Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 35, No. 7

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

For over 30 years, CAMP Rehoboth has promoted cooperation and created a safe, welcoming space for the LGBTQ+ community. Few organizations are as committed and effective. In addition to organizing events and providing critical services, they educate and advocate to bring people together. Especially in times of uncertainty, we know our support — through volunteering as a CAMPcierge and giving a recurring Membership donation — truly makes a difference.

— Will Freshwater & Stephen Cremen

CAMP Rehoboth Membership

Give ongoing support monthly or yearly.

One-Time Gift

Give instantly online.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

Recommend a grant from your DAF to support our work.

Tribute Giving

Honor someone special.

Planned Giving

Include us in your will or trust.

Stock Gifts

Donate appreciated assets.

Corporate Matching Employer match donations.

Fundraise for Us

Start a peer-to-peer fundraiser.

Transfer from an IRA

If you are 70 1/2 years of age or older.

Cryptocurrency Giving

Donate crypto securely.

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

CAMP Matters

BY KIM LEISEY, PHD

Bridging Troubled Waters

Ibelieve most people are good. I also believe that we are a society struggling between humanization and dehumanization. We are having a hard time seeing each other’s humanity.

In today’s noisy and polarized landscape, advocacy increasingly depends on the ability to build bridges, especially with those who we may think do not share our values. Whether engaging lawmakers, religious leaders, or communities with limited exposure to our beautiful community, bridge-building is essential. This past month I have had the opportunity to meet with a faith leader and lawmakers that some may believe are not supporters of our community. For me, advocacy is about engaging with courage, compassion, and strategy to expand understanding and secure meaningful change.

Advocacy movements need both fire and finesse.

At its core, bridge-building is relational, not transactional. It begins with listening—not to agree, but to understand. Many people who initially resist learning about our community are driven by fear, unfamiliarity, or misinformation rather than malice. A parent might worry about their child’s safety or future; a faith leader may feel bound by doctrine and internally conflicted. Effective advocacy requires that we know these concerns cannot simply be debated away—they must be met with empathy and reframed through shared values.

This is where bridge-building becomes an art. While we may not share every belief with a skeptical audience, we often share deeper values like love, family, safety, fairness, and freedom. We can tap into these values to reframe rights not as special treatment but as the protection of human dignity.

Bridge-building does not mean compromising on core principles. Some values are non-negotiable: that LGBTQ+ people deserve safety, visibility, and equal treatment under the law. We must be clear-eyed about when engagement is possible and when it risks legitimizing harm. In some cases, bridge-building can be more effective when done by allies within a given community—for example, affirming faith leaders reaching out to their peers, or parents speaking out in support of their LGBTQ+ children. These voices often have unique credibility in spaces where queer voices may be dismissed or marginalized.

Additionally, no discussion of bridge-building is complete without reckoning the role of anger. In advocacy, anger is not only valid—it can be necessary. It arises from decades of injustice: exclusion from institutions, violence, health disparities, family rejection, and political attacks. Movements like ACT UP and the

Stonewall uprising were driven by righteous anger that refused to accept silence or second-class citizenship. Anger can galvanize people, fuel protest, and expose systemic cruelty.

Yet, anger is also complex. While it can break open closed doors, it can also trigger defensiveness and stall dialogue if not wielded carefully. Particularly when collaborating with people who are unsure or uneducated about LGBTQ+ issues, uncontrolled anger may obscure the message, making people more resistant rather than more reflective.

That does not mean advocates should hide or suppress their anger. Emotional honesty is important—and anger can be powerfully humanizing when expressed with clarity and purpose. The goal is emotional discipline, not emotional denial. It is the difference between shouting, “You’re evil for believing this,” and saying, “I’m angry because this policy puts people I love in danger.” One shuts down conversation; the other opens a door for empathy and accountability.

Advocacy movements need both fire and finesse. Some people are called to confront and disrupt; others are called to educate and negotiate. These roles are not at odds; they are complementary. One group draws attention to injustice through urgency, while the other builds lasting change through relationships and dialogue. As a community we must respect both roles and know when to shift between them.

The goal of bridge-building in LGBTQ+ advocacy is not to get everyone to agree—it is to expand the moral imagination. We must meet people where they are and support them as they learn. Bridge-building will help people see LGBTQ+ individuals not as “issues,” but as neighbors, family members, colleagues, and fellow humans deserving of safety and joy. It is about finding the language that opens hearts while staying rooted in truth.

That takes strategy. It takes courage. And yes, it often takes anger—anger that knows when to shout, when to speak, and when to simply hold space.

Bridge-building is not always fast, and it is rarely easy. And it is one of the most powerful tools we have. It does not ask us to betray our truths. It asks us to carry them with care, and to offer them, repeatedly, to those who might one day be ready to listen.

Daily I remind myself that progress is never final. Thank you for the ways you engage, volunteer, and donate to help CAMP Rehoboth construct bridges with others through this journey of progress.▼

Kim Leisey, PhD, is Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth.

THIS ISSUE

VOLUME 35, NUMBER 7 • AUGUST 22, 2025

62 Sea Salt Table

Bacon and Onion Jam ED CASTELLI

66 Grease, Glitter, & Grit

Portal Fantasies

The Gospel According to Josh Amidon CHRISTOPHER MOORE

84 The Real Dirt Here Comes the Sun ERIC WAHL

88 Historical Headliners

The Music Man: Aaron Copland ANN APTAKER

90 CAMP Arts

LOGAN FARRO & JOE GFALLER

92 Booked Solid TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

108 More Than a Crown Drag King Murray Hill CHRIS AZZOPARDI

114 We Remember

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.

Cora Castle, LGBTQ+

See, Be Seen, and Bid!

70 CAMPshots Deep in Summer!

74 National Waffle Day

The Best Chicken and Waffles

STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

78 National Beach Day

Shifting Sands TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

80 Deep Inside Hollywood ROMEO SAN VICENTE

by Murray Archibald

EDITOR: Marj Shannon

EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE: Matty Brown

DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Mary Beth Ramsey

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Tricia Massella

DISTRIBUTION: Mark Wolf

CONTRIBUTORS: Mercades Allison, Ann Aptaker, Chris Azzopardi, Rich Barnett, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Pattie Cinelli, Michael Cook, Robert DeDominic, Vincent DeLissio, Logan Farro, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, Bill Fuchs, Joe Gfaller, Fay Jacobs, Kim Leisey, Tricia Massella, Christopher Moore, Sharon Morgan, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Stephen Raskauskas, Richard Rosendall, Nancy Sakaduski, Romeo San Vicente, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Mary Jo Tarallo, Sophie Wagner, Eric Wahl

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.

L-R: Natalie Bennett, Lisa Rosenberger, and Ivana Stuart at Murray Archibald’s HEARTworks Opening Reception at Gallery 50. See more CAMPshots page 70.

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

From

the  Editor

RPRESIDENT 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

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.

BY MARJ SHANNON

eally?! It’s August already?! I feel like I just wrote about summer kick-off, and now here I am—writing about summer wrap-up….

Speaking of which—CAMP Rehoboth really knows how to wrap up summer: it throws a big party! That party is—of course—SUNFESTIVAL, and you’re all invited. There will be laughs and music and dancing and fabulous auction items; see pages 60 and 61 for lots, lots more.

Once you’re all caught up on SUNFESTIVAL, take some time to browse the rest of this issue. There is plenty for you to dig into.

For openers, we know that these are challenging and dispiriting times for many of us, in oh-so-many ways. But in equally many ways, we forge on. Fay Jacobs has one idea on how to do that—see her column on page 40. For another: Delaware has a new LGBTQ+ Commission. Nancy Sakaduski interviewed the Commission’s Chair, Cora Castle, who has some ideas of her own (page 54). A third: do some literal forging: participate in AIDS Walk Delaware (more about that on page 28).

Lest we forget: Forging on can be celebratory—we can support and revel in things like the upcoming local theater season (see Joe Gfaller’s round-up in CAMP Arts). Or take in CAMP Chorus’s September concert (page 18) or follow the progress of the justnow-forming women’s a capella chorus (page 14). More music: Ann Aptaker shines a spotlight on music man Aaron Copland, and Michael Thomas Ford reflects on albums he’s loved—and on how hard he’s finding it to focus on listening to some new ones.

Then, there are some good reads to celebrate. Eric Peterson points us toward one possibility—it showcases LGBTQ+ authors, no less. I have a suggestion, too: turn to page 30 for “Why Me?,” a Reader’s Choice winner from our Flash Fiction contest. Clarence Fluker speaks to the importance of supporting LGBTQ+ publications and writers.

What’s a celebration without good food? Stephen Raskauskas and Ed Castelli bring us chicken & waffles and bacon & onion jam, respectively. Christopher Moore doesn’t share any recipes, but he does talk with Josh, who ran the just-shuttered sandwich shop that was Christopher’s favorite. Josh offset a disappointment of his own with celebration, holding his wedding at the shop on its closing day.

And then, there’s sand. Just in time to rejoice in National Beach Day (August 30), Terri Schlichenmeyer tells us all about this ubiquitous, beach-y delight.

What else? Well, Robert DeDominic is ramping up for back-to-school as he prepares to resume his teaching career. Maybe some retail therapy would lift your spirits? Mary Jo Tarallo found some great thrift store bargains. Of course, there’s yet more—celebrity interviews, health and wellness news, and something about the adventures of moving.

As always, thanks for reading Letters. If you have thoughts you’d like to share, you can reach me at editor@camprehoboth.org. ▼

SHORT STORIES

We’re looking for two short-short stories (750 words max) for our November and December issues. Stories should be suitable for adult/young adult readers, and avoid violence, foul language, religious themes, and explicit erotica or gore. Submission deadline: September 30.

Inquiries and submissions (Word documents only; one submission per author) to: editor@camprehoboth.org. Authors of selected stories will receive payment ($100) upon publication.

Celebrate SUNFESTIVAL Labor Day Weekend

CAMP Rehoboth’s signature benefit SUNFESTIVAL takes place at the Rehoboth Beach Convention Center this Labor Day weekend! Across August 30 and 31, headline comedy, entertainment, and star DJs will close out summer off with the best party in the mid-Atlantic.

Not only will Zach Zimmerman bring the laughs during his headlining set on August 30, but he’ll also be signing copies of his hilarious book Is It Hot in Here? Or Am I Suffering for all Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth? In partnership with Browseabout Books, the signing will be at CAMP Rehoboth’s atrium on Sunday, August 31, at 1:00 p.m.

Plus, the Live Auction on August 30 will be one for the books, thanks in large part to the generosity of various donors. There are tantalizing trips, unique art, and of course auctioneer extraordinaire Lorne Crawford.

Wrapping it up, the Night of Dance on August 31 will be an unforgettable, truly immersive experience, setting the Rehoboth Beach dance floor alight with a visual feast for the eyes while Robbie Leslie and Joe Gauthreaux transcend the ears to the best dance club of the summer.

For the full scoop on all live auction items and event happenings, see page 60.

Tickets available at camprehoboth.org/sunfestival. ▼

YOUR OPINION MATTERS Watch for New Surveys in Coming Months

F

eedback isn’t just helpful; it’s essential. It shares what’s working, what needs improving, and what new ideas could help CAMP Rehoboth programs and services better meet community needs.

As part of CAMP Rehoboth’s work with the DANA (Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement) Nonprofit Accelerator Program, the staff is putting renewed energy into collecting feedback. This collaboration will strengthen outreach and create better tools to hear from the community—starting with creating and updating surveys.

Over the next few months, look out for these new surveys—in person at programs and events, via email,

or even on the CAMP Rehoboth website. Some will be quick checkins; others will ask for more detail. All are designed to be engaging, easy to complete, and to give attendees and participants space to share meaningful and constructive thoughts.

Feedback—whether a glowing review, a constructive suggestion, or a brand-new idea—becomes part of the blueprint for how CAMP Rehoboth grows and improves. By sharing experiences and ideas, responses will help create a community center that’s welcoming, relevant, and responsive to everyone. So, stay tuned, get involved, and thank you for your feedback. ▼

DiFebo’s Celebrates Pride with Treats and Libations

DiFebo’s Restaurants in Rehoboth Beach and Bethany and DiFebo’s Market celebrated Pride by returning as a CAMP Rehoboth Pride Month Partner throughout the month of June. Specialty Pride cocktails and baked goods sales raised $937 in donations for CAMP Rehoboth. Thank you, DiFebo’s! ▼

DC Gay Flag Football

The DC Gay Flag Football League (DCGFFL) held its annual casual summer tournament, the Beach Bowl, July 25-July 27, in Rehoboth Beach. The league made a generous $500 donation to CAMP Rehoboth as part of the weekend festivities. Thank you, DCGFFL! ▼

Pictured: CAMP Rehoboth Development Manager Laurie Thompson, with DiFebo’s Megan Allen and Heather Marinelli.

Pictured: CAMP Rehoboth Board member Kevin Ussery, Development Manager Laurie Thompson, DCGFFL member Cameron MacPhersonw

Save the Date for the Pride Film Festival

The Rehoboth Beach Film Society (RBFS) is proud to present the 2025 PRIDE Film Fest in partnership with CAMP Rehoboth. The four-day festival, held October 9, 10, 11 & 12, will showcase LGBTQ+ documentaries, features, and international films.

Festival admission per film is $15 general public, $12 RBFS members, and $5 for students (student tickets are available only at the theater box office). Tickets (except student tickets) are available for purchase online or by visiting or calling the box office during

business hours: Wednesday-Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00 p.m. (Please note that tickets are non-refundable and cannot be exchanged.)

Join the Rehoboth Beach Film Society at the Cinema Art Theater for social gatherings and hear from filmmakers as we celebrate the festival and LGBTQ+ History Month. The RBFS remains committed to presenting outstanding cinema with the diverse audiences who live in and visit the community. ▼

History Book Festival Presents The Lilac People

The History Book Festival will be held in Lewes September 26-28. This year’s line-up of more than 20 authors includes a selection that CAMP Rehoboth is proud to partner with: The Lilac People: A Novel by Milo Todd. Todd’s presentation will be Saturday, September 27, at 12:30 p.m. at the Lewes Public Library.

Brimming with hope, resilience, and the enduring power of community, The Lilac People tells an extraordinary story inspired by real events and recovers an unknown moment of World War II and trans history. Bertie is a trans man employed at the Institute of Sexual Science where he works to improve rights in Germany’s thriving, pre-war queer community. But with Hitler’s rise, Bertie goes into hiding with his girlfriend, first to survive the Nazis and then to evade the Allied forces, who are arresting queer people as they liberate the country.

For more information about the festival and this year’s lineup, visit historybookfestival.org/. ▼

Blood Drive with Blood Bank of Delmarva

CAMP Rehoboth is partnering with the Blood Bank of Delmarva for a blood drive on Friday, September 26, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This continued partnership follows the FDA’s 2023 lift of its ban on blood donations by men who have sex with men (MSMs). Donors must be 17 years of age (or older) or 16 with a parental consent form. For full eligibility requirements and COVID-19 information, visit delmarvablood.org/eligibility.

Prepare to donate: eat well and hydrate, bring a photo ID, and feel good and symptom-free on the day of the blood drive. Register online by visiting camprehoboth.org/events. ▼

RBEAR WITNESS to Bear Weekend

ehoboth Beach Bear Weekend is almost here! From Wednesday, September 17, through Sunday, September 21, many activities are planned. Among them is the CAMP Rehoboth Bear Witness exhibit, with a reception and happy hour planned for September 20, 3:00-5:00 p.m., at CAMP Rehoboth. Check out rehobothbeachbears.com for more information on premier events on Friday and Saturday nights. ▼

REMINDER! CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERS!

Sussex County Health Needs Assessment

In collaboration with CAMP Rehoboth and other community partners, Delaware State University (DSU) launched its Sussex County Health Needs Assessment in mid-August. The project will provide Sussex County residents, advocates, service providers, and healthcare providers with an assessment of health care needs of our community.

The assessment is led by DSU’s Interdisciplinary Health Research Center (IHER) and the Community Engagement and Dissemination Core (CED); project lead is Dr. Dorothy Dillard, PhD.

CAMP Rehoboth invites all members to stay tuned to member email communications for details on how to take the survey.

“This needs assessment will be an invaluable resource for Sussex County and our community. We know our community faces unique health needs. We invite you to stay tuned to the survey launch and help us identify the opportunities for growth in our local healthcare,” said Kim Leisey, PhD, Executive Director at CAMP Rehoboth. ▼

QPR Training with MHA

On Wednesday, August 6, the Mental Health Association in Delaware (MHA) facilitated a “QPR” training for CAMP Rehoboth staff and volunteers. Suicide Prevention Specialist Sydney Elliott led the presentation on QPR (“Question, Persuade, Refer”), i.e., the actionable steps to guide conversations with someone who expresses thoughts or behaviors indicative of suicidal ideation.

The training provided tools, considerations, and an introductory overview into suicide prevention. The session was productive for all participating staff, CAMPcierges, and volunteers, who often are on the frontlines for a wide range of community needs expressed by LGBTQ+ community members, allies, and beach visitors alike.

Thank you, MHA, for partnering with CAMP Rehoboth for this training! Learn more about MHA programs and services at mentalhealthde.com/. ▼

Join CAMP Rehoboth at AIDS Walk Delaware

CAMP Rehoboth is participating in the 2025 AIDS Walk Delaware, presented jointly by AIDS Delaware and the Delaware HIV Consortium (see page 29). This year’s theme is “Progress Doesn’t Pause & Neither Can We.”

As a Delaware organization that provides HIV prevention services, CAMP Rehoboth will benefit from the Walk via funds and walkers who sign up for our team at camprehoboth.org/ events. Please consider supporting us in our efforts for this worthy cause.

This year’s Walk will take place on Saturday, September 20, in both Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach.▼

Waves of Light: Rehoboth Open House

On Friday, July 18, in partnership with Unlocke the Light Foundation and Sean’s House, CAMP Rehoboth hosted Waves of Light, an open house to empower community members to show solidarity with those facing struggles with mental health. This event featured interactive mental health activities that offered partic-

ipants the opportunity to reflect, connect, and support one another.

Before the open house, Waves of Light hosted Community Conversations, a dialogue with mental health providers across Delaware who shared resources in light of the LGBTQ+ option being removed from the 988 hotline on Thurs-

Partnering with Brandywine Valley SPCA

Join CROP on Tuesday, August 26, to support the Brandywine Valley SPCA, as it helps bag and allocate food for their monthly “Animeals” deliveries. These deliveries are prepared and delivered by the SPCA to homebound clients who rely on the program to feed their pets. Brandywine will also incorporate some time for CROP volunteers to spend with the animals and tour its facility.

What is CROP (CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program)? CROP is a volunteer initiative that brings CAMP Rehoboth members and friends together to support the work of local nonprofits through hands-on service. Whether it’s lending time, energy, or a helping hand, CROP fosters community connection and collective impact, uniting volunteers around a shared commitment to making a difference in the lives of others.

Register online at camprehoboth.org/ volunteers. ▼

day, July 17. While the news was heavy, the conversations left participants feeling both hopeful and motivated. Delaware is home to some incredible, affirming providers, and this coalition knows there’s more work to do. ▼

Words Matter

Keep Reading

What you are doing right now is very important. You are reading. And you’re reading something special. Letters from CAMP Rehoboth is a free publication of CAMP Rehoboth, Inc., a nonprofit community service organization determined to Create A More Positive (CAMP) environment that is inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities in southern Delaware and beyond. Reading is now more important than it ever has been in our lifetime.

Print and online publications like Letters, The Advocate Magazine, OUT Magazine, Queerty, Washington Blade, Los Angeles Blade, Metro Weekly, SWERV, and Them are focusing on LGBTQ+ related stories that are being underreported or not told in mainstream media. Stories about people, policies, research, and threats to our communities and daily lives. Even when these stories are in larger mainstream publications, they can get lost or buried, serving as much good as if they weren’t there at all.

Now is not the time to skip over or ignore what is going on in the world around us as it relates to LGBTQ+ people. The complete opposite is true. We must be informed and forever vigilant. Reading and consuming stories from newspapers and magazines that have a track record of being trusted news sources—unlike some well-meaning but not always fact-checked or edited digital and social media platforms and influencers—is not only an act of pleasure, but it is an act of power. You must keep reading and you must keep your power. The power to be informed, to be enlightened, to be entertained, and to be a critical thinker.

Our communities reading, watching, and listening to news and content by and about LGBTQ+ and other marginalized communities is one concern; sustaining the media outlets that share these stories is another. This spring a flurry of articles and reports came out about the

decrease in advertising dollars being spent with Black-owned newspapers nationwide. A trend that coincided with the dismantling of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices. This summer several large companies decreased their budgets for Pride Month programs and activities following a trend of decline that started in 2023 and has continued. If companies don’t want to fund Pride, it wouldn’t be surprising if they also chose not to advertise in LGBTQ+ press.

Our community deserves to be at the table. Our community also deserves to have our own tables.

We can support our publications by reading, subscribing, sharing, liking, referencing, and—if you work at a company with advertising dollars—advertising. Niche publications that speak to marginalized groups along with our local and regional newspapers and magazines need us and we need them. Consider that over the last 20 years, more than a third of the nation’s print newspapers have shut down.

There are also opportunities to support queer journalists who may be reporting for broader publications. The Association of LGBTQ+ Journalists works within the news media to advance fair and accurate coverage of LGBTQ+ communities and issues. They do this by educating newsroom decision makers, promoting equal opportunities and benefits for LGBTQ+ journalists, and providing mentoring programs and scholarships for the next generation. It is not always easy for journalists to be open about who they are or to have the backing they need in newsrooms to succeed. Their voices in newsrooms matter. The help the association provides benefits the journalists and ultimately the audience.

GLAAD is another national organization that has been a force, championing

BY CLARENCE FLUKER

authentic, accurate, and fair representation and storytelling in media for queer people. These organizations deserve our attention and support as well.

When Eugene Daniels, co-anchor of The Weekend and senior Washington correspondent for MSNBC was writing for Politico, he said “We are changing who is allowed to talk about politics and who is allowed at the table.” Our community deserves to be at the table. Our community also deserves to have our own tables. News and media that speaks to us, about us, and by us.

To be clear, I don’t pick up or log on to queer media publications just to find out what may be challenging our community. I also intentionally look to them for stories and images of joy and hope. Those are things that aren’t reported enough either. When I read about new advances in health treatments, see photos of smiling faces at community events, and find myself learning how much I can relate to the heartwarming personal stories of others who live and love like me, I am inspired.

Today, the world can feel like a very unstable place. Finding a sense of connection in Letters or any other queer or local media can make us feel more stable and keep us grounded.

Keep the presses rolling! ▼

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.

Do you tinkle when you laugh, sneeze, cough, or exercise?

Do you constantly wake up at night to go to the bathroom?

Do you feel like you need to pee, but can’t go once you try?

Do you sometimes just can’t get to the bathroom quick enough?

Do you carry around extra underwear, just in case?

Do you notice blood in your urine?

Do you feel pain when you start to go to the bathroom?

Is your worry starting to take over your daily life?

Brandywine Urology Consultant’s Dr. Alice Y. Wang, MD, is Fellowship trained in Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery who, depending on your symptoms, can provide a variety of treatment options ranging from lifestyle changes, minimally invasive treatments or surgical operations. Dr. Wang is accepting male and female patients in all three offices. Please contact the office today to schedule your conversation with Dr. Wang.

Brandywine Urology Consultants, Delaware’s leading urological practice, delivers comprehensive urological solutions for men and women enabling them to remain in Delaware throughout the duration of their treatment. Brandywine Urology Consultants team of Surgeons and Advanced Practice Providers specializes in urinary cancer care, reproductive and sexual health, bladder and kidney dysfunction, chronic urinary tract infections and prostate health.

Dr. Alice Y. Wang, MD

headliner comedian zach zimmerman

saturday, august 30

a night of comedy plus! live auction!

Check out the exciting trips and items on the previous page!

for tickets, event + accessibility info, scan the qr code

Sebright

Greg Albright & Wes Combs

Edward Joseph Chrzanowski

Paul Lindsey & Richard Gamble

Rodney Street Realty, LLC

Tom Balling & Rex Varner

Joseph Bennett & Corey Andrew

Carol Bresler & Carolyn Billinghurst

Rod Cooke, Charlie Browne, Jeff Mummert & Carlos Pinero

Lewis Dawley & Greg Becker

John Hackett & Tom Newton

Jerry Hofer, Paul Nye, Dennis Morgan & Paul Christensen

Kelly Johnson & Todd Gerdes

Jon Kaplan

Deborah Kennedy & Beth Yocum

Chris Lay & Dr. Mari Blackburn

Clarence Pineda, Compass & David Park Porter & Gordon Family

Ida & Jeff Rowe

Jennifer Rubenstein, Diane Scobey, Leslie Sinclair & Debbie Woods

Craig Schwartz & Jamie Kotchek

Gary Seiden & Bashir Amanat

Doug Sellers & Mark Eubanks

Dennis Shine & Edsel Gayoso

Gordon Tanner & Robert Patlan

The Nicky-U Crew

Dean Tyson & Michael Linardi

Jenn Harpel

Lift Every Voice and Sing

Meaningful Fun and Harmony for All

In a time when many folks are raising their voices to express themselves, a new voice is set to make its debut.

Twelve to 16-voices strong, an a cappella women’s chorus is forming this summer, welcoming LGBTQ+ singers from throughout the region and getting ready to make beautiful and meaningful music.

Under the umbrella of CAMP Rehoboth and the popular CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, and directed by veteran musicians Jeff Buhrman, former Artistic Director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC and Laura Miller, a Delaware choral music educator, the group has been auditioning singers this summer.

The yet-unnamed group will be a gathering of soprano and alto singers, whose performances will be unaccompanied by musical instruments.

The new chorus will perform a cappella music, including pop, jazz, close-harmony, and other styles—songs celebrating life and, as Buhrman says, “entertaining as a voice for understanding who we are as LGBTQIA+ people and a response to the need we all share for feeling safe in these difficult times.”

“Jeff and I are both looking forward to creating a polished, top quality, entertaining, a cappella ensemble that will bring the joy of music to the Sussex County community and beyond,” Miller says.

To that end, an audition notice went out in July, with the first of the requirements for the new group being “having fun,” going on to seek “experienced, skilled soprano or alto choral singers from any choral background with good sight-reading skills and a collaborative spirit.”

Buhrman reports there was an immediate response from sopranos and altos within the CAMP Chorus as well as inquiries from singers throughout the area.

As this will be a wholly separate group from the well-established, over 100-member CAMP Chorus, singers will be able to practice and perform with both groups. But there is no obligation for a capella singers to participate with the larger chorus.

According to Buhrman, an SSAA (which stands for soprano-soprano, alto-alto) ensemble can honor the music of women who built a foundation for women’s music in the 1970s—singers like Meg Christian, Cris Williamson, Holly Near, and Sweet Honey in the Rock. Of course, contemporary sounds will be represented as well, with inspiration like Lorde’s “Royals,” Stevie Nicks’s “Landslide,” or Sara McLaughlin’s “When She Loved Me.”

And because the CAMP Chorus has an established relationship with the national Gay and Lesbian Chorus Association (GALA), the new group can take advantage of existing resources and musical arrangements, reaching out to develop musical friendships with the more than 30 SSAA feminist choruses across the country.

Buhrman calls organizing and rehearsing this new group “his dream job,” to accomplish “meaningful fun” or “impactful entertainment.” He notes, “music can have a message and still be really entertaining.”

He is also enthused about this small group of singers being more “portable” for outreach performances, as they are a small troupe and need no musicians but the singers themselves.

In addition, the goal is for the ensemble to be without a conductor onstage during performances. The ensemble will work on the art of following the subtle

BY FAY JACOBS

Buhrman calls organizing and rehearsing this new group “his dream job,” to accomplish “meaningful fun” or “impactful entertainment.”

lead of one or two singers who are trained to lead the group. Buhrman says a non-conducted group is able to build a greater intimacy with its audiences.

Jeff Buhrman began his career as a music educator and counselor working in public and private independent schools in New Jersey and the Washington, DC area. In 2000 he became Artistic Director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington, DC, a position he held for 15 years. This was followed by being Artistic Director of VOICES of Kentuckiana in Louisville, Kentucky for five years. He is currently the vocal coach for the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus.

Laura Miller has a BA in Voice from Towson University and an MA in Music Education from Loyola University in Baltimore. An expert in Kodaly Methodology, she was a music educator in Baltimore and Carroll counties and the Director of Choirs at Grace Presbyterian Church in Dover. Laura has also performed the opera roles of Mimi in La Boheme and Rosalinda in Die Fledermaus in the Baltimore area and won the Towson University Concerto Competition.

Rehearsals for the new a cappella chorus are set to begin in September, with the new group making its formal debut in the spring of 2026.

For questions or more information about this new CAMP Rehoboth endeavor, contact Jeff at jbuhrman1253@ gmail.com. ▼

L-R, Laura Miller, Jeff Buhrman

Out & About

Crime After Crime

Like most writers, I do a lot of reading. Most of the books and stories I gravitate to are what folks call “literary fiction,” but I can’t stand that designation; it sounds so snooty. I just like stories. I like getting wrapped up in a story and not knowing what’s going to happen. Therefore, I usually avoid genres like the spy thriller—in which the secret agent predictably foils the antagonist in the next-to-last chapter—or romance, which almost always ends with a happily-ever-after or at least a happy-for-now. Not that I have anything against a happy ending, but I prefer it if there is an equal chance it won’t end well.

Because I’ve avoided genre fiction for a while, there’s a genre I admittedly haven’t read much of, but a new anthology from Bywater Books might change that. It’s called Crime Ink, and it features more than two dozen short stories in the crime fiction genre by LGBTQ+ writers, featuring queer characters at their centers.

I guess I always thought that “crime fiction” was just as predictable as any other genre, in which the story always ends when the detective figures out who did the corpse that was discovered at the end of the first chapter. But this anthology proved me wrong at every turn. Sometimes you don’t find out who did it. Sometimes the narrator did it (!!). Sometimes it wasn’t even a murder, but a disappearance or sex trafficking or something else. Whatever my expectations were when I opened this book, they were subverted. And isn’t that just like a bunch of clever queer people?

Like any good anthology, it offers a lot of variety but is also cohesive enough that the collected stories feel they belong together. Not only do these stories feature plots that revolve around crime, protagonists who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans, and all written by openly LGBTQ+ writers, but there’s another commonality. Each features a queer icon somewhere in the text. Sometimes the icon is an actual character in the story, sometimes referred

to once in an offhand comment. But spotting our cultural icons in the text (or sometimes even between the lines) binds these stories together and, of course, makes them even more queer.

But aside from those parameters, these authors had no limitations to where they wanted to take us, from the frozen wilderness of upstate Maine in the dead of winter (Margot Douaihy’s “High Hit Area”) to the hot, arid deserts of Arizona (David S. Pederson’s “Wilde About Murder”).

Of course, it’s the nature of any anthology that an individual reader will like some of the stories more than others. I certainly had my favorites.

In “Red Dirt and Regret,” Ann McMan (author of the Evan Reed mysteries and the popular Jericho series) tells the story of a woman named Jolene (yes, like the Dolly Parton song), who is an unlikely detective. In fact, she’s a mail carrier in the mountains of Moore County, North Carolina, known for Jugtown pottery, a unique form of American folk art. After her sometime girlfriend, Patsy, grows suspicious when three famous potters die in increasingly strange freak accidents, Jolene decides to do a little investigating. McMan is a hilarious writer, not so much because of her punchlines but because of the touches of absurdism that grace her stories. This one ends on a note of wholesomeness that shouldn’t work in a tale of a mass murderer, and yet it absolutely does.

John Copenhaver (co-editor of Crime Ink and author of Hall of Mirrors, a 2024 New York Times Crime Novel of the Year) contributed “The Fledgling,” the story of a pair of college kids being hazed by a fraternity. One of the kids is reading In Cold Blood by Truman Capote, which ends up being prophetic in more ways than one. It’s not a mystery—you know exactly who the bad guy is from the jump, but boy is he really, really bad.

Regular readers of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth will recognize the name Ann Aptaker (author of a popular series featuring Cantor Gold, lesbian and art thief). Her

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

story, “Heartbreak Alley,” features a shooting in a dark alley, but instead of focusing on the detective, it’s told from the point of view of a witness to the crime—who also happens to be the ex-lover of the deceased. This shift in perspective allows the story to resonate emotionally in a way that genuinely surprised me.

Whatever my expectations were when I opened this book, they were subverted. And isn’t that just like a bunch of clever queer people?

But my favorite story, by far, was “The Fourth Monkey” by 2020 ALICE B medal recipient Penny Mickelbury. It centers on Essie and Mame, two lesbians living in 1950s Harlem who discover a sick and traumatized child on the street. They later learn that she and her sister were victims of child sex trafficking. Because the racial dynamics of the time prevent Essie, Mame, and their friends from pursuing justice through purely legal means, they find the courage to do what must be done—with a little help from playwright and journalist Lorraine Hansberry. This story had the weight of an entire novel, and it’s only 12 pages long.

In stories both historical and modern, Crime Ink centers a community that was once criminalized for simply existing and turns a sharp moral lens on crime of all kinds. If that kind of reading is right up your alley (or even if it isn’t), I can’t recommend it enough. Crime Ink is available at bywaterbooks.com or wherever books are sold or borrowed (hint: ask your local library to order a copy). ▼

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.

When you retire, your money should keep working.

Someday you’ll stop working, and at that point, you’ll have to depend on your retirement income. To work toward building that income, you’ll need a strategy. With more than 18 years of experience, I can help you create a strategy for goals like retirement, estate planning and leaving a legacy. Let’s put your money to work. Call me today to set up an appointment.

#1310708

The appropriateness of a particular investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s individual circumstances and objectives. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC (“Morgan Stanley”), its affiliates and Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors do not provide tax or legal advice. Clients should consult their tax advisor for matters involving taxation and tax planning and their attorney for matters involving trust and estate planning and other legal matters. CFP Board owns the marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the US.

The Best of Times

Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is “Stayin’ Alive,” continuing their 15th anniversary celebration, and staging their first ever, full-chorus, September concert. “It’s time to come together” as the Chorus brings back audience favorites from past concerts in September with “The Best of Times.” Performances will be Friday, September 26, and Saturday, September 27, at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, September 28, at 3:00 p.m. All performances will be at Epworth United Methodist Church at 19285 Holland Glade Road, Rehoboth Beach. Tickets are available now at camprehoboth.org and are $30 for adults and $15 for students. Fay Jacobs’s dream of a gay chorus for this community came to fruition 15 years ago, with 28 singers performing “Room for All” at Milton Theatre. From those beginnings, the Chorus now has grown to over 100 members. CAMP Rehoboth Chorus is the largest choral group on the Delmarva peninsula and has fostered two small group ensembles, ALLIANCE Singers and an as-yet-unnamed women’s a cappella group. Both of these groups feature their own concerts and are available for outreach performances throughout the area.

“It’s time to come together” as the Chorus brings back audience favorites from past concerts in September with “The Best of Times.”

Under the artistic direction of Doug Yetter and accompanist Dave Zipse, “The Best of Times” concert features classics from Jerry Herman’s “The Best of Times” (2019) to John Lennon’s “Imagine” (2025). “The Best of the Beach Boys” (2014) and “Disco Fever” (2016) will make you “feel like dancin’” (2015). From the vibrant Hindi in “Jai Ho” (2017) to the mesmerizing Italian in “The Prayer” (2016), the Chorus brings audiences to new heights of enjoyment. And who knows what other excite-

ment is in store? After all, at “Half past ten, for the first time in history it’s gonna start raining men” (2016).

SPOTLIGHT: GAIL LAUNAY

Gail has worked tirelessly for human rights for decades. She describes herself as someone who is always looking to help create peace by reducing issues that people are facing, down to a matter of “basic needs.”

Initially, she was an advocate for people with brain injuries, then worked with the Developmental Disabilities Council, in a program teaching people to fight the government to get their needed services. She frequented then-Governor Tom Carper’s office and was later appointed to serve on the Delaware Human Relations Commission (now the Delaware Human & Civil Rights Commission), where she has served as a Commissioner since 1996.

During that time, she observed an influx in community discrimination complaints, piquing her interests in common interest communities. She is now the owner of GET Community Association Management.

Her interest in CAMP Rehoboth started in the early days of CAMP. She loves hearts and always wears a heartshaped pendant or bracelets. Murray Archibald had a series of heart paintings, and Gail bought “every one I could find.”

While Gail was a Commissioner, Steve Elkins was named to the Commission. Gail worked with Steve and became involved

BY BILL FUCHS

in CAMP. An incident in Rehoboth Beach, in which a bicyclist on the Boardwalk was brutally assaulted in an attack with racial and homophobic undertones, prompted Gail to become more involved with hate crime legislation and other issues facing the LGBTQ+ community.

Gail was the oldest of six, born in New Jersey, but eventually settling in Salem, Massachusetts—yes, that Salem; the family at one time lived in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s house. She was adopted by two moms as a teenager. Gail describes it as a home full of love and fun, a home that was a gathering spot for the gay and lesbian community in Salem.

She enrolled in dance school as a preschooler and developed a love of every genre of dance as well as classical music. In high school, her “safe place” was her voice class and high school chorus. She played alto recorder in a madrigal quartet and learned piano to accompany her vocals.

Gail maintained her interest in becoming a professional dancer until an accident cut short her dancing. She also maintained her interest in music, particularly classical music. Beginning in 2008, she served as Executive Director of the Southern Delaware Choral Society; she performed with that group until she stepped down from the position in 2014. She had heard about the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus and found a new musical home. She has been singing alto with the Chorus since 2014.

“When Doug is putting together the Chorus concerts, I get that freeing, liberating spirit that a dog must be feeling riding down the highway with their head out the window, fur blowing in the breeze and tongue hanging out. Truly a happy place. I can never wait to see what’s coming next and how we’re going to do it.” ▼

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

WOMEN’S FORUM

Wellness for the Whole Woman

On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, the Fund for Women in Sussex County will be hosting a Women's Forum: Wellness for the Whole Woman from 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m. at the Cambria Hotel in Rehoboth Beach. Tickets are $50 and include lunch (provided by Cambria), speakers, raffle prizes, and great networking.

Sessions and leaders include:

• Financial Health & Estate Planning: Cindy Szabo & Jvonne Oliver

• Mature Women’s Health Issues: Dr. Amanda Watson & Nancy Morris, MD

• Safety for Women: Protecting Yourself: Cpl. Patrick Jackson, Delaware State Police

• Navigating a Health Crisis: Yourself or a Loved One: Ruth Pryor and Kim King

• Stress Management: Meditation & Movement: Susan Rivers

Tickets are available at: fundforwomende.com/about/events. For more information, call Kelly Sheridan at 302-889-1907. ▼

Everything’s Coming Up—Coleus?

Milton Garden Club (MGC) of Delaware announces its 24th annual Milton Garden Tour. The Sunday, September 21 event (hurricane/nor’easter date: Saturday, September 27) invites participants to explore a curated selection of seven of Milton’s most charming gardens.

Guests will have the opportunity to stroll through private gardens, interact with knowledgeable gardeners, and gain fresh inspiration for their own outdoor spaces. From charming cottage gardens bursting with color to serene retreats and a plant collector’s paradise, the tour promises something for everyone.

Artists and vendors will be selling garden-themed wares and creations outside certain homes on the tour.

Tour hours are 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; tickets, at $20 per person, are available for advance purchase at multiple locations. Check the Club’s website (themiltongardenclub.org) for details. Proceeds support the purchase of plants and garden supplies for the dozens of planters and gardens that the MGC maintains in historic downtown Milton.

On the day of the Tour, ticket prices will be $25 per person at the ticket booth at the Milton Historical Society at 210 Union Street (cash or check only). Also available to purchase at the ticket

booth: home-baked goods, bottled water, and plants. Raffle tickets will also be sold; the prize is a one-of-a-kind Sailor’s Valentine created by local artist and MGC Vice President Julia Allen Smith.

Whether you are an experienced horticulturist or simply enjoy the tranquility of a beautiful garden, this event is not to be missed.

More Community News on page 94

Photos courtesy of Milton Garden Club

BY ROBERT DEDOMINIC

Back, Back, Back to School

As the dog days of summer wind down and I eagerly await going back into the classroom for the first time in years, I’m trying not to focus on the state of our Union. Not focus on the fact that ICE agents are getting a $50,000 signing bonus when hired. I am trying not to focus on the fact that Alligator Alcatraz was constructed in eight days. Eight days. The money has always been there. Always been there for wars and cruelty, but not for education. Honestly, it’s hard not to focus on the fact that educators are not valued in this country by the higher-ups.

But when I do focus on just teaching, luckily, most of my memories and experiences have been overwhelmingly positive.

Sometimes parents try to get too close to a teacher or fish for information that is none of their business. My outgoing, friendly personality is often interpreted as an invitation for them to pursue a friendship. Hiding myself on social media is just as much hiding from the parents as it is for hiding from the students! More than once during a parent/teacher meeting, a parent would lean in and say, “Mr. D we should go to (insert name of gay bar here) and have a drink.” I would answer, “Your son is failing English Honors, you know that’s why you’re here, right?”

Another time, on the last day of school, I was packing my car and ran

into a parent in the parking lot. We got to talking and I mentioned that I was leaving on a cruise later that day. “Oh, is it an Atlantis Cruise?” she asked, adding a wink. (Atlantis is a private travel company catering to the LGBTQ+ community.) I answered, “No, but I have been on more than one of those, and they are fun.” Gotta give the people what they want! Sometimes that goes well, like on this occasion, but sometimes it bites you in the ass.

These two stories do make me smile— though one, in a nervous kind of way.

At a high school where I taught, on Valentine’s Day, for $1 you could buy a “lovegram”—meaning members of the chorus would serenade that special someone in class. This was a “non-instruction” day since students were in-andout of your 45-minute class nonstop, singing to each other. It actually was super cute.

This one day, in walk three seniors, costumed, ready to sing. I quieted the class and was then told, “No, Mr. DeDominic, this one is for you!” OK, I thought to myself, this is nice, I am close with lots of the students, they eat lunch in my room... thinking nothing of it...until they start singing the song.

The song chosen was “No One” by Alicia Keys, as in “no one, no one, can get in the way of what I feel for you…” AWKWARD. I am sure my face said it all because 30+ juniors were living their life

It’s good to know that sometimes you are lucky enough to find gay family that has your back!

listening and watching.

Thankfully, the tension was cut from way in the back, “Whichever one of you sent THIS song to our teacher—y’all are creepy…. You still have to write the Crucible paper that’s due tomorrow—waste of your dollar!!!”

Another time, a sophomore girl named Rayne (not her real name) walked into my room. Rayne, to my knowledge, was out of the closet at the time...walking from class to class, hand-in-hand with her girlfriend. She walks in, asks if she can ask me a very personal question, and I say, “sure.”

“Mr. D, are we family?” she inquires, smiling ear-to-ear, emphasizing the word family. “Yes, Rayne, we are family.”

“I KNEW IT! My gaydar is on point. Everyone insists you and Miss Saladina (my best friend, a math teacher) are a couple because you are together all the time. But I knew!”

I calmed her infectious enthusiasm, letting her know that while I am out and proud, I am not the GAY ENGLISH TEACHER. She let me know in no uncertain terms that she “has my back, because that’s what you do for family.”

It’s good to know that sometimes you are lucky enough to find gay family that has your back!

I am lucky that most of my memories in education are positive. If only there were money to pay teachers a livable wage. If only I didn’t have to write letters to the PTA every year asking for money for books for my classroom. If only I didn’t have to hold bake sales to raise money to send my swim team to the state championships.

If only this country loved and admired teachers as much as I love teaching. To see all the money going towards ICE agents and immigration is disgraceful and disgusting. And it’s hard not to focus on that. ▼

Robert DeDominic is a queer freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Follow Robert on Bluesky at robertdominic.bsky.social.

health+wellness

Let’s Talk About It

Facts do not cease to exist because they are ignored.

– ALDOUS HUXLEY

While in high school, my son Luke had the unique opportunity to be part of The Teen Prevention Education Program (Teen PEP), a peer led instructional program whereby junior and senior high school students provided sex education to freshman and sophomore students, with a focus on sexually transmitted infections (STIs), bullying, and sexual violence prevention. Through Teen PEP, he also became affiliated with Sex, Etc, an award-winning sexual education magazine and website written by teens for teens.

Comprehensive health education, including sex and STI instruction, are critical for understanding one’s own body and making informed health and relationship choices. According to the Guttmacher Institute, 41 states and the District of Columbia currently require sex education, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) education, or both.

The quality of said instruction, however, varies widely from state to state. For example, some states include evidence-based information on pregnancy and contraception, while others adhere to an abstinence-only policy as their main source of education. Some states freely address sex and gender variations, whereas other states ignore or even stigmatize LGBTQ+ identities and relationships. Only 26 states require the information provided to be medically accurate and most states providing sex and HIV education have parental notification and opt-out mandates.

Even when comprehensive sex and STI education is provided, the instruction rarely addresses the myriad nuanced situations teens face related to sexual health and identity. Since 1991, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System has monitored high school students’ health behaviors, events, and experiences. As part of data collection,

the nationally representative Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) is conducted biennially; the school-based surveys are conducted by states, territories, tribes, and local school districts. Moreover, 10-year snapshot summaries are published, providing illuminating trends in teen risk behavior.

For the 2023 YRBS (all rates reported are for the US overall), 73.3 percent of respondents identified as heterosexual, 11.4 percent identified as bisexual, and 4.0 percent identified as gay or lesbian. More male than female respondents participated: 51.9 percent to 48.1 percent, respectively. At just under half, 48.1 percent identified as White; 27.4 percent, Latino or Hispanic; 13.3 percent, Black or African American; 6.1 percent, Multiracial; and 4.3 percent, Asian. Just 0.4 percent identified as Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander, while 0.3 percent identified as American Indian or Alaska Native. Respondents were almost equally distributed across grades 9-12.

…41 states and the District of Columbia currently require sex education, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) education, or both.

Approximately one-third of respondents, whether male or female, reported having had at least one sexual encounter, a substantial decline from a decade earlier, when 47 percent reported the same. When broken down by ethnicity, even more dramatic changes were illustrated. For example:

• Those who identified as Black or African American saw the most dramatic drop in sexual activity over the decade, with just over 60 percent of respondents in 2013 reporting at least one sexual partner, as opposed to 32 percent acknowledging sexual activity in 2023.

• Asian respondents had the lowest rate of reported sexual activity over the decade, dropping from 23 percent in 2013 to 14 percent in 2023.

BY SHARON MORGAN

• The percentage reporting multiple sexual partners has also decreased over the past decade, across all sex and ethnic categories.

• In the 2023 data, American Indian or Alaska Native participants were about twice as likely to report multiple sexual partners and 1.5 times more likely to have had sex in the three months prior to reporting.

While the 2023 responses for engaging in sex were similar for cisgender or heterosexual respondents, and for LGBTQ+ respondents, those who identified as LGBTQ+ were two to three times more likely to experience sexual violence or be forced into having sex.

In addition, LGBTQ+ respondents were more likely to report being bullied at school, being threatened with a weapon, or not going to school out of safety concerns. Moreover, LGBTQ+ respondents were twice as likely to feel despondent, and three times more likely to consider suicide, have a suicide plan, or attempt suicide versus their cisgender or heterosexual counterparts.

Reported substance use (to include use of alcohol, marijuana, opioids, or misuse of prescription medications) also saw a decline between 2013 and 2023. The notable outlier is an uptick in alcohol use for Black or African American teens between 2021 and 2023 reporting. That said, females and those that identify as LGBTQ+ were more likely than their peers to engage in substance use behaviors:

• Twenty-five percent of females reported using alcohol and 20 percent reported using marijuana. These rates were four percentage points higher than their male counterparts reported in both categories.

• Across the board, LGBTQ+ individuals were more likely to engage in substance use activities as opposed to their cisgender or heterosexual peers, sometimes at twice the rate, depending on the substance.

In Delaware, sex education in schools is mandated as part of the Comprehensive Health Education Program in grades K-12. While the curriculum must be based on evidence, no standards specifically

address medical accuracy and abstinence is stressed. In addition, starting in kindergarten, specific hours of instruction are prescribed for drug and alcohol education. Like national surveys, LGBTQ+ youth in Delaware feel more vulnerable and are more likely to engage in risk behaviors.

[T]hose who identified as LGBTQ+ were two to three times more likely to experience sexual violence or be forced into having sex.

Since 1989, Delaware state has annually administered the Delaware School Survey (DSS) to fifth-, eighth-, and 11th-grade public-school students to gauge attitudes toward substance use and determine efficacy of current state policies. In 2023, Delaware eighth- and 11th-graders who identified as LGBTQ+ were more likely to use alcohol, marijuana, or vape than were their cisgender or heterosexual peers. Moreover, they were three times more likely to feel depressed or suicidal, and four times more likely to be physically forced into having sex or experience sexual violence.

Healthy sexual attitudes are not only influenced by formal school education, but by parents, peers, and the media. Beyond the formal mechanics of sexual interaction, repeated studies indicate teens are seeking quality and accurate information on intimacy and attachment, on self esteem and identity, on consent and boundaries, and on emotional health after sex.

Historically, parents or parental figures have been the primary people teens go to for answers. Most experts agree it’s never too early for children to be introduced to

appropriate names for anatomical structures and bodily autonomy. Often a child’s curiosity provides an opportunity to begin such conversations. As children develop and mature, experts recommend frequent reinforcement of values, attitudes, and goals, and encourage parents to acknowledge that such conversations can be awkward for adults as well.

Peer influence can have both a positive and negative effect. The degree to which peers can hold sway over each other is influenced by the framing of discussions around sex. That is, if sex is viewed as a positive act or rewarding, teens tend to engage, regardless of risks. This holds true more so for boys than girls. In her book Decoding Boys, Cara Netterson, MD, reviews the role testosterone plays in brain development. According to the research, testosterone can directly rewire neurons and influence risk-taking behavior. In addition, although the male body may appear fully developed, male brains continue to evolve into their 20s. Specifically, the prefrontal cortex—responsible for impulse control and emotional regulation—is one of the last areas of the brain to mature. This helps explain teen boys’ somewhat impulsive, irrational behavior.

Media has always influenced teen sex behavior and often provides a child’s first exposure to sexual content through magazines, TV, and movies. Media is believed to influence teen sex risk behavior in a similar manner as peers: When the visual is viewed as rewarding, the behavior is more likely to be copied. Part of the problem with the mainstream media portrayal of sex, however, is it tends to present a casual picture of societal, normative gender stereotypes, with no consequences post-sexual encounters.

The introduction of social media has complicated an already convoluted scenario for teen knowledge of sex and risk

health+wellness

behaviors. Over 75 percent of teens are on social media several times a day, with females more likely to engage on social media platforms than males. While social media can provide positive means of connection and engagement, the platforms can also distort body image and provide misinformation on health topics. Social media has also become a venue for sexual predators and deviant behavior.

According to the Journal of Psychopathology and Clinical Science, one-quarter of teens ages 13-18 have used a dating app in the past six months. Multiple studies indicate sexting—the sharing of sexually explicit images, videos, or messages through electronic means—is increasing among teens, with estimates ranging from 25-60 percent of teen involvement.

The key to teens experiencing the best life has to offer, whether it be sex, health, or relationships, is to talk: frequently, honestly, and without judgement. Our youth are our future, and conversations are worth having. ▼

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

Youth Crisis Support: Crisis intervention services for children under 18. Parents and caregivers are connected to a crisis clinician. Available 24/7. Call 800-9694357 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/communitycalendar. Please visit the site often to ensure you have up-to-date information on what is being offered— and when. ▼

The Importance of Full STI Testing

Knowing your HIV status through rapid testing at CAMP Rehoboth’s Health Suite is an important part of taking care of your sexual health—but it’s only one piece of the puzzle. Sexually active adults, especially those with multiple partners, should get full-panel STI (sexually transmitted infections) testing through a healthcare provider every three to six months. These lab-based tests screen for a wider range of diseases and have the potential to detect infections sooner than a rapid test.

If you believe you may be at risk for HIV, you likely also are at risk for other STIs. Regular full-panel testing is the best way to stay informed, healthy, and empowered. CAMP Rehoboth is proud to be a free and affirming space for rapid HIV testing, resources, and guidance. But we’re not a substitute for comprehensive medical care.

We’re here to support you—so test with us, then follow up with a provider. Taking that next step is one of the best ways to care for yourself and your community. ▼

Vincent DeLissio is Membership and 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-1:00 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

Located at the south end of the boardwalk in beautiful Rehoboth Beach Full custom design center and repair service on premises, most can be completed while you’re here on vacation Exclusive home of the “Rehoboth Beach Bracelet”

Pandora Dealer Large selection of: 14kt Gold, Rubies, Emeralds, Sapphires, and Tanzanites GIA Certified Diamonds in all sizes Watches including Movado, Raymond Weil, Seiko, Citizen, Pulsar, and Swiss Army w www.harr y kjewelr y.com

AIDS Walk Delaware 2025

Progress Doesn’t Pause

And Neither Can We

Few diseases have reshaped our world like HIV. It rewrote the rules of science and public health while exposing deep fault lines in our society about who receives care and compassion and who is left to fend for themselves. It forced us to confront prejudice and fear, revealing both the best and worst of humanity.

Forty years ago, when the first AIDS Walk Delaware took place, HIV was a death sentence. Fear was suffocating, stigma was cruel, and people often died quietly, their lives erased. There was no medicine, no roadmap, and no urgency from those in power. What existed instead was a small, determined community who refused to give in.

They marched, organized, and demanded action. Over time, science achieved what once seemed impossible: delivering treatments which transformed HIV into a manageable condition. Today, with proper care, people live long and healthy lives. We also have prevention tools like PrEP, a daily pill proven 99 percent effective at stopping transmission.

And yet, in 2025, we are still walking, still fighting, and still having to remind the world around us that this story is not over.

“…right now, we are at a turning point. We simply cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against HIV.”

On Saturday, September 20, AIDS Walk Delaware, presented by AIDS Delaware and The Delaware HIV Consortium, returns to Brandywine Park in Wilmington and to Rehoboth Beach—this year, stepping off from the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand. The two walks—one upstate; one downstate—serve as reminders that HIV touches every corner of our state, from city blocks to sandy shores.

The need has never been greater.

BY MERCADES ALLISON

Delaware has 4,116 residents living with HIV and has already reported 71 new diagnoses this year. Recent cuts to federal, state, and local funding threaten the very services that keep people alive and healthy: testing, medical case management, mental health counseling, housing assistance, and prevention education. Without sustained support, the progress we have made is at risk of slipping away.

Frank Hawkins, AIDS Delaware’s Director of Prevention Services, understands the stakes. “Our community has always shown up, and we are deeply grateful. But right now, we are at a turning point. We simply cannot afford to lose ground in the fight against HIV.”

For Tyler Berl, Executive Director of the Delaware HIV Consortium, the walk is about the future. “I walk to bring our state, our community, one step closer to an AIDS-free future for my young daughter’s generation,” he says. “I walk for her future, where the stigma of this disease is a thing of the past.”

These voices echo a shared truth: ending HIV is not just about medicine. It is about fairness and justice. It is about making sure everyone has the care, support, and respect they need to live with dignity.

The walk stands as a statement of

solidarity, a living memorial for those lost, and a promise to those living with HIV that they are not alone. It is also a call for justice because the communities hit hardest by HIV are often those already facing the greatest challenges in health and opportunity.

On September 20, we come together to walk—not only to fight HIV but also to stand for equality, dignity, and the right to live free from fear. Progress doesn’t pause and neither can we.

Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., with the walk starting promptly at 10:00 a.m. in both Wilmington and Rehoboth Beach. Participants are encouraged to explore the Knowledge Neighborhood (aidsdelaware.org/knowledge-neighborhood/) before and after the walk, and dogs are welcome to join the fun. Registration is free, and walkers who raise $35 or more will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

Visit AIDSWalkDelaware.org or call 302.652.6776 to register or learn more. ▼

Mercades Allison is Creative Director at AIDS Delaware.

Photo: 2023 AIDS Walk Delaware, Brandywine Park, Wilmington; courtesy of AIDS Delaware

BY CARL FREY

Reader’s Favorite

Why Me?

IREADER’S PANEL COMMENT

Humor is difficult to do well, but this writer nailed it. The story features the laughout-loud travails of a beleaguered waiter at a local restaurant on a busy weekend night. Excellent timing and details.

hustled over to one of my tables at the open window that faced a Rehoboth Beach street on a busy weekend. Traci, the hostess wearing the mere suggestion of a miniskirt on this sultry summer evening, had just seated a couple at the table. Since our five o’clock opening the pace continued go-go-go. Now at eight I struggled to maintain the impression that I had everything under control and I could do that if I didn’t run into any complications. I took a deep breath and smiled to the couple. “Hello, I’m Victor, your server. Welcome. Care for something other than water to start?”

The man nodded. “Absolutely. Gin and tonic.”

“Yes, sir.” I turned to the woman. “For you?”

She studied the menu. “I don’t know. What would you suggest?”

Why me? How do these people make it through the day?

“Our bartender does a good old fashioned. Customers love it.”

She made a pouty face and slowly moved her head like a ballpark bobblehead giveaway. “Do you have champagne?”

“Certainly. Pink or white?”

“Pink is sweeter, no?”

“Really depends.”

“I’ll have a brandy alexander.”

At the bar I bumped into Stan who had his hands full serving a table of twelve this evening. I watched him carefully fill his serving tray with to-the-brim martinis. He motioned toward my table and grinned. “Good luck tonight. I had her last week.”

“Problem?”

“Maybe. You’ll see.”

I brought drinks. She sipped. “Good, Victor.”

“Tonight our specials include oyster chowder and poached branzino.”

The man shook his head. “Steak frites for me. Medium rare and a glass of your house Cabernet.”

“Very good. I think you’ll like that wine. It’s my favorite.” I turned to the woman. “For you?”

“Not really hungry. Chowder sounds decadent. Victor, does it contain heavy cream?”

“I believe it’s mostly heavy cream and oysters.”

“Could the chef make it without cream?”

“I’d have to ask.”

“What the heck, I’ll have the chowder and the double pork chop with baked potato, no butter or sour cream on the potato. I start Bikram Yoga next week.”

Unlikely.

I brought the Cabernet and served the chowder. I made a point to walk by a minute later. Soup okay?

“Oh Victor, I dropped my spoon. The handle is slippery.”

“Not a problem. I’ll get another.”

I retrieved a spoon from the waiter station and had her slurping soup in no time. Later I picked up the empty soup bowl. “Soup was fine?”

The woman patted her lips. “So rich! I almost didn’t finish.”

Her companion smiled at me. “I think it was more than okay, She wouldn’t share it at all.”

I served the mains and brought the Cabernet which the man swirled and sniffed before gurgling a mouthful. He gave me nod. A satisfied customer. I took the orders at two other tables and returned to the man and woman.

“Everything okay?”

“Victor, this chop is immense. How am I supposed to eat this?”

“I believe it is listed as a double.”

“Are you sure? Victor, my drink spilled. I think the bottom of the glass is uneven. Can I have another?”

“Certainly.” I took the glass. It was perfect.

I started to run behind and it took me longer than I wanted to check back at the table but when I finally got there the man had just finished. Good timing. I picked up the woman’s plate—the chop bone picked clean and the plate clear right down to the porcelain. I asked, “Any interest in dessert?”

“Oh, Victor, I don’t believe I finished

I struggled to maintain the impression that I had everything under control and I could do that if I didn’t run into any complications.

that chop and potato. I’m stuffed. That knife you gave me was like a razor. I almost cut off a finger.”

“Need a doctor?”

“No blood. But it was close. You should warn people the knives are sharp.”

Imagine that.

The woman patted her lips with her napkin. “I probably won’t have room for dessert but could you bring the menu anyway?”

“Certainly.”

“And can you bring me anther glass for water? There’s something in the bottom of the glass. I don’t like the look of it.”

“No problem. I’ll bring you another glass.” I took the glass to the kitchen. There was a seed sitting on the bottom,

from the lemon wedge that we perch on the rim of every glass of water we serve.

I brought the dessert menus. The man gave it a glance and pointed to an item. “A glass of your cognac for me.”

“Excellent.”

The woman took her time studying the dessert offerings. There’s only four. “Victor, is the tiramisu light?”

“Like a feather.”

“I’ll try it. And a cup of espresso. Not too hot. Last time I almost burnt a lip.”

One tepid espresso, coming up.

After the couple left Traci found me and said, “That woman made a reservation for next week and asked for you.” Wonderful.▼

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After Carl Frey retired from 41 years working in flavor and fragrance chemistry he moved to Lewes, Delaware and then Philadelphia. He has published two adventure novels, Caldonia Café and Formula for Disaster, and two short stories, “Rehoboth Beach in Crisis” and “Secret Message.” He constructs crossword puzzles for the Friends of Cape Henlopen newsletter and volunteers as a deckhand and cook on the historic sailing ship Gazela, docked at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia.▼

BEEBE SURGEONS Deliver Advanced Care

Beebe’s surgical oncologists, Jesus Esquivel, MD, and James Spellman, MD, are specialized surgeons who treat cancer patients and have an extensive knowledge of the disease, available therapies, and the ability to guide patients through the best plan of care for them.

They manage various types of cancers and handle complex and unusual cancer cases.

+ Abdominal cancers

+ Carcinomatosis treatment

+ HIPEC

+ Melanoma

+ Non-melanoma

+ Sarcoma

+ Skin cancer

It’s My Life

On the Record

One glorious day in 1978, around my 10th birthday, I was at Dart Drug with my father. As we wandered past the record section, he saw me staring at the covers and unexpectedly said I could get one as a present. I spent a long time agonizing between Olivia Newton-John’s Totally Hot (“A Little More Love” was a huge hit at the roller rink that fall, and I had been obsessed with Grease all summer) and Cheryl Ladd’s self-titled album, eventually going with Ladd because I loved her on Charlie’s Angels.

Back then I had to listen to my records on the stereo in the family room. This was not ideal, particularly when I developed an obsession with KISS and wanted to blast Love Gun and Destroyer. Fortunately, my parents soon upgraded their system, and I inherited the old one. From then on, I listened to music in my bedroom, usually through a pair of headphones to prevent my mother from lecturing me about the evils of rock-and-roll music, which was one of her favorite topics.

One of the things that at the time I considered a drawback to vinyl records was the difficulty of skipping songs that didn’t appeal to me. It was simply too much trouble to lift the cover of the turntable, pick up the needle, and hope I set it down again in the correct spot. So, I generally listened to entire sides of albums. When cassettes started to replace vinyl as the format of choice (we could listen to them on boom boxes on the ride to school, and they were easier to store), fast-forwarding became common practice. And when CDs came along, picking and choosing songs on an album was easy.

Now that streaming is the most common way of listening to music, the album format seems almost quaint. At some point I became used to listening to individual songs rather than whole albums. Playlists replaced the experience of starting with the first track on Side A and listening through to the last track of Side B. For that matter, there were no more sides. Just an endless flow of songs.

But my strongest musical memories are about albums: Styx’s Grand Illusion, Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Prince and the Revolution’s Purple Rain, k.d. lang’s Ingenue. While I have favorite individual songs from each of these, it’s listening to the albums as a whole that I remember most vividly, down to flipping them over. I was curious to see if I could recreate those experiences now.

I started with the first album I remember being really into, Journey’s Departure I bought it because of the radio-friendly first single, “Any Way You Want It,” and also because I was 12 and my older cousin and his friends were really into the band and I wanted to be cool like them. The single turned out to be a bit of an outlier, a piece of pop-rock perfection that was followed by edgier material. It broke my 12-year-old brain a little bit. But it was also the first time I remember actually thinking about a record. Why did it sound like this? What was the band trying to do? And who was the Suzy name checked in “Line of Fire”?

Fortunately, I discovered that Departure is just as fun for me to listen to now as it was then. So, too, are other favorites that I’ve recently revisited: Hotter Than Hell from KISS, the Cars’ self-titled debut, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ Damn the Torpedoes, the Indigo Girls’ breakthrough second album.

But what about new music? How, I wondered, would my brain respond to trying to sit and actively listen to some-

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

[I]t’s been a long time since I sat and listened to a whole album by an artist who is new to me.

thing unfamiliar? At some point all my old favorites began as unknown quantities that I’d taken a chance on for one reason or another. And it’s not like I don’t listen to new music. But it’s been a long time since I sat and listened to a whole album by an artist who is new to me.

The last time I tried this experiment was more than 30 years ago. It seemed everyone I knew was going wild over Tori Amos and her album Little Earthquakes. I’d heard a few songs, and she seemed like something I should like. But I didn’t. So, I told myself I was going to put the album on and sit in a chair doing nothing but listen to it. Which I did.

An hour later, I still wasn’t a fan. However, I did feel like I’d done my best to try and appreciate the album and understand what Amos was doing. And that seemed worthwhile.

This time, I decided to try with Ethel Cain’s Preacher’s Daughter. I’d heard and loved the song “American Teenager” from the album, and I’d read enough about Cain as an artist and about the themes of the album to find both intriguing. So, I turned it on and tried to focus on listening to the music.

After a few minutes I found myself wanting to look up something about Cain online. I resisted. Then I started thinking about how when I was first discovering music the only things we knew about the artists were what we read in magazines or discovered in the album liner notes. When we went to see someone in concert, we

It’s

My Life Continued from page 37

hadn’t already seen clips from other shows and didn’t know the setlist. Everything was a surprise.

I confess I didn’t make it through the entirety of Preacher’s Daughter, not because I wasn’t enjoying the experience but because my brain kept interrupting. There were emails to answer, and things to follow-up on, and things to remember to order and do and write down. Spending time just listening felt like “not doing.” Intellectually, I know this is not true. But I get it. It’s why so many of us listen to audiobooks instead of devoting time exclusively to the act of reading itself. As an author, I have thoughts about how that changes the experience of a book. I think the same is true of music. It shouldn’t always be background noise.

We’re busy people. There are a lot of things vying for our attention. Finding time to “just” read or listen to music is not always easy. But there’s real value in doing exactly that. It should be enjoyable, not a chore. Increasingly, though, it does feel like a chore, or possibly a poor use of available time. I know I need to stop looking at it that way and rediscover the joy of losing myself in an album or story.

I’ll give Preacher’s Daughter another try. As soon as I finish writing this column. ▼

Michael Thomas Ford is a much-published Lambda Literary award-winning author. Visit Michael at michaelthomasford.com.

Keep Calm and Go Thrifting

The Shift TO THRIFT

Imagine running into high-profile, star-studded celebrities like Sara Jessica Parker, Julia Roberts, Hellen Mirren, Anne Hathaway, and even rapper Macklemore while shopping at a thrift store in the Rehoboth Beach/Lewes area. It’s not that far-fetched because these and other celebs frequent thrift shops on a regular basis. They probably shop in New York or LA or some other exotic place, but you never know. This little beach community is home to nearly two dozen thrift or consignment shops.

One Lewes establishment called Vintage Underground may (or may not) be a take-off on one of the more notorious thrift shops of all—one that was frequented by 60s and 70s icons like Grace Slick, Stevie Nicks, and Janis Joplin. Janice was well-known for her outlandish outfits back in the day. The trio often visited a shop in San Francisco called the Velvet Underground. In fact, Nicks made the place even more famous with the song “Gypsy,” that includes these lyrics: “So I’m back to the Velvet Underground,

back to the floor that I love.” The Lewes shop carries vintage vinyl (records) and clothing, and its website sports a sassy, fun vibe reminiscent of yesteryear’s hippy movement.

Most local area stores are scattered along or right off Coastal Highway. Each has its own personality, stocks quality products, and offers lower-than-regular-retail prices which, in today’s world, equates to a godsend for many. While thrift stores are nothing new, they are becoming more popular as shoppers deal with the rising cost of living, or want to help the environment, or—in some cases—earn a living as resellers.

Locally, God literally plays a role in many of the shops: several funnel their proceeds into community outreach programs organized or supported by the churches. The Parish Thrift Shop at Midway and the All Saints Thrift Shop on Rehoboth’s Forgotten Mile (behind the Rehoboth Auto Center) are perfect examples. Both are affiliated with the Episcopal Parish of All Saints and St George’s Chapel.

BY MARY JO TARALLO

The Midway location is housed in the space previously occupied by the Beebe Thrift Shop and it has maintained its “upscale” selection of goods. It boasts four tastefully decorated fitting rooms. The two shops distribute over $200,000 a year to nearly 100 community organizations. Past recipients include the

The two shops [affiliated with the Episcopal Parish of All Saints and St. George’s] distribute over $200,000 a year to nearly 100 community organizations.

Community Resource Center, homeless shelters Shepherd’s Office and Code Purple, and animal welfare organizations Brandywine SPCA and Humane Animal Partners, Delaware. The Forgotten Mile location is housed in what was a grocery store in the Rehoboth Beach Plaza and is arguably the largest shop in the immediate area.

“We have a very diverse clientele covering every economic range,” says Joanna Carty, Director of Thrift Ministries. Like most thrift shops, All Saints relies heavily on volunteers. Carty says that her operation has over 80 volunteers and that number continues to grow. “Our volunteers come from all walks of life including retirees, students, community service/seasonal volunteers, and others from the local community.” She encourages those interested to visit one of the stores.

The New Life Thrift Shop behind Bethany Blues and Jiffy Lube is run by the Lewes Rehoboth Association of Congregations (LRAC). It allocates proceeds to a long and diverse list of recipients that is displayed at the shop’s front entrance. The list includes the Baby Pantry, the Cape Henlopen Food Basket, Habitat

While thrift stores are nothing new, they are becoming more popular as shoppers deal with the rising cost of living…

for Humanity, Meals on Wheels, and even the Rehoboth Beach and Lewes Fire Departments. The LRAC has been giving 100 percent of its proceeds to the community for over 20 years.

Although not quite as large as the All Saints (Rehoboth Beach Plaza) Thrift Shop, New Life is similar in terms of inventory selection: plenty of furniture, household goods, electronic gadgets, books, jigsaw puzzles, CDs, shoes, and clothing. It’s a combination found at many shops. It also has some unique features such as an entire room dedicated to Christmas decorations and a collection of medical apparatus such as walkers, wheelchairs, and toilet seat risers, some of which they loan out free.

The American Veterans Thrift Shops (in Rehoboth on Route 24 and Lewes in Tenley Square) are affiliated with the AMVETS Service Foundation. Proceeds from the two American Veterans Thrift Shops in the area benefit military vets. Unfinished Business, tucked away next to a storage building behind Panera Bread, allocates a portion of its proceeds to CAMP Rehoboth.

Other nearby shops include the ReStore Habitat for Humanity compound on Route 9 and God’s Way, located on Coastal Highway near the CVS. God’s Way has a large area dedicated to items for children and also has a large art display.

Stores outside of the immediate Rehoboth/Lewes corridor include the Salvation Army in Milford, four Goodwill locations—Milford, Millsboro, Dover, and Bridgeville—and Unique Finds, also in

Millsboro. There are others, some of which are a hybrid combination of consignment shops and thrift stores.

True thrift shops can keep prices low because the inventory is donated. Each has a drop-off area and most shops will pick up/deliver bulkier, heavier furniture that cannot be transported easily in a car. Pick-up days vary so it is best to contact the individual shops for details.

The second-hand clothing industry is projected to grow about three times faster than the overall apparel market, according to a recent report aired on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Some studies show that thrift shops can save a consumer up to 87 percent off retail prices. Thrift stores also attract younger buyers. Studies show that as many as 75 percent of Gen Z buyers “now state that sustainability is more important to them than brand name. And many say they shop secondhand for both sustainability and to help make an environmental impact.”

The LRAC has been giving 100 percent of its proceeds to the community for over 20 years.

According to the Red Racks website (redracksthriftstores.net), about 16-18 percent of Americans shop at thrift stores each year, contributing to $4 billion in apparel sales. Many of these items are barely used, including returns

from buyers who changed their minds, and are available at 50-80 percent off retail prices. Red Racks represents a chain of thrift stores in the Midwest run by the Disabled American Veterans.

A frequent Rehoboth Beach visitor from Annapolis, Pat Wojnas, says she enjoys both thrift shops and estate sales because she thinks of them as trips back in time. She enjoys seeing items from her childhood that her mom discarded many years ago. “I like finding something that I didn’t really need but which completes a space in my own home,” she said. “It brings a story with it of the thrift store or estate sale adventure.”

Need a few pointers on how to navigate thrift stores? Two sources are the Cottage on Bunker Hill (cottageonbunkerhill.com/thriftingtips-for-beginners/) and The Every Girl (theeverygirl.com/thrifting). Many, many other stores/organizations offer tips on their websites as well. ▼

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: left and above: Local thrift shop wares; photos: Mary Jo Tarallo

Aging Gracelessly

Why Not Shout?

I’m back from our cooling sojourn to Vermont, having had plenty of time to gleefully vacation with friends, relax, and take time to consider my current mood about 2025 America.

First, the vacation was divine. We ate and drank to excess; kayaked without my having an embarrassing, self-deprecating story to relate; and stayed in a comfortable home on Lake Champlain rather than stuffed in a midget camper suffering a month of pouring rain. To our hosts we say a heart-felt thank you.

It was comforting to see a small but noisy contingent of Indivisible protestors out in North Hero, Vermont on Saturday mornings to offset flapping MAGA flags and bilious bumper stickers.

Overall, people we met while Bonnie and I shopped or dined out by ourselves were friendly and progressive. I did notice that after 30 years of living in our safe Rehoboth area blue bubble, I found myself a bit wary of strangers in our new and clearly less-great America.

That surprised me. If I feel a little less willing to be authentic right now, how must LGBTQ+ peeps outside blue bubbles feel? Or queer people in their workplaces? And my trans friends? It was a shock to this ancient gay activist to all of a sudden be wary.

While hoisting a cocktail and staring at the stunning views of Lake Champlain it occurred to me that something BIG needs to be done in this era of creeping fascism. Hell, it may not be creeping— but already crept.

As I sat ruminating about this, I checked Facebook and noticed a call for a strike and no spending day on Saturday, August 9. Well, it was already August 7, and August 9 was just one day after this Letters deadline.

It was a call from the Indivisible group, the No Kings heroes, to shut the country down for a day without spending money, working, shopping, internet, buying gas, or otherwise participating in anything but sitting around hoping these actions say something. It’s a call for an American version of France’s infamous

general strikes. Great idea!

But sadly, this was the first I’d heard of it and I think the effort has been too sorely under-publicized to be effective. That said, the call for this kind of action mirrored my thinking, only I was thinking about an additional call to action. One with our voices.

If millions of citizens can do a No Kings Day, why can’t millions of movers and shakers do it too?

In my extremely humble opinion (and being very thankful for my continued access to Letters ink and digital commentary), I want to see all anti-MAGAs, wellknown to unknown, holler like hell all at once and make an incredible unified fuss.

I know I’m a not-famous sit-down comic, humor-writer, former journalist for a pretty inconsequential newspaper, and a lot of other fairly unremarkable things, but hell, why aren’t all the people way more consequential than me doing something to stop 47 and his creeping (already-crept) fascist state?

Yes, retribution. Okay. I get it. But there’s safety in numbers, so why not use it?

BY FAY JACOBS

Just like Indivisible can get millions of ordinary citizens to rally on a No Kings Day, why can’t every anti-MAGA celebrity, reporter, senator, congressperson, high-powered lawyer, athlete, industry leader, union boss, and those millions of blabbing influencers organize on a No Kings General Strike Day? They can buy media time, rent sky-writing planes, write editorials, drop leaflets like in the 1940s, and have all outraged citizens coordinate to speak out and shout from rooftops and social media with everyone turning into versions of Gavin and Hakeem, telling Trump to cease and desist with the fascism, hate, and corruption.

Let’s tell Trump to stand ready to be arrested for the zillion offenses he has already committed. Supreme Court immunity BS notwithstanding, the orange orangutang (no offense to actual orangutangs) cannot destroy every newspaper, TV station, billboard, podcast, web page, celebrity, politician, and sensible human being all at once.

With safety in numbers, let an explosion of howling outrage and humiliating commentary decimate the naked emperor like an insurrection in words.

If millions of citizens can do a No Kings Day, why can’t millions of movers and shakers do it too? Forty-seven can’t cancel all of America at once. Let’s coordinate! Be brave, call out this awfulness once and for all.

No, this was not written after happy hour and yes, I am hopeful we can organize a general strike in words and deeds, all at the same time. What do you say, Indivisible? Go for it!

And this inconsequential nobody will join right in. ▼

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.

Photo: Josh Johnson on Unsplash.

Celebrity

Interview

Call Her Mama

Ginger Minj Wins RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10

For Ginger Minj, snagging the crown on RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10 was the culmination of a dream.

Entering the “Tournament of Champions” with a galaxy of fellow queens might have intimidated some queens, but the Ginger Minj who entered the Werk Room this time around had her eye firmly on the prize. I sat down for an extended conversation with the newly crowned Ginger Minj and we discussed what made this season different, her big screen and Great White Way dreams, and what it feels like to have Drag Race sisters among some of her most vocal detractors.

MICHAEL COOK: There was so much talk about you returning to the competition across the board. What truly made you want to return?

GINGER MINJ: One, I wanted to give the haters another reason to bitch because it’s fun for me. It’s not like it’s new. I mean, all the way 10 years ago on Season 7 from the moment I was announced, all the way through All Stars 10, 10 years later, there’s always a group of people who don’t understand why I’m there or what I have to offer. There’s an even larger group of people that do understand me and connect with me and get something out of me taking this opportunity. So I will always do it for them.

MC: What does winning the All Stars 10 crown mean to you at this juncture of your career, with all that you have accomplished and gone through?

GM: You know, there were a lot of people that saw me winning Season 7, there were a lot of people that saw me winning All Stars 6, and I never felt it for myself. I do think that if it had happened at those points in my life, it would have been great, but I don’t think I would have truly been ready to appreciate it. Now being at such a different place in my life and in my career, I just feel like it’s right at this time. I feel like this is the moment where I’m going to be able to make it mean some-

thing. Not just for me, but for everybody else.

MC: It’s such a thrill to be able to say “Condragulations” to the winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 10! What do you think you did so differently this time that was the secret sauce to your success?

GM: I trusted myself, to be completely honest with you. The three other times I competed, I was so in my head about “You’re not good enough, you’re never gonna be good enough,” all these things. I would spend all of my time looking at the other girls and trying to compare myself and second guessing every decision I would make. This time, I just went, “You know what? By accident, you have made it farther than you ever thought before. So, just trust those things, and don’t worry about what other people are doing”.

MC: Drag Race bad, or indifferent. I would think some thing that’s probably been disappointing is some of the feedback coming from inside the Drag Race from people you have worked and com peted with.

GM: It’s disappointing for sure. Par ticularly with Roxxxy; Roxxxy and I have grown up in drag together. I have cheered her on for over two decades, we’ve cheered each other on. So it was very strange hearing that coming from her. simply because, like, we’ve been in the thick of it together. Speaking of thick, we’re both thick girls. Even though I’ve lost all of this weight, I’m still a size 16, I’m still a plussize queen. We’ve never in the history of the US franchise, ever had a plus-size

BY MICHAEL COOK

winner. So instead of celebrating what we have achieved, we’re focusing on something else that isn’t even a part of the conversation.

MC: The part of the conversation regarding never having a Hispanic winner is also inaccurate as well….

GM: Yeah, especially since I am a quarter Puerto Rican. I don’t enmesh myself in that culture because it’s not how I was raised; I never claimed to be Latina. I don’t claim it because I haven’t lived in the world long enough. I don’t feel it would be respectful for me to do that; but it is still a part of my makeup. So instead of saying, maybe this is a step in the right direction, it does feel like it’s just looking for an excuse to diminish an achievement that I’ve accomplished.

MC: What is next post-Drag Race All Stars?

directed by Adam Shankman so I’ll be doing that soon. I’ve got some club appearances that I’m finishing out, then we’ve got our Hokus Pokus Live! tour, which, in less than a week, we’ve more than half sold the entire tour. It’s such a testament to how hard we’ve worked over the years, you know? We’ve got a couple of Broadway offers on the table and we’re trying to pick the right one. MC: This season finale of Drag Race All Stars was even more interesting because we have not seen a finale with two finalists in a while. What do you think was the best thing about going through this with

I feel like this is the moment where I’m going to be able to make [winning] mean something. Not just for me, but for everybody else.

someone like Jorgeous who is a fantastic queen in her own right?

GM: To be completely transparent with you, I really was kind of hoping for a double win. I thought it was happening and I think I had prepared myself for that because she and I are both rooted in the old school, but we’re both representing completely different aspects of what drag is and what it’s becoming. It would have been such a beautiful experience to kind of share the crown with Jorgeous.

MC: What makes this win so much sweeter for you?

GM: It feels like…if I had won in any of those previous seasons, it would not have meant nearly as much as it does now.… ▼

Follow Ginger Minj on Instagram: www.instagram.com/gingerminj/

Michael Cook has been a part-time resident of Rehoboth Beach for over a decade. He is currently a contributor to WERRRK.com., OUTSFL, and The Philadelphia Gay News.

A Beach Chair Has Died

What Else Are We Letting Go?

One red beach chair passed away quietly around sunset last Saturday on Poodle Beach. It wore a Coors Light logo and was of undetermined age.

A loyal companion to summer days and breezy naps, the Beach Chair is survived by a canvas tote bag, two striped beach towels, and a half-eaten can of Pringles. It was predeceased by a pair of sunglasses lost in the surf over the 4th of July and a Speedo bathing suit from 10 pounds ago.

The Beach Chair served with quiet dignity. It cradled sunburned shoulders, held drinks and cell phones in its loving arms, and listened patiently to late-afternoon gossip. It never complained. Not even that time a “twunk” who’d had a little too much hard seltzer sat on it sideways and bent its frame.

Its final moments were spent alone, folded and forgotten, left near the dune fence and trash cans as its owner packed up and headed off to moisturize and socialize. The beach chair was discovered there by the city beach crew and tossed unceremoniously into a utility truck alongside a broken umbrella and several bags of trash and then taken to the Streets Department yard where it was put to rest in a large metal recycling bin. The number varies, but on average 5-10 beach chairs a day, or approximately 750-850 per summer season, are discarded on Rehoboth Beach. This according to City officials.

I’ve seen a few of these discarded beach chairs this summer. Some were clearly past saving. But others still looked perfectly serviceable—if a little old, faded, or cheaply priced (and thus disposable). Sometimes the price tags were still on the chairs. It makes me wonder: When did we become so comfortable with simply walking away from things? Not just beach chairs. But conversations, commitments, causes.

One year we’re raising blue and yellow flags and funds for Ukraine. The next,

we’re casually scrolling past footage from Gaza to read about some actress named Sydney Sweeney and her jeans. All the while, the gun crisis continues and voting rights are still eroding. Municipal leaders say opioids remain a top issue impacting communities. LGBTQ+ kids increasingly are under attack across the country.

Our attention, sincere as it might be, drifts like a seagull in the wind looking for one more dropped potato chip.

Our attention, sincere as it might be, drifts like a seagull in the wind looking for one more dropped potato chip. We mean well. I’m certain we do.

It’s not that we’ve always lacked staying power. History is full of movements that required and received generations of commitment: suffrage, civil rights, environmental protection. Those latter fights still rage, thanks to people who hold fast. But what feels different now is how much harder it is to keep our collective attention trained on any one thing for long. Our moral muscles might be strong. Our focus, however, has atrophied.

We like to chalk it up to our modern

lives. But c’mon…. Life has always been demanding. Have we forgotten the Great Depression, World War II, or the polio epidemic?

Certainly, technology and the quick bite-size formats in which we consume information have played a role. But I’m convinced what’s also changed is how easily we can be pulled away and manipulated. Distraction isn’t just a side effect of technology anymore. It’s a strategy. A tool. A business model. And more often than not, it works.

Politicians of every stripe have learned how well distraction works. The GOP, however, has turned it into a full-time job, tossing out new outrageous distractions like candy at a parade. They know the media has an insatiable sweet tooth. Even those of us trying to stay engaged find ourselves eagerly picking up a piece or two off the ground along the parade route.

I’m guessing by now you know this column isn’t just about a beach chair left on Poodle Beach. It’s about how we live and about what we stop carrying. Most of us don’t want to abandon what matters. Overwhelmed, we just forget in the face of so many shiny new things. It’s become a habit we hardly notice. Real care and concern takes focus and staying power.

In lieu of flowers, the Beach Chair kindly requests the following: Before you toss something aside, ask if it still has something to offer. Pay attention, especially when it’s inconvenient. Focus on fewer things and do it well. Don’t abandon causes just because they fade from the news feed. Atrophied muscles can be strengthened. And above all, remember that some things are meant to be carried and some things are worth carrying still.

The Beach Chair would have wanted you to think about that.▼

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

Summer Portal Fantasies

A Little Escape Can Help Us See Reality Better

Aseashore is a boundary not only between land and sea, but between the world we know and another one holding many mysteries. Magical things can happen in such a place.

It helps to be away from our normal preoccupations, but any place or moment can open a door into a different world.

I often go to my roof in the evening with a glass of wine to relax and stare at the sky. For a pleasant hour I stop worrying about the destruction of my country and let my mind wander. Half-forgotten memories can well up. Sometimes I just listen to the cheers rising from a nearby soccer field.

Time is not linear in our minds. A friend who died 32 years ago feels as present to me as if he were sitting across from me chatting over drinks as we did long ago. Though I have grown old as he did not, his spirit lifts me and reminds me of our shared devotion to causes greater than ourselves.

Imagining alternate timelines reminds us that individual choices can change things, for good or ill.

The other day I found an email saying I had won millions in a sweepstakes. I am wary of scams and did not follow the link. Nonetheless, I felt its gravitational pull. Millions of dollars would be nice. My favorite director sitting next to me on a plane would be nice. Mad tyrants disappearing through wormholes would be nice.

“A wormhole,” according to Wikipedia, “is a hypothetical structure that connects disparate points in spacetime.” In literary terms, a wormhole is like the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland or the twister in The Wizard of Oz. It’s a magical portal between worlds.

The nice thing about a wormhole, at least a fictional one, is that you can go through it, have a lovely adventure, and get back in time for breakfast.

I do not want our mad tyrant to get back. I want the portal to vanish behind

BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

The nice thing about a wormhole, at least a fictional one, is that you can go through it, have a lovely adventure, and get back in time for breakfast.

him, as with the Bermuda Triangle, where you fly into it and are never heard from again.

Sometimes I feel that I fell asleep when Joe Biden was president and woke up in a dystopian novel with a deranged dictator tearing the country apart.

Some people insist they’re not political. If they can sustain that fantasy, they’re lucky. For many of us, just walking out our front door and expecting to be treated like an equal human being is a political act.

Still, I understand. We don’t always want to deal with politics. We just want to go about our business. I bet the people being grabbed in the street by masked ICE police and carted off to internment camps would also like to go about their business.

Occasionally a nation goes to sleep and demons work their mischief. Our best prospect may be for the demons to devour one another, which they are beginning to do.

Social media can be a wormhole into a dark place. I broke away from the platform formerly known as Twitter a year ago after Elon Musk turned it into a spigot of disinformation. At some point, I may try another platform. For now, I need my time staring at the sky.

Sometimes, though, I choose a

restaurant instead of my roof to benefit from the skills of a mixologist. At my local Thai restaurant, I like to order a Flaming Typhoon, which consists of rum and tropical juices with a little lemon rind boat on top filled with rum the bartender lights on fire. I almost hate blowing out the flame and drinking it. It would be disrespectful to the mixologist, however, to sit there entranced without tasting her handiwork.

Anything exquisite, like a meal or a work of art, can transport us. If I ordered enough Flaming Typhoons, who knows what magical realm they would carry me off to.

But as much as we need escape, it is important to keep our underlying grip on reality. Just because a fictional character can fly or walk on water does not mean we should try it ourselves.

I need a few hours or perhaps weeks of peace, not eternal peace. That will come soon enough. While I am here, I am eager to embrace life, including by marrying the man I love. That is a promise I intend to keep here in this imperfect world, before someone else tries to reduce me to a bit character in his own warped fantasy. ▼

Richard Rosendall is a writer and activist who can be reached at rrosendall@me.com.

3

From

This

Getting Things Done

Cora Castle

Chair of Delaware’s New LGBTQ+ Commission

Described as an entrepreneur, policy strategist, and nonprofit leader who works at the intersection of volunteerism, business, and policy, Cora Castle was Governor Matt Meyer’s pick to chair Delaware’s new LGBTQ+ Commission. She brings can-do positivity and a spirit of innovation in addition to an extraordinary base of knowledge.

NANCY SAKADUSKI: Your bio reads, “She is an army brat, fencer, runner, astronaut candidate, futurist, mother of 1, “50 stater,” & proud transgender woman.” That’s quite a list, but I have to start with astronaut candidate—what’s that all about?

Cora Castle: What a lot of people don’t realize is that if you sign up to be an astronaut, you’re an astronaut candidate…but the interesting thing is that I actually qualified. I was really happy. It had been a lifelong dream of mine to be an astronaut. And things didn’t work out that way, which is fine. Look, life is strange, lots of winding roads and things. [By way of reinforcing the point, she mentioned that she also worked in a Brazilian steel mill for six months.]

NS: Were you always a high achiever?

CC: I hate that term because I always feel like there is more to achieve. Every time I think that I am deserving of too much credit, I try to slap myself and take a step back and say, ‘there is still so much work to do.’ ...I like doing things and I like getting things done.

NS: You are Executive Director of Delaware Sustainable Chemistry Alliance (DESCA), an organization that supports STEM startups and fosters innovation in sustainable chemistry. That screams “science nerd” to me. Does the name fit?

CC: Yeah. I am a science nerd, I’m a technology nerd, I’m a sustainability nerd. I basically fit every description

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

One of the interesting things about being an entrepreneur is the perpetual need to identify your lemons and craft some lemonade out of it.

conceivable of the term nerd.

NS: You co-founded OmniPotential, a company that installs and runs Curbstar chargers for electric vehicles. How discouraged are you by the politicalization of EVs?

CC: I’m not. I’m bullish. I’ve spent a lot of time researching, looking at the market, figuring out how EVs work, how they don’t, who they work for, who they don’t, and the fact is, that for the vast majority

Getting Things Done

Continued from page 54

of use cases, EVs are simply much better vehicles. And in my view, the genie is out of the bottle.

NS: You are an award-winning innovator with patents in your name. Will your inventive mind be an advantage on the commission?

CC: The way that I think about the commission is the way that I think about many other problems. One of the interesting things about being an entrepreneur is the perpetual need to identify your lemons and craft some lemonade out of it….You don’t have to look very far in LGBTQ+ issues to identify some lemons, but I think one of the things that entrepreneurs are really, really good at is finding linkages between lemons and figuring out ways to squeeze them into lemonade.

NS: You advise entrepreneurs not to take no for an answer. How does that translate into how you’ll work on this commission?

CC: We need to find ways to take wins. One of the things that I have discovered is that so many people (and I think a lot of people in our community, for reasons that I entirely understand), are driven towards the perfect. And what I have discovered in my long list of achievements is that the perfect is often the enemy of the good. And so, what I hope to do is find ways to bring together our cohort in…a way we have not been able to achieve in recent memory, and find ways that we can all identify common pathways forward.

We need to shore up the wins that we’ve already achieved by finding ways to ensure that all of the wins we have achieved are enforced and then find practical policies that we can actually put together a working cohort of legislators and lawmakers to…pass new legislation.

NS: You have said, “If you know you’re doing the right thing, rise above the noise.” I couldn’t help but think of Sarah McBride. Do you feel a kinship with her?

CC: I transitioned in 2011…I think I had just turned 40. At the time there really wasn’t a trans cohort. I mean obviously there were trans folks floating around, but there weren’t a lot of us at the time,

at least not many of us that were out.… One of the things that is reasonably common and certainly was common at the time was transition kind of brings this assumption that you basically have to trade a life of meaning for a life of authenticity. And I fell victim to that belief. So, I spent 2011 to 2016 basically doing everything I could to not be noticed.

And then what happened in 2016 was I tuned into the DNC [Democratic National Convention], and somebody that I didn’t know, somebody I had never heard of, I saw announced and walk on the stage and announce her truth to the entire world. And instantaneously I realized that I had been living under a false belief. And that false belief was that the world wouldn’t possibly take me seriously.

[Sarah McBride] is my hero. It is not an allegorical thing for me to say that she literally changed my life.

And so, when I saw Sarah, after she descended the stage, I decided that night that I was going to use my talents to change the largest problems I felt that I could practically address. And I was never going to close myself away again.… She’s my hero. It is not an allegorical thing for me to say that she literally changed my life.

NS: The commission will be advising state leaders on policies around mental health, education, housing, healthcare, and civil rights. Do you have priorities within that list?

CC: Yes. My priority is to identify all of the brilliant people that are on the commission and empower them and support them to go and do exactly all of those things…. I think one of the most important things for me to do is to listen, and to empower not only the other commissioners, but to empower the community to share their understanding,

share their wisdom, share their needs, share their wants, and facilitate the work.

NS: As a mother, how optimistic or pessimistic are you about the future?

CC: I am an entrepreneur. I have been accused of toxic positivity…. I believe that humans are incredibly clever, and I do believe—I have to believe—one of the unique things about humans is our ability to innovate our way to new solutions. And to be frank, I think one of the things that really makes America distinctive is our unique ability to have unearned confidence. I think one of the very interesting things about Americans is that we have this strange superpower to wake up every morning with confidence that was unearned.

NS: Will the commission welcome input from the LGBTQ+ community? If so, how would people submit their comments?

CC: Yeah. Absolutely. We are right now building our infrastructure, where Delawareans can go to the state’s website, find the commission, submit comments, and reach out to commissioners…. It is my understanding that they are working diligently to get it set up as quickly as possible for exactly that reason, so that we can make sure we have clear and transparent communications to the community and that we have open pathways for communication inwards.… [Social media] is one way people can reach out to me if they want to reach out to me ahead of time. They can find me on Facebook and on LinkedIn. ▼

Nancy Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and editor who owns Cat & Mouse Press in Lewes, Delaware.

Reflections

Choosing to Move

Moving is one of the most courageous acts a person can undertake. It requires the mentally and physically challenging (and exhausting) tasks of sifting through, packing up, and leaving the comfort of one’s home, familiar surroundings, and long-time friends. It can leave one fearful, hesitant, and stressed.

Embarking on a journey into the unknown is demanding and frightening. Moving can present emotional challenges, require social adjustments, and disrupt routines. While it certainly can offer new experiences and a fresh start, it also involves potential culture shock, financial considerations, and the stress of settling into a new environment.

According to the US Census Bureau, the reasons people moved fall into three broad categories, with housing-related reasons (at 41.6 percent) the most common. Other reasons were related to family or employment. They ranged from seeking home ownership or cheaper housing, experiencing a change in marital status, searching for a new job, or retiring.

When I moved to Delaware, I didn’t feel courageous. Nor did I feel scared. I was seeking new experiences and a fresh start. I was also determined to live the last part of my life differently from the way I had been living for years. I was searching for the relief that comes with finding more space in which to live, lower costs, and more connection in a community that feels like home.

Before that move, I was stuck. I was sinking into the muck of routine, feckless dreams, and diminished opportunities. I’d spent more than three decades building connections and community on Capitol Hill, a small town tucked inside the big-energy city of Washington, DC. I’d started off full of hope and possibility. But somewhere along the way, my hope dissipated as possibilities shrank.

I found myself yearning for something that didn’t really work anymore, and my day-to-day existence wasn’t reflecting liv-

ing life the way I once dreamed I would. Though frustrated with being glued to my tiny 750-square-foot row house, with no apparent path to change, I wallowed for years in my inability to reignite my belief in the probability and likelihood of my life getting better.

In about six months from that fateful day in May, I shut down my business, sold my house, packed my two doodles and me into my SUV, and moved…

Then on a Memorial Day weekend, my neighbor of 20 years who, like me, was single, without a supportive family, and self-employed with modest means, told me she bought a house in Chicago and was moving. My eyes smiled, my voice proclaimed “Congratulations!” and my arms reached to hug her as I thought, ‘If she can do it, I can do it, too’! I became excited.

From that moment on, I jumped onto the fast track to get to the beach. In about six months from that fateful day in May, I shut down my business, sold my house, packed my two doodles and me into my SUV, and moved to a state in

BY PATTIE CINELLI

which I’d never lived and into a community where I didn’t know a single soul.

Moving hours away from everything I had known for almost 40 years was an enormous life change. Knowing little about my neighborhood and even less about my neighbors was challenging. Once again, the possibilities in my life were endless.

People told me I was brave to uproot myself, but I didn’t feel brave. I felt compelled to move to reclaim my life. Once I contemplated what I envisioned my future to be like, once I reflected upon how the way I was living made me feel, the natural next step revealed itself to me.

Five years ago, moving was the natural next step. I found the beautiful house I imagined by upsizing. I rediscovered old passions—such as loving live music and ancient Hawaiian canoe paddling—I’d long forgotten. And I discovered new interests such as pickleball and podcasting that have turned into passions.

My new home is where I am building the community and connection I loved on the Hill. I moved into an environment that takes me full circle in my life.

I’ve recaptured the friendliness, the small-town feel, and ease of living I experienced when I first moved onto the Hill, and which I had had growing up in the suburbs of New York City. I’m no longer on alert for danger when stepping out my front door or walking down the street. Strangers answer me with a smile, a nod, or a reply when I say hello. Delaware is where I am solidifying old friendships and making new friends that I hope will last my lifetime.▼

Pattie Cinelli is a writer and a holistic health & fitness professional. Email her with questions or column ideas to: fitmiss44@aol.com.

SUPPORTING LOVE, EQUALITY & THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY PRIDE

TAKE IN HOME OWNERSHIP!

#1 BHHS NATIONWIDE

#1 IN DE HOME SALES

#1 TEAM IN COASTAL DE

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

See, Be Seen, and BID!

CAMP Rehoboth needs your support now more than ever. SUNFESTIVAL is an opportunity to contribute to the organization at the heart of our community while having a fabulous time and connecting with friends new and old. Get your tickets before they’re gone

SEE!

Saturday, August 30, Rehoboth Beach Convention Center

COREY ANDREW (OPENER) Corey Andrew is a cultural commentator, singer, and songwriter, who engages the audience through hilarious personal anecdotes between songs. Since his debut album, We’re All Stars, Corey has delivered genre-defying performances that have earned international acclaim and a dedicated following across radio, clubs, and streaming platforms.

ZACH ZIMMERMAN (HEADLINER) Zach Zimmerman is a stand-up comedian, writer, and host who creates queer, anti-capitalist stories that delight and devastate. Called “Rising star” (New York ) and “wickedly funny” (The Wee Review), Zach has appeared The Late Late Show, Watch What Happens Live, and After Mid. Zach’s first comedy album, Clean Comedy, debuted on the Billboard Top 10. Zach has a new laugh-and-cry-out-loud memoir, Is It Hot in Here? Or Am I Suffering for All Eternity for the Sins I Committed on Earth? (which he will be signing on Sunday, August 31, at 1:00 p.m., at CAMP Rehoboth).

Sunday, August 31, Rehoboth Beach Convention Center

DANCE TO WORLD CLASS DJS ROBBIE LESLIE AND JOE GAUTHREAUX Legendary first-generation (Studio 54) DJ Robbie Leslie and one of the most sought-after DJs and producers in the industry, Joe Gauthreaux, will set the beat for a fabulous two-dance evening on Sunday. Expect world-class music curation, jaw-dropping lighting and effects, and club-style sound in a transformed convention center.

BE SEEN!

There’s Fashion Week in London, Paris, and New York, but what about SUNFESTIVAL style? The Disco Boyz have set the bar pretty high, but we think some of you could be serious contenders. Let’s see what you’ve got! Come to the SUNFESTIVAL dance in your best disco style, snap a photo, and post it on social media with the hashtag #SUNFESTIVAL2025 for a chance to be featured in the September issue of Letters

DJ Robbie Leslie DJ Joe Gauthreaux

Zach Zimmerman’s photo by Mindi Tucker

SUNFESTIVAL 2025

BID!

The legendary SUNFESTIVAL Auction will kickstart the evening on August 30, when veteran SUNFESTIVAL auctioneer Lorne Crawford will again take the stage to raise vital funds for CAMP Rehoboth. Whether or not you come to bid, watch the excitement of this live auction of bucket-list-filling items.

Roman Holiday in Style: 7-Night Stay + Two Business Class Tickets on United (value $20,000), donated by Danny Sebright • This once-in-a-lifetime trip to Rome combines timeless history, breathtaking art, and worldclass hospitality. You and a guest will enjoy seven nights at the legendary St. Regis Rome, one of the city’s most luxurious and historic 5-star hotels, ideally located within walking distance to iconic landmarks like the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, and the Roman Forum. Your Roman holiday also includes round-trip United Airlines Polaris Business Class tickets for two. Enjoy lie-flat seats, elevated in-flight dining, and access to the United Polaris Lounge in the US for a seamless and relaxing journey to Italy.

Luxury Parisian Cruise: Paris and Normandy Seine River Cruise (value $11,598), donated by Brand g • Enjoy a spectacular 7-night, all-LGBTQ+ river cruise for two, round-trip from Paris, visiting historic Normandy, gorgeous wine country, and the villages of artistic masters like Monet and Van Gogh from May 20-27, 2026. Virtually all-inclusive, this cruise is from the #1 operator of luxury, all-LGBTQ+ cruises and land tours, Brand g Vacations.

Alaska Adventure: Olivia Cruise in Signature Suite Veranda Cabin (value $10,398), donated by Olivia Travel

Explore Alaska in spring (April 26-May 3, 2026), when rivers and lakes thaw, bears emerge from hibernation, flowers bloom, birds return, and opportunities for fishing, boating, and encounters with marine wildlife abound. Kick back for 8 days/7 nights on board Holland America’s MS Noordam, all meals included.

Romantic Puerto Vallarta: 7-Day 2026

Puerto Vallarta LGBTQ+ Experience

High Season Stay (value $5,000), donated by Andy Staton & Patrick Saparito • Enjoy a luxurious 7-night stay at world famous Almar Resort, the premier adults-only, LGBTQ+ friendly destination nestled in the heart of Puerto Vallarta’s Romantic Zone. You and a guest will stay in a junior suite with ocean view, where refined luxury meets comfort.

Your stay includes a resort credit of $750 for food and beverages and two seats on Diana’s Legendary Day Out on Banderas Bay (with dinner for two at Casa Kimberly).

Choose Your Own Dream Getaway at a Club Med (value $2,500), donated by Accent on Travel and Club Med • Take your pick, then pack your bags for an incredible, all-inclusive 3-night land-only vacation for two at one of these stunning Club Med North America resorts: Club Med Miches

Playa Esmeralda, Dominican Republic; Club Med La Caravelle, Guadeloupe; or Club Med Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Enjoy upgraded accommodations, innovative activities, expert sports instruction, and worldclass international cuisine.

Rehoboth Beach Dine-Around Adventure: Restaurant gift cards (value $1,000+), donated by the restaurants • Discover the vibrant culinary landscape of the Rehoboth Beach area with these gift cards from top restaurants. Enjoy date night with your partner or a fun evening with friends at Mariachi ($100), Blue Hen ($150), Henlopen City Oyster House ($200), Salt Air ($100), Indigo ($150), and more.

Photograph “Anticipation” and 2-hour photo session from G Michael Beigay Photography (value $600), donated by G Michael Beigay • Photograph on canvas (24x36) of a skim boarder anticipating the perfect wave at Gordons Pond beach. Also included is a $200 gift certificate for a 2-hour photo session by G Michael Beigay Photography.

Private Tiki Cruise on Rehoboth Bay (value $400), donated by Captain Larry Experience Cruisin’ Tikis Rehoboth Bay, a one-of-a-kind adventure on an authentic floating tiki bar. Each cruise provides a tropical tiki setting for up to six guests for two hours (BYOB).

ARE YOU IN?

Get your tickets and passes before it’s too late. Don’t be reading next month’s Letters and seeing all the fun you missed. SUNFESTIVAL raises critical funds for CAMP Rehoboth, which is committed to creating and maintaining an inclusive environment in Southern Delaware. Tickets are available at camprehoboth.org/ sunfestival. ▼

See website for complete details and restrictions: camprehoboth.org/sfauction

The Sea Salt Table BY

ED CASTELLI

Bacon and Onion Jam

In the summers of my twenties, you didn’t find me lounging on a beach. Instead, I spent June through August performing, and later teaching, with drum and bugle corps. The activity is described as “marching band on steroids.” It was among the most grueling and rewarding experiences of my life. Practicing in the blazing sun. Performing in front of thousands. Sleeping upright in a bus, or on the floor of some random high school gymnasium.

Corps are composed of horn players, drummers, and color guards, the latter being the unit that spins and tosses flags, rifles, and sabers. Their 10-minute shows of marching and dancing are choreographed on a football field, and have become Broadway-like productions, involving props and electronics. Groups from across the country are ranked throughout the summer with a champion crowned in August.

Now that I’m older I can really appreciate what it takes to bring a corps’ show to life. Not just the design and teaching, nor the talent of the kids. But the logistics of moving over 150 performers and instructors on tours throughout the country, feeding them, and keeping them safe.

I think the cooking crews have it the worst. They get up long before the sun to make a breakfast buffet of nourishing hot and cold foods. They clean that up, then make endless lunch items like hoagies, macaroni salad, and cookies. Only to start all over again for a hot dinner and evening snacks.

It is not glamourous cooking. Nor is it fun cooking for cooking’s sake. It’s a labor of love on a massive scale.

One crew member was Sweaty Betty as we called her. She loved each and every one of us with all her heart. But it wasn’t uncommon to catch her up to her elbows mixing a vat of tuna salad, perspiration dripping from her brow, an ashy cigarette dangling from her lips. What can I say? It was the 80s. Food safety wasn’t what it is today.

My mom joined one of the tours to

I cook not just for sustenance but for fun.

help cook for a week. She said she’s never been so tired. But she bonded with the other “VolunTolds” (volunteers who are told what to do and when to do it), making friends she kept for the rest of her life.

I’ll never forget ‘round midnight, as we were packing for the next city, I found her in a circle of webbed chairs, drink in hand (a rare sighting indeed), with her new besties. They were punchy tired. And they had the giggles. The kind you get when you’re in the library, and you’re being told to be quiet, and you simply can’t.

Some day in retirement my husband and I hope to give our time with a corps in a similar way. Until then, I cook not just for sustenance but for fun. And this month, as promised, I’m highlighting my very fun Bacon and Onion Jam.

It’s divine on hamburgs. Yes, I shortened that word. It’s holdover slang from the verbal economy of my youth in northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA). I mean come on, why use three syllables when two will do. Henya? Sorry, that’s another. IYKYK.

Let’s get started, shall we?

STEPS

 In a pan over medium heat, cook until crispy:

• 4 slices of chopped thick-cut bacon

 Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 2 tablespoons of the drippings in the pan. Add the following and cook until onions are soft and caramelized:

• 2 thinly sliced sweet onions, such as Vidalia

• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme

• Pinch of kosher salt

Ž Add the following and bring to a simmer:

• 1 cup lager beer

• ⅓ cup apple cider vinegar

• 2 Tbl brown sugar

 Reduce heat to low and cook until liquids are absorbed, about 45 minutes to an hour. Remove from the heat, stir in the bacon and a few grinds of fresh pepper. Cool down to room temperature and serve.

TIPS

• I love thyme and add a lot more, even some additional at the end. The cooked vs raw thyme adds two different flavors.

• Keep simmering until all the liquid is absorbed no matter how long it takes. The jam will “gel” better.

• If you fridge this, bring it back to room temp before serving for the best flavor.  ▼

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.

Still Local. Still Legendary. Still Here. Still Local. Still Legendary. Still Here. Years Years

Least

1 6th Street, Unit B $1,399,000

Least expensive non-condo property for sale in the city of Rehoboth Beach! Wonderful primary residence, second home or investment property! Priced at $489,000

Grease, Glitter, and Grit

BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE

The Gospel According to Josh Amidon

When I visit my best friend from university in Fayetteville, New York, our routine doesn’t change: Friday night takeout from Gino’s. She’s the mother of the feral trio I wrote about in the August issue of Letters, and after 20 years of friendship, our time together—especially without kids—is rare and sacred. Gino’s became part of that ritual. It wasn’t just the food, though the cheesesteaks were holy. It was the waiting. You ordered at the counter, then settled in—sometimes for 10 minutes, sometimes 40. That wait always led to drinks, and soaking in the shenanigans swirling around us.

At the center of it all was the owner, Josh Amidon. He was hard to miss; tall, and fast-moving. Draped in a kimono, cracking jokes, fixing orders, the conductor of a symphony of lovely chaos. Josh didn’t just run a sandwich shop—he created a space where people could show up exactly as they are. Somewhere between the hiss of the fryer and the clatter of pint glasses, it became clear: this wasn’t just a place to get a cheesesteak. It was a place to belong.

Recently, when I read that Josh made the decision to shut down Gino’s and get married on its final day of operation, I got a lump in my throat. Based on the thousands of comments on the social media post announcing this, I wasn’t alone.

He got the call 48 hours before the lease was to expire. The landlord wasn’t renewing. There was no warning, nor was there any explanation. It was just a flat “no.”

Sure, Josh could have had a meltdown in the walk-in cooler, crying into a tub of pickles. But he’s never been one to unravel. Instead, he repurposes.

“If the universe hands you a steaming pile of crap,” Josh says, “you don’t throw it back. You compost it and grow something weird and beautiful.”

His path to restaurant ownership was anything but linear. In 2020, while most of America was hoarding toilet paper

and panic-baking due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Josh—once a stand-up comic, then a marketer—decided to buy a sandwich shop.

“The guy who owned it looked at the apocalypse and said, ‘I’m done,’” Josh recalls.

“Meanwhile, I’m thinking, ‘You know what sounds emotionally stable? Opening a restaurant while indoor dining is illegal.’”

Even telling his mom was a challenge. “Honestly, [it was] harder than coming out,” he says.

“If the universe hands you a steaming pile of crap,” Josh says, “you don’t throw it back. You compost it and grow something weird and beautiful.”

His vision was simple: serve sandwiches and don’t catch COVID-19. He wasn't interested in franchising or five-year projections. He just wanted to stay upright and fry things without completely losing it. But beneath the stripped-down plan, something bigger quietly took root. Josh didn’t just want to feed people—he wanted to create a place where they felt like they could exhale.

And he didn’t hide the mess of owning a business. He made it part of the story. He posted about exploding fryers, staff meltdowns, broken equipment, and bizarre customer encounters.

“Someone once accidentally Venmoed us for drugs,” he says. “We refunded them.”

The chaos wasn’t edited or polished—it was public. “People tell me I’m being too honest,” he says. “That I’ll scare folks off. But anyone who’s worked in a restaurant sees themselves in it. And

once people see themselves in a place, they come back.”

That raw honesty became the hallmark of the business. In a world so obsessed with filtered reality and only showing a fragment of truth, Gino’s was the real deal; and Fayetteville showed up—not just for the food, but for the energy.

Josh also didn’t lead with his identity nor did he hide it. “I’m not a gay restaurant owner,” he says. “I’m a restaurant owner who happens to be gay.”

In a small, conservative town, that distinction mattered. He didn’t show up with a rainbow flag and a mission statement. He showed up with a spatula, sharp wit, and eventually—a rotating collection of practical, fabulous kimonos.

“Honestly? I just like big, flowy clothes,” he says. “It’s drama and comfort in one.” Sometimes people take photos. Sometimes they whisper. But occasionally, a kid tugs at their mom’s sleeve and says, “He looks cool.”

For Josh, that was enough.

Eventually, in this tiny upstate town in the suburbs of Syracuse, he built a space where opposites sat side by side. Conservatives and liberals. Dads and drag queens. High schoolers and retirees.

“People stop seeing me as ‘the gay guy in the kimono’ and start seeing me as the guy who makes their favorite sandwich,” he says. “That’s how you change a place—you just keep showing up as yourself.”

When the Barbie movie came out in 2023, and restaurants start rolling out themed cocktails and desserts, Josh was inspired. He made a hot pink sauce by combining Ranch with dragon fruit for color and sweetness—and poured it all over a Philly cheesesteak. The Facebook posts promoting this went viral.

“People act like I committed a war crime,” he laughs, “which is exactly the point.”

It wasn’t just for shock value. There was intention.

Grease, Glitter, and Grit

Continued from page 66

“A cheesesteak is a hyper-masculine food,” he says. “Covering it in pink sparkles is a wink. Masculinity and femininity can sit on the same bun—and taste damn good doing it.”

By then, Gino’s had evolved from sandwich shop to local countercultural clubhouse. It was loud, and full of heart—a place where kindness and chaos lived side by side. Where nothing matched, everything mattered, and everyone was welcome.

But not everyone was a fan. After word spread that Josh and Joe planned to get married at Gino’s later in the year, the building lease which had once been verbally assured, abruptly ended.

So, Josh took the timeline back into his own hands. He and Joe decided to get married in the shop on the final day of service, surrounded by staff, regulars, friends, and fryers.

“It’s the loudest, weirdest, most per-

fect ‘I do’ I could have imagined,” Josh says.

Now, with the doors of Gino’s closed, Josh is somewhere between reinvention and rest. “I’m tired. I’m confused. But I’m

It was loud, and full of heart—a place where kindness and chaos lived side by side.

not scared,” he says. “I’ve started over before with less. And I’m definitely not done.”

He knows food will be part of what is next, and it will be something new and louder.

“Food is my love language. And my chaos language. I want the whole world looking at my next thing going, ‘Who the

hell does this guy think he is?’”

When asked what he’s most proud of, Josh doesn’t hesitate: it’s his staff.

“They see me scream about walk-in cooler temps like I’m on an episode of Law & Order: Cold Cuts—only to discover I’m the one who left the door open. And they still come to work the next day. That’s love.”

And what does he hope people remember about Gino’s?

“The feeling they had when they realized, ‘Oh...this is my place.’ Not just a spot to grab food. A place where you could be a little unhinged and still completely at home.” ▼

Christopher Moore is the founder and principle of Write On LLC and lives and loves in Wilmington and Toronto. Gino’s was also his place, and his order was chicken cheesesteak, no bun, with extra mushrooms, catsup, and a 1911 Honeycrisp.

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

Deep in Summer!

Lewes Rainbow Social, Code Purple, RB Pride Expo, Brand g Reception, Sunset Pride Cruise and More!

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1 ) at Third Annual Sunset Pride Cruise: John Krafty, Clayton Cox, Tayo Okusanya, Shannon Frye, Nikki Beall, Joanna Martin, Amy Martin Ziegenfuss, Rick Hardy, Chase Davis, George Stakias, Kevin Reagan, Alex Acres, George Southworth, Kyle Lorenz, David Mammina, Alfonso Di, Stephen Facenda; 2) at RB Bears Christmas in July at Aqua: AJ Hemphill, Paul Henderson, Jake Jones, Jaya Madala, Jeff Donovan, Katie Lyell, Kyle Ream.

OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Meet & Greet with Nina West, Clear Space Theatre: Nina West, Chad Stover; 4) at Lewes Rainbow Social Renegade Reunion Tea Dance at Cambria Hotel: Paul Seyfert, Bryan Hecksher, Sam Sassano, Diana Otero, Jim Wiegmann, Eric Rudolph, Leslie Sinclair, Debbie Woods, Michael Yousko, Bob Horne, Alex Petrino, Susan Jimenez, Lisa Mosley, Cathy Benson, Angela Murray; 5) at Kim Klabe's Opening at Gallery 50: Todd Otis, Kim Klabe, Troy Hoffman, Ron Bower.

(More CAMPshots page 72)

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page71)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Code Purple Rock and Roll Dance Party: Karen Anderson, Rina Pellegini, Brenda Dunn, Judy Stout, Lisa Weidenbush, Joan Pegler, Teri Seaton, Tom McGuffey, Jamie Forshey, Patricia Krupa, Bryan Hecksher, Sue Beave; 2) at RB Lifeguard Pool Party Fundraiser: Johnny Cervantes, Freddie Lutz, JD Beam, Lorne Crawford, Chase Simms, Rawley Florax, Tony Burns, Josh Walker, Greg Mathe, Andy Staton, Meredith Lockwood, Cole Jennings, Patrick Sparito.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 3) at RB Pride Expo: Autumn Snyder, Ashley Williams, Zander Barnes, Avery Wild, Matt Hocking, Jeff Donavan, Mike Whitlock, William Gestole, Rob Wilkinson, Lee Whitehead, Di Pine, Beefy Pine, Kelly Gabriel, Tina Snapp, Gail Atchison, Lisa Soens, Glenn Lash, Aniela Meinhaldt, Ashley Meinhaldt, Jasper Stroud, Graeme Davis, Joe Hengle, Mike DeFlavia; 4) at Benefits of Aging…Uncensored at CAMP Rehoboth: Holly Lane, John Francis Flynn, Lisa Graff, Pattie Magee, Anita Pettitt.

(More CAMPshots page 104)

National Waffle Day

The Best Chicken and Waffles

There are many ways you could celebrate National Waffle Day on August 24.

But, in Delaware, the heart of chicken country, what could be better than with a plate of fried chicken and waffles?

Besides being delicious, fried chicken and crispy waffles tell us a lot about the complicated history of the United States.

Waffles first arrived in the Americas with Dutch settlers in the 1600s in what is now New York. Meanwhile, fried chicken, though often associated with the American South, blends European and African American cooking traditions.

Adrian Miller, in his book Soul Food, explains that African styles of frying chicken were likely more similar to a fricassée. But Scottish-style chicken, battered and deep fried, became popular throughout the American South, and was associated with cooks of African ancestry in particular.

By the 1800s, both waffles and fried chicken were well-established in American cooking, but wouldn’t be combined for another hundred years or so. One early incarnation of chicken and waffles appeared in Pennsylvania Dutch country, but was served with stewed chicken and savory gravy, not fried up crunchy and with sweet syrup.

The version of chicken and waffles most Americans recognize today can be traced to Harlem in the late 1930s. At the Wells Supper Club, a hotspot for jazz musicians and night owls, the owner catered to performers getting off stage in the early morning hours when it was too late for dinner, but too early for breakfast. The solution? Chicken and waffles.

When many folks head to the Delaware beaches, they want to eat mountains of fresh seafood. But, because the commercial chicken industry was born in Ocean View in the 1920s, fried chicken is just as Delmarvelous as steamed crabs. Ready to bite into the best chicken and waffles you’ve ever tasted? You’ll need to prepare your waffles and chicken at the same time, so enlist some help!

BY STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

The version of chicken and waffles most Americans recognize today can be traced to Harlem in the late 1930s.

Once you’ve cooked each component, serve immediately with generous amounts of your favorite syrup.

Although waffles came to the United States from the Netherlands, a true Dutch waffle won’t do for chicken and waffles. A stroopwafel (“syrup waffle” in Dutch) is cookie-thin and filled with a syrupy caramel. Great with a cup of coffee, but perhaps not with fried chicken.

What’s often called a Belgian waffle in the United States isn’t actually Belgian at all. A true Belgian waffle uses a yeasted batter that cooks up chewy, and is usually studded with pearl sugar, which provides a crunchy contrast.

For a traditional plate of chicken and waffles we want a good ol’ American, buttermilk waffle. The acidity in buttermilk gives waffles the perfect crumb. Acidic buttermilk prevents gluten from forming (which would be chewy and dense) and also combines with baking soda and powder to form carbon dioxide, creating airy lightness.

There are two secrets to the perfect fried chicken. The first is buttermilk. Buttermilk has enzymes that tenderize meat beautifully, and it has the perfect viscosity for flour to cling and create the craggy, crunchy coating we crave. The second is to fry your chicken twice. The initial, lower-temperature fry gently cooks the interior and starts driving out moisture, while the second, hotter fry rapidly evaporates remaining moisture and triggers the Maillard reaction for a crisp, golden crust. This two-step process ensures food that’s tender inside, ultra-crunchy outside, and never greasy. Use whatever seasonings you like, but don’t overdo it. ▼

Recipes on next page ➞

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

THE BEST WAFFLES

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups all-purpose wheat flour

• 2 T white sugar

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 2 eggs

• 2 cups buttermilk, room temp

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg

• Extra butter or oil for greasing

• Syrup for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

 Mix dry ingredients and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Don’t overmix—leave a few pea-sized lumps!

 Pour ½ cup batter into a wellgreased, pre-heated waffle iron. Cook for 4 minutes. Remove and repeat with remaining batter.

Ž Keep cooked waffles warm on a baking sheet in the oven while cooking remaining waffles.

THE BEST FRIED CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS

• 2 full chicken breasts, cut into 8 cutlets

• 2 cups buttermilk

• 3 cups flour

• 4 tsp seasoning

• 5 tsp salt

• 1 liter of oil for frying

INSTRUCTIONS

 Marinate chicken cutlets in buttermilk with 2 tsp of seasoning and 2 tsp salt for at least 20 minutes.

 Dredge chicken cutlets in flour mixed with 2 tsp salt and 2 tsp seasoning and place on a well-floured plate until ready to fry.

Ž Fry chicken, two cutlets at a time, in hot oil in a large pot with high sides until lightly golden, turning occasionally and spooning hot oil over parts of the chicken not submerged. About 7-8 minutes. The oil is hot enough when a few crumbs of breading rise to the surface immediately after being dropped in. After an initial fry, drain on paper towels to remove excess grease.

 Fry chicken a second time, raising the temperature of the oil slightly, until it is a deep golden color, about 2 minutes, then drain again on paper towels and sprinkle with remaining salt.

 Plate chicken over warm waffles, add syrup, and enjoy!

Films of Bisexuals Solution

Second Annual

DelArt Sails South

Tuesday, September 16 | 5:30–8 pm | Lewes, Del.

The Delaware Art Museum returns to Lewes! This year’s event features discussions with Delaware-based artists represented in the Museum’s permanent collection, live music, a silent auction, and more. Don’t miss this exclusive chance to mingle with fellow art enthusiasts and DelArt staff and volunteers against the stunning backdrop of a Delaware Bay sunset.

TICKETS AT DELART.ORG/DELARTSAILSSOUTH

An Attack on a Galleon (detail) from “The Fate of a Treasure Town,” by Howard Pyle, in Harper’s Monthly Magazine , December 1905. Howard Pyle (1853–1911). Oil on canvas, 29 1/2 x 19 1/2 inches.

Delaware Art Museum, Museum Purchase, 1912.

National Beach Day BY

TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Shifting Sands

So, on your last trip to the beach, you brought home some souvenirs.

A few random broken shells found near the surf.

A plastic cup that once held the best margarita on the planet. A little bit of a sunburn where you couldn’t reach with sunscreen.

And sand.

So. Much. Sand.

Stuck to your feet, embedded in your towel, in the seat of your swimsuit, stuck in your hair—that stuff you’ll be sweeping up for weeks is surprisingly complicated.

So let’s look at it, starting here:

For industrial and engineering purposes, sand comes in four basic categories: river sand, pit sand, concrete sand, and manufactured sand. You need to know that to understand that yes, sand is sand is sand and you’re no doubt familiar with it all but there are some differences, mostly in its origins and its usage.

The oil industry nothwithstanding, industrial sand is generally mostly made of various kinds of crushed rock and some silica, while the sand you find on beaches is mostly made of quartz (silica) but might also contain volcanic matter, man-made glass, minute pieces of gemstones, parrotfish fecal matter, tiny creatures called foraminifera, and coral or other organic materials, depending on where you collected it. Tropical beaches in warm areas, for instance, contain more of the latter organic stuff. Northern beaches, less so.

Overall, widely speaking, sand ranges in size from 0.0008 to 0.08 inches and if you want to measure it, feel free. It’s found in rocks and loose on nearly every continent, it can’t be worn down, and it won’t decompose. Nearly every person on Earth right now is likely to be near sand or something made from it because sand is used in a huge variety of industries, from technology to beauty products, food containers, adhesives, water softening agents, and hundreds of other products. Most importantly, getting back to the industrial and engineering uses,

sand is the main ingredient in concrete. Of course, you can move sand with a plastic shovel or a big truck. But when you’re talking about relocating it naturally, you’ll need wind to make dunes, which can occur anywhere. The world’s biggest sand dune, in fact, is located in Argentina and it’s nearly a mile high—but ask again in a few centuries because wind is powerful and mercurial, and monster-dunes-inthe-making are found in many countries, including the US.

Near Ft. Bragg in California, you can visit a multicolored sand beach made of bits of glass that have been smoothed by waves.

Of course, the mention of sand dunes might put Lawrence of Arabia thoughts in your head, but dunes are not just for deserts. Dunes—sand barriers near the coasts along beaches—are helpful in protecting what’s up on higher ground, including beach grasses, other plants, and turtles and the handful of other creatures that live in or near sand. Even better, dunes protect human structures that might be threatened by erosion from wind and water.

See how it all meshes together?

But back to the stuff you brought home from the beach.

Plain old brown sand? Pfft, if that’s too plebeian for you, there’s good news. In Hawaii, some beaches are white because they’re mostly made of the skeletons of coral and other marine creatures; there’s also a red sandy beach on Maui and a green sandy beach on the Big Island. There’s blue sand in one area of Namibia, due to mining. In Greece, you can visit an entire beach made of what was once lava, making the sand black. In a geothermal area in Iceland—surprise!—you’ll find yellow sand. In Bermuda, you might find pink sandy beaches but just be aware that it’s illegal to bring home a scoop of it. Near Ft. Bragg in California, you can visit a multicolored sand beach made of bits of glass that have been smoothed by waves. You’re really not supposed to bring any of that home, either.

Not that you actually want the sand you brought home on your skin, right? Maybe it’d help to know why it stuck to you: it’s because sand holds onto water and your just-out-of-the-ocean body is wet and there you are. Instant attraction. Listen, build a sandcastle before you come home. Sand castle-building has been a thing since ancient times. That oughta make you feel better.

And then, whatever, go ahead and bring a bit of that beach home with you. Some estimates are that there are nearly eight quintillion grains of sand in the world (that’s an 8 followed by 17 zeroes) and though some say the supply of sand is depleting, others say that with today’s modern rock quarry technology and because sand is the most-mined product in the world, there’s a never-ending supply to stick to your legs and feet. Yay, we can make more of it if you really want your shoes full when you come home.

Life truly is a beach. ▼

Terri Schlichenmeyer’s third book, The Book of Facts and Trivia: Science, came out in September 2024.

DJ MATT BAILER BRINGS THE GROOVES TO GET YOU MOVING

DJ CHORD TURNS IT UP AND KEEPS IT HOT

Deep Inside Hollywood

Chris Colfer’s The Land of Stories Gets the Film Treatment

Warner

Bros. Pictures has acquired the rights to former Glee star Chris Colfer’s bestselling book series The Land of Stories for film, with Academy Award nominee Phil Johnston (Ralph Breaks the Internet) attached to write. It’ll be a live-action adaptation of the series of books centered on sibling characters Alex and Conner Bailey, twins who find themselves transported into a shared universe of classic fairy tales where all the things they thought they knew from reading the stories turn out to be not quite right. The books been very successful, selling in the millions—one reason you’ve not seen the now 35-year-old Colfer on screens lately, he’s been busy—and the deal has the potential to generate an ongoing fandom through multiple films. This is brand-new so no details are set yet, but we like good post-Glee cast news anywhere we find it. ▼

Jussie Smollett and the Truth

DBY ROMEO SAN VICENTE

Queer TIFF Premieres for Van Sant and Guadagnino

Legendary gay director Gus Van Sant has a new one at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, as does the prolific Luca Guadagnino (who already gave us two films last year). Reported on here during their respective productions, Van Sant’s feature is Dead Man’s Wire, a true crime tale of a 1970s hostage standoff that stars Colman Domingo, Bill Skarsgard, and Al Pacino (to give it that Dog Day Afternoon vibe). Meanwhile, Guadagnino’s latest, After the Hunt, about sex scandals in academia, stars Julia Roberts, Andrew Garfield, Chloe Sevigny, and queer up-and-comers Ayo Edebiri (The Bear) and Lío Mehiel (Mutt). The festival takes place in early September, meaning both films are likely to be positioned for end-of-the-year awards consideration. We’re just happy we have at least two good gay reasons to go to a multiplex this fall. ▼

id you lose track of the legal weirdness surrounding the case of gay former Empire star Jussie Smollett? Was there an attack on him or not? A hate crime committed or not? Various people lying or not? It happened in 2019 but a lot has happened since then and you’ll be forgiven for letting it wrap itself up without you. But now Netflix has ordered The Truth about Jussie Smollett?, a 90-minute documentary diving into the murky details, public opinion firestorm, and seemingly endless legal wrangling that was finally legally put to bed this year. It will feature interviews with lawyers, journalists, police, and investigators still digging up new evidence about what happened that night. Most importantly, Smollett will speak for himself on camera, as he moves forward with his life. For all queer true (and/or untrue) crime fans, it drops August 22. ▼

Tessa Thompson Takes Toronto with Hedda

Tessa Thompson’s acting roles have turned her into a respected presence on screen, and her work behind the scenes as a producer means the serious projects she wants to make happen get to happen. She produced or executive produced the acclaimed indie films Sylvie’s Love, Little Woods, and The Listener. Her latest project is Hedda, written and directed by Little Woods and Candyman filmmaker Nia DaCosta, and based on the Henrik Ibsen play Hedda Gabler. The reimagining of the classic story of a woman trapped in a marriage she doesn’t want stars Thompson in the title role alongside German actress Nina Hoss and British cast members Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, and Nicholas Pinnock, and it takes its bow soon at the Toronto International Film Festival. After the festival, look for this one to hit theaters and streaming in October. ▼

Romeo San Vicente is a one-man fairy tale.

The Real Dirt

Here Comes the Sun

In honor of SUNFESTIVAL, here’s a piece on the Earth’s closest star and the flowers named in honor of it.

Since ancient times, humans have looked to the sun as a giver of life, warmth, and order. It marks time, stirs the seasons, ripens the harvest, and lights the path of civilization. Across cultures, the sun has been revered as divine—a force so powerful that gods and goddesses were created in its image. From Egyptian temples to Norse epics, the sun’s mythology has burned brightly in human imagination. And in the world of plants, this veneration finds a botanical mirror in the sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and other blooms that reflect the sun’s radiance.

In Egypt, the sun god Ra reigned supreme. With a solar disk upon his head, Ra sailed his boat across the sky each day and through the underworld by night, battling chaos to be reborn at dawn. His journey inspired rituals of renewal and protection. Ra was not just a god but the very principle of life and light.

In Roman mythology, Sol was the charioteer of the heavens. Known later as Sol Invictus—“the Unconquered Sun”—this god was celebrated around the winter solstice, symbolizing the return of light after the longest night. This celebration would influence later religious observances, including Christmas.

The Norse also had their own solar mythology. Sól (sometimes called Sunna) was the god dess of the sun, driving a chariot pulled by two horses, Árvakr and Alsviðr, across the sky. She was pursued by a great wolf named Sköll, destined to

one day devour her during Ragnarök, the Norse apocalypse. Her brother, Máni, governed the moon. Unlike the fierce sun gods of other pantheons, Sól represented grace, beauty, and vulnerability—a celestial being always fleeing darkness yet never ceasing in her flight.

In Hindu belief, Surya is the god of the sun and rides a golden chariot drawn by seven horses. He is not only a symbol of brilliance but a healer and giver of spiritual clarity. Prayers to Surya are part of daily ritual in India, linking personal well-being with the sun’s energy.

These solar figures—Ra, Sol, Surya, Sól—share common themes: cosmic motion, renewal, protection, and a dance between light and shadow. They also link us to Earth’s rhythms and our dependency on solar power for life.

The name Helianthus comes from the Greek words helios (sun) and anthos (flower), a fitting tribute to the sunflower’s iconic form and behavior. Native to North America, sunflowers were cultivated by Indigenous peoples for food, oil, and ceremonial use long before European contact. The seeds are protein-rich, the oil is medicinal and culinary, and the towering stalks are architectural marvels in

Sunflowers exhibit heliotropism—the young flower heads track the movement of the sun across the sky, facing east by morning and west by evening. This motion stops in maturity, when the blossoms fix themselves eastward to catch the first light of dawn. This behavior mirrors mythological devotion: ever turning toward the

In art and symbolism, the sunflower

BY ERIC W. WAHL

has become a token of loyalty, energy, and spiritual truth. Its golden rays evoke the sun’s warmth, and its face resembles the celestial body it emulates. In many traditions, planting sunflowers is an act of invoking prosperity and protection.

Sunflowers exhibit heliotropism—the young flower heads track the movement of the sun across the sky, facing east by morning and west by evening.

Other solar-associated flowers include marigolds, sacred in Aztec and Hindu ceremonies, and Calendula officinalis, or pot marigold, whose orange petals open and close with the sun. These flowers are used in herbal remedies, symbolizing healing, warmth, and constancy.

Today, we may harness solar panels instead of offering sacrifices, but the sun remains central to our existence. Its cycles govern not just days and seasons but also still influence our spiritual and emotional lives. Seasonal festivals, solstice observances, and planting calendars all trace back to ancient relationships with the solar world.

Whether in myth or garden, the sun is a force of transformation. In the Norse tales, Sól races against her doom with dignity and light. In fields of Helianthus, her story continues—flowers lifted toward the sky, enduring heat and shadow alike. The divine flame of the sun burns in every sunrise, every golden petal, and every ancient story that reminds us of our place beneath the sky.

Have fun and let’s garden together. ▼

Eric W. Wahl is Landscape Architect at Pennoni Associates, and President of the Delaware Native Plant Society.

Historical Headliners

The Music Man: Aaron Copland

Creativity has always been a hallmark of our community. Even folks who hate us admit, if grudgingly, that queer folk have created some of the most famous music, literature, visual art, and performing art. Moreover, it’s no secret that LGBTQ+ creativity is at the very core of America’s contribution to the art of the theater: the Broadway musical.

Prior to America’s 20th-century re-invention of the role of song and dance in a stage play, musical theater was a European-inspired tradition of operetta, a populist version high opera. And let us not forget that it was four gay men—Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins, and Arthur Laurents—who gave the world the masterpiece that is West Side Story

In other words, our queer community gave America a vision of itself and contributed to its artistic heartbeat.

While American musical theater claimed its independence from its European roots, classical music in America stayed tied to the European model. Even though blues, gospel, Appalachian music, Western songs, ragtime, Dixieland and its blossoming into jazz were creating an American vernacular in the 20th century’s early days, the music most heard in our concert halls remained familiar works by the European masters, chiefly the Three B’s: Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms, with Mozart and Tchaikovsky thrown in. The European modernists, with their radically atonal sounds, were pooh-poohed here in America. The older, traditionally melodic European masters were still the gold standard.

It took a gay, bespectacled, Brooklyn-born son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania to give classical music an American sound: the sound of our cities and our prairies, of cowboys on the range and city slickers on the nighttime streets. It took Aaron Copland.

Copland’s musical talent was recognized early by his parents, who

provided him with piano lessons when he was seven years old. He was writing songs by age eight. He continued his musical education through his teenage years, learning the great European classical masters. At age 21, Copland, like so many American artists in the nineteen-teens and twenties, went to Paris.

It took a gay, bespectacled, Brooklyn-born son of Jewish immigrants from Lithuania to give classical music an American sound.

In Paris, he was eventually accepted to study with perhaps music’s most famous teacher, Nadia Boulanger. Boulanger’s instruction not only strengthened Copland’s technique, she opened his ears to the avant-garde music of modernists like Igor Stravinsky. Copland’s exposure to modern music was enhanced by his social life among the Paris creative elite: Gertrude Stein, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso, Amadeo Modigliani, and other luminaries of the Paris Jazz Age.

BY ANN APTAKER

Copland returned to New York in 1925 with a head full of modern musical ideas. As in Paris, he fell in with New York’s cultural adventurers, especially the modernist artist circle led by Alfred Stieglitz. Through these connections, Copland was a sought-after teacher, lecturer, and writer, teaching at the New School for Social Research, and writing for major publications such as the New York Times and the Musical Quarterly. While he was praised for his musical intellect, his compositions, reflective of his adoption of the modernist motifs he was exposed to in Paris, received only lukewarm reception, even in culturally progressive circles.

America, it seemed, was not yet ready for the disjointed, atonal sounds of the new music. Americans wanted melody.

The lesson wasn’t lost on Copland, and he re-thought his musical direction. It led him to the question: what does America sound like? It’s a larger question than simply what does American music sound like. It led Copland to consider the breadth of America itself, the cultures that differ from city to countryside, from the experience of waves of immigrants to the more settled experiences of the earlier arrivals, and the experiences of the Indigenous peoples already here.

Out of these questions came Copland’s masterpieces: El Salon Mexico, Rodeo, Quiet City, Fanfare for the Common Man, Appalachian Spring, the ballet score for Billy the Kid, and others, including film scores and additional ballet scores. These works triumphantly incorporate the American melodic tradition with modernism’s thrilling dissonance. Copland’s compositions brought American classical music out of the 19th century and into the 20th. It removed its old fussy European garments and put on a pair of jeans.

When Copland was 32 years old, he met and fell in love with the young violinist Victor Kraft.

BY LOGAN FARRO

SPOTLIGHT ON THE arts

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community

Local Color Lights Up the Gallery and Wows Viewers

Through September 17, 2025

CAMP Rehoboth is excited to announce that Local Color: An Exhibition by Joe Vescio and Barry Moshinski is now available for viewing. This exhibition shares works done by two local Rehoboth artists, Joe Vescio and Barry Moshinski. Both artists are very active in the community, as well as the local arts scene. Their combined exhibition showcases many vibrant and colorful acrylic paintings, as well as unique handmade pottery.

Local Color opened the first week of August and will be on display at CAMP Rehoboth until mid-September. Stop by and see these amazing works.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Bear Witness Exhibit Opens in September

Leading us into the fall, and celebrating its 10-year anniversary, is the Rehoboth Beach Bears Weekend. In addition to all the other exciting events and activities, CAMP Rehoboth will be hosting its annual bear-related art exhibition. Artworks exploring bear themes and imagery, alongside works created by members of the bear community, will be on display. Keep an eye out for future announcements.▼

Above, Ripe and Ready by Barry Moshinski.

BY JOE GFALLER

PERFORMING ARTS

Area Stages Abuzz All Fall

The peak of tourist season may soon be in the rearview mirror, but stages across coastal Delaware stay alive and hopping throughout the fall, making the slightly cooler months ideal for locals and visitors alike to experience great theater and music. Whether you’re looking for something with a little camp, a cult classic or two, some high comedy, or a fresh take on a great musical, your options this fall for live theater in our region are remarkable. Below are a few of the upcoming highlights:

CLEAR SPACE THEATRE COMPANY

POTUS: Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive | September 18-28

POTUS is political comedy meets slapstick farce at its finest. Sarah Fillinger’s wild romp met boundless critical acclaim during its Broadway run starring Saturday Night Live’s Rachel Dratch, Orange is the New Black star Lea DeLaria, and TV and stage star Vanessa Williams. In Rehoboth, it’s prepared to skewer 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after an entirely fictionalized President has a hot mic moment that sends the women in his life into crisis management mode.

Reefer Madness | October 10-26

Comedy continues at Clear Space with a hit musical that will have everyone buzzing. A parody of the 1930s documentary about the dangers of Mary Jane, this cult favorite is from the writer of TV’s Desperate Housewives and the Broadway hit Heathers: The Musical. After visiting the Reefer Den and listening to jazz, Jimmy Harper descends from good egg to a very bad apple, kissing his girlfriend with tongue—and worse. Tickets at clearspacetheatre.org

MILTON THEATRE

Miss Richfield 1981: There’s a Pill for That | September 25

Long-beloved Provincetown headliner Miss Richfield 1981 makes her annual pilgrimage to our fair state in a onenight only show. Her story is legendary—a beauty queen from her hometown of Richfield, Minnesota, where butter is a space and gravy is a beverage. Her latest show is for the afflicted, addicted, or just conflicted, celebrating ways that our favorite pills make us feel good and look even better.

The Rocky Horror Show: Live | October 9-26

Dammit, Janet! There’s one place this year to do the “Time Warp” again. Thrills, chills, and a very buff barely-clad man await inside Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s mansion one dark and stormy night. Milton’s production invites the kind of audience participation that made the movie that this musical is based on a cult classic.

Tickets at miltontheatre.com

POSSUM POINT PLAYERS

La Cage aux Folles | September 26-October 5

It’s the story that inspired the film The Birdcage, but set to the joyful and heartfelt music of Jerry Herman. With songs like “I Am What I Am,” “Song on the Sand,” and “The Best of Times,” this musical has been a touchstone for the LGBTQ+ community for decades, celebrating that love is love and reminding us that even the staunchest hearts and minds can be changed to recognize that simple truth…over a wild and unexpected dinner party and a run-in with a drag queen.

Tickets at possumpointplayers.org

SECOND STREET PLAYERS

Little Shop of Horrors | October 10-19

It’s a Halloween classic musical about love and the dangers of horticulture. Buying plants during a total eclipse is never a good idea, but once you have, feeding them blood only makes things worse. One of off-Broadway’s longest running shows, Little Shop is filled with big laughs and a man-eating plant with an appetite for more than just blood….

Tickets at secondstreetplayers.com. ▼

Logan Farro is CAMP Rehoboth’s Visual Arts Coordinator. They may be reached at logan@ camprehoboth.org.

Joe Gfaller is Managing Director of Clear Space Theatre Company

Photos: POTUS photo from the Broadway production; credit Paul Kolnik. The Rocky Horror Show; courtesy of Milton Theatre

arts+entertainment

BOOKED SOLID

Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM by Scott Brogan © 2025, Lyons Press, $65.00 405 pages

The monkeys used to scare you a lot.

The Wicked Witch was one thing but those flying simians with their booming voices? Ugh, they gave you nightmares for weeks. And despite that you knew how things would end—you’d seen the movie annually, for heaven’s sake—let’s just say you spent a lot of time covering your eyes. So now be like a Lion. Get uncowardly and find Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM by Scott Brogan.

When most people think about Judy Garland, two images come to mind: the teenager in pigtails or “The one-dimensional image of an always suffering and always tragic Garland…” Neither one, says Brogan, is totally correct. In reality, Garland was “positive, joyful, and funny.”

Her parents, Ethel and Frank Gumm, were performers

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

Ethel pushed and the girls toured with Paramount Circuit in the northwest, and then in Chicago in 1934 where Frances had “one of [her] biggest career milestones.”

By 1935, she was formally using the name “Judy Garland” onstage and she’d secured informal representation. That same year, she signed a contract with MGM, a studio which took a near-total control it “would exert over Garland’s personal life” and her schedule, denying her wish to be with her father at the end of his life and dictating what she ate or didn’t eat.

Still, says Brogan, their methods worked: by the time Garland was 20 years old, her “career seemed to know no limits.”

Page through Judy Garland: The Voice of MGM and you’ll instantly know that you’re in for a treat: this book is loaded with photos, stills, publicity shots, and newspaper recreations. There’s a lot to look at here, but what there is to read is better.

Author Scott Brogan makes Judy Garland his raison d’être in this book, but it’s not entirely all about her. Brogan shares an overview of the movie studio that made her famous, including what is arguably her most top-of-mind film, the gossip that surrounded it then, and the mythology that still lives on. There’s a comprehensive list of World War II-era

CLOSE TO YOU

Music Of The Carpenters September 4 - 8:00 PM JACOB JOLLIFF Premier Mandoli September 10 -

OPERA DELAWARE Pop-Up Opera @ Quayside September 11 - 6:00PM

AUGUST 29 - RAT PACK TOGETHER AGAIN

AUGUST 30 - MAGIC OF MOTOWN

AUGUST 31 - DEANNA FITZPATRICK: Psychic Medium

SEPTEMBER 3 - OZZMOSIS: Ozzy Osbourne Tribute

SEPTEMBER 4 - HOT SAUCE BAND: Quayside@Nite

SEPTEMBER 5 - WHO ARE YOU: Tribute to The Who

SEPTEMBER 6 - BEATLEMANIA NOW!: World’s Best Beatles Tribute

SEPTEMBER 7 - BEGINNINGS: The Music of Chicago

SEPTEMBER 11 - THUNDERSTRUCK: America’s AC/DC Tribute

MAINSTAGE PRODUC TION

SHOWS: OCTOBER 9 - 26

SEPTEMBER 12 - FALL OUT LAUGHING: Stand-Up Comedy Special

SEPTEMBER 14 - ZOSO: The Ultimate Led Zeppelin Experience

SEPTEMBER 17 - AMISH OUTLAWS

SEPTEMBER 18 (6PM) - LOWER CASE BLUES Quayside@Nite

SEPTEMBER 18 (8PM) - GREGGIE & THE JETS: Tribute to Elton John

SEPTEMBER 19 - GAMES WITH MAGNOLIA: Drag Show

In various biographies of Copland, Kraft is sometimes given credit for weaning Copland away from his strict embrace of modernism, allowing Copland to broaden his musical instincts and find the American sound.

Victor Kraft remained Copland’s companion until Kraft’s death in 1976, though the relationship was often rocky. Copland had an eye for younger men, and with his growing fame it wasn’t difficult for him to attract partners. Kraft, handsome and virile, embarked on a brief affair with Leonard Bernstein, hoping to make Copland jealous and remain faithful to Kraft. It worked for a while, but eventually Copland gave in to his wandering ways. This time, Kraft, in an act of revenge, entered into a heterosexual marriage with writer Pearl Kazin in 1935. The marriage only lasted a few months, and Kraft returned to Copland’s household. Kraft eventually accepted Copland’s infidelities, and the two remained a couple. In time, and with age, Copland’s infidelities became less frequent. He and Kraft settled into their domestic life.

Copland’s music, with their strong melodies edged with modernist dissonance, is often described as “muscular.” How nice to remember that this muscular American music came from the mind and soul of a bespectacled gay guy from Brooklyn. ▼

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.

Community News Continued from page 8

22nd Annual Nature Photography Contest

The 2025 Prime Hook Nature Photography Contest, sponsored by the Friends of Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, is now accepting submissions in the following four categories: Beauty of Prime Hook; Landscape/Seascape; Native Birds; and Native Wildlife (non-birds). The Contest annually gives area photographers an opportunity to compete for cash prizes and showcase their artistic skills. There are special prizes for the two youth categories (children 12 and under, and teens up to age 17).

Photographs must be mailed or hand-delivered on or before Saturday, October 11, to the Refuge office in the Visitor Contact Station, located at 12322 Turkle Pond Road, Milton, Delaware 19968. If hand-delivering, call the Office (302-684-8419) to ensure someone is available to take receipt.

Detailed submission guidelines are available on the Friends’ website (friendsofprimehook.com) or at the Visitor Contact Station. Anyone considering participation is strongly urged to read them.

There is an entry fee of $5 per photograph or 10 for $40; fees must be included with the submitted photograph(s). Make checks payable to Friends of Prime Hook NWR. No fees are charged for youth entries.

Professional photographers will judge the photographs during the week of October 13. Winners will be announced and awards will be distributed at a reception for the photographers

News Continued from page 8

Summer Golf League Mid-season Report

The CAMP Rehoboth Women’s Summer Golf League is underway at the American Classic Golf Course. Each Thursday evening, League players gather, are sorted into new teams, and are awarded prizes for “first place,” “closest to the pin,” and “fewest putts.”

Here are some mid-season highlights (stats are as of Thursday, August 7):

• Pat Fitzsimmons took home first place four times and earned a “closest to the pin” (CP) badge once.

• Barbara Lewis came in first twice with -4 and also boasts a CP honor.

• Barb Mahoney has won CP twice.

• Carolyn Cole claimed the top spot three times.

• Jen Leonard took home CP once and least putts twice.

• Susan Schollenberger topped the leaderboard twice and CP once.

• Tama Viola captured the “fewest putts” title twice.

• Cheryl Landry finished first twice and “fewest putts” once. She also has perfect attendance.

• The lowest score has been -5 (by the foursome of Pat Fitzsimmons, Rina Pellegrini, Wendy Daley, and Sue Wilson).

• The honor for “fewest putts” so far, with -10, goes to both Claire McCracken and Chris Allison.

Stay tuned for the season recap once the league wraps on September 25. ▼

and the public from 2:00-4:00 p.m., October 19, at the Refuge’s Visitor Contact Station.

Also on October 19, voting will open for the People’s Choice Award. Voting for this award continues through December 14, when the exhibit ends. There is no admission charge to view the photographs. The photographer whose photograph garners the most votes receives a special People’s Choice Award. ▼

Image by Matthew Trucks, 2024 Prime Hook Nature Photography Contest, Beauty of Prime Hook Winner; Courtesy of the artist.

OUR SUPPORTERS make it happen

PURPLE

Greg Albright & Wes Combs X

Sondra N. Arkin X

Carol Bresler & Carolyn Billinghurst X

Dr. Bruce Brown & Joe Ilardi

Pat Catanzariti & Carole Ramos*

Beth Cohen & Fran Sneider X

Lorne Crawford & Simon Fares

Polly Donaldson

Skip Dye & Steven King*

Will Freshwater & Stephen Cremen

David Grossman & Jeremy Graboyes

Cindy Gruman & In Memory of Angela Strano*

Judy & Carole Jesiolowski

James W. Johnson & Matthew H. Shepard X

Melissa & Amanda Kaufman X

Kim Leisey & Kathy Solano

Anita Matson

Celie & Tabitha Niehaus

Jeanine O’Donnell - State Farm*

Chris Rinaldi & Brian Powers X

Jennifer Rubenstein & Diane Scobey X

Danny Sebright

Gary Seiden & Ah Bashir X

Leslie Sinclair & Debbie Woods X

S. Hope Vella

Jen Walker X

Charles Wedding & In Memory of

Ronald A. Bessette

Christopher Yochim*

Karen Zajick & Jennifer Weeks

INDIGO

Terry Albarella & Shannon Manchester*

Murray Archibald & In Memory of Steve Elkins X

Alex Benjamin & Pete Grover*

Jane Blue & Louisa Watrel X

Deb Chase & Terry Barrera

Dennis Diaz & Michael Ewald

Lou Fiore & Jim Burke*

Kathy Fitzpatrick & In Memory of Henry “Corky” Fitzpatrick X

Connie Fox & Donna Adair*

Richard Gamble & Paul Lindsey*

David & Marti Garrett*

Leslie Hegamaster & In Memory of Jerry Stansberry*

Holly Horn & Kathleen Garrity X

Bernadette & Michele HumphreyNicol

Peter Karsner X

Jerry Kennedy & Robert Quinones X

Bonnie Kirkland & Wanda Bair X

Roger Kramer*

Susan Kutliroff & Barbara Snyder*

Christine Lay & Mari Blackburn X

Curtis J. Leciejewski, DDS, PA X

Linda Martin & Lucy Kennedy

Lynette Matson & Laure Larkin

Sherri McGee & Kris Aulenbach

Rick Mowery & Joe Conn X

Tom Negran & Marc Anthony Worosilo X

David P. Nelson & William F. McManus X

John Newton & Mowry Spencer X

Mark Niehaus & Brooks Honeycutt X

Kathleen Nilles & Camille Nichols*

Jennifer Noel

Gwen Osborne & Katie Handy X

Vincent Pompo & Bob Yungman

Porter-Gordon Family*

Virginia Reaves

Lori & Renee Rocheleau*

Mark Roush & Dave Banick*

Mitchell Shahade

Tammy Smith & Tracey Hepner*

Jeff Sube & Ross Peddicord*

Frank Surprenant, DDS X

Susan Tobin & Cathy Martinson*

Terry Vick*

BLUE

Ronald Bass & George Robbins X

Tim & Meredith Birrittella*

Teresa Bolduc & Kim McGeown*

David Bower*

Chris Bowers*

Matthew Brown

Tony Burns X

Paul Christensen & Dennis Morgan*

Coleen Collins & Berdi Price X

Donna Davis & Gail Jackson X

Sharon Denny & Kim Parks

Anne Geary*

David Goldberg

Miguel Gomez & Donald Griner*

Irene & Lou Katz*

Nancy & Tora Kennedy*

Paul & Anne Kuhns*

Matthew Rogers & Erik Hein

Chris Rouchard X

Douglas Sellers & Mark Eubanks*

Kimberly Sheaffer & Karen Brause*

Laurie Snyder

Donna Voigt & Jo Hamilton*

GREEN

Joseph Bennett

Julie Blake and Dee Dee Jones

Wesley Blickenstaff*

David W. Briggs X

Charlie Browne & Rod Cook X

Barry Bugg*

Cheryl Buxton*

James Chalmers & John Potthast X

Stephen Corona*

Mike DeFlavia & Tony Sowers*

Marianne DeLorenzo & Linda Van de Wiele*

Max Dick*

Cynthia Flynn & Deirdre Boyle X

Roland Forster & David McDonald*

Kathy Giles & Theresa Leonard

Perry Gottlieb & Tim White*

Richard Green & Asi Ohana X

Wesley Hacker & David Block*

John Hackett & Tom Newton*

David Hagelin & In Memory of Andy Brangenberg*

Jenn Harpel & Katie Rickards X

Steve Hoult & Rick Bane X

Karen Hugues & Cathy McCallister X

Anthony Incalcatera & James Buswold

Claire Ippoliti X

Alex IX & Gare Galbraith

Jocelyn Kaplan & Idalie Adams X

Jon Kaplan X

Eric Korpon & Steven Haber*

Greg Kubiak*

Leslie Ledogar & Marilyn Hewitt*

John Mackerey & Donald Filicetti*

Jill Masterman & Tammy Jackson*

James Mease & Philip Vehslage*

Susan Morrison*

Doug Murray & Bob Mancuso

Dennis Neason & Steve Bendyna*

Kim Nelson & Lori Simmons X

Fran O’Brien & David Gifford*

Keith Petrack & Michael Fetchko*

Anne Pikolas & Jean Charles X

Bill Rayman & Frank King*

Marty Rendon & John Cianciosi*

Sandra L. Roberts

Lucien Rossignol & Tom Harris*

Sheila Sferrella & Cindy Wedel

Marj Shannon & Carla Burton*

Scott Shaughnessy & John Hassell*

Greig Stewart & Jake Hudson*

David Streit & Scott Button*

Laurie & Matthew Thompson

Anne Tracy & Mary Gilligan*

Lee Voegler & Larry Munsey

Kathy Wiz & Muriel Hogan X

YELLOW

Ann Abel & Carol Morris

Keith Anderson & Peter Bish X

Shannon & Sarah Avery*

Bad Hair Day, Inc.*

Pamela Baker & Diane Dixson*

Mike Ballenger & In Memory of Martin Thomas*

Paul Barbera*

Chris Beagle & Eric Engelhart*

Tom Beall*

Michael Beigay*

Joel Berelson & Charles Maples*

Sherry Berman & Deb Hamilton X

Linda Bova & Bridget Bauer - The Sea

Bova Associates

Michael Boyle & Greg Murphy X

Mary Ann Brewer

Mark Bromley & David Salie X

David Carder*

Nick Carroll & Ken Naugle

Kate Cauley & Pat Newcomb*

Jean Chlastawa & Susan Griesemer*

Jim Chupella & Jim Wigand*

Dottie/Myrna Cirelli-Kelley X

Steve Clayton & Brad Lentz*

Nancy Commisso*

Billy Cox & John Carr*

Monica & Lona Crist X

Kenneth Currier & Mike Tyler X

Lewis & Greg Dawley-Becker*

Anthony Delacruz & Ronald Mangano*

Fred DiBartolo & Steve Wood X

Geri Dibiase & Deborah Knickerbocker*

Maureen Dolan & Karen McGavin*

Joan Doyle

Pete Drake

Sandy Duncan & Maddy Ewald*

Gary Espinas & Daniel Sherlock*

Karen Faber & Lisa Balestrini Faber*

Alice Fagans & Ruth Ann Mattingly X

Cecily Fisher & Loretta Higgins*

John Flournoy & Jim Chrobot*

Bill Fuchs & Gerry Beaulieu*

Ricki Geiger

Cynthia Gooch Copley

Susan Goudy*

Ken Green & Joe Kearney*

Richard & Frances Grote*

Maggie Guardino

Siobhan Halmos & Beth McLean*

Robert Henthorne & Roger Bolduc

Mary Hoban

Kathy Jantzen & Debi Cunn*

Philip Johnson*

Elaine Kakareka

Mark Kehoe X

Jim King

Mary Layne & Monika Ruppert

Judy Lettes*

Monica Lewis & Ann Zimmerman*

David Lindeman & Andrew Phipps

Frank Liptak & Joe Schnetzka*

Patricia Magee & Anita Pettitt X

Evelyn Maurmeyer & In Memory of Natalie Moss X

Sandy Meagher & Kim Staton*

Jedediah Millard & Alex Reed

Sherril Moon & Lou Montgomery*

Margaret Moore & Sheree Mixell X

Pat Nickols*

Terry O’Bryan & Jack Musser

Donna Ohle & Susan Gaggiotti X

Judy Olsen & Joanne Kempton X

Carolyn Ortwein & Ann Barry*

Maggie Ottato X

Dotti Outland & Diane Mead X

Rutland Paal & Robert Mittleman*

Peninsula Gallery - Tony & Carol

Boyd-Heron*

Denny Pintello & Coke Farmer*

Frank Pirhalla

Stephen Pleskach & In Memory of Mark Owens X

Barbara Ralph X

Gene Roe X

Thomas Rose & Thomas Sechowicz X

Terri Ryan & Kerry Muldoon

Kate Sapio

Mark Saunders & Bob Thoman*

Troy Senter & Stacey Chan*

Scott Silber & Albert Drulis*

Polly Smale & In Memory of

Charlotte Reid*

David Smith & Kenn Williams*

Anita Smulyan & In Memory of

Samuel Smulyan*

Susan Soderberg & Terri King X

John Michael Sophos & Miss Dot

Sophos*

Diane Sozio & Patricia Hutchinson*

Lorraine Stanish & Beverly Miller*

Matthew Stensrud & Michael Cohen*

Pete Stoehr

Lenny Stumpf & John B. Pitchford*

Kaye Sullivan & Alexandra Fossi Armijo*

Kimberly A. Takacs

Diane Taylor & Cathy Forthuber

Barb Thomas & Colleen Harper

Thrasher’s French Fries*

Linda Tiano

Kenna Utt & Lauren Ghidotti

Lana Warfield & Pamela Notarangelo X

Michael Weinert X

Justin Weitz & Kevin Gray

Walter Welsh & Martin Thomas

Steven Wunder & Rod Hastie

Joanne Yurik*

John Zingo & Rick Johnson*

ORANGE

Dawn Alexander & W. Kerr Gracie*

James Apistolas & Christopher Galanty*

Romulus Barba & Dean Yanchulis*

Miriam Barton*

James Beal & In Memory of

David Van Patter*

Sue Becker & ME Wivel

Bea Birman & Mary Malgoire

Kathy Board & Jackie Maddalena*

Boland Family, In Memory of Michael J. Kelly*

Richard Bost & Thomas Moore*

Bill Briganti & Gary Moore*

Ronald Butt & Steve Cannon*

William Byron & Ali Lazur*

James Carfagno & David Szumski*

Deborah Carroll

Chris Coburn & Anne Kazak X

Mark Conheady*

Lois Cortese & Jill Stokes X

Carl Alan Cox & Darin Henderson

Kay Creech & Sharon Still*

Kathy Davison & Ruth Dickerson X

Ann De Blasi

Linda DeFeo X

J. Lynne Dement & Lisa J. Snyder*

Anne Denner & Nancy Maguire

Karen DeSantis & Carol Brice*

Romy Diaz & Dennis Bann*

Donna Dolce*

Kevin Doss & Arie Venema*

Arlyce Dubbin & Katie Heintz*

Lissa Dulany

Brenda Dunn & Karen Anderson*

Mary Dupont

Susan Eig & Ellen Schiff X

Jeanne Embich*

Peggy & Evie Englebert

Robin Esham

Maureen Ewadinger*

Ellen Feinberg & Lesley Rogan X

Paul Finn & Joseph Porporino*

Gary Fisher & Josh Bushey*

Patricia Fitzsimons

Otto & Ashley Foster

Continued on page 98

Deb Fox & In Memory of

Deb Bonneau*

Peter Garneau & Dennis Rodriguez

Kathleen Gilroy & Rosanne Marroletti*

Ron Glick & Tien Pham*

William Gluth & Channing Daniel*

Ed Gmoch*

Gail Gormley*

Joe Gottschall & Scott Woody*

Maryanne Graham

Debbie Grant & Carol Liewen*

Tracey & Erica Hellman*

Bill Hillegeist X

Vance Hudgins & Denny Marcotte*

John H. Hulse X

Janet Idema & Patricia Higgins*

Myra Kramer & John Hammett*

Rob & Jean Krapf X

Barbara Lang & Diane Grillo*

Jim Lawrence & Bob Palandrani

Jim Lesko*

Robb Mapou & Mike Zufall*

Marsha Mark & Judy Raynor*

Marie Martinucci & Pam Kozey*

James Mastoris & Edward Chamberlain X

Michael & Stephan Maybroda

Kevin McDonald & Sean McClafferty*

Liz McGovern & Judy Eckert

Tom Carlson & In Memory of Ray Michener*

Sandy Neverett & Pam Cranston X

Sandra Oropel & Linda Frese*

Sandra Pace & Barbara Passikoff X

Steve Parker*

Patricia Pawling & Jennifer Butz*

Colleen Perry & Jane Kuhfuss*

Joanne Picone & Kathy Bostedo*

Susan Reinagel & Dawn Henderson*

Judy Rosenstein & Elva Weininger X

Deborah & Charles Ross X

Michael Safina & Tim Bean

Katherine Sams*

Sheryl Schulte & Jeanne LaVigne*

Teri Seaton*

Frank Shockley & Arthur Henry*

Susan Shollenberger*

Guillermo Silveira

Tina Snapp & Susan Leathery*

Robert Stoltzfus & Gerald Warhola*

Terrence Sullivan*

Trudie Thompson & David Welch*

Lisa & Nikki Turgeon-Williams

James Vernicek & Jeff Dailey*

Joseph Vescio

Tama Viola*

Scott Wagner & John Sohonage*

Don Wainwright & Tom Jamison*

Paula Walker & Gayle Dumonceaux

Troy Watson & Dennis Wolfgang*

Don Wessel & In Memory of Donald Prol*

Ralph Wiest & Anthony Peraine*

Lynne Wilmer & Jeannie Marsh

Melanie Wolfe & Monica Niccolai*

Robert T. Wright & Jack Lim*

Sherri Wright & Dick Byrne*

Niki Zaldivar & Cecil McNeil X

Helaine Zinaman & Roselyn Abitbol X

Jim Affonco X

Mark Aguirre & Wayne Gleason X

C.J. Albro

Holly Alden X

Bill Alldredge X

Chris Allison

Stephani Allison & Judith Gorra X

Katherine Alteneder

Marge Amodei & Penni Hope*

Anthony Andalft & Marvin A. Lawson

Andrea Andrus & Maggie Shaw X

Peter Antolini X

Patricia Antonisse X

Cynthia Arno*

Gaileen Atchison

Diane Athanas

Dale Aultman & Paul Gibbs X

Auto Gallery - Bryan Hecksher X

Josh Bach & Edward Ginley

Kathleen Bailey X

Christine A. Baker

John Baker & Richard Latham X

Linda Balatti & Shirley Gilmer X

Lana Baldwin

Ruth Ball & Mary Ellen Jankowski*

Curtiss Barrows X

John Batchelor X

Deborah Bea*

Karen Beck*

Alex Belano & Ron Laxton

Bernice Bell & Susan Marney

George Benes & Michael Mallee X

Suzanne Bennethum & Deborah Smith*

Joe Benshetler & Kurt Angell

Jeri Berc X

John Berdini X

Abby Bernstein & Karen Frank X

Lisa Beske - In Loving Memory of Steve Elkins*

Christine Bielenda & Karen Feuchtenberger*

Thomas Biesiadny X

Debra Bievenour

John Billig

Lorraine Biros*

Cathin Bishop & Laura Simon X

Ann Black & Kaye Wachsmuth X

Eric Blondin - State Farm Insurance

Rehoboth Beach*

Betty Blue & Jill Stewart*

Jacquelyn Blue X

Rev. Dr. Tom Bohache & Tom Laughingwolf Simmons X

Annabelle Boire X

Carl Bomberger & Mike Rhoads*

Robin Bond & Leanna Johannes*

Joy Boone & Marina Simmers X

Randall Borgerson X

Susan Borke X

Lora Bottinelli

Nancy Bouse & Norma Morrison X

David & Donna Bowman X

Barb Boyer

Deni Boyer & Loretta Imbrogono*

Brian Boyle & Larry Gee X

Beth Bozman*

Jim Brady & Mike Hays X

John Brady & Charles Reeves X

Susan Brinsfield & Barbara Devenport*

Matty Brown

Tom Brown & In Memory of

James Lemly X

Erin Bryan

Carol Buck

Carol L. Burnett X

Timothy B. Bush X

Richard Buske & Shawn McHugh

James Byrnes X

Chris & Richard Cahill X

Ingrid Callmann & Karen Askins*

Leslie Calman & Jane Gruenebaum*

David Camorali

John Camp X

Cabrina Campbell & Kimberly Olson

John Campbell

Terri Campbell & Victoria Smith

Michele Campisi & Julie A. Slick X

Joe Canter

Jim Carlo X

Justine Carpenter X

Shirley Carpenter & Mary Coldren X

Lisa Carrol & Deb Dubois X

David Case & Ray Buckingham

Kathy Casey & Jean Burgess X

Jo Cason & Peggy Neidlinger*

Teresa Cason X

Maria Castillo*

Peggy Castle & Debbie Geismar

Sara Cavendish & Wendy Bunce X

Denis Chandler & Sebastion DiMauro

Linda Chaney & Irene Lawlor*

Ann Mei Chang

Helen Chang & Pat Avery*

Matthew Chapman

Dr. Harvey J. Chasser X

Dan Childers & Ted Hernandez*

Tom Childers & John Hall X

Sandra Chinchilla & Michelle

Holmes X

Dennis Chupella & In Memory of Rob White X

Norma K. Clark X

Rob Cline*

Barbara Clipper

Amy Clouse & Betty Long X

Julie Cockley

Gary Colangelo & Gerald Duvall X

Anne Cole & Sandra Freeman

Carolyn Cole X

Stuart Comstock-Gay X

Shelly Conaway

Inez Conover X

Sharon Conover

Bill Cooley & Ken Watkins DVM X

Josh Cooper & Steve Rathburn*

Jeffery A. Coover X

Edith Coppotelli & Joan Ciolko

E. Corbin

Amy J. Cormier & Alison C. Cormier

Michael Cornell X

Elissa Corrado

Mary Costa & Kris Nygaard*

Renate Costner

Richard Coyle

Becky & Tom Craft X

Wendy Cramer & Carolyn Baranowski*

Thomas Croce

Robert Crocetti X

Bill Cross & David McCall X

Judith Daleo

Carol Davidson

Jeff Davidson & Steve Yahn

Denise Davis & Jeanne Bilanin

Edward Davis & Robert Holloran

Graeme Davis*

Jeremiah Davis

Marsha Davis X

Mike Davis

Frederick Dean & Steven Swierzy X

Linda Dean & Donna Whiteside*

Penny Dean X

Scott Dechen & James Maino*

Michael Decker & Arley Jaimes X

Susan Deise & Jerri Budzinski*

Susan Delaney & In Memory of

Susan “Susie” Ball X

Delaware Valley Legacy Fund X

Bernie Delia X

Tracy Denton & Brenda Welsh

David DeVargas & Steven Champion X

Mary Devine

Dawn Devries & Helen Krum*

Lori Dewald

Henry & Marcia DeWitt X

Robert Diehl & Michael Palmer X

Daniel Digiorgio & John Edwards

Phyllis Dillinger*

Mary Dipietro & Wendy Schadt*

Deb Dobransky & Ketty Bennett*

Arthur Dochterman X

David & Lizann Dockety X

Peg Dolan & Mary McDevitt X

Frances Doyle X

Paul Dradransky X

Zita Dresner

Michael Driscoll & Ben McOmber X

Susan Dube & Diana Patterson*

Barry Dunkin*

Deborah Duran*

Gene Dvornick X

Paul Dwyer X

Sue Early X

Susan Ebbitt

AJ Eckman

Eden Restaurant X

Richard Egler

Laurene Hedrick Eheman & Deb

Hedrick

Gail Elliott & Bea Hickey*

Kay Ellis*

Lisa Evans & Joann Gusdanovic X

Jacqueline Everett & Vicki St. Germain

Jean Falise & Karen Belles

Bill Fanelli X

John Farley & Dennis Wilson X

Susan Farr & Joanne Pozzo*

Rene Fechter & Cynthia Smith*

Larry & Ro Fedorka*

William & Claudia Fenderson

Karen Ferguson*

Ginny Fessler & Chris Patton*

Irene & Edward Fick*

Ben Ficks & Bob Angell

Allen Fred Fielding X

Dorothy Filbert

Jerry Filbin*

Joe Filipek & Larry Richardson X

Mark S. Finkelstein & Michael Zeik X

Kathy Fitzgerald & Lisa Gourley

Kathy Fitzgerald & Alicia Mickenberg

Barbara Fitzpatrick & Denise Centinaro*

Keven Fitzsimmons & Jeff Stroud X

Chuck Flanagan X

Nan Flesher & In Memory of

Joie Rake X

Jason Flick & Timothy Jancel

Sandra Fluck & Bev Pasquarella*

Karen Folger

Mary Ford & Judy Hedrick X

Hildy Forman & Marsha McLaurin X

Tony Forrest & Glyn Edwards*

Jodi Foster & Caroline Pellicano

Joyce Foster & Maggie Bishop

Beebe Frazer X

Phil Fretz X

Neil Frock & Bob Harrison*

Marilyn Fuller & Teresa Marigliano*

Susanne Furman

Frank Gainer & Ramon Santos*

Cathy Gaiser

Lynn Gaites & Faye Koslow X

Rosalie Galante

Marcia Gallo & Ann Cammett*

Toni Gallo X

Karen Gantz & Jeanie Geist*

Kathryn Gantz & Kathryn Gehret*

Marvin Garcia

Alexis Gardner

Cheri Garnet

Dona Garofano & Janet Blaustein

Eugene Garone & John Moore

Ed Gasper

Mindy Gasthalter*

Wilson Gates X

Charles George & Dennis Rivard X

Gary Gillard X

Joan Glass X

Angela & Cheryl Glodowske*

Karen Glooch X

Jane Godfrey*

Jackie Goff & Mary Vogt X

Dave Gold & In Memory of James Yiaski X

Suzanne Goldstein & Dana Greenwald X

Milton Gordon & Bill Hromnak X

Teresa Gordy & Barb Ford X

Dan Goren & Peter Robinson X

Robert Gotwalt & Norman Jones*

Bill Graff & Jeff Schuck*

Lisa & Raymond Graff*

Joe Greenhall & Tom Klingler

Melissa & Betsy Gregory-Hosler

Richard Grifasi X

John Grillone & Paul Schlear, Jr. X

Joseph Gritz+

Wendy Grooms & Barbara Fishel X

Carol Gross X

James Gross X

Paula Grubbs X

Timothy Gualdoni X

Helene Guilfoy X

Renee Guillory & Melissa Vila-Guillory

Lori Guitson X

Bill Gunning & Joe Greoski X

Linda Haake & Holly Schneider

Laura I Hackell

Cynthia Hall X

Debora Brooke*

RED

Brenda Abell X

Guy Abernathey X

Dale Adams

Jennifer Broomfield & Dana

Broadway

Kevin Brown X

Ellenor Brown

Helene Cuadra

Mark Cunningham & Ken Tattersall X

Rich Custer*

Howard Cyr & Lynn Ashley*

Ellen Dahl*

Karen Finn X

Rick Fischer X

Barbara Fischetti & Janet Thoden*

Dennis Fitch & J. Michael Kearns X

Alyssa Fitzgerald

Barbara Hals & Sharon Dyke X

John Hardt

Mark Hare & Mike Newman X Continued on page

Fred Harke - In Memory of Robert Rougeau X

Kelley Harp X

Sue Claire Harper

David Harrer & Floyd S. Kanagy*

Mary Hartman & Laurie Nelson*

Jeff Haslow X

Janece Hausch*

Mary Diane Hausman

John & Mary Havrilla*

John Hawkins & Silvia Ritchie*

Nancy Hawpe*

Daniel F.C. Hayes*

Gail Hecky*

Linda Heisner X

David Herchik X

Fred Hertrich X

Howard Hicks & Stephen Carey X

Shelli & Barbara Hilbert

Helen Hilderbrandt

Jack Hills & Sal Belhacen X

Barbara Hines & Nancy Froome X

Howard C. Hines, MD X

Karen & Mickey Hinman

Janel Hino & Patricia Ann Scully X

David Hogue

Connie Holdridge*

Carol Holland - Holland Jewelers X

James & Edna Holsinger

Chris Holt & Emory Bevill X

Mollyne Honor & Shelley Garfield*

Larry Hooker X

George Hooper & Michael Davis*

Elaine Horan & Debbie Sciallo X

Frank Hornstein & Mark Henckel X

James Hospital & Jack Fraker*

Robert Hotes X

Corey Houlihan & Karen Abato*

Kaz Huston & Sylvia Daniels X

Ellan Hylton*

Batya Hyman & Belinda Cross*

Grant Ingalls

Thomas Ingold X

Chris Israel & John Stassi X

Geoffrey Jackson X

Fay Jacobs & Bonnie Quesenberry X

Sharon Janis X

Allen Jarmon & Ward Ellinger X

Robert Jasinski*

Mary Jenkins & Laura Reitman*

Susan Jimenez & Cathy Benson X

Tamara Jobe & Teresa Figgs X

Chip Johnson & In Memory of Joseph Lachac*

Deb Johnson

Derrick Johnson & Darryl Isom

Donna A. Johnson*

Richard Jolly & Charles Ingersoll X

Gay Jones & Barb Bartels*

Glenn Jones X

Sparky Jones*

Tom Jones X

Mick Kaczorowski X

Darleen Kahl & Susan Poteet*

Sharon Kanter & Cyndy Bennett*

Bob Kaplan & Jeff Davis X

Daphne Kaplan & Steve Scheffer*

Sharon Kaplan & Pamela Everett*

Carol Kashow

Dawn Kasow

Marilyn Kates & Laura Glenn*

Linda Kauffman & Deirdre Speck X

Peter Keeble & Tom Best*

John Kelly & Randy Sutphin X

Kevin Kelly & Samuel Stovall

John Kennedy*

Maryl Kerley X

Rosemary Kerwin & C Robinson

Ned Kesmodel & Matt Gaffney X

Tom Ketterman

Marge Keyes & Julie Arenstein X

Charlotte King*

Lloyd Kingswell & Frank Rogers X

Ruth Kloetzli & Lisa Scholl*

Tom Klotz & Noel Nazario

Jane Knaus*

Russell Koerwer & Stephen Schreiber X

Kathleen Kombacher

John Kort & Hung Lai*

Robert Kovalcik & Bob Howard X

Marcia Kratz*

Karen Kreiser & Beth Nevill*

Barbara Kutsmeda

Karen Laitman

Cheryl Landry

Peter Lanzaro & Frank Bodsford X

Gail Larabee & Lynne Butcher

Dr. Mathilda Laschenski & Dr. Kathleen Heacock X

Mary Jo & Rachel Lauer

Kate Lavelle X

Kathleen Law

Leah VanLaanen Beauty

Vanita Leatherwood

Edmund LeFevre & Keith Wiggs X

Marcia Leighton

Lisa Lekawa & Lori Guitson

Lierra Lenhard & Enid Feinberg

Charles & Matthew Lentz

Jen Leonard & Claire McCracken*

Jeri Leonard

Christine Leslie & Mary Leslie*

Cecelia & Robert Leto

Joshua Levengood

Nancy Levenson

Jodi Levine & Lucy Jones

Marsha Levine & Susan Hamadock X

Arlene & Ginny Levy-Balmforth

Barbara Lewis

Barbara Lilien*

Alexander Lincoln

Cindy & Diane Lisehora-Lins

Kim & Liz Lokhard

Christine Lopez & Georgia Hammond

Jessica Love

Cynthia Lowe & Rae von Doehren*

Debbie Lupton & Ramona Dobbs*

Joyce Lussier X

B Tina Maddox & Susan Green

Jim Madgey & Ted Bywalski

Joseph Maggio X

Jack Maher X

Barbara Mahoney

Amanda Mahony & Alex Albanese

Eddie Major X

Bruce Majors X

Marcia Maldeis & Stan Mills X

Scott Mallan & E.B. Easter

Harvey Manchester X

Michelle Manfredi

Domenic Mannello X

Stephanie Manos & Reber Whitner X

Stephen Manos & Greg Burton X

Stephen Marana Jr.

Kathi Marek & Mary Seminara

Dee Marlin

Harold Marmon & Robert Hill*

Michelle Marsh

Shelly Marsh & Barb Sann

Norma Martin X

Nan Martino*

John Matthews & Nick Polcini*

Eric Matuszak X

Mary Maxey & Barbara Brewer X

Marie Mayor & Sharon Harris X

Donna McCabe & In Memory of Mac Ignacio X

Marcia McCollum

Kathleen McCormick & Elizabeth

Fish X

Gwynne McDevitt X

Mary McElhone & Nancy Kaiser X

Thomas McGlone X

Sarah McGovern & Debbie Pierce

Kathy & Steve McGuiness X

Anita McMullin

Joseph McNally & Terry Jones X

Chuck McSweeney & Michael Clay X

Jim & Bruce McVey-Back*

Buck Melton X

Howard Menaker & Patrick Gossett X

Jamie Middelton*

Dr. Phyllis J. Mihalas X

Sharon Miken*

Alicia Miller & Shawn Noel**

Bruce R. Miller & Dean D. LaVigne X

Marilyn Miller & Candice Zientek*

Marvin Miller & Dan Kyle X

Robin Miller

Shelly Miller & Lida Frankel

Todd A. Miller & Michele Frame X

Doreen Millon & Julie Boughn*

Linda Miniscalco & Jeanne Drake*

Martha Monell

Sue Monismith X

Teri Moore & Barb Kulbaba*

Todd Moore & David Coccagna

Mary Morgan X

Meg Morgan & Susan Lynham X

Pearl Morris*

Jack Morrison & Bob Dobbs*

Joan Moses & Janine Davidson*

Barry Moshinski & Robert Ponzini

Andrew K. Moss & Richard Blevins X

Barbara Moulton & Susan Huber

Jeanne Mueller

Brent Mundt X

Mary Murdoch & In Memory of Lois Corson X

Joanie Murphy

Lisa Murphy

Marie Murray & Deb Ward X

Cynthia Myers*

Denise Myers

Taniea Myles & Bea Canal

Marc Nasberg & Howard R. Nelson X

Noelle Navarro

Cindy Necaise & Debbie Cole X

Karen Neelans

John Neff

Darrell Netherton & Robert Wheeler X

James Newkirk & Leon Wilkowsky*

Janet Newkirk X

Arletta Nicholl & Mary Anderson*

Scott Nickle*

Konrad Noebel, MCAT, LMT & Brian Cox*

Janet Nosal X

Richard O’Malley X

Missy Orlando & Patty Violini X

Jeffrey & Lisa Osias X

Kathy Osterholm*

Randy Overbaugh X

Sharon Owens & Doreen Halbruner*

Sally Packard & Dinah Reath X

Jennifer Padula

Christopher Pajak

Bud Palmer X

Fran Panzo & Karen Groething

Stephen Pape & Jerry Clark*

Monica Parr X

Ellen Passman X

Marilyn Pate & Dorothy Smith*

Peggy & Ron Paterson X

Carol Patterson & Carol Hughes X

Mary Paul X

Daniel Payne

Chris Pedersen & In Memory of Rob Florentino X

Michelle Peeling & Wendy Adams*

Kevin Pelland

Roy Perdue X

Al Perez & Gary Kraft*

Deena Pers X

Grace Pesikey & Janet Urdahl*

Don Peterson & Jeff Richman X

Eric Peterson X

Beth Petitte

PFLAG-Rehoboth Beach*

Cynthia Phillips

Peggy Phillips & Norma McGrady*

Beth Pile & S.A. White X

Frank Pileggi & Jon Blackman X

Mark Pipkin & Karl Zoric X

Peter Pizzolongo & Carlos Prugue*

Terry Plowman X

The Pond X

Alynda Ponder & Louann Pope

Trudy Portewig & Luanne Schinzel*

Linda Porto & Linda Tobin

Roni Posner X

Sue Potts & Karen Kohn X

Jim Pressler X

Timothy Price & Gerard Sealy X

Sam Profeta X

Jana Puffenberger

Joseph Purdy & Anthony Pontorno*

Julie Pusey

Deborah Qualey & Karen Gustafson X

Jean Rabian & Ralph Hackett X

Mary Rakosky

Elaine Raksis & Maxine Klane*

Rob Ramoy X

Bob & Mary Beth Ramsey X

Linda Rancourt & M. Sue Sandmeyer*

Julie Rasmussen & LeAnn Erickson

Lewis Rathbone*

Julie Rathman & Sandra Eagles

Nancy Ratner & Linda Feinman

Carole Redman*

Janet Redman X

Carolyn Redmon & Nancy Allen*

Randy Reed X

Peter S. Reichertz X

Ken Reilly & Tony Ghigi X

Virginia Reime & Gene Tadlock*

Jeff Reinhart & Jack Miller*

Pat Renninger & Tammy Plumley X

Thomas Resh & Jeffrey Meyers X

Judith Retchin & Elyse Wander X

Judith Rhodes & Martha Hughes

Gloria Richards*

Marion Ridley & Mark Lundy X

Mary Jo Tarallo & In Memory of

Linda Rikard

Keith & John Riley-Spillane X

Joel Robbins & Michael Linder X

Wm Paul Robbins & Gary D. Ralph*

Sandy Roberts X

Valerie Roberts & Nohemi Sanchez

Rob Robertson & Carlos Taylor X

Craig Rocklin X

Tim Rodden & Randy Clayton X

John & Susan Roehmer*

Lauren Romig X

Debbie Ronemus & Peggy Sander*

Ed Rose & Sandra Robbins X

Peter Rosenstein X

Larry L. Ross X

Mary Rossettini & Kathleen Taylor*

Ellen & Terry Roth Perreault X

Ski Rowland & Gary Mosher X

Joan Rubenstein X

Gail Ruffins

Pamela Rule

Herbert Russell*

John Sabo & Alan Harmon X

Kelly Sabol & Erin Reid*

Marguerite Sagatelian & Joy Legreid

Steve Sage & Thom Swiger X

Nancy & Joe Sakaduski*

Debra Sansoucie

Richard Scalenghe & Thomas Panetta*

Maria Scannapieco & Kris Painter

Gary Schell & Jim DiRago*

Carol Scherling

Nancy Schindler & Eric Youngdale

Michael Schlechter & Kevin Sharp X

Rosemarie Schmidt & Carolyn Horn X

Sharon Schmitt*

Jaime Schneider & Glenn Randall X

Melissa Schooler

Peter Schott & Jeffrey Davis*

Carol Schwartz & Robert D. Tyler X

Craig Schwartz X

Diane Schwarz

John Scotti & Greg Landers*

David Scuccimarra & Dorothy Fedorka*

Shirley Semple*

Paul Seyfert

Michael Shaffer & Benjamin Wilson X

Dale Sheldon & Pat Coluzzi X

Banner Sheppard & Marlin Hubler

Kelly Sheridan*

George Shevlin & Jack Suwanlert*

Donna Shifflett & Kay Young

Jeanette Shimkus & Trinnu Onton

Patti & Tom Shreeve X

Frank Silverio X

Darren Silvis

Linda Simeone & Belinda Buras*

Karon Simmonds & Andrea Levick

Terry Simon*

Carol Sink

Melody Siska & Jana Bazzoli

Cheryl Siskin

Sandra Skidmore X

Ken Skrzesz X

Jeffrey Slavin X

Kim Smitas & Peg Wilfong*

Anne Smith & Lisa Taylor

Carol Smith*

Harlan Joe Smith & Dustin Abshire*

Kelly Smith

Maureen Keenan & Teri Dunbar X

Donald Kelly*

Diane Markey*

Christa Marks & Lisa Koenigsberg

Robert Nowak & David Bergman X

James O’Malley X

Sherri Richman

Patricia Ridge*

Leonard Smith X

Continued on page

Meg Smith & Nancy DeToma

Bob Smith & In Memory of Jeff Voesack

Kathleen & Teri Smith-Jones X Rich Snell X

Claire Snyder-Hall & Mikki Snyder*

Sandra Sommerfield & Cindy Scott X

Jim Spellman X

Darlene St. Peter & Fran Rachles X

Tom & Wave Starnes X

Christy Steer X

Frank Sterner & William Meyer X

Shelley Stevens & Joanne Locke

Kimberly Stevenson

Libby Stiff & Bea Wagner X

Russell & Patricia Stiles*

Terry Stinson*

Caroline Stites & Elizabeth Coit X

Tracy Stith & Laura McCarthy*

Kyle Stokes

Dr. Frederick C. Stoner*

Jeffrey Straub

Christine Strauss X

Lois Strauss X

Joy Strieby

Susan Stringfield & Carol Taylor*

Jackie Sullivan & Sharon Padbury

Trish Sullivan & Sandy Hudson

Emma Swatman & Kim Migliore

John Swift & Ron Bowman X

Tracy Szczepaniak & Kathy Knopf

Melanie Szvitichecky Lyons & Ebie

Hamrick X

Gail Tannenbaum & Wendy Walker*

Cheryl Tarlecky & In Memory of Bernadette Maher*

Ronald Tate & Jacob Schiavo X

Jody Tavss & Helaine Harris X

Susan & Jill Taylor

Micaela Tedford X

David Thomas & David Tiburzio X

Barb Thompson X

Samantha Thompson & Luca Sorrell

Thomas Tibbetts X

Otto F. Tidwell X

Felice Tilin, PhD & Trudi Sippola

Cassandra Toroian X

Manny Tortosa X

Steve Touzell & Marshall Scott Beadle

Cheryll & Bill Trefzger*

Jan Tricarico

Roz Troupin & Mary Harris X

Lindsay Trout

Patricia Truitt*

Matt Turlinski & Jerry Sipes X

Ed Turner & Steve Baker X

Lisa Tusick

Judy Twell & Cheri Himmelheber*

Kevin Ussery

Donna Valla*

Richard Van Berkel & Bruce Karp X

Debra Van Dyke*

Jennifer Varone*

V. James Villareale & In Memory of Dale Ebert*

Gail Vitale & Carmen Garrett*

Frank Vitrano X

Beverly Vogt & Waneeta Mack X

Darcy Vollero

Patrick Wadsworth & Mike Converse X

Marianne Walch X

Rose Walker

David Wall & Robert Houck*

Kenneth E. Walz & Robert G. Ward, Jr. X

Garold Wampler X

Michael E. Ward X

Marilyn Warmerdam

Robert Warmkessel X

Sharyn Warwick X

Ellen Watkins X

Deborah Waxman & Christina Ager

Debbie Webber & Terry McQuaid*

Cal Weible & Daniel Halvorsen X

Sue Weimer & Neilson Himelein X

Paul Weppner

Becky Wessel

Donna West

Pat West & Zip Warmerdam

Judy Wetzel*

Liz Wheeler & Ruth Morse X

Chris White

Steve White X

Thomas White & Robert Freeman X

Steven Wildasin

Bruce Williams & Geoffrey Burkhart*

Diane & Ken Williams

Edward Williams*

Jim Williams*

Rich Williams X

Donna L. Wilson & Laurie R. Levin X

Sue Wilson

David Wolanski*

Max Wolf X

Carol Woodcock & Carol Lewis*

Jon Worthington & Bryan Houlette X

Leonard Woynoski*

Chi Wu

Marjorie Wuestner & Catherine Balsley*

Mary Yarossi

Alexander G. Yearley X

Linda Yingst*

Vickie York X

James Zeigler & In Memory of Sam Deetz*

Larry Zeigler X

Lisa Zimmerman X

PINK (YOUNG ADULT)

Jerdahn Campbell

Carson McClung

X Founders’ Circle

* Members five years or more

Names in bold are new or upgraded members as of 08/07/2025

Founders’ Circle designation has been added to our Membership roster. Please send kudos, questions, or listing updates to membership@camprehoboth.com.

RAINBOW MEMBERS RECEIVE:

• Basic Membership Package

CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERSHIP

- Advance ticket sales to CAMP Rehoboth events

- Recognition in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth

- Rainbow Member window cling(s)

- Weekly “What’s Happening at CAMP” email

• Discount on CAMP Rehoboth Event Tickets for Levels Green and above (as noted)

• Free Health Screenings, Counseling Services, and Support Groups

• Youth, Adult and Senior Programs, Services and Outreach

• The satisfaction of knowing you are helping others!

PAY ANNUALLY or MONTHLY

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

INDIGO LEVEL ☐ $1200 annual or ☐ $100 monthly

+ 20% ticket discount

BLUE LEVEL ☐ $900 annual or ☐ $75 monthly

+ 15% ticket discount

GREEN LEVEL ☐ $600 annual or ☐

NAME PARTNER/SPOUSE NAME

EMAIL 1 CELL 1

EMAIL 2 CELL 2

HOME PHONE

☐ Enclosed is my check payable to CAMP Rehoboth for the full annual amount.

☐ Please charge my Recurring Monthly or Annual Membership fee to:

CREDIT CARD NUMBER

SIGNATURE DATE

CORPORATE MATCHING

EMAIL PHONE NUMBER EXPECTED

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 73)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at The Pines: Adam Schmidt, Scott Kalkowsky, Stacey Shepard, Wayne Williamson, Cary Chavis, Derek Johnson, Carolyn Rooney, Scott Brinitzer, Adam Gottesteld, Evan Hrivnak, Rick Perry, Conor Miller, RB

Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski, Victor Diaz; 2) at CAMP Rehoboth Women’s Golf League: Joanie Murphy, Sharin Conover, Tama Viola, Nan Martino, Claire McCracken, Rina Pellegrini, Tracy Szcepaniak.

OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Murray Archibald’s HEARTworks Opening Reception at Gallery 50: Laurie Thompson, Lisa Rosenberger, Murray Archibald, Mary Beth Ramsey, Triinu Shimkus, Rolando Rivas-Camp, John James, Jeanette Shimkus, Charlie Brown, Rod Cook, Carla Burton, Marj Shannon, Brandon Greene, Kevin Archibald, Steve Hoult, Rick Bane, Vicki Gordy-Stith, Jennifer Eden, Ron Childress, Sondra Arkin, Ward Ellinger, Anthony Alba, Steven Damato, Conrad Welch, Jerry Gallucci.

(More CAMPshots page 106)

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 105)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Brand g Reception for Meghan Murphy: Larry Richardson, Meghan Murphy, Joe Filpek, Mike Mumford, Matty Brown, John Hackett, Tom Newton, Joe Petrone, Shawn Evans, Gordon Tanner, Robert Patlan, RB Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski, Victor Diaz, Wes Combs, Greg Albright, Marvin Miller, Jason Lambert, Blair Cappuccio, Joe Coates, Sam Steward, Jason Abella; 2) at Freddie’s Beach Bar: Angel Davis, Brandon Degnon, Austin Mistrot, Wendy Abbott, Erin Townsly; OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Blue Moon: Chris Beagle, Eric Englehart, Nicolas King, Nate Buccieri, Katt Phillips, Guillermo Montalvo, Lowell Scott, John Wallden, Rod Hastie, Nate Menard, Steve Wunder, Preston Watkins, Pat West, Phillip Cross, Dan Slagle, Angie Scott, David Mariner, Joe Sterner, Randy Haney, Meghan Murphy, Tim Ragan; 4) Dine and Donate Mingo at Palm Beach Bar and Grill: Debbie Woods, Jack Travis, Laurie Thompson, Sophie Wagner, Leslie Sinclair, Chris Ligation, Wendy Schadt, Mary Di Pietro, Barb Thompson.

(More CAMPshots page 112)

More Than a Crown

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Murray Hill Fights for Drag Kings to Be Seen

If you’ve spent any time around queer performance, alt-cabaret, or downtown New York City nightlife over the past few decades, chances are you’ve come across Murray Hill—the iconic drag king, comedian, actor, emcee, and now TV host, known for his razor-sharp wit and impeccably tailored suits. A true drag trail-

blazer, Hill has been commanding stages since the 1990s with his signature mix of old-school vaudeville, gender-bending brilliance, and biting satire.

Audiences might recognize Hill from his scene-stealing role as Fred Rococo in HBO’s tender found-family drama Somebody Somewhere, or touring with legends like Le Tigre and Somebody co-

star Bridget Everett. In 2022, he starred in Amy Schumer’s comedy-drama Life & Beth, then hosted the 2023 Hulu comedy competition Drag Me to Dinner, which saw teams of successful drag queens go head-to-head to throw the most fabulous, drag-inspired dinner parties of all time.

Most recently, he’s the host of Revry’s The King of Drag, the first-ever reality competition series focused entirely on drag kings—giving long-overdue visibility to trans masc and nonbinary performers in drag. In a moment when drag and LGBTQ+ rights are increasingly politicized, Hill is helping carve out spaces where drag kings can be seen and celebrated on their own terms.

Recently, Hill opened up about the fight to bring King of Drag to TV, embracing trans visibility, rejecting cattiness in drag culture, and why, for him, it’s never been about the crown—it’s always been about the community.

CHRIS AZZOPARDI: How are you surviving this challenging political era and also, at the same time, killing it?

MURRAY HILL: I really don't have a choice, especially as an elder. I'm still recovering from Sunday night, honestly. I just started seeing some of the photos from Sunday night’s finale of King of Drag, with most of the kings and the winner's first performance as the king of drag. It was something I personally needed, but so did all the kings and the community, and I'm telling you, it was a love fest.

CA: You all leaned so hard into creating such a joyful experience during a traumatic political era.

MH: That's what gay people have done to survive forever. We can wallow or we could just show each other what community means and take care of each other, have a safe space, and then go out and keep fighting.

CA: Tell me about a moment from the show that truly embodies that spirit of perseverance for you.

MH: I've always believed that there will be the “hate voices.” The only thing

So, to me, comedy and camp have always been a specific choice to disarm people and let everyone know that we're all the same.

that's different is that they're louder. And I think when this administration tries to isolate us, tries to erase us, tries to divide us, it's very easy to get in that frame of mind because if you're only looking at social media, if you're only looking at the news, all you hear is hate, hate, hate, hate. And I really do believe that there's more good than hate; it’s just that hate’s the loudest.

So, when I see the King of Drag show, the actual TV show, the six episodes, and then the show from Sunday night, with 500 people in there—so loud with joy and love—it felt like everyone in that audience, including the kings and me, were so desperate to feel safe. So because of social media and the way our society is right now, we're not always gathering in such strong numbers. And the only time that we do is for a protest. So this wasn't a protest, it was a celebration. It kind of recharged my hope, which I needed, and I know a lot of the kings

and the audience felt seen and accepted, and they were desperate for that.

CA: This is a great reminder to gather not just to protest, but also to be together and show love to each other.

MH: Well, and also the C word: Community. There's been a lot of feedback about the show saying it's not catty. The contestants weren't bringing each other down, trash talking; they liked each other.

CA: It almost felt British, honestly.

MH: Well, I wanted The Great British Bake Off version of a drag king show.

CA: Did you want it to feel more lighthearted and warm than RuPaul’s Drag Race?

MH: Well, first of all, the drag queen and the drag king scene, it's apples and oranges, right? It's not a catty environment; it's just different. I think my philosophy, which is not everybody's, is that things are hard enough. This community is already disenfranchised and underrep-

resented. So, they're not going to battle each other because they're just trying to fight to survive and to fight for representation. So it's not like, “I'm going to win. I'm the best.” It's like, we need this. I think everybody understood that the competition aspect of the show is entertainment.

CA: I noticed there wasn’t a strong sense of one being pitted against the other.

MH: Because why do that? There's plenty of that in the world. And I think when I read comments—and they were very similar comments on Reddit and socials regarding Somebody Somewhere—they were about showing authenticity, kindness, and three-dimensional characters. It wasn't just the artifice of drag. You really learned about the whole person.

CA: The casting was open to trans masc people, cis women, drag of all kinds. How does that reflect how drag has evolved and where drag might be heading?

MH: I think that's something that's unique to our show too—that we really did, and I was part of the casting, to make a point to try to represent as many different types of drag as possible. I am an old timer; I started in the ’90s. And to watch the show and see, first of all, anybody, any drag person, talking about their art, their history and how it impacted them, and the vulnerability that the kings showed and the trans men, I was blown away as an old timer. This is going to sound crazy, but people didn't say transgender when I was starting for the first 15 years. So to see these guys embracing their transness, and we all accepted them, it was beautiful.

CA: Comedy can be disarming, and drag is often rooted in humor. How do you think that humor helps bridge the divide?

MH: You said disarming. When I was a kid, I grew up in a religious-right, Catholic household. I can't even say people were homophobic and transphobic. They were just phobic of anyone who was different. So back then, I would say around sixth grade, I was made fun of a lot. I looked like a boy and I've always had a big personality, but I had developed a sense of humor to survive elementary school, junior high school, and high school.

Queer people from the beginning of time have used humor to deal with really difficult stuff.

I say in my act, you can't hate and laugh at the same time. It's physically impossible. So, to me, comedy and camp have always been a specific choice to disarm people and let everyone know that we're all the same. And I always lead with the heart, and with Fred on Somebody Somewhere, that was the same thing. I really led with that. And people see that first, rather than saying, “Oh, there's the trans person. I'm scared. I hate you.” I think for me, it's just been a huge part of my career and my life strategy. And I think I tried to bring that to King of Drag, too. It makes everything accessible to everybody.

CA: That makes me think of what you said when you opened the show: “Ladies and gentlemen…and I can say that again, since there are only two genders now, and I'm both of them.” Why did that feel like the perfect opening?

MH: Well, because it's saying we know what's going on. We know it's absurd and baseless and divisive. Queer people from the beginning of time have used humor to deal with really difficult stuff. A joke like that everyone gets. It points out the ludicrousness of it, and then we all come together and laugh at how stupid it is.

CA: You mentioned Fred on Somebody Somewhere, which just ended with its third season. I’m going to miss it. With Fred, was it refreshing to play a character who wasn't really performing gender, but just living it?

MH: Well, it’s pretty much the first time ever that a trans guy got to be, first of all, a regular character and did get to just be himself. I think the character is based on me because I've been friends with Bridget [Everett] for 20 plus years, and I think she's always known my struggle: I never want people to say, “Murray Hill, trans, queer…blah, blah.” I just want to be Murray Hill.

They really adopted that with Fred and how it's written, because that's how trans people live. I just talk with the person at the coffee shop, and I have two

little nephews I play with and babysit. I'm living in the world, and my whole life isn't about being trans. I want to live just the way you do. That's my thing.

CA: What would East Village-era Murray—fresh into drag, still building something out of nothing—say if he saw where you are now?

MH: Well, I would've said, I'm glad you didn't give up. And that's what I tell the young kids. I think a lot of people just see what’s on social media. It's the optics, right? But believe me when I tell you, I have been rejected and shut out for 25 years, still today. So, what people see is the resilience to that. They don't see the hardship, but they see what happens when you stay the course. You keep getting out there in mainstream spaces and in the face of hate and discrimination. ▼

Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, including Cher, Meryl Streep, Mariah Carey and Beyoncé. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via Twitter @chrisazzopardi. More Than a Crown Continued from page 109

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 107)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Diego’s: Tim Murray, Joe Matassino, Robin Rohr, Pamela Stanley, Holly Lane, Bryan Houlette, Karl Hornberger, Joe Zuber, Octaves Falcon Rosales, Darryl Ciarlante, Frank Del Campo, Ken Davies, Bob Lane, Norman Hunt, Paul Frene, Michael Beigay, David Reedy, Robert Bellman, John McLaughlin, Paul Bonk, Ken Knecht; 2) at Purple Parrot: Mark Kozeal, Jik Connolly, Brandon Waggoner, Chuck McSweeney, Mark Lloyd, Goran Alanovic, Michael Clay; 3) at Aqua: Jeremy Blacklow, Jim Cross, Bruce Namerow, Mark Aguirre, Wayne Gleason.

OPPOSITE PAGE 4) at Aqua: Roddy Flynn, DE Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Mark Purpura, Dwayne Bensing, Matty Pesejky, Cody Barron, Daniel Lucero, Gary Mosher, Brad Boswell, Ski Rowland, Dan Hicks, Kevin O’Brien, John McCall, Tom Swegle, Scott Tazbin, Michael Fishman, Jeff Coover, Jaya Madala, Jim Katsaounis, Matt Blocher; 5) at Poodle Beach: Bruce Bodie, Gino Cardinale, Gary Seidan, Wes Combs, Greg Albright, Brian Helsdon, Sam Gambino, Robert Simspon, Mat Gulick, Jeff Raver, Omar Mateus, Jon Kaplan, Steve Chaby. ▼

We Remember

Robert James (RJ) Willoughby Jr.

Robert James (RJ) Willoughby Jr., 63, entered into the light at home surrounded by loved ones Saturday, July 12, 2025, in Lewes.

He was the son of the late Robert and Myrna Willoughby. He was also predeceased by his nephews, Jason Sweeney and Cody Hopkins. He is survived by his husband of 24 years, Danny Slagle; his sisters, Sheri Sweeney (George), Wendy McVicker, and Lori Hopkins (Bill); stepdaughter, Lindsay Haines; grandson, Mason Johnston; and many nieces, nephews, and friends.

RJ was known for his flashy drum major performances as a graduate of Ridley High School. This led to his love and passion for Drum Corps

International, for which he was a member of the Crossmen. He had many interests, which included gardening, sports, dancing with the DC Cowboys, biking, running marathons, trips to the mountains, Penn State and Eagles football, horseback riding, and weekly gatherings with friends to enjoy RuPaul’s Drag Race

But he was at his happiest in the kitchen. He was a self-taught pastry chef when he opened his bakery in the ‘80s. He relocated to Delaware in 1998, where he discovered his true passion for the culinary arts industry. He taught at Laurel High School as the culinary teacher, where he immersed himself in sharing his knowledge and skills with his students. Due to his

Harmon (Lucky) Young

Harmon Young, 92, better known as Lucky, passed away July 11, 2025. He was born on September 3, 1933.

Lucky was a Navy veteran and a member of the Legion, Eagles, and Masonic Lodge.

He owned a property (#5) next to one of the oldest gay bars in North Bethany, which was called the Nomad Village. The house that he owned, along with his partner of 60+ years, Robert Foot, was a pink house, but he used to call it Fiesta Rose.

Lucky used to pal around with his friend Michael Fortna and they would often come into Rehoboth to several bars in the area and mingle with the rest of the crowd. They made many friends and Lucky has been a longtime resident of the area. We will miss him. ▼

guidance and encouragement, many of his students have chosen to follow in his footsteps. RJ’s final journey was being the catering chef for the nonprofit Children’s Beach House in Lewes.

RJ will be remembered for his smile, wit, positive attitude, love of Breyers ice cream, joy of life, compassion for mankind, giving his honest opinion, and enjoying a glass of the finest bourbon around the fire with family and friends.

A Celebration of Life was July 19 at Children’s Beach House. Anyone wishing to make a donation in RJ’s memory is asked to direct that to Children’s Beach House, 1800 Bay Avenue, Lewes, Delaware 19958. ▼

Sandra (Sandy) L. Roberts

Sandra (Sandy) L. Roberts, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, passed away on July 25, 2025, at the age of 75. Sandy was born in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1950. She graduated from West Chester University with a master’s degree in education. After several years of teaching health education, Sandy transitioned into the health and medical field as a hospital care representative. Sandy later worked in the pharmaceutical field, from which she retired as a pharmaceutical sales representative.

Sandy enjoyed traveling, golf, spending time with family and friends, and the companionship of her beloved pets. She had a beautiful smile and a generous nature, ensuring that she was beloved by many in her outsized circle of friends. She always made sure that everyone she encountered was welcome and did not feel like a stranger.

Sandy was preceded in death by her parents, Nelson Roberts and Audrey (Work) Roberts; her brother, Barry Roberts; and her long-term partner, Deirdra Duddy. Sandy is survived by her cousin, Zach Wilson, and Zach’s wife, Amy, of Landenberg, Pennsylvania, and their children, Karly and Zachary.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 28, from 2:00-4:00 p.m., at Baywood Greens, 32267 Clubhouse Way, Millsboro, Delaware.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Delaware SPCA or the nonprofit of your choice in Sandy’s name. ▼

(puzzle on page 76)

Subscribe today.

Don’t miss a thing. 11 issues of LETTERS from CAMP Rehoboth by first class mail.

PARTNER’S NAME ( IF APPLICABLE) STREET MAILING ADDRESS

CAMP Rehoboth Volunteer Opportunities

To all the CAMP Rehoboth Volunteers for the period: July 12-August 8, 2025

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. YOUR NAME

SUNFESTIVAL 2025 | VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Join us as a volunteer for SUNFESTIVAL, CAMP Rehoboth’s fabulous Labor Day weekend extravaganza! Your time and energy help make this incredible event possible and support vital LGBTQ+ programs and services. Be part of the celebration and the impact!

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.

Sign up at camprehoboth.org/volunteers.

Your volunteer efforts benefit you and others. — PLEASE VISIT — camprehoboth.org/volunteers to register as a volunteer and to sign up for available opportunities.

THANK YOU

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

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

CAMP THEATRE: THE BENEFITS OF AGING… UNCENSORED

Rick Buske

Lissa Dulany

Shawn McHugh

Kat Takacs

CAMPCIERGES

Joe Benshetler

Ken Currier

Peter Keeble

Jim Mease

Jean Metzar

Kim Nelson

Pamela Rule

Patricia Stiles

Russell Stiles

Joe Vescio

CAMPSAFE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING

Dick Hospital

E.J. Kenyon

Joe Vescio

CAMPSHOTS PHOTO

VOLUNTEERS

G Michael Beigay

Tony Burns

DEVELOPMENT TEAM

Jane Blue

Pat Catanzariti

Wes Combs

Mike DeFlavia

Will Freshwater

Amanda Mahony Albanese

LETTERS DISTRIBUTION TEAM

Jim Mease

LETTERS MAILING TEAM

Nancy Hewish

Joanne Yurik

LETTERS PROOFING

Barb Ralph

REHOBOTH BEACH PRIDE

Christopher Maddox

Laurie Zeitlin

THIS MONTH IN QUEER HISTORY

Beth Shockley

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Madelyn Jablon

Marce McCollum-

Martin

Jim Mease

Kim Nelson

Rina Pellegrini

John Michael

Sophos

Joe Vescio

WAVES OF LIGHT: REHOBOTH OPEN HOUSE

Charles Vandergrift

AD INDEX

CAMP

CAMP

CAMP

CAMP

CAMP

OAKWOOD VILLAGE - Lewes. 2023 4BR/2BA is 1,887sf. Open concept. Bamboo floors. Granite & SS in the kitchen. ¼ acre. Community pool. 8 miles to Lewes public beach. $499,900 (2081788)

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. $360,000 (2085536)

REHOBOTH BAY - Rehoboth. 2019 “like new” 3BR/2BA. Open floor plan. Great kitchen! LVP throughout. Pool. Marina. 6.5 miles to beach. $229,500 (2090642) Lot Rent $913/mt.

THE PLANTATIONS - Lewes. Private elevator in this 1998 3BR/2BA condo. Garage w/220v EV outlet. 1,500sf + 200sf L-shaped enclosed porch. 5 miles to the beach! $435,000 (2088132)

SILVER VIEW FARMRehoboth. 2010 3BR/2BA is 1,624sf with large front sunroom. Screened porch. Shed. Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $225,000 (2081354) Lot Rent $723/mt.

FAIRFIELD AT LONG NECKMillsboro. 2004 3BR/2.5BA. Oversized garage. Patio + screened & open balcony. Furnished. Community pool. 15 miles to RB boardwalk. $299,900 (2084876)

SILVER VIEW FARMRehoboth. 2012 4BR/2BA is 1,624sf w/family room. Furniture negotiable. Shed. Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $300,000 (2081216) Lot Rent $723/mt.

REHOBOTH BAY - Rehoboth. 1979 3BR/2BA was fully remodeled in 2018. 1,030sf with the 4-season addition Pool. Marina. 6.5 miles to beach. $155,000 (2085884) Lot Rent $734/mt.

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. $229,900 (2083398) SHAWN’S HIDEAWAYMillsboro. Remodeled 1973 3BR/1BA. 1,100 sq. ft. Turnkey. Wrap-around deck. Shed. Marina community. $129,900 (2064756) Lot Rent $485/mt. includes water.

SEA AIR - Rehoboth. 2013 RV w/main BR & 2 sleep sofas (sleeps 6). Nice! Big LV. Community pool & 3 miles to beach.

$32,900 (2073114) Seasonal 4/15-11/15 - $5,870 Lot Rent

SILVER VIEW FARMRehoboth. 1983 2BR/1BA remodeled in 2023! SS kit appliances w/granite. LVP. Shed. Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $115,000 (2092564) Lot Rent $723/mt.

CAMELOT MEADOWS - Rehoboth. 1976 2BR/2BA has deck & screened porch w/skylight. Ready today! Community pool. 4 miles to beach. $72,500 (2084706) Lot Rent $1,080/mt.

COLONIAL EAST - Rehoboth Beach. 2019 3BR/2BA features the “ultimate kit” & main BR “super bath” upgrades + more! 4 miles to Rehoboth or Lewes beach. $299,900 (2091602) LotRent $896/mt.

CAMELOT MEADOWS - Rehoboth. 1974 2BR/2BA has patio & enclosed porch Fully furnished & offered AS IS. Community pool. 4 miles to beach. $54,900 (2090702) Lot Rent $1,080/mt.

SEA AIR -Rehoboth. 2BR/1BA 2017 Forest River 28’ RV w/2 slides. Indoor & outdoor kitchens. Community pool & 3 miles to beach. $32,000 (2084676) Seasonal 4/15-11/15 - $5,870 Lot Rent