, you should check out worldpridedc.org.

Though technically WorldPride starts May 17, the opening ceremony takes place May 31 in Nationals Park with key dignitaries in attendance. But more importantly, Shakira will be there. The superstar brings her Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran world-tour to the stadium for one night only.

You can also attend partner Pride events, including DC Latinx Pride (May 16-June 8), Trans Pride (May 17-18), DC Silver Pride (May 21), DC Black Pride (May 23-26). WorldPride also offers Deaf, Letters 112

MAY 16, 2025

DeafBlind, Deaf Disabled, and Hard of Hearing Queer Events (May 29-June 8).

Leading up to the big weekend of the parade, you can attend the WorldPride Human Rights Conference from June 4-6. And, the weekend of the parade itself is the WorldPride Music Festival (June 6-7). Jennifer López and Troy Sivan headline. Kim Petras, RuPaul, Sofi Tukker, Betty Who, Trish Paytas, and Paris Hilton are among dozens of others scheduled to perform.

Closing out the events is the WorldPride Street Festival (June 7-8) which will fill Pennsylvania Avenue with music, food, vendors, and more.

And of course, there’ll be just as many—if not more—unofficial, fringe events, too! Tap into your social networks to see what’s happening.

Celebrating Pride in the nation’s capital is a bit different this year because of the current presidential administration’s attacks on the LGBTQ+ community.

Some organizations have already decided to cancel participation and sponsorship, and some events have been moved or cancelled.

The Egale Canada, for example, withdrew participation in February 2025 because of safety concerns for trans and nonbinary staff members. Likely, other international participants will follow suit.

The UK, France, Germany, and other nations that historically have been US

allies, are issuing travel advisories for trans and nonbinary people. InterPride itself also issued warnings for those interested in joining WorldPride in DC this year.

The current political climate has also affected sponsorship. The consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton withdrew its financial support for WorldPride, even though it has supported the Capital Pride Parade previously, because of “executive orders,” according to the company’s official statement. In an interview with Politico, the executive director said, because the company has “a lot of federal contracts,” he and his colleagues “made the decision that to protect their business, they did not want to risk the backlash.”

Several events and exhibitions originally scheduled for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, of which President Donald Trump is now the self-appointed chairman, have been cancelled or moved. The changes were made at the decision of Ryan Bos, executive director of Capital Pride Alliance, who said that the Center’s current administration now “goes counter to what Pride is about.”

We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it!

Showing up to Pride events—whether a massive march or a small get-together— lets others see how big and beautiful the LGBTQ+ community truly is. Many Continued on page 116

Showing up to Pride events— whether a massive march or a small get-together—lets others see how big and beautiful the LGBTQ+ community truly is.

MAY 16, 2025

113 Letters

We Remember

Joseph M. Dress 1965-2025

J

oseph Dress and Jim Adams moved to Washington, DC, in winter 1994-1995 and soon thereafter made their first of many trips to Rehoboth Beach. With a growing number of their DC friends having relocated to Lewes and Rehoboth Beach, they continued regular trips to the area to celebrate birthdays and holidays, and to attend Rehoboth Beach Bear Week since its inception.

This self-portrait was taken on the beach at sunrise—a morning ritual for Joseph.

Join with friends, family, neighbors, club brothers, and co-workers in an informal sharing of memories on Saturday, May 24, 2025, from 2:00-5:00 p.m. at the Takoma Beverage Company, 6917 Laurel Avenue, Takoma Park, Maryland 20912.

Donations in Joseph’s memory may be made to Doctors Without Borders, donate.doctorswithoutborders.org; Médecins Sans Frontières (International), msf.org/donate; World Central Kitchen, wck.org; Oxfam International, Oxfam.org/en/donate; or Oxfam America, oxfamamerica.org. ▼

© 2024 Delaware Hospice

Aging, illness and death don’t discriminate.

Neither does Delaware Hospice.

Our programs and services are designed to support anyone at any stage of a serious illness, including the LGBTQ+ community.

You are not alone. Let us be your expert guide through serious illness care.

Learn more about our full range of services.

302.478.5707 • DelawareHospice.org

Letters 114 Letters-7.5x4.875.indd MAY 16, 2025 1 DEHO-012

12/6/24 12:44 PM

MCCR Metropolitan Community Church of Rehoboth

19369 Plantation Rd Rehoboth Beach, DE www.mccrehoboth.org

A Christian church for ALL people

Worship Service 10:00 AM Sunday mornings

https://www.youtube.com/@mccrehoboth MAY 16, 2025

115 Letters

WorldPride 2025 Continued from page 112

Attending a Pride event...is an act of defiance in the face of threats to our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. folks don’t want to recognize that we’re everywhere. We’ve always been here.

And we’re not going anywhere. We’ll twirl on them haters.

Turning out in large numbers to Pride events also reminds us how diverse and amazing we are as a community. Too often, we get trapped in the bubbles of our subcommunities. This doesn’t help us in our efforts to work together to achieve equality.

Attending a Pride event is more than just a party. It’s an act of defiance in the face of threats to our rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. ▼ Stephen Raskauskas is a Sussex County native who has produced content for radio, TV, digital, and print.

Join CAMP Rehoboth at WorldPride!

Ready to head to DC to celebrate your Pride or allyship? Here are a few key details: • CAMP Rehoboth has organized round-trip bus transportation into DC on both June 7 (Parade Day) and June 8 (Rally Day) • WorldPride goers can reserve transport for one day or for both (tickets are sold separately for the two days) • Those wishing to walk in the parade with CAMP Rehoboth need to register to do so (registration is free)

Find lots more info— and purchase tickets/ make reservations— at: give.camprehoboth.org/events WorldPride 2025 is especially fluid this year as it adapts to the current political climate. Check worldpridedc.org regularly for current information

windsor's 28-02_windsor's 14-15.qxd 3/30/2018 2:26 PM Page 1

CROSSWORD PUZZLE SOLUTION (puzzle on page 92)

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

302-227-9481

Letters 116

MAY 16, 2025

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CAMP Rehoboth Volunteer Opportunities PRIDE MONTH HAPPENINGS CAMP Rehoboth is celebrating Pride Month throughout the month of June with various events—from tabling at Delaware Pride to taking tickets at our theater shows—and volunteer support is needed to make it happen.

Don’t miss a thing.

11 issues of LETTERS from CAMP Rehoboth by first class mail.

SUNFESTIVAL 2025 Join CAMP Rehoboth to make its signature Labor Day weekend fundraiser a major success! Committee volunteers are needed to support sponsorships, marketing, and event decor. Please email info@camprehoboth.org with your interest.

CROP: CAMP REHOBOTH OUTREACH PROGRAM The CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) is constantly working to cultivate community and strengthen relationships and the connections among us all. Check the site for monthly volunteer opportunities. CROP’s next project: organizing a collection for the Food Bank of Delaware.

YOUR NAME

PARTNER’S NAME ( IF APPLICABLE)

Sign up at camprehoboth.org/volunteers.

STREET MAILING ADDRESS

CITY, STATE, ZIP

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Your volunteer efforts benefit you and others.

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IS THIS A RENEWAL?

Send your check for $50 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.

camprehoboth.org/volunteers

to register as a volunteer and to sign up for available opportunities.

THANK YOU To all the CAMP Rehoboth Volunteers for the period: March 21 - May 2, 2025

AARP TAX PREP GREETERS Mark Eubanks Kim Nelson Doug Sellers Lorraine Stainish Jeff Straub Susan Taylor Charles Vandergrift ACCESSIBILITY Hope Vella ADVOCACY TEAM Daniel Bruner David Garrett Leslie Ledogar Sherri McGee ARTS TEAM Logan Farro Jane Knaus Lois Powell Leslie Sinclair Patricia Stiles Debbie Woods

BEACHSIDE BOOK FESTIVAL Rick Miller

John Kelly

CAMP ADMIN Sherri McGee CAMP CHORUS LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE Bill Fuchs Karen Gantz Carolyn Laurenzo Judy Olsen Gloria Richards Dave Scuccimarra Travis Stevens CAMP FACILITIES Carol Brice Lisa Evans Eric Korpon CAMPCIERGES Joe Benshetler Barbara Breault Ken Currier Will Freshwater Jim Mease Kim Nelson Pamela Rule Patricia Stiles

Russell Stiles Joe Vescio

CAMPSAFE CONDOM STUFFING PARTY John Guinto Angel-Lamar Kellam Joe Lawson Kevin Pelland Jeff Straub Dave Walker Jennifer J. Varone CAMPSAFE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING Dick Hospital E.J. Kenyon Joe Vescio CAMPSHOTS PHOTO VOLUNTEERS G Michael Beigay Tony Burns CROP VISIT TO THE DE FOOD BANK Deb Carroll Lissa Dulany Chip Logan

Ian Lovegrove Keily Lovegrove Leslie Lovegrove DEVELOPMENT TEAM Jane Blue Pat Catanzariti Wes Combs Mike DeFlavia Will Freshwater Amanda Mahony Albanese

LETTERS DISTRIBUTION TEAM Jim Mease

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Madelyn Jablon Marce McCollumMartin Jim Mease Kim Nelson Rina Pellegrini John Michael Sophos Joe Vescio WOMEN’S+ FEST See pages 12 & 13 for the volunteer listing.

LETTERS MAILING TEAM Nancy Hewish LETTERS PROOFING Barb Ralph THIS MONTH IN QUEER HISTORY Beth Shockley

MAY 16, 2025

117 Letters

AD INDEX 1776 Steakhouse...................................................47 Activ Pest Solutions................................................44 Aqua Bar & Grill......................................................85 Atlantic Jewelry......................................................43 Beebe Healthcare..................................................30 Beebe Medical Foundation....................................31 Brandywine Urology...............................................17 Café Azafrán...........................................................73 CAMP Rehoboth Annual Sponsors...........................3 CAMP Rehoboth Atrium Rental..............................62 CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, The Magic of Motown ...33 CAMP Rehoboth Development Ways to Give...........2 CAMP Rehoboth Flash Fiction Reading....................9 CAMP Rehoboth Letters Subscription................. 117 CAMP Rehoboth Library.........................................13 CAMP Rehoboth Membership............................. 104 CAMP Rehoboth Membership Sign-up................ 105 CAMP Rehoboth Save the Date Summer Solstice.103 CAMP Rehoboth SUNFESTIVAL....................... 26, 27 CAMP Rehoboth Women’s+ FEST Thank You.. 12, 13 CAMPsafe...............................................................22 Children’s Beach House.........................................93 Chris Beagle Group, Realtors.................................19 Clear Space Theatre...............................................99

Collins Podiatry......................................................95 County Bank...........................................................83 Delaware Community Foundation.........................40 Delaware Hospice............................................... 114 Delaware Medicare Assistance Bureau.................41 Delaware Pride.......................................................23 Delaware Resort Expo............................................63 Diego’s Bar Nightclub............ 75, 76, 77, 79, 80, 81 Dogfish Head...................................................... 101 Donna Whiteside, Realtor......................................35 Ethan Allen, Joseph Panzer....................................95 Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant...................... 119 go fish go brit.........................................................15 Humane Animal Partners Delaware.................... 118 Jack Lingo, Real Estate..........................................53 Jenn Harpel, Morgan Stanley.................................19 John Black, Realtor................................................55 Jolly Trolley......................................................... 116 Jungle Jim’s Total Pet Care....................................47 Lana Warfield, Realtor............................................73 Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Realtors........................51 Lori’s Café..............................................................92 Loves Liquors.........................................................29 Maplewood Dental Associates...............................73

Mark Macomber, Realtor........................................59 MCC of Rehoboth................................................ 115 McWilliams Ballard Real Estate ...................... 48, 49 Milton Theatre........................................................91 New Wave Spas......................................................41 Olivia Travel............................................................25 Purple Parrot..........................................................87 PWW Law................................................................95 Rehoboth Beach Bears........................................ 113 Rehoboth Beach Dental.........................................15 Rehoboth Guest House..........................................69 Rigby’s Bar & Grill...................................................71 Sea Bova Associates, Realtors............................ 120 Shortcutz Landscaping...........................................98 State Farm - Eric Blondin/Tommy Taylor................44 Stuart Kingston Gallery..........................................39 The Flats, Coldwell Banker Premier.......................57 The Rehomo Beach Series, Rest Ashored..............47 True Blue Jazz........................................................89 Volunteer Opportunities...................................... 117 Volunteer Thank You........................................... 117 Where 2 Next Travel...............................................45 Windsor’s Flowers............................................... 116

WAGS, WHISKERS & WINE FRIDAY, JUNE 6

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119 Letters

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OAKWOOD VILLAGE - Lewes.

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VILLAGES OF FIVE POINTS - Lewes. 3BR/2BA 3rd-floor, end-unit condo. Pond views from the balcony. Partially furnished.

3.5 miles to Lewes beach. So many community amenities! $450,000 (2081788)

VINCENT OVERLOOK Milton. 2012 3BR/2BA home is 1,900sf. Great room opens to the kitchen & dining areas.

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RES. of REHOBOTH BAY Lewes. Waterfront. 2019 3BR/2BA 2nd-floor condo.

Elevator building. 1,400 sq. ft. Community pool & boat ramp. 7 miles to the beach. $469,900 (2078624)

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SANDPIPER VILLAGE Rehoboth. 2BR/2BA 3rdfloor condo is an end unit.

1,060sf Chesapeake model.

4.5 miles to Rehoboth or Lewes beaches. Near bike trail. $335,000 (2072724)

FAIRWAY VILLAS - Dagsboro.

2003 2BR/2BA condo w/loft.

7 miles to the Bethany Beach boardwalk. Located in Cripple Creek Golf & CC w/pool, golf & social memberships avail. $365,000 (2085536)

4 SEASONS AT BELLE TERRE - Lewes. ”Like New” 2023-built 4BR/3.5BA home w/full finished basement is approx. 3,800sf. Premium lot. Community pool & 7 miles to bch. $869,900 (2075518)

BOWDEN ACRES - Millsboro.

1999 3BR/2BA doublewide on 0.28-acre corner lot. No lot rent - No HOA. Near Oak Orchard marina clubs & public boat launch. $240,000 (2083398)

FAIRFIELD AT LONG NECK Millsboro. 2004 3BR/2.5BA. Oversized garage. Patio + screened & open balcony.

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15 miles to RB boardwalk. $308,900 (2084876)

ANGOLA BEACH - Lewes.

2019 3BR/2BA w/paver patio, deck & shed. Furn.

Community pools, marina. 10 miles to beach. $229,000

(2084080) Lot Rent $825/mt. includes water & sewer.

WHISPERING PINES - Lewes. 2016 doublewide.

3BR/2BA. Big eat-in kitchen.

En Suite main bedroom. Shed.

Community pool. 4 miles to beach. $129,000 (2080566)

SILVER VIEW FARM Rehoboth. 2014 3BR/2BA is nearly 2,000sf w/living room + sunroom. Wood burning FP. Shed w/elec. Community pool.

3 miles to beach. $325,000

SILVER VIEW FARM Rehoboth. 2010 3BR/2BA is 1,624sf with large front sunroom. Screened porch.

Shed. Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $275,000

Lot Rent $846/mt.

(2085724) Lot Rent $723/mt.

(2081354) Lot Rent $723/mt.

MILTON - Atlantic St. New Construction. To be built.

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SILVER VIEW FARM Rehoboth. 2012 4BR/2BA is 1,624sf w/family room.

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Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $300,000 (2081216) Lot Rent $723/mt.

CAMELOT MEADOWS - Rehoboth. 1976 2BR/2BA has deck & screened porch w/skylight. Ready today!

Community pool. 4 miles to beach. $75,000 (2084706)

Lot Rent $1,080/mt.

20250 Coastal Highway - Suite 3, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971  302-227-1222 office www.SEABOVA.com 

EMAIL – RealEstate@SEABOVA.com

Office Independently Owned & Operated by SBA, Inc. Prices, promotions & availability subject to change without notice. *A/C Active/Under Contract -- Accepting Back-Up Offers

05/06/2025