Your support helps us forge proud and safe communities where gender identity and sexual orientation are respected.
EXPLORE WAYS TO GIVE
CAMP Rehoboth Membership
I proudly support CAMP Rehoboth because they make our community feel safe and welcoming for everyone.
Their mission isn’t just about programs and services—it’s about making sure every person feels embraced for who they are. That takes resources, and it’s the member-driven donor system that keeps the lights on and the mission moving forward.
I donate because I believe in CAMP Rehoboth’s ability to create a stronger, more inclusive community for all of us here in Delaware.
— Dennis Diaz
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.
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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
Staying Focused
As you may be aware, I will be retiring from CAMP Rehoboth at the end of January 2026. After 51 years of working (since the age of 14) I am taking time to focus on family and health. CAMP Rehoboth is in a good place, and you can take pride in the progress of the past two plus years thanks to the Board of Directors, staff, and volunteer teams. Our members and supporters are fabulous; the mission of CAMP Rehoboth is alive and well.
The leadership literature is full of articles sharing insights about when the time is right to step down. In the life of any nonprofit, leadership transitions are inevitable. They mark important milestones, offer opportunities for growth, and prompt reflection about the past and the future. As meaningful as these moments can be, one principle remains essential: in times of leadership change, the focus must remain on the organization and not the individual leader
At their best, nonprofit organizations are built to outlast any one person. They exist not for personal legacies, but for shared values, missions, and the communities they serve. This includes CAMP Rehoboth. Executive Directors may guide, inspire, and shape direction, but they are stewards, not the center, of the organization’s identity.
Too often, leadership transitions become overly focused on personalities: a founder stepping down, the incoming director’s resume, or the emotional farewell of someone beloved. These stories matter, but they are not the whole story.
Were CAMP Rehoboth to focus too much on the individual, it would risk losing sight of its most important asset: its mission.
At the heart of a strong leadership transition is organizational continuity. This means that the programs, partnerships, values, and vision that supporters have invested in remain steady, even as leadership evolves. For members and donors, this stability is not just reassuring, it is essential. It is a reminder that the cause continues, the work goes on, and your contributions still make a difference.
Transitions should also be an invitation not to replicate what has come before, but to thoughtfully assess what the organization needs next. Rather than finding a “copy” of the previous leader, successful transitions are guided by a clear understanding of the organization’s direction and the kind of leadership that will best serve that future.
This requires intentional planning, inclusive dialogue, and honest reflection. It also means trusting that leadership is a shared responsibility—held not just by an executive, but by staff, board members, community partners, and supporters like you.
For members and donors, staying focused on the organization during a leadership change is both an act of faith and a practical commitment. It is a belief that the mission is bigger than any one moment or individual, and that your support helps ensure its ongoing impact.
You are not investing in a personality— you are investing in a purpose. You are standing with the team, the vision, and the community that brings this work to life
every day. Leadership transitions, then, are not just moments of change; they are opportunities for renewal.
Leadership transitions, then, are not just moments of change; they are opportunities for renewal.
That is why continued financial support during a leadership transition is so critical. Your ongoing generosity provides the stability needed to maintain core programs, retain talented staff, and ensure a smooth handoff to new leadership. In a time when uncertainty can easily creep in, your support sends a powerful message: the mission matters, and it must go on.
As we navigate change, we do so with deep gratitude for those who have led us, great hope for what lies ahead, and unwavering focus on the mission that unites us. That mission and the lives it touches remain our guiding light.
Thank you for continuing to walk alongside us. Your trust, support, and financial commitment are what make every transition not just possible, but powerful. ▼
Kim Leisey, PhD, is Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth.
THIS ISSUE
VOLUME 35, NUMBER 9 • OCTOBER 17, 2025
for more CAMPshots. See page 54.
EDITOR: Marj Shannon
EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE: Matty Brown
DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Mary Beth Ramsey
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Tricia Massella
56 Historical Headliners
What’s in a Name?
ANN APTAKER
60 Celebrity Interview
David Arquett
MICHAEL COOK
62 The Real Dirt Autumn Abundance ERIC WAHL
64 CAMPshots
Polar Opposites and Kodiak Moments!
68 Deep Inside Hollywood
ROMEO SAN VICENTE
72 Visiting View
It’s Libra Season!
ROBERT DEDOMINIC
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.
DISTRIBUTION: Mark Wolf
CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Aptaker, Chris Azzopardi, Rich Barnett, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Pattie Cinelli, Michael Cook, Robert DeDominic, Logan Farro, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, Joe Gfaller, Kathy Greeley, Fay Jacobs, Leslie Ledogar, Kim Leisey, Tricia Massella, Christopher Moore, Sharon Morgan, Jeanine O’Donnell, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Stephen Raskauskas, Richard Rosendall, Nancy Sakaduski, Romeo San Vicente, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Beth Shockley, Mary Jo Tarallo, Sophie Wagner, Eric Wahl
76 Reflections
Breaking Up With the Scale PATTIE CINELLI
78 CAMP Arts
LOGAN FARRO, MARY JO TARALLO
80 Booked Solid TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
82 The Multi-Billion
Dollar Industry of.... Pumpkin Spice!
STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS
86 Big Freedia
The Queen of Bounce Chris Azzopardi
93 Volunteer Spotlight
SOPHIE WAGNER
99 We Remember
ON THE COVER
The Fab Fall!
Illustration by Murray Archibald
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.
L-R: Lisa Vandervest, Tori Vandervest at the Mrs. Roper Romp. See page 64
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 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.
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.
Happy Fall!
Yes, it’s here—a season that’s cooler, crisper, and (when those acorns and leaves are underfoot) crunchier than the one just ended. (Would that it was not also darker—as the days grow ever shorter—but hey! We’re just two months away from reversing that dispiriting trend.)
Meanwhile, there’s lots we can do to maximize our pleasure in the daylight we do have—Block Party, anyone? That annual celebration is fast becoming one of Joe Gfaller’s favorites; he attended his first in 2023, just before moving here. He has some thoughts on the myriad benefits both Block Party and the arts bring to our community (page 14).
Looking beyond Block Party for “what’s next”? Well, that’d be Sea Witch®! CAMP Rehoboth again will step off in the annual parade, carrying a 50-foot-long Inclusive Pride flag. Want to be part of the flag-bearing team? See In Brief for details. Need a costume idea? Terri Schlichenmeyer has some—see page 54.
Of course, there’s lots else to do here aside from those big events. For one, drop by the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery for an amazing exhibit, INTO LIGHT. The exhibit features drawings and accompanying narratives of Delawareans whose lives were lost to addiction. Each portrait and profile reminds viewers that addiction was just one part of each person’s story.
Of course, addiction does not have to end in loss; many people who experience addiction also experience recovery. See Kathy Greeley’s piece (page 20), which speaks to addiction, recovery, and stigma. Kathy, who is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist at Beebe Healthcare, has some important insights to share.
There are more great stories in this issue, too. Turn to our centerfold, where Fay Jacobs and military veteran Bert Kobli recount his harrowing (but ultimately happy) tale of a life spent (mostly) in the closet. More veterans will be sharing their stories on November 11 at CAMP Rehoboth; see page 53 for details.
And Nancy Sakaduski brings us the story of CAMP Rehoboth’s origins and growth, as revealed in her conversation with co-founder Murray Archibald. It’s a wonderful tale of this beloved—and incredibly impactful—community organization.
See page 26 for our final Reader’s Choice story from 2025’s Flash Fiction contest. Speaking of which—some great news for both writers and readers: grant funding from the Delaware Division of the Arts will enable us to offer a second Flash Fiction contest! Details for the 2026 contest will appear in our December issue.
What else? Lots! Stephen Raskauskas writes about the pumpkin spice industry, Jeanine O’Donnell tells us about Soaring Spirits International—she’s helping to establish a local chapter, Chris Azzopardi points us to some Winter Pride Fests (Florida, Colorado, New York…), Christopher Moore waxes nostalgic over the Renegade, and Rich Barnett offers a playlist of his favorite LGBTQ+ country musicians. Settle into fall with some great reads. ▼
CAMP Rehoboth
Block Party Set to Take Over Baltimore Avenue
CAMP Rehoboth’s signature fall event is set to take over the second block of Baltimore Avenue on Sunday, October 19, from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Entry is free to the event, though donations to CAMP Rehoboth are encouraged. CAMP Rehoboth invites all community members to join in the festivities, and to expect magnificent performances and dozens of vendors including artists, craftspeople, nonprofits, businesses, and more.
This year, attendees can expect to shop sea glass art, ceramics, photography, and body care products, and learn more about local nonprofit causes and businesses.
Throughout the event, parking is closed on the second block of Baltimore Avenue. Entrance to the Block Party is accessible through intersections at First Street and Baltimore Avenue, Second Street and Baltimore Avenue, and from Rehoboth Avenue through the Rehoboth Mews or Village by the Sea entryways. Parking is free.
Throughout the day, performances will take place mid-block at the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard stage. Renowned drag performer Amethyst Diamond will emcee the stage, which is set to also include Clear Space Theatre Company performers, CAMP Rehoboth Chorus ALLIANCE ensemble singers, rock bands Storm Sounds and Off 24, and DJ Das Wuff.
“Our Block Party is CAMP Rehoboth’s largest outreach event of the year,” said Executive Director Kim Leisey. “It’s a beautiful day that speaks to our original vision of neighbors gathering with neighbors.”
For more information visit camprehoboth.org/events. ▼
Delaware Division of the Arts Awards CAMP
Rehoboth
The Delaware Division of the Arts (DDOA) has awarded CAMP Rehoboth $43,000 for next year’s arts programming. This award marks an increase from $37,000 last year. The DDOA, a branch of the Delaware Department of State, administers grants and programs that support arts programming, educate the public, increase awareness of the arts, and integrate the arts into all facets of Delaware life. For CAMP Rehoboth, funds support the chorus, visual arts and gallery exhibits, performing arts, and Letters from CAMP Rehoboth
“Supporting the arts at CAMP Rehoboth means supporting stories, music, and gallery exhibits that share a sense of understanding and belonging for the LGBTQ+ community and our allies. We are truly grateful for the support from the Delaware Division of the Arts,” said Kim Leisey, PhD, Executive Director at CAMP Rehoboth. ▼
A Powerful Testament to Allyship
After a successful Summer Solstice fundraiser at The Lodge at Truitt Homestead for CAMP Rehoboth in June, the generosity continued after the party’s end. Not only did the party raise $8,455 from event tickets, a silent auction, and 50/50 raffle, but it also inspired a generous gift from one of the attendees.
Denise Kaczmarczyk is an ally of the LGBTQ+ community, and a resident at The Lodge at Historic Lewes. After attending the Summer Solstice fundraiser, and inspired by many of her friends in the LGBTQ+ community, Denise made a gift of $10,000 to support CAMP Rehoboth’s community programs, services, and mission. Along with Denise, representatives from The Lodge at Historic Lewes presented the check to CAMP Rehoboth in September. ▼
Photo, L-R: Brett Gershman, Laurie Thompson, Leslie Ledogar, Denise Kaczmarczyk, Rita Stevens, and Dean Reid.
Tales Asked and Told
Everyone is invited to celebrate this Veteran’s Day, November 11, with a first-ever happy-hour story-telling event at the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center. Attendees will hear military veterans tell their personal stories, running the gamut from humorous to hellish experiences. Listen as they share insights into their military experience, talk about “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and serving in silence, and surviving and thriving despite the roadblocks. From folks who were outed and investigated to others who were honored and accepted, the program will let you peek behind the military curtain to hear your neighbors’ and friends’ stories.
The program will be held at the Elkins-Archibald Atrium at CAMP Rehoboth from 5:00-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 11. Admission is free, but sign-up is requested for planning purposes.
For more information, visit camprehoboth.org/events. ▼
Amethyst Diamond
LGBTQ+ VETERANS
Recognizing Transgender Awareness Week and Transgender Day of Remembrance
Transgender Awareness Week, this year from November 13 to 19, takes place the week before Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20. Transgender Day of Remembrance (TDOR) is an annual observance that honors the memory of transgender people whose lives were lost in acts of anti-transgender violence.
This November, CAMP Rehoboth will
AIDS Walk Recap
honor Transgender Awareness Week in various ways including sharing stories online, partnering with I Support the Girls which collects and distributes bras, underwear, and menstrual hygiene products to trans and cis folx, and creating a community-initiated art project. On Thursday, Transgender Day of Remembrance, an all-day vigil will be held in the CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium from
On Saturday, September 20, CAMP Rehoboth participated in the annual AIDS Walk Delaware, which kicked off at the Rehoboth Beach Bandstand. Organized by AIDS Delaware and the Delaware HIV Consortium, the walk raised a total of over $80,000; CAMP Rehoboth’s team raised $2,770. As an organization that provides HIV prevention services, CAMP Rehoboth will receive $1,385 to support the CAMPsafe program.
Thank you to all who walked, donated, participated, and helped work toward a future free from HIV and AIDS. ▼
Photo: The CAMP Rehoboth team—Matt Castrina, Kevin Pelland, Derrick Johnson, Vince DeLissio, Peter
Sea Witch® Parade—Walk with CAMP Rehoboth!
CAMP Rehoboth invites community members, friends, and family to march with us in the Sea Witch® Parade on Saturday, October 25! Costumes are welcome (but not required), so feel free to get festive and creative. Together, share CAMP Rehoboth’s spirit of love, joy, and community with everyone along the parade route!
As unveiled at last year’s parade, CAMP Rehoboth will again be walking with a 50-foot-long Inclusive Pride Flag, a powerful symbol to the thousands of parade participants that Rehoboth Beach is a community for all.
CAMP Rehoboth program participants, e.g., members of the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus and of the LGBTQ+ Veterans Group, will proudly walk with us. Interested in joining? Register online at camprehoboth.org/events. ▼
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. to honor trans people lost within the last year. Flowers will be available to share with a transgender person to show love and appreciation for them, or community members may leave a flower at the peace pole at the entrance to the CAMP Rehoboth Courtyard in remembrance of those who have passed.
For more information, visit camprehoboth.org/events. ▼
TRAVELS WITH LETTERS
PARIS, FRANCE
Holly Lane, Ruth Kloetzli, Catherine de Villada, Cathy Picard
SWEDEN, DENMARK, POLAND, ESTONIA
Mary Vogt, Kathy Tryzcinski, Jackie Goff, Jean Broland, Ruth Morse, Liz Wheeler
Student EmPOWERment Summit
On Saturday, November 8, United Way of Delaware is set to host the 14th annual Student EmPOWERment Summit—where Pride is focused on celebrating LGBTQ+ students and the adults and allies who support them. This half-day gathering is intended to connect and uplift LGBTQ+ students, Gender Sexuality Alliance members and advisors, and allies who support them as they work for equal opportunity and fairness. The event’s focus remains on fighting bullying and discrimination and bringing all students together.
The event will be hosted at Delaware Technical Community College in Georgetown. For more information, visit camprehoboth.org/events. ▼
Garneau, Kevin Ussery, Anne Smith, Kim Leisey, Joe Vescio, Bob Horne, and Jennifer Varone.
President’s View
The Search Begins CAMP
Rehoboth Seeks New Executive Director
On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, CAMP Rehoboth Community Center issued a press release celebrating the many accomplishments of Executive Director Kim Leisey, while also announcing her impending departure. As we stated in the press release, “Over the past four years, the Board has been intentional about honoring the legacy of co-founders Murray Archibald and Steve Elkins while also embarking on a bold, transparent, and multi-phased plan to guide CAMP Rehoboth through a period of transition and renewal following the COVID-19 pandemic and significant shifts in the social and political landscape.”
Even as we celebrate our myriad accomplishments under Kim’s leadership, I am encouraging the Board, staff, donors, members, and community partners to see this as a moment to reflect on the organization’s future needs. We view leadership turnover as playing a critical role in ensuring organizational relevance and future vitality. That is, we see this transition as a vital mechanism for organizational growth, innovation, and long-term sustainability. Unlike in the forprofit sector, where leadership changes are often driven by performance metrics and shareholder pressure, nonprofits operate in complex environments shaped by shifting community needs and political climates, donor expectations, and mission-driven priorities.
Accordingly, the Board and staff are already using the transition as an opportunity to assess what leadership qualities will help CAMP Rehoboth Community Center continue our remarkable arc of growth and capacity building. Using an evaluative tool designed by Board member Amanda Mahoney Albanese to aid her clients in decision making, both Board and staff are evaluating what characteristics are “must have,” “nice to have,” and “cannot have” in our next Executive Director.
Additionally, we have elevated the Transition Committee to being an ad
hoc committee of the Board, because this search is just that serious. We have also intentionally focused on diversity, including but not limited to age, race, gender identity, cultural background, socio-economic background, and sexual orientation, as we develop the committee’s membership. We hope that by inviting a diverse group of colleagues to help with the search, we will be enabled to evaluate potential candidates from a variety of perspectives, thereby making the process even more successful.
Healthy
leadership turnover… is about strengthening the mission.
We have also re-engaged the search firm Cooper Coleman, LLC, the executive talent search firm that introduced us to Kim. Co-founder Johnny Cooper has represented organizations across the charitable sector, including higher education, global health, mental health, LGBTQ+ rights and services, disaster relief, and services for the armed forces. Since he led the search that resulted in our hiring Kim, the Board believes that Johnny is best positioned to help us again; he knows CAMP Rehoboth, so his learning curve will be much flatter. Additionally, although Johnny resides in Chicago, Illinois, with his husband, John, their newborn son, Jack, and a German shorthaired pointer, named Baron, he has a large number of clients on the east coast and is adept at traveling to and from our beautiful beach town.
In the coming weeks and months, we will undertake the search for our next Executive Director in earnest; efforts began the first full week of October. We expect to attract a great deal of interest from prospective candidates for many reasons, including the fact that we are mission driven, we are implementing a
BY LESLIE LEDOGAR
strategic plan that has a clear direction, and we are on strong financial footing (even given the current world chaos). Additionally, we are well respected in the community, we have done considerable work in pulling the staff together and giving them a clear direction, and we have done good work on Board development. Most importantly, we have an active and engaged community/membership/support base!
While it is natural to feel uncertainty, we view this moment as empowering. New leadership often brings fresh perspectives, different approaches to collaboration, and renewed focus on internal development and organizational culture.
Healthy leadership turnover is not about replacing individuals. Rather, it is about strengthening the mission. It is a collective process, shaped by the wisdom of the Board, the dedication of staff, and the commitment of donors. When all three work together, leadership transition becomes a strong step forward.
As Board President, I am so grateful that I am not navigating this change alone. We have an incredibly strong Board, a diverse and committed Search Committee, a nationally recognized search firm, and the goodwill of our members, supporters, donors, and community writ large.
Throughout this process, I am committed to sharing responsibility, keeping the mission as my compass, and guiding decisions with clarity and transparency. By making this commitment, I hope that I will be able to help the organization not only manage this transition but emerge stronger from it.
Stay tuned to this space and to our website at camprehoboth.org for updates! ▼
Leslie Ledogar is CAMP Rehoboth Board President.
Your RequiredMinimum Distribution
By choosing to direct a portion of your RMD to CAMP Rehoboth, you can make a lasting impact in our community and reduce your taxable income.
Welcome, Anastasia Epstein!
I
n August, CAMP Rehoboth welcomed Anastasia Epstein (she/her) as its parttime Administrative Assistant. Anastasia is a graduate of University of Pittsburgh, brings five years of experience in customer success, and can speak multiple languages. In her role, Anastasia will oversee the fabulous CAMPcierge volunteers and provide administrative support for the office. Get to know Anastasia with the Q&A below!
CAMP REHOBOTH: What excites you about working at CAMP Rehoboth right now?
ANASTASIA EPSTEIN: CAMP Rehoboth is such a warm, welcoming team both in the office and out in the community. I’m thrilled to work with people who are so passionate about serving our LGBTQ+ neighbors, and I’m especially excited to contribute in a meaningful way to all of the fall CAMP events that I’ve enjoyed in the past.
CR: You will be providing oversight of our CAMPcierges. What have you observed from our fabulous group of volunteers so far?
AE: Our CAMPcierges are truly dedicated to making CAMP Rehoboth as welcoming and inclusive as possible. Every day, they greet guests, give tours of our center, and make sure everyone who stops by leaves with a smile on their face. I’m truly grateful to work alongside our CAMPcierges, and I continue to be inspired by the sense of community and belonging that they build with all of CAMP Rehoboth’s guests.
CR: Have you been involved in LGBTQ+ advocacy or volunteer work before?
AE: Yes! I’ve volunteered for CAMP Rehoboth in the past at various events such as Block Party. After seeing CAMP’s positive impact in the community, I was eager to join the team and help further its mission.
CR: What do you think makes a space truly inclusive and affirming?
AE: I think the most important parts of being a welcoming space are listening and uplifting. Every person has unique lived experiences, and it’s crucial that all members of our community know
that their voices are heard and their perspectives matter. CAMP Rehoboth’s staff is excellent at making sure every person who walks through our doors feels supported and celebrated, and I am honored that we are a safe space for so many.
CR: You can speak fluent Spanish and Mandarin. What motivated you to learn those languages?
AE: I’ve always loved traveling and discovering other cultures, and I realized when I was pretty young that I had a talent for learning languages. I’ve been fortunate enough to travel extensively across Europe, Asia, and Latin America, and I deeply cherish the memories and connections I’ve made along the way!
RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS:
CR: Who’s your ultimate queer icon?
AE: Britney Spears
CR: What’s a quote or motto you live by?
AE: There’s always somewhere new to visit!
CR: What’s your sun sign—and do you believe in astrology?
AE: I’m a Gemini. I think astrology is mostly confirmation bias, but I’m too much of a Gemini for it to be a coincidence.
CR: Favorite season?
AE: Summer. ▼
LGBTQ+ Bereavement Group Returns
Grief can present special challenges for members of the LGBTQ+ community. In partnership with Delaware Hospice, CAMP Rehoboth will be hosting a LGBTQ+ bereavement group beginning October 28 and continuing on the fourth Tuesday of each month from 5:00-6:30 p.m.
This space will be for anyone who has lost someone and would like to have the safety and security of a bereavement group within their own community. The gathering will be facilitated by a Bereavement Counselor at Delaware Hospice.
The group will meet in-person at the Elkins-Archibald Atrium through April, then online during the summer. To learn more, visit camprehoboth.org/events. ▼
Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow: A Conversation Across Generations
CAMP Rehoboth invites community members to join an engaging “Ask Me Anything” conversation on Sunday, November 16, at 11:00 a.m. in the CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium. This new, recurring event will aim to bridge knowledge gaps between generations of LGBTQ+ people through a candid, moderator-led conversation.
The event will feature six community members—three younger voices and three older voices—who will share their first-hand perspectives in an informal conversation. In addition to serving as an opportunity to listen and learn about each other’s experiences, the conversation will explore practical approaches to mentorship in the LGBTQ+ community.
This event is intended to be a judgment-free space where curiosity is encouraged, differences are respected, and connection thrives. Come take part in a unique opportunity to ask your questions and celebrate the power of shared identities, bridge generational gaps, and strengthen our community—together. ▼
Creating a More Positive Rehoboth
Murray Archibald
Talking with CAMP Rehoboth’s Co-founder
In his book, Shaking the Gates of Hell, Murray Archibald’s brother, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist John Archibald, recalled that “Everything Murray has ever done has been a production.” He goes on to describe Murray’s childhood plays, cast with family members and neighbors but with elaborate sets, costumes, props, and scripts, all orchestrated by Murray. “Murray was always hard to resist,” John says, “and just as hard to stop.”
Murray Archibald was born in Rainbow City, Alabama, where his father was a Methodist minister. Murray admits to being naively unaware of the racial turbulence of the times (“I thought everybody got along”), but later he saw prejudice firsthand. “I just remember I got so angry,” he recalls. “I could feel the blood rising in my head and thinking What are you talking about? How can you say such things?”
create a more positive Rehoboth by bringing people together. They would build a place that would not only be a haven for LGBTQ+ folks but would also be the heart of the community—a space for art, education, support, and entertainment. It would demonstrate that Rehoboth was family friendly, but that there were all kinds of families.
“I’ve told people many times that the greatest thing we did was we didn’t give up. It was our persistence.”
In the 1980s Murray experienced what he calls a “spiritual kind of awakening to what was going on in the world.” It was the height of the AIDS epidemic and Murray felt he needed to do something. It was the spark for what would become CAMP Rehoboth. And like Murray’s childhood theatrical productions, the vision was nearly fully formed from the beginning.
Murray Archibald and Steve Elkins (Murray’s late husband and partner for nearly 40 years) had been to Rehoboth only as vacationers, but the community kept pulling them back. “Once we made the decision to move here, it felt like a place we wanted to invest our energies in. And that’s when everything started.”
It was around the time that “Keep Rehoboth Family Friendly” bumper stickers began popping up. Murray and Steve’s idea was to
That vision has never changed, which is rare for any organization. Although some wanted CAMP to be more aggressive—along the lines of ACT UP—Murray wanted to approach it neighbor-to-neighbor. “We’re living with people. When people get to know us, we’ll break down barriers and walls that way.”
Building and maintaining the organization turned out to be a bit more complicated. “If I had known, I might have been too afraid to do it,” Murray admits. “People thought I was crazy at first.”
Over the years, the work of sustaining CAMP Rehoboth got harder. “It was kind of exciting in the beginning,” says Murray, “but it was so much work. By the time we got to those last 10 years [of his tenure], it was unsustainable with the amount of work we were doing.”
The turning point was Steve’s illness and death.
Murray and Steve (even from his hospital bed) kept up with things as best they could. But after Steve died, it became obvious that changes had to be made, particularly the selection of a new executive director. “It was a strange feeling, because I knew I was separating. I knew I wasn’t going to continue in the same way, but I wasn’t sure what was going to happen.”
The pandemic added to the pressure. “When I made the decision to even stop doing
BY NANCY SAKADUSKI
HELP CONTINUE THE VISION
The Steve Elkins Legacy Society
From the beginning, Murray and Steve envisioned CAMP Rehoboth as the heart of the community—a safe and loving place for all. Now more than ever there is a vital need to continue that vision.
Planned gifts give an organization stability and sustainability. Include CAMP Rehoboth in your estate plans through The Steve Elkins Legacy Society and become part of a future built on inclusion and community.
༦ Bequests: Name CAMP Rehoboth in your will or trust.
༦ Retirement Accounts & Life Insurance: Designate CAMP Rehoboth as a beneficiary.
༦ IRA Charitable Rollover: If 70½ or older, give up to $100,000 tax-free from your IRA.
༦ Appreciated Stock & Bonds: Donate securities to maximize impact and reduce capital gains tax.
༦ Real Estate or Personal Property: Leave your home or other property to CAMP Rehoboth through your will or a charitable trust.
“Steve and I envisioned CAMP Rehoboth as the heart of the community. The organization was built with heart at its core.”
MURRAY ARCHIBALD, CAMP REHOBOTH CO-FOUNDER
Steve Elkins
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Your planned gift provides stability and sustainability to CAMP Rehoboth and helps strengthen programs that promote Health, Safety, and Belonging. Gifts of any size make a difference.
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“We envisioned CAMP Rehoboth as the heart of the community. CAMP Rehoboth became a gift to the community around us.”
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Sundance, which was really special to us and had been our thing even longer than CAMP.… It was like, OK it’s time. It’s time I stepped back.”
“It was such an intense experience for so long, to be doing CAMP,” Murray says, ‘but looking back, it seems like it went by so fast—that it was just yesterday that we were starting like those old Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney movies, ‘Let’s put on a show.’ We had that sort of spirit in the beginning.…‘Oh, we can do this.’ Without really knowing what that meant… I’ve told people many times that the greatest thing we did was we didn’t give up. It was our persistence.”
For Murray and Steve, it was always about serving others. The focus was largely LGBTQ+, but they also looked beyond. “CAMP Rehoboth is a gift to the greater community around us,” Murray says, “…and you see that in the way CAMP interacts with other organizations.”
Theater wasn’t the only thing Murray discovered at an early age. He took up art as well, and little did he know that his art would one day hang in people’s homes, adorn covers of Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, and hang in the Biggs Museum of American Art.
hasn’t changed are the bold colors and striking imagery. “Beginning to break the pieces apart a little bit is where a lot of the work is now,” he says, “just overlapping and in separate pieces and patterns.” Patterns have been important to him as his artwork progressed. “You put an old one [piece of art] and a new one together and they look really different maybe, but if you think about the space between, which actually might be the title for my next show—“The Space Between…”
They would build a place that would not only be a haven for LGBTQ+ folks but would also be the heart of the community…
Despite his continued success as an artist (his August show was a virtual sellout), the artwork Murray Archibald may be best remembered for is the CAMP Rehoboth logo—the little house with a heart inside and rainbow foundation. It’s powerful and instantly recognizable. Murray finds it hard to even talk about the state of the world these days
but remains optimistic about the people themselves. “We have a lot of good people in the world, but the polarization is so bad that we make enemies of people who think differently from us.… We’ve got to start with reaching out and saying OK, you and I are different on this point, but look at what we share. And to me, that is still the vision at the heart of CAMP Rehoboth, was that coming together of differences.”
These days, Murray says he feels more like a parent to CAMP Rehoboth, and laughingly adds, “a grandparent, maybe.” But what a long way it’s come from “putting on a show.”
“I think back about all the volunteers, all the people that pitched in to make everything happen. People have been so willing. Even now…moving through those difficult years brought me to a place where, as founder, I feel like I am comfortable not doing very much [laughs]. The community embraces me, I feel like. I feel a lot of love from this community and I’m grateful for that. It holds me up.”
Nancy Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and editor who owns Cat & Mouse Press in Lewes, Delaware.
Two Sides of a Coin
BY JOE GFALLER
Making an Impact: Block Party & the Arts
This issue of Letters coincides with one of CAMP Rehoboth’s biggest community events of the year: the annual Block Party on Baltimore Avenue.
The Block Party holds a special place in my heart as, two years ago, it was one of the first events I experienced at Rehoboth Beach. It was 2023. I was still living in St. Louis, but just the previous month, Clear Space had announced I was joining the team. The weekend of the Block Party, I came to Rehoboth Beach to visit a dozen or so furnished apartments to find the first “landing spot” of our move.
Two wonderful supporters of both Clear Space and CAMP Rehoboth put me up in their guest suite. Clear Space had a booth at Block Party (as it does every year!) and for the first hour or two, I was billed as something of the booth’s main attraction: “Visit our booth and meet our new Managing Director!”—or so said the email blast.
What struck me so quickly from that experience was the incredible level of community that is present here in Rehoboth Beach. All were there to celebrate or support CAMP Rehoboth, Rehoboth
Like the Block Party, the arts build relationships.
Beach, and the businesses that call Rehoboth home. I encountered people who were then strangers and who have since become good friends—what drew us together, in part, was that shared reason for being at the Block Party in the first place.
The Block Party builds relationships. It supports our local businesses. It creates
opportunities to spotlight creativity. Like so many events in our region, it makes our community a better place.
In preparing this column, I couldn’t help but reflect on what a similar role the Block Party plays over the course of one day to the role the arts play in our region year round.
Like the Block Party, the arts build relationships. Sitting shoulder to shoulder with strangers in a theater, at a concert, at a gallery, you begin to share a common experience with them you wouldn’t have otherwise had. You engage in conversation. You find you share more things in common than you expected. And if you are attending a theater with a subscription series, you get to have that experience with a similar group multiple times each year. Those relationships build over time into more than just people you see across a lobby, but people you come to truly know and value.
Like the Block Party, the arts support our local businesses. From recent studies at Clear Space, we know just under 60 percent of audiences dine within walking distance when they attend.
Continued on page 38
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Let Us Pray
Of all the places that one could go, this was a place I long thought was a place of refuge from the outside world. It was a place that I’d thought of as not just sacred, but also safe. No matter what transpired throughout the week, Sunday, I could walk into church, sit on a pew, and for two hours be focused on faith, surrounded by the spirit, lifted in love, worship in gratitude, rejoice with hope, and dance with joy. The church was hallowed ground. I grew up being taught that houses of worship—whether it be a church, synagogue, mosque, or temple—wherever people gather to practice their faith, were places to be respected and protected.
Yet, just a few Sundays ago, I sat in church worried about the world, and worried about sitting in church. It was disturbing. I was nervous. Scanning the congregation for unfamiliar faces or movements that seemed out of the ordinary. Another church had recently been the target of a horrific violent crime and throughout the service I kept thinking about the lives lost and the trust that had been broken.
On September 28, four members of the congregation at a meetinghouse of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, were killed and eight were injured when a man ran his truck through the brick wall of the chapel and began shooting. The suspect also allegedly set fire to the building. A church.
Just 10 years before, in 2015, America stood shocked when there was a mass shooting and hate crime in Charleston, South Carolina. At Mother Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, a man walked into the Wednesday night Bible study and killed nine people while their heads were bowed in prayer. In 2018, a man attacked Tree of Life, a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He killed 11 congregants.
When we look at history, attacks on religious institutions and worship
houses are not new, but that doesn’t mean we should become numb to them happening. It doesn’t mean that we should not talk about them. It doesn’t mean we shouldn’t turn the mirror to ourselves, on our communities and our country, to ask why they happen and what more could we do to prevent them. We cannot normalize these horrific attacks.
Our children should be able to learn and develop in peace. Any person of any faith should be able to practice their faith in peace.
One of my dearest friends is a senior leader at his church in Maryland. I visit sometimes. The choir is great, and their men’s ministry puts on an annual fish fry that is worthy of a song itself. When we talked about the Michigan shooting, he told me about the increasing security measures his church has been putting into place because of the tense social and political climate we’re in. More cameras. More plainclothes security. More caution in how services flow. I pray that one day it could all be less.
Author and activist James Baldwin offered, “If a society permits one portion of its citizenry to be menaced or destroyed, then, very soon, no one in that society is safe. The forces thus released in the people can never be held in check, but run their devouring course, destroying the very foundations which it was imagined they would save.”
Shootings in America are too common. In August, a mass shooting occurred at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Students, faculty, and staff had gathered for
BY CLARENCE FLUKER
a morning mass to mark the beginning of the school year.
According to an analysis by CNN with data from Gun Violence Archive, Education Week, and Everytown for Gun Safety by September 23, there have been 53 school shootings in the United States so far this year. They reported that 27 were on college campuses, and 26 were on K-12 school grounds. These shootings resulted in 19 deaths and at least 84 victims with injuries. This can’t be normalized.
When I was a child, we were instructed on what to do if there was a fire, tornado, or an earthquake. Now, children have emergency preparedness exercises for intruders and shooters.
Where have our sacred places gone? Shootings at and near schools, directing evil against our most innocent. Shootings at and near houses of worship or targeted at people simply because of their faith. Our children should be able to learn and develop in peace. Any person of any faith should be able to practice their faith in peace. All of us, at any time or place, should be able to feel and be safe. If our society permits schools and houses of worship to be sites of terror, what does that say about our society? About where we have arrived and where we are comfortable going? Let us learn. Let us teach. Let us pray. ▼
Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community. Follow him on Instagram: @Mr_CJFluker.
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Carry On, Wayward Son
The topic of representation in the stories we consume is undoubtedly important. People, especially people from marginalized groups, need to see themselves represented in the stories they consume (movies, television, books, news media) to validate their existence. And all people, even those outside those groups, can learn about people different from themselves by experiencing them in stories.
But the topic is also fraught. When people of color, LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, and immigrants are included thoughtlessly, negative stereotypes can perpetuate and make things worse. Those who belong to those groups are often offended—or worse, ashamed—by the reflection they see, and others don’t learn but are rather misinformed by what they see.
And even when a story gets the characters exactly right, too often a person of color, an LGBTQ+ person, a person with a disability, or an immigrant is only included in a story to express the pain of marginalization. There’s no doubt that stories about racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and xenophobia need to be told. At the same time, these aren’t the only things that marginalized folks experience. Like everyone else, we have full lives and varied experiences.
Given all these challenges, it’s almost a miracle when a story gets representation absolutely, astonishingly right.
There’s a new limited series on Netflix (“limited series” is code for “don’t expect another season unless this one makes gobs of money, at which point we’ll regroup”) called Wayward. It centers on Alex, a cop who needs a second chance after a vague scandal in Detroit. He and his pregnant wife have just moved to Tall Pines, a small town in Vermont where she went to school.
At first, the town seems idyllic: friendly, progressive, and with a real sense of community. There are a few troubling things about the town, the most
notable being the reformatory school for “troubled teens” on the other side of the woods. Yes, this is the wife’s “alma mater,” as it were. The kids who go there now range from the dangerously violent to the eerily withdrawn. Almost immediately, mysteries abound. Are the kids there being treated or tortured? For what purpose? Why would the cop’s wife want to return to such a place? And why is there no one under the age of 14 anywhere to be found?
Wayward is creepy without being nightmare-inducing, dark but also darkly funny at times, and overall, a great binge.
Wayward is creepy without being nightmare-inducing, dark but also darkly funny at times, and overall, a great binge. What’s more, Alex, the protagonist, is a character we rarely see on television: he’s a transgender man. Who is also a cop. Who is also about to become a father. Who is also new to a job and new to town, and eager to make a good first impression. Who has legitimate questions about the deeply weird town where his wife was maybe educated or maybe tortured.
And better yet, Wayward isn’t one of those shows that was clearly written for a cisgender (or White or male or straight or able-bodied) person and never revised after a trans (or Black or Brown or female or gay or disabled) actor is cast in what always feels like a performative gesture of goodwill and nothing more.
While Alex has a lot going on in his life that has nothing to do with being a trans man, the show never forgets his trans identity. The immediate and total acceptance from the townsfolk sidesteps the trap of “oh, it’s so hard to be transgender” while simultaneously is so effu-
BY ERIC C. PETERSON
sive, it becomes yet another reason to not quite trust the picture-perfect-postcard feeling of the place.
When they’re alone, Alex and his wife discuss his daily “dose,” and the possible risks of increasing it. When he first meets one of the troubled teens from the school, she blithely clocks him as a fellow queer person. His transness is integrated into every aspect of his character; at the same time, it’s allowed to be a show about a trans person with a life, not just a trans person having a trans experience.
This likely has everything to do with Mae Martin, the actor who plays Alex. In addition to playing the lead role, they also created the series and co-wrote two of its episodes. As a nonbinary actor/ writer, it’s almost certain they envisioned Alex as trans from his inception, while also wanting to tell a cracking good mystery that didn’t revolve around the detective’s gender identity. So perhaps we don’t need more trans characters in front of the camera so much as we need more trans creators behind it—and the first problem will sort itself out.
In the end, Wayward wasn’t a perfect show. Some of the storylines didn’t resolve themselves as I might have hoped (but who knows, as I write this, it’s the #1 show on Netflix, so perhaps it won’t be as “limited” as originally planned), but the performances—specifically Mae Martin and the ubiquitous-but-somehow-still-underrated Toni Collette as Evelyn, who runs the strange reform school, make it easy to recommend. Give it a try…you’ll “thank me for my feedback” later. ▼
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.
Addiction, Recovery, & Stigma
BY KATHY GREELEY
Intersectionality Can Compound Difficulty
Addiction within the LGBTQ+ community is a deeply-layered issue shaped not only by personal struggles with substance use, but also by the broader forces of stigma, discrimination, and social marginalization. Recovery, in this context, carries unique hurdles; it is not just about abstaining from harmful behaviors, but also about reclaiming identity, safety, and a sense of belonging. The intersection of addiction, recovery, and stigma reveals how societal inequities compound the difficulties faced by LGBTQ+ people.
HIGHER RISKS, DEEPER ROOTS
Decades of research show that LGBTQ+ people are more likely to experience substance use disorders than their heterosexual, cisgender peers. Studies suggest that discrimination, family rejection, bullying, and the internalization of shame all play a role.
“The community has had to find ways to cope with stressors that others may never face,” explains one recovery advocate. “Unfortunately, alcohol and drugs often become the default escape.”
Historically, bars and clubs provided safe havens where queer people could gather without fear. These spaces were crucial for survival—but they also normalized heavy drinking and, at times, drug use. What began as community connection could slide into dependency, especially when other support systems were missing.
THE LAYERS OF STIGMA
Stigma functions on multiple levels for LGBTQ+ people:
• Addiction stigma: Substance use disorders are often framed in moralistic terms, with those struggling labeled as weak or irresponsible.
• Queer stigma: Prejudice against LGBTQ+ identities compounds the challenge, as individuals face rejection from both mainstream society and sometimes their own families.
• Double stigma: Being both queer
and in recovery can create unique isolation. For instance, an LGBTQ+ person attending mainstream recovery groups may experience homophobia, while queer spaces may not always openly embrace sobriety.
• Internalized stigma: Many individuals internalize negative beliefs about themselves, fueling shame that exacerbates addiction and hinders recovery.
This layering of stigma does not only harm individuals but also fractures the support systems they need most.
BARRIERS TO TREATMENT
Even when individuals push through stigma and seek care, structural obstacles remain:
• Lack of culturally competent care: Many treatment centers still rely on heteronormative assumptions or lack training on LGBTQ+ issues.
• Economic instability: Employment and housing discrimination can undermine the stability recovery requires.
• Scarcity of role models: Few public figures are open about both their queerness and their recovery, leaving many to feel isolated.
KEY ELEMENTS FOR RECOVERY
• Affirming care: Tailored treatment programs that acknowledge and respect LGBTQ+ experiences create safe environments for healing.
• Community-based support: Peerled groups and queer recovery networks help counter isolation and replace stigma with solidarity.
• Trauma-informed practices: Recognizing the significant role of trauma, particularly around identity-based violence and rejection, is essential for sustainable healing.
• Intersectional lens: Factors like race, gender identity, and socioeconomic status must be considered.
The good news is that inclusive recovery spaces are growing. Peer-led groups and specialized programs designed for queer and trans people are showing promise. When staff are trained in cultural
humility, when chosen families are recognized, and when gender-affirming care is prioritized, recovery outcomes improve.
Recovery is not just about putting down the drink or drug; it is about healing the shame that came before it.
Some programs even flip the narrative: instead of treating queerness as an added burden, they frame pride in identity as a source of strength. This reframing is powerful.
For many, sobriety becomes not just survival but a chance to live more authentically. Each layer of stigma that is removed creates more room for belonging and growth.
Addiction in the LGBTQ+ community cannot be separated from the layers of stigma that shape it. Yet within these challenges lies resilience. Every person who finds recovery, every program that affirms identity, and every ally who speaks against stigma helps transform not only individual lives but entire communities. To support this process, society must move beyond tolerance toward genuine inclusion, where healing and authenticity coexist without fear or shame.
In June, Beebe Healthcare welcomed Prevention Ed, a global leader in substance use prevention, for a two-day training focused on LGBTQ+ harm reduction. As an organization, Beebe believes that everyone deserves access to compassionate, high-quality care. We are committed to fostering a welcoming environment for all.
With many community partners, we are working diligently to improve access to healthcare for everyone. Our team is dedicated to promoting a culture of understanding and respect for all of our patients and each other, and we strive to offer a safe place where members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning communities can access care with respect and dignity. ▼
Kathy Greeley is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist with Beebe Healthcare’s Peer Recovery Program.
health+wellness
La Bella Luna
“There are nights when the wolves are silent and only the moon howls.”
–GEORGE CARLIN
What is it about the ‘cold hearted orb that rules the night’ (“Late Lament”; Graeme Edge)? The moon has always drawn me: its phases, its penetrating light, even if only a thumb nail sketch in the sky. As a child, I would watch the moon’s light dance in the frozen landscape, secure knowing that I would not be going to school the next day. As a young military recruit, I learned to avoid the moon’s revealing nature while on maneuvers. As a critical care nurse, my colleagues and I would track the full moon like a hurricane report, sure that our census would only rise with its brilliance. But my favorite activities were those where we danced and howled at the moon.
Like many celestial bodies, the moon has been both revered and feared throughout the ages. Ancient civilizations worshipped the moon, in part to define the world around them and their place in it. The Incas referred to the moon as Mama Quilla and the Incas would make noise during lunar eclipses, believing she was being attacked by an animal. The Babylonian moon god, Sim, is represented by the number 30, the approximate number of days in a lunar month. In Greek mythology, the moon goddess Selene, sister of the sun god Helios, commands a silver chariot across the sky each night. In Japanese mythology, the moon god Tsukuyomi was one of the three deities born from the creator god Izanagi, the other two being the sun goddess Amaterasu and the storm god Susanoo. Unlike the sun goddess Amaterasu, who is nurturing and warm, Tsukuyomi is aloof and cold.
Several myths revolve around shape-shifting animals or deities, either from the moon or because of it. In East Asian folklore, the moon is inhabited by a rabbit, the reincarnation of Chang’e, who sought immortality and hid in the moon,
or as a companion for her, depending on regional variation of the myth.
The Mayans revered the jaguar, one of the largest New World cats, which roam the territory from Mexico to Argentina. The Mayan moon goddess, Ixchel, represents femininity and fertility. A lunar eclipse was viewed as an attack on women by the celestial serpent, often in the form of a jaguar. In another variation, Ixchel loved the sun god, Itzamna. Unfortunately, the affair was troubled by jealousy and betrayal, and in the dark of night, Ixchel turns into a jaguar and escapes into the night.
In Norse mythology, the moon god Máni is chased by the wolf, Hati. One day the wolf will catch the moon, signifying Ragnarök, the end of the world.
Of course, no moon myth is more ingrained in lore and cultural history than
BY SHARON MORGAN
that of the werewolf. Wolf-like creatures that retain human form until the full moon, the werewolf is a violent and uncontrollable creature. Even the root definition of lunacy—the Latin luna meaning moon, whose influence was believed to cause erratic behavior—underscores how this celestial body wove its way into folklore.
Much has been written about the man in the moon, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. Because the moon’s rotation synchronizes with the earth’s rotation, only one side of the moon is visible in each hemisphere. The perpetual light and shadow image has woven into historical folklore.
Most European stories center on the banishment of someone to the moon for a societal crime, like working on Sundays or stealing. In Dante’s Inferno, Cain is
The moon is inextricably linked to the female…with both positive and negative connotations.
health+wellness
imprisoned on the moon for the murder of his brother, Abel. A Norse myth has the moon capturing two children to retrieve pails of water, a precursor to the Jack and Jill nursery rhyme. However, not all tales are dark. Several stories portray the man in the moon as a jocular, somewhat boozy character in search of claret and porridge.
The moon is inextricably linked to the female, however, with both positive and negative connotations. Throughout the ages, the waxing and waning of the moon has been associated with a woman’s menstrual cycle, which on average lasts approximately 30 days. Some science supports that the moon may have a direct influence on fertility. Many marine and land species’ reproductive cycles are synchronized with the lunar cycle, with an increased success for reproduction as the cycles align.
Some anecdotal evidence suggests this may also be true for humans, particularly the closer the reproductive cycle is to exactly 29.5 days. Two longitudinal studies conducted in the late 1940s-1960s found that birth rates increased two to three percent during a full moon and dropped by the same percentage during a new moon.
This association of the moon to the ovulation cycle, however, also has historically and erroneously led to women being viewed as less likely to control their emotions because of this biological phenomenon. Granted, premenstrual symptoms of irritability and impulsivity are real, but the long-held belief that the menstrual cycle makes women irrational and unreliable has no scientific basis.
The moon is not only interwoven in folklore but holds significance in our
LET’S STAY CONNECTED!
All of CAMP Rehoboth’s programs, services, and events are listed here: camprehoboth. org/events-calendar/. Please visit the site often to ensure you have up-to-date information on what is being offered—and when. ▼
dreams. To dream of a clear moon is an omen of success and a new moon represents wealth or a happy marriage. Conversely, a blood moon dream suggests an approaching catastrophe and an eclipsed moon portends a contagious disease may be near.
As a critical care nurse, my colleagues and I would track the full moon like a hurricane report, sure that our census would only rise with its brilliance.
Dreaming of two moons suggests one may be torn between two opposing decisions, whereas dreaming of three moons represents the TRIAD, an omen of transformation.
Many religious and cultural celebrations contain ancient rituals related to moon worship. Easter Sunday is called the “movable feast” because it occurs the Sunday after the Paschal Full Moon, the first full moon after the spring equinox. Passover is always celebrated during a full moon: the Jewish calendar is lunisolar, and Passover is celebrated on the 15th day of the month of Nisan, when the moon is at its fullest. In addition, the monthly Kiddush Levana ritual is a joyous Jewish sanctification of the moon, performed outdoors and often followed by dancing.
Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, occurs during a new moon, when the moon’s illumination is at its dimmest. Finally, the Chinese New Year is cele-
brated on the second new moon following the winter solstice.
While moon worship can occur anytime, full moon celebrations can be particularly powerful. In astrology, the new moon is a time to set intentions, whereas the full moon is an opportunity to release and seek clarity. The moon represents family and friends, and often full moon circles allow us to reinforce and rejuvenate connections. Many use the time to soul search, journal, and meditate. Writing a letter about a past wrong or dilemma and ceremoniously letting it go allows for healing and moving forward.
On October 6, we celebrated the Harvest Moon, the full moon closest to the autumn equinox. Missed the chance to participate in this unusual Supermoon, when the moon appears larger and brighter? Fear not, the next two full moons will also be Supermoons.
In addition, October 26 is Worldwide Howl at the Moon Night, a tribute to those nocturnal animals (including humans) that love to howl at the moon. The commemoration also highlights wolf conservation. Ironically, wolves don’t actually howl at the moon, they’re communicating with each other. If they are unusually silent, however, perhaps they are waiting for the moon to respond.
As for me, I carry the wolf howling at the moon on my back, a tattoo symbol of that which stirs me every full moon. ▼
Sharon A. Morgan is a retired advanced practice nurse with over 30 years of clinical and healthcare policy background.
Photo: Johnny Kaufman on Unsplash.
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Cool, Calm, and Tested
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the Delaware AIDS Walk on Saturday, September 20! Your energy, generosity, and commitment helped make the day a true celebration of community and a powerful reminder of why our work matters. Every step taken brings us closer to a healthier, more compassionate future.
As we move into the crisp fall season—with cooler breezes, colorful leaves, and Halloween festivities on the horizon—CAMP Rehoboth encourages everyone to take charge of their health. Alongside pumpkin patches and costume parties, make room on your calendar for regular testing. HIV and syphilis remain serious concerns, but knowing your status is easy and empowering.
At CAMP Rehoboth, our Health Suite provides free, confidential HIV and syphilis testing in a welcoming environment. Testing is quick and easy, and our team is here to answer your questions and connect you with resources if needed.
This fall, treat yourself to peace of mind. Schedule your test today—and keep building a healthier, stronger community with us. ▼
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
Vincent DeLissio is Membership and Program Coordinator at CAMP Rehoboth.
BY ERIC PETERSON
Reader’s Favorite
“On the Bridge”
HREADER’S PANEL COMMENT
Reader’s Comment: “On the Bridge” stood out to me for its powerful exploration of emotional vulnerability and the complexities of human suffering. The story’s subtle, yet deeply resonant portrayal of Edward’s inner turmoil left a lasting impression on me. Through careful pacing and a delicate balance of introspection and external detail, the story paints a vivid picture of a moment of crisis. The tension builds gradually, allowing the reader to feel Edward’s conflicting emotions as he stands on the bridge, contemplating life and death. What I admired most was the authenticity of Edward’s character—his self-awareness, humor, and depth, as well as the way the story conveyed his internal struggle with such nuance and emotional weight.
alfway across the bridge, Edward stopped. He wasn’t tired, not really. Perhaps he just wanted to look at the river below. Behind him, four lanes of traffic whizzed by, but facing him, the river meandered for miles and miles. He knew that it too was traveling at great speed, but from this high up, it gave the illusion of being in no great hurry. It was comforting. His first experience with a therapist had been successful, and for this Edward was pleased. He was proud of himself for finally having the courage to pick up the phone and make the appointment. He should have started therapy years ago and said as much to his therapist. She neither agreed nor disagreed, but asked a question, and then another, and then another.
Mostly, he was proud of himself for finding a licensed social worker who took his insurance and practiced within walking distance from his apartment, just over the bridge on which he now stood.
“What kept you from reaching out sooner?” she had asked.
He had shrugged. “Embarrassed, I guess.”
“Embarrassed? About what?”
“I never thought my problems were that serious.”
She opened his file, which contained a single page of notes, probably taken during his intake call. She read aloud, “Grew up gay in a conservative religious household. Alcoholic father prone to violent outbursts. Mother possibly ADHD. One brother, estranged. One sister, died of suicide in 2017.” She looked up and met his gaze.
“Well, when you put it like that.…”
She gave him the barest hint of a smile, as if to say that she recognized his joke but found no humor in it. She asked about his drinking (moderate, nothing like his father) and his current relationship with his mother (better, ever since Dad’s liver gave out). She asked
what had come between him and his brother.
“Fox News,” he said.
At this, she both smiled and chuckled. His jokes were getting better. “Can I ask about your sister?”
Edward nodded, solemnly. He had no witty banter on this subject.
After he told her the whole story, including how (overdose) and why (severe depression), how he had learned of it (a phone call from his distraught mother), and how it made him feel (sad, of course, but also sincere relief knowing her suffering was over), she looked up from her notes. “Have you ever experienced suicidal ideation?”
She looked at him, ready for any answer he might give, her face full of compassion.
He returned her gaze, hoping his expression would read as gratitude. And then he lied.
Of course he’d imagined killing himself. Hadn’t everyone? He’d never picked a date or stockpiled the pills or measured exactly how much rope he’d need, but certainly he’d thought about what it would be like to just… cease to exist. How all the little worries and anxieties that plagued him could be wiped clean. How he’d never again go to the dentist or pay rent or search for love by scrolling through a series of filtered headshots hoping to find a handsome and wealthy Aries who liked long walks on the beach and was a total top. How it could all just be…over, if he wished it.
Even now, as Edward stood a hundred feet or more over the river, there was nothing really standing between him and the big goodbye. He could easily scale the railing before anyone could stop him, take one last look at the city he called home, then simply fall backward. As he fell, the bridge would get smaller and smaller. The air rushing up against him would drown out the steady drone of the traffic. It would probably take less than four seconds, but it would be four seconds of unimaginable peace.
He’d probably hit the water with such force, he’d drown while unconscious. Easy, painless, fade to black.
His morbid fantasy was interrupted by a cyclist. “Behind you!” she shouted just before racing by, much too quickly for a public walkway. He then regarded the cars, each of them containing at least one person trying to get somewhere in a big hurry. And who knows, perhaps some of them had good reason. But he suspected most of them were kidding themselves.
Edward took another look at the river, inhaled deeply, and resumed his journey home, one step at a time.
Again, he conjured his therapist’s face, full of solicitude and understanding.
“No,” he had said. “I’ve never thought about killing myself.”
And again, she had smiled. It’s possible she was relieved. But Edward suspected she was just humoring him.
She changed the subject to his love life (nothing to report), his sex life (occasional at best), his work life (boring but secure), and his goals for therapy (he hadn’t really thought about it).
“Mull it over,” she said. “We can talk about that next time, if you want to.”
“I will.”
She closed his file and set down her pen. “That’s our time. I’ll see you in two weeks?”
She extended a hand. He shook it. “Sounds good,” he said. And it did.▼
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Eric Peterson is a novelist, story writer, and playwright. His first novel Loyalty, Love, & Vermouth won the 2021 Gay Scribe Fiction Award, and his short stories “Little Boy Blue” and “Banjo” were finalists in the Annual Saints + Sinners Short Fiction Contest. Read more at: ericpetersonauthor.com/.
It’s My Life
Behind the Masks
Halloween is a big deal in our little village. It’s also a tightly controlled affair. At six o’clock, the siren at the fire station sounds and the kids start making the rounds. At seven o’clock, the siren sounds again and it’s all over for another year. During that one magical hour, it’s a nonstop parade of kids and parents.
We don’t have all that many children in the village itself. But Halloween brings in trick-or-treaters from the surrounding area, so we end up with several hundred ghoulies and ghosties hitting the house for candy. It’s probably our favorite annual event. We park ourselves on the front porch and ooh and ahh over the werewolves and cheerleaders, the Spider Men and Taylor Swifts. So many Taylor Swifts. And always, every year, a kid wearing an inflatable chicken costume. It’s always a different kid, and we like to think the costume gets passed down from child to child in some kind of Appalachian folk horror rite of passage.
We love our little village celebration. But not everyone is a fan. Every year at the start of October the village Facebook page becomes a source of controversy over Halloween. It always starts innocently enough, with someone asking when trick-or-treating is. This sounds like an odd question, but some towns here opt to hold it on different nights, depending what day of the week Halloween falls on.
The village, however, stands on tradition and always celebrates Halloween on Halloween. With that settled, the conversation then turns to who, exactly, should be included in the festivities. In short, someone inevitably comments, “Can’t we limit it to village residents? I don’t see why I should have to buy candy for kids who don’t live here.”
As I mentioned, we get kids from all over. That’s what happens when you’re a cute, safe village with one main street and an orderly trick-or-treating plan in a rural area. And most of us are more than happy to welcome anyone who wants to come. But not all of us are.
The argument for limiting participation in the candy grab usually comes down to cost. And yes, buying candy for a couple hundred sugar-hungry gremlins adds up. But beyond the concern about expense is a larger, unspoken one: We don’t want to provide anything for people who aren’t one of us.
Life is not an Us and Them situation. It’s a We situation.
Thankfully, the number of people complaining about the influx of trickor-treaters is small. And they’re always countered by others saying that everyone is welcome here and reminding the naysayers that for some kids getting a little candy is a much-needed break from lives that aren’t all that fantastic in a region that ranks as one of the poorest in the state. But every time it comes up, it leaves me thinking about how some people deeply resent helping others in even the smallest of ways.
Shortly before we moved here, one of our former neighbors, upon learning that someone in the village gave better candy to local children than they did to “outsiders” on Halloween, put his house on the market and moved down the road. “He said he didn’t want to live in a place with people who were so meanspirited that they would try to control who got a piece of chocolate and who didn’t,” his wife told me recently. While I think that reaction might have been a wee bit extreme, I understand the sentiment. Knowing that some of the people around you resent trick-or-treaters makes you wonder what else goes on in their heads.
Which brings me to how I feel about our country right now. I think one of the most difficult things to come out of what’s going on is the revelation that a whole lot of people don’t want all the trick-ortreaters to get candy. And I’m not talking only about the “they shouldn’t get any
BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD
benefits because they shouldn’t be here” crowd. I mean those who begrudge anyone at all that they don’t approve of being treated with any measure of kindness.
Current events are exposing just how cruel so many people are and think it’s okay to be. I suspect these sentiments were here all along, obscured by a thin veneer of civility. And it’s probably good that we’re seeing people’s true faces now, so we know who the real monsters are. But it’s wildly unpleasant. I really don’t want to live in a place that’s filled with petty, selfish, bullies.
I have friends who, like our former neighbor, have opted to move away, perhaps until things change or perhaps permanently. While I understand the impulse, I can’t help feeling that all that does is leave the kids who just want some pieces of candy to fend for themselves against the people who think they shouldn’t be venturing out of their own neighborhoods.
Life is not an Us and Them situation. It’s a We situation. While there’s always room for improvement, and for recognizing and addressing legitimate problems, we only get better as a society if we work together. Sometimes that means trying to understand the perspectives of people who are not like us. Sometimes it means supporting issues we might not personally have a connection to because someone else does.
And sometimes it means not being outraged that a kid from outside the neighborhood asks for a piece of candy. ▼
Michael Thomas Ford is a much-published Lambda Literary award-winning author. Visit Michael at michaelthomasford.com.
| Apr 13–20,
Portugal Douro River Cruise | May 12–19, 2027 Wild Alaska Adventure Cruise | May 29–Jun 3, 2027
Norwegian Fjords Luxury Cruise | Jul 12–19, 2027
African Safari Adventure | Oct 29–Nov 7, 2027
Polar Bear Photography Safari | Nov 10–16, 2027
Galápagos Adventure Cruise | Nov 26–Dec 5, 2027
When Life Gives You Lemons…
Squeeze Out Some Hope
What do you do when “your person”—your fiancé, spouse, or partner—has died? How do you continue to function when you feel frozen in time while the rest of the world keeps moving forward? You need hope. You need Soaring Spirits.
When Jeanine O’Donnell lost her husband, Stephen, in 2023, after 40 years together, she did her best to keep going—paying bills, running her business, spending time with family, and cherishing moments with her granddaughter. But without Stephen, her partner in business and in life, everything felt heavy with fear and emptiness. Then, an annual doctor’s appointment started her journey toward healing.
Says Jeanine, “I went for my annual appointment at Women’s Wellness and Dr. Holly McKeil, after discovering my loss, gave me information about Soaring Spirits International. Their purpose is to connect widowed people to each other and provide immediate access to support.”
Importantly, Soaring Spirits’ definition of “widowhood” is far more expansive than that of the federal government. Rather than limiting widowhood to only those who have lost someone to whom they were legally married, Soaring Spirits expands widowhood to include anyone who has outlived the person they expected to spend their life with—be that a fiancé, partner, or spouse.
When Jeanine visited the Soaring Spirits website (soaringspirits.org), she “learned about their educational programs, pen pal program, many resources, and their signature program, Camp Widow®.” Reports Jeanine, “I called a friend, Kathy Weiss, who had lost her husband a month after I lost mine, and we made plans to attend Camp Widow in San Diego.”
Soaring Spirits was founded in 2009 by Michele Neff Hernandez after she was widowed at 35. Her mission was clear: no widowed person should have to go through this experience alone. Since then, Soaring Spirits has reached more than
five million widowed people worldwide. Through annual Camp Widow events, as well as a Regional Group Program led by volunteers, support continues to spread across the globe.
Grief is long, unpredictable, and different for each person. Soaring Spirits works to reach out a hand and provide a little personal “GPS” to help navigate the experience.
Jeanine decided to start a local
“Grief transcends all labels and binds us like nothing else.”
group in Sussex County, along with local co-leaders Kathy Weiss and Karen Cameron. Karen had visited the Soaring Spirits website and asked about potentially starting a group and was connected to them both.
Excited to hold local meetings twice a month and promote a Camp Widow event in Washington, DC this November, Jeanine, Kathy, and Karen are getting started. “The important thing to note about our meetings is that they are safe and it’s a social group. We are not grief counselors but want to facilitate great discussions and connect those who may have things in common,” states Karen.
All attendees of local group meetings register through Widowed Village (widowedvillage.org), Soaring Spirits’ secure online platform. Registration provides access to Regional Group listings all over the world—many with virtual as well as in-person options.
BY JEANINE O’DONNELL
“We are working to rotate around Sussex County with different locations, times, and days to try to accommodate all widowed people, whether they are working or retired. This organization is very inclusive. We want to encourage everyone—whether you’ve lost someone to whom you were engaged, married, or partnered for six months or 60 years—to investigate what we have to offer.
“We strongly encourage diversity in the local group,” stressed Jeanine. “Grief transcends all labels and binds us like nothing else.” She added, “That said, Soaring Spirits recognizes some people may face unique challenges or prefer meeting with people whose experiences may more closely mirror theirs. So, Soaring Spirits also offers specialty groups such as ones for LGBTQ+ people, men, widowed people of color, and people who are neurodivergent. These groups—and many other specially-focused ones—are very easy to access, as they meet on-line (widowedvillage.org).”
Earlier this year, Soaring Spirits created a short documentary (Camp Widow), funded by PBS, showing the impact Camp Widow has on attendees. (The film is available at pbs.org as well as on YouTube.) In November, the organization is bringing that same life-affirming program to the nation’s capital with Camp Widow DC. See campwidow.org for more information and registration.
Contact jeanine@volunteer.soaringspirits.org for more information or any questions you may have regarding the local chapter. Visit soaringspirits.org for more information on the international organization or to donate. ▼
Photo: Camp Widow; courtesy of Soaring Spirits International.
Learn more about Soaring Spirits over coffee at CAMP Rehoboth on Monday, November 3, at 9:30 a.m. or 5:00 p.m. Jeanine will be available for an hour at each time to talk about the organization and—especially— the local chapter.
Award Winners XXV: Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellows
The work of Delaware’s current Individual Artist Fellows will be featured in a group exhibition, Award Winners XXV, at the Rehoboth Art League, November 7-30, 2025; an opening reception will be held in the Tubbs Gallery on November 7, from 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellowships recognize artists for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards. In 2025, the Division received work samples from 191 Delaware choreographers; composers; musicians; writers; and folk, media, and visual artists. The work samples were reviewed by out-ofstate arts professionals who considered the demonstrated creativity and skill in each artist’s respective art form.
Twenty-one artists were awarded fellowships in the following categories—one, Masters; 11, Established; nine, Emerging; and 13 runners-up. The 21 selected fellows reside throughout Delaware.
There is no charge to visit the exhibit; the Tubbs Gallery is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and noon to 4:00 on Sunday. For more information, visit rehobothartleague.org. ▼
TelePrEP Launches in Delaware
The Delaware HIV Consortium, partnering with Qcare+, has launched TelePrEP, a statewide service that offers online visits, easy and convenient testing, and medication delivery. The goal is simple: remove barriers like transportation, scheduling, stigma, and cost issues, enabling more people to stay HIV negative.
PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a safe and highly effective medicine that prevents HIV before exposure. It is available to anyone in Delaware who is over age 18 and who wants extra protection against HIV. This includes people with new or multiple partners, people who
Spooky Tunes and Tales
Cprefer not to use condoms every time, and people who share injection equipment. Those unsure if PrEP is right for them—there’s even help with making that decision.
Most insurance plans cover PrEP. Those who are uninsured—or have a high co-pay—will be assisted to identify options, so cost does not stand in the way of access.
TelePrEP is confidential. Visits are online and testing can be done at home or at a nearby lab.
To learn more, contact the Delaware HIV Consortium (delawarehiv.org) or visit qcareplus.com/cbo-partners/dehiv/. ▼
alling all ghosts, ghouls, goblins and other music lovers: Lazy Mary Productions is offering one monster of a time, as they celebrate the Season of the Witch. The performance offers a séance of songs from across the decades that tap into what’s creepy and haunting and downright fun. Enjoy Christine Asero and Paul Maisano as they unearth tunes from the world of pop, rock, film, and Broadway. Doug Yetter will lead the séance on keyboards with Russ Pidgeon on drums.
Presented by the Rehoboth Beach Film Society, performances are Saturday, October 25, at 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m., at Cinema Art Theater in Lewes, Delaware. Tickets, ranging from $30 to $80, are available at cinemaarttheater.eventiv.org. ▼
Remember the Renegade
Confessions on a Dancefloor
Iremember it like it was yesterday: Labor Day weekend, 2000, perched on the catwalk inside the Renegade, looking down on a dance floor that felt alive in its own ecosystem. The lights pulsed, the DJ was spinning a remix of Sting’s “Desert Rose,” and a couple hundred bodies moved in unison. Cigarette smoke and cologne hung heavy in the room. I wasn’t even drinking in the moment; I was inhaling it like oxygen. I had just turned 20, was the textbook definition of naive and immature, and yet here I was, standing in a space where, in that moment of pulsing beats and hormones, the world made absolute sense.
That snapshot has never left me. It’s one of those queer keepsakes we all carry: sharp-edged, vivid with smell and sound, suspended between truth and myth. I think they linger because they were born out of tension—bursts of joy carved into a climate that wasn’t always welcoming.
By the time I was old enough to navigate Rehoboth Beach on my own, others had already created the map for me to follow. Long before rainbow flags decorated Baltimore Avenue, there were hidden outposts. In the 1920s, Louisa Carpenter—a DuPont heiress and quiet patron of queer artists—opened her beach estate to friends who didn’t fit into society’s rigid mold. In the ’50s, Ross Alexander planted another flag with Joss, one of the first openly gay-owned businesses in town.
The bars that followed in the mid-century were discreet and coded. The Pink Pony on the boardwalk had smoked windows to shield patrons from outside eyes. Down in Bethany, Nomad Village became a haven because its owners chose acceptance over judgment. By the time disco arrived, the volume had turned up. The Boathouse opened in 1976 with bay water literally under the dance floor—a floating sanctuary where moving your body was itself a declaration.
Everything shifted in 1980 when the Renegade opened. It was bold, unapol-
ogetic, and unmistakably gay-owned. A year later, the Blue Moon arrived in a converted house, blending dining, drag, and nightlife. Together, they turned Rehoboth Beach into more than just a sleepy shore town; they made it a queer destination.
If the Moon gave me the language, the Renegade taught me how to speak it fluently.
Not everyone was thrilled. Cars slowed to hurl insults or bottles at the doors. Police treated Poodle Beach like hostile territory. But inside, the music played, the drinks poured, and people who’d been told all their lives to shrink found room to expand.
For me, the Blue Moon was an initiation—I can still feel the rush of walking inside with my fake ID for the first time. It felt like sneaking into forbidden territory. The Renegade, though, was something else altogether. If the Moon gave me the language, the Renegade taught me how to speak it fluently.
At 20, I thought I was grown. I had what looked like a serious job—working for an interior designer—but carried the immaturity of someone convinced the world owed him excitement. In that space and time, the Renegade was my laboratory.
I learned what it felt like to be pulled into a stranger’s orbit on the dance floor; how heartbreak could strike at closing time; how friendships cemented over sweaty beats could last decades. And I learned about absurdity too: like the night I ran into my father, walking in just as I was stumbling out. He was there with his straight friends for a bachelor party, dancing in the pre-dawn hours. Had I not already come out, it would’ve been a very different—and likely explosive—night.
The Renegade wasn’t fancy: plastic
BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE
cups, sticky floors, DJs who sometimes thought volume could solve everything. But to a 20-year-old, it was heaven on earth.
When it finally closed in February 2003, it wasn’t just another bar shuttering. It was the end of something singular. Wayne Hodge, the longtime manager, explained it plainly in an interview: the decision to sell was part business, part inevitability. Housing developments had crept closer, neighbors wouldn’t tolerate music until 4:00 a.m., and expenses were climbing. Smoking bans, a shaky economy, and shifting priorities meant the days of weeklong crowds were fading.
And yet, he emphasized, the closing was also about change. In the early years, the Renegade was one of the only safe options. By the 2000s, queer people could feel comfortable in many more places. Even the Renegade itself had evolved—cabaret shows, theme parties, even straight crowds mixed in with the gay regulars. Its closing was bittersweet: proof that progress had opened more doors, but also that a chapter had ended.
Customers felt it deeply. Some stopped by to say thank you for a quarter-century of joy. Others cried betrayal. Couples returned to take photos by the door where they had first met. Drag queens joked about wanting pictures with the bulldozers once demolition began.
Revisiting the Renegade’s history for this piece has been bittersweet. I thought back to that catwalk memory, to my own nights on that floor, and felt the void that would follow. The Renegade had been more than a club. It was where many of us came of age; where joy was clearly communal; and where I discovered that queerness wasn’t just survival—it was celebration.
Now I’m 45. I don’t need a fake ID, and I don’t need a bar to prove I belong. My life is steady, full, and deeply rooted. And yet, the Renegade is still with me, pulsing in time with the rhythm of my heart.
When I walk Baltimore Avenue today,
The truth is, the Renegade taught me more than how to dance. It taught me that joy itself is a weapon.
I see rainbow flags flown openly and think of those who made it possible: the bar owners who braved harassment, the drag performers who turned jeers into ovations, the patrons who kept showing up no matter what.
The truth is, the Renegade taught me more than how to dance. It taught me that joy itself is a weapon. That being loud, sweaty, visible, and unwilling to leave is a kind of revolution.
I return often to that mental image: the beat, the smoke, the sensation of belonging to something larger than myself. What I didn’t know then was that I was participating in a story decades in the making—one that would keep evolving long after the music stopped.
Spaces close. Scenes change.
Crowds age and priorities shift. But what remains is the knowledge of what was risked and what was won. For me, the 20-year-old sneaking in and the 45-yearold writing these words are bound together by that legacy. Because queer bars were never just bars. They were stages, sanctuaries, protest marches, and family reunions. For a quarter-century, the Renegade was all of that. And in its glow, like so many others, I found my place. ▼
Christopher Moore is a writer, a teacher, and a lover of music, NPR, yoga, caulk guns, abandoned shopping malls, reproductive freedoms, peanut M&Ms, and a man who lives in Toronto. His email is moore.cc@gmail.com.
A NOTE ON SOURCES
History matters—and queer history, in particular, must be protected from erasure by those who would hide our collective truths from the American story. This piece draws on a February 7, 2003, Letters interview with Wayne Hodge, the book Queering Rehoboth Beach by James T. Sears, and archival material from the Delaware LGBTQ+ History collection, lovingly preserved by the Delaware State Archives.
Winter Pride
Keep the Party Going Year-Round
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
Amid political backlash, a Winter Pride event in Florida emerges as a bold, off-season celebration of queer resilience and community.
The party doesn’t have to stop when the last Pride float rolls away in late summer. From Florida's winter paradise to New York’s frozen lakes, queer communities are claiming new territory on the calendar, creating Winter Pride celebrations that feel both rebellious and inevitable in the current political era.
Earlier this year, St. Petersburg’s inaugural Winter Pride flipped the script on Florida’s increasingly hostile political climate, delivering a full week of unapologetic queer joy in February—smack in the middle of snowbird season. More than 57,000 attendees showed up for everything from trans-led dance parties to street parades and a literal drag race, all while reclaiming space in a state where rainbow crosswalks have literally been erased. I attended many of the St. Pete Winter Pride events in February and can personally attest that it wasn’t just a celebration; in this current political era of queer erasure, it felt like a defiant, love-filled act of protest just by its mere existence.
In March, that same energy drifted north—on skis. Adirondack Winter Pride Weekend, a brand-new three-day celebration in Lake Placid, New York, spanned the iconic Olympic venues and charming alpine village. It brought LGBTQ+ travelers and allies together for a weekend of winter sports, dancing, community—and, yes, après-ski vibes. Organizers invited the LGBTQ+ and ally community to what promised to be a “spectacular” time in the winter sports destination, home of the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics.
Meanwhile, since 2018, OUT Central Oregon has hosted Winter PrideFest to celebrate inclusivity and the outdoors, offering a full weekend of fun and activities that take advantage of the winter weather. It has grown from 150 participants in 2018 to over 2,400 in 2025.
In 2026, Winter Pride is returning to St. Pete, from February 15-22—events, including the opening five-block street festival featuring trans author and activist Dylan Mulvaney and the elegant Pelican Ball with emcee Nina West, have already been announced.
For Rob Hall, executive director of St. Pete’s Winter Pride, the experience of putting on St. Pete’s first Pride event outside of the traditional summertime celebration was nothing short of transformative.
The party doesn’t have to stop when the last Pride float rolls away in late summer. From Florida’s winter paradise to New York’s frozen lakes, queer communities are claiming new territory on the calendar.
“I’ve never been more tired or more filled with joy by the end of something in my entire life,” Hall says, speaking recently from the ZaZoo’d store in downtown St. Pete where much of Winter Pride’s planning happens. “It was such a unique experience, and to have the turnout and support we did, not just from the LGBTQ+ community but from the city of St. Petersburg, set a really strong foundation for what’s to come.”
Hall’s journey to this role is deeply personal. After coming out later in life— he had been married to a woman for 28 years—he moved from Ohio to St. Pete in 2022 and began volunteering for St. Pete Pride. From there, connections with people like David Fischer, owner of ZaZoo’d and a core member of the Winter Pride team, helped lay the groundwork for something new: a second Pride celebration during Florida’s winter season, when balmy weather draws in snowbirds from the north.
Now, Hall is preparing for what he says will be an even bigger celebration in 2026, with over 100,000 attendees expected. It won’t just be a party, but a
protest wrapped in celebration, especially in an era of increasing political attacks against the LGBTQ+ community across Florida and the nation.
“Protests can come in many forms,” he says. “We choose to take the celebratory format. We want people to feel accepted and welcome no matter who you are, no matter your background.”
That sense of safety and community was echoed by Evelyn Long, a 24-yearold member of the Winter Pride team who calls the experience of planning the event “a serious privilege.”
“At a time when people feel powerless, I have the privilege of having a sense of agency and making a difference,” Long says. “Winter Pride emphasizes the power of the queer community in our area—that we deserve to be visible and active mem-
bers of the community year-round.”
Long recalls the Trans-n-Dance event, described as a “liberating dance for the trans community and their loved ones,” as a defining moment for her personally. She says the full Winter Pride team, which includes mostly cisgender members, intentionally engages the local trans community in designing the event to avoid falling into performative allyship.
“We didn’t want it to feel pandering or sterilized,” she says. “We wanted it to feel fun, vibrant, and authentically led by and for the trans community.”
Trans-n-Dance also left a mark on Fischer “as an emotional and all-around great time,” he says.
The idea for Winter Pride took root following the popularity of St. Pete’s Pride celebration in June—and as a response to
the notion that LGBTQ+ Pride should only be recognized during the summer. Many Floridians expressed interest in a Pride event during the cooler months, which, for Fischer, brought back memories of themed events in queer destinations like Provincetown, Key West, and Fire Island.
“There’re themed weeks that they have throughout the summer to keep people interested in tourism there,” Fischer says. “I don’t think Pride is about just celebrating Pride and gay people one time a year.”
In Florida, Winter Pride stands as a bold reclaiming of space where something as simple as a rainbow crosswalk can spark controversy. These joyful symbols of inclusion have become battlegrounds, including the crosswalk near Continued on page 38
“Protests can come in many forms," he says. "We choose to take the celebratory format.”
Two Sides of a Coin Continued from page 14
We also know that over a quarter of our patrons are visiting Sussex County when they attend the theater. So, looking at Clear Space’s 26,000+ ticketed attendees this year, if one assumes just one room-night for every two out-of-town guests, and assumes a very conservative $35 per person per meal, that’s a direct economic impact to Rehoboth Beach businesses of nearly $1.5M. Very similar math would apply to any other arts venue in our region or anywhere else in the world. The arts don’t just bring joy. They mean business and can dramatically improve the economic health of a community.
Like the Block Party, the arts spotlight creativity. This one goes without saying. And lastly, like the Block Party, the arts make our communities a better
Pulse nightclub, long a memorial to the 49 victims killed there in 2016. The crosswalk was recently painted over by city officials in accordance with a state order from Gov. DeSantis.
St. Pete hasn’t been spared either. At a recent news briefing, Mayor Kenneth Welch said he saw no legal path to saving the city’s own rainbow crosswalks, but promised they’d be replaced with “new, even more powerful expressions of who we are, expressions that cannot be erased.”
Still, Hall says Winter Pride continues to feel supported by city officials in St. Pete. “I’ve spoken with City Council members and the mayor’s chief of staff,” he says. “We’re cautiously optimistic—we know the political landscape is tricky, but we’ve received nothing but encouragement.”
Even if those rainbow crosswalks eventually fade, Hall is confident the community won’t. You can count on a chalk-wielding army ready to redraw them by hand. Because it’s never really been about paint on pavement—it’s about that first step onto Central Avenue and, for once, not having to brace yourself thanks to a welcoming community of queer people and allies alike. Hall knows that feeling well: air that’s easier to breathe, joy that doesn’t need permission. And through Winter Pride, he’s watched that same feeling settle over others, too.
“This work,” Hall says, “finally feels like what I was supposed to do my entire life.”
Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service.
place. Economic and interpersonal benefits aside, study after study show the impact of the arts in cultivating an understanding of difference, building empathy, and fostering critical thinking— for audiences of every age. For young people in particular, exposure to the arts has been proven to enable young people to articulate a vision for their future that is unconstrained by the circumstance of their present. (That’s fancy data-analysis-speak for saying that the arts help young people cultivate hope and an understanding of their potential.) While the question hasn’t been studied in adults, if it works for kids, I’d like to believe the arts have that same potential for audiences of every age.
As you attend the Block Party this year and experience the joy of commu-
nity created by it, I hope you’ll join me in reflecting on how special it is that that sense of community lives year around here in our region. And…if you haven’t made it to a play, a concert, or a gallery exhibit recently, I hope you’ll find the opportunity to do so this fall. Come and connect with the unique alchemy the arts provide to build and sustain that strong community. And while you’re out there, be part of that 60 percent that dines at a restaurant nearby! ▼
Joe Gfaller is Managing Director of Clear Space Theatre Company.
Photo credit: St. Pete Winter Pride
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Time Change
Do you know anyone who likes daylight saving time? I don’t. In fact, I’ll be upfront from the get-go: I hate everything about daylight saving time. I hate when it goes into effect in March, and again when we revert to Eastern Standard Time on Sunday, November 2.
It’s coming, regardless of how I feel about it. In a couple of weeks, daylight saving time is ending and we “gain” the hour we “lost” last March, and like trained seals, we all just accept it and reset the few clocks left that don’t change themselves before we go to bed.
Maybe it’s just me, but tell me how this makes sense in 2025. Changing clocks twice a year—why? Every year there are fewer clocks to manually change—for us, just the big clock on the kitchen wall along with our non-smart (and staying that way) kitchen appliances. Go ahead, call me a Luddite. I don’t care.
I don’t know which is worse, losing the hour in the spring or gaining it back in the fall. Why do we have to manually manipulate our time so that there is more daylight in the summer? There’s already plenty of daylight in the summer, all done naturally by the sun itself.
Daylight saving time was imposed using false narratives—farmers never wanted it and all it does is cause disruptions for them. Do you think dairy cows like their milking time to be changed twice a year, for example? No, business owners and Chambers of Commerce pushed for it because, of course, more daylight means more profit.
First enacted in Europe during World War I, it was seen as a way to conserve coal and electricity. But we haven’t used coal in our homes for what—over 100 years? And the savings gained in reduced lighting costs are eaten up by the increase in air conditioning and other power needs of the modern day. It would only save power if we all went outside for that extra hour of sunlight. But we don’t do that anymore.
Daylight saving time already has two strikes against it, as far as I’m concerned. First of all, it’s not daylight savings (plural) time, it’s daylight saving (singular) time. Even though everybody I know, including myself, really calls it daylight savings (plural) time. Second, it isn’t capitalized. Those two grammar rules just piss me off even more.
Daylight saving time already has two strikes against it from the start, as far as I’m concerned.
And then they sneak it in at 2:00 a.m., like a thief in the night, supposedly to minimize disruptions. Ask the blearyeyed commuters if this helps them cope with the disruption of the hour’s worth of REM sleep they lost.
President Woodrow Wilson made daylight saving time a law in the US in 1918, during World War I. Then it was dropped after the war and not reinstated again until World War II. It’s up to the states whether they participate; Arizona (with the exception of the state’s Navajo Nation) and Hawaii are two states that don’t. I strongly propose that Delaware join them.
BY BETH SHOCKLEY
Some factoids; according to FactRetriever.com and the AARP, researchers found:
• SAT scores dropped by two percent when administered during daylight saving time.
• “Cyberloafing”—or surfing the internet instead of working—increases significantly on the first Monday after daylight saving time occurs in the spring because of a lack of focus and motivation.
• Cluster headaches increase in people during the transitions.
• Your heart attack risk increases by about 10 percent when daylight saving time begins in the spring.
• Car accidents increase in the weeks following the spring start of daylight saving time.
To be fair, in 2007, when daylight saving time was extended, crime in the US decreased by seven percent. I’m sure there are other benefits but who cares? I don’t.
They keep extending the months. Daylight saving time used to run from early April to late October. That changed in 2007 and now it starts in March and ends the first Sunday in November. Eight months with it and four without.
I read that daylight saving time is harder on night owls than morning people. That tracks. I have always been a night owl—and being cheery in the morning is just not in my wheelhouse. Before I retired, I would rail against daylight saving time twice a year to anyone who would listen. Now, I rant and rave about it in Letters columns.
But there’s just something singularly depressing about losing daylight in the fall. Soon the sun will go down at 4:30 in the afternoon. Sigh. I guess it’s time to fold up comfortably in the autumn vibe and quit complaining. But I can’t help it, I still hate daylight saving time. ▼
Beth Shockley is a retired writer and editor; she shares life with her wife and three kitty boys.
Y’all Means All
Recently I went hunting for some new gay country music and a friend in Asheville told me to cue up Dixon Dallas’s song “Good Looking.” I expected heartbreak and beer. What I got caused me to snort bourbon through my nose. I can’t share the lyrics, but I can tell you this fella Dallas prefers riding a hot daddy to a mechanical bull and fishing for trouser trout over river bass.
Dixon Dallas is the gay country persona of Daniel Jacob Hill, who also records alt-rock, rap, and emo under other aliases. This shift-changing fuels debates about whether he’s satire or sincere, gay or straight. And Dallas plays it coy. Labels aside, his bawdy boy ballads are streamed by millions and they’re rattling the good-ol’-boy country music establishment.
He’s part of a wave of LGBTQ+ artists and allies working to reshape country music. Thanks to new platforms like TikTok, they’re bypassing conservative gatekeepers and radio to find their fans. There’s a saying many of these artists use—“Y’all Means All”—to describe their efforts to promote more diversity in country music.
So, in honor of National Coming Out Day and LGBTQ History Month, I thought I’d share my playlist of old and new LGBTQ+ country musicians that have my ear. It’s a wacky little mix for sure, perhaps not the more popular voices you might be expecting. But every artist and song mentioned is easy to find on Spotify, TikTok, or Apple Music.
Wilma Burgess scored big in the 1960s with hits like “Misty Blue.” Others covered it later, but I prefer her original. Wilma cut a quiet deal with her producer to keep most song lyrics gender-neutral and to refuse tabloid romances with men. After retiring she opened The Hitching Post, Nashville’s first lesbian bar. A subtle pioneer who did things her way.
Lavender Country released the first openly gay country album in 1973.
Funded by Seattle’s Gay Community Services, it sold just under a thousand copies and was mostly ignored until the Country Music Hall of Fame archived it in 1999. It’s gritty and raw. Try “Waltzing Will Trilogy,” a song about electroshock therapy!
kd lang burst out of Canada in the ’80s with a sound reminiscent of Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn, but with an androgynous, rockabilly-punk edge. People tend to forget this, as she later evolved her sound and got into acting. She won two Grammys for her country music and gave us work that still plays fresh. “Black Coffee” and “Big Boned Gal” remain two of my favorites.
I expected heartbreak and beer. What I got caused me to snort bourbon through my nose.
Orville Peck is the sexy masked cowboy crooner whose rich baritone evokes Elvis and Roy Orbison. Beneath the fringe and tight suits is a voice that makes Nashville listen. Willie Nelson tapped him for a duet on “Sometimes Cowboys Are Secretly Fond of Each Other.” Filmmaker John Waters loves him. My picks? His cover of Reba McEntire’s “Fancy” and a gloriously gay reboot of “Rhinestone Cowboy.”
Trixie Mattel may be best known for sashaying down RuPaul’s runway, but the drag queen has carved out a serious side hustle in country. Her songs mix cheeky humor with real tenderness—part Dolly Parton, part Johnny Cash, and part acid-tongued cabaret. Start with “Backwoods Barbie” and her duet with Orville Peck on “Jackson.” This gal can sing.
Sam Williams, grandson of Hank Williams Sr., came out in 2022, stirring predictable backlash. Dolly Parton, of course, offered her blessing. His ver-
sions of “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” and “HONKYTONKIN” honor his grandfather while layering in R&B and hip-hop. Delish. We’ll see if he can handle the pressure of family legacy.
Chris Houseman calls himself a good ol’ gay boy with a bleeding heart and sings songs to match. A Kansas farm kid turned Nashville songwriter, his socially conscious music has been compared to sipping Pappy Van Winkle—sweet at first, then layered with depth. Check out “Blueneck.”
Karen and the Sorrows describe themselves as the kind of band you hear after midnight when the bartender’s mopping up. Think Dolly Parton fronting Tom Petty and lots of heartbreak. I like “Guaranteed Broken Heart.” They also run the Gay Ole Opry in New York, giving a stage to upcoming queer and trans musicians.
Paisley Fields brings a touch of fringe and eyeliner to country’s butch aesthetic. A former church pianist turned piano-bar player, he writes about love, lust, and loneliness. His “Ride Me Cowboy” is playful and catchy with great lyrics.
As this playlist shows, country music isn’t just all trucks and tears. It’s as wide as the sky over a flat Delaware corn field. On second thought, yeah, there are a lot of both.… Which brings me back to Dixon Dallas. My favorite song of his is called “F-150.” Parody or pioneer, he’s proving the genre can laugh, grind, speak freely, and push boundaries. And if you ask me, that’s something we desperately need more of in this country these days. Yee-haw! ▼
Rich Barnett is the author of The Discreet Charms of a Bourgeois Beach Town, and Fun with Dick and James.
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International Pronouns Day
Let’s Hear It for They
Pop Quiz: When was “they” first used as a gender-neutral pronoun?
A. After Stonewall (1969)
B. When the Society for Human Rights was formed (1924)
C. On the first Transgender Day of Remembrance (1999)
D. In the French poem William and the Werewolf (1375)
If you said “d,” you are a wisenheimer, but you are also correct. I went for the laugh, but for many people, pronouns are serious business, and the discussion surrounding them has been going on for a very long time.
We are referred to by pronouns more often than we are by our names. In his book What’s Your Pronoun? Beyond He and She, linguist and University of Illinois professor Dennis Baron wrote about the history of pronoun use and the role pronouns have played in establishing our rights and identities. In an interview with Jodi Heckel from the Illinois News Bureau, Baron said, “The pronoun is becoming like an honorific, like a title. This is how you refer to me.” He went on to explain, “It’s got this extra-special significance once again in the context of new gender issues.”
Merriam-Webster chose they as its 2019 Word of the Year based on the number of dictionary lookups.
There are two strong arguments in favor of a neutral-gender pronoun. The first is the obvious one: we need a way to refer to people who are nonbinary or for other reasons don’t feel a masculine or feminine pronoun fits them.
The second is that only having he and she is awkward. When you need to talk about a person and you don’t know their gender (see what I had to do there?) what can you use other than they? You
BY NANCY SAKADUSKI
could say “he or she,” which is cumbersome, or you could use s/he, which isn’t pronounceable. In the old days, we were taught to use male pronouns as the default, which is both wrong and insulting.
We know how confused people are because Merriam-Webster chose they as its 2019 Word of the Year based on the number of dictionary lookups (it has now added the singular they to its online dictionary).
Some languages use gendered pronouns for objects (which presumably were not given a choice). I would love to have been in the room when it was decided that in Spanish, “bus” is masculine, but “motorcycle” is feminine, and in a cruel twist of fate, “television” is feminine but “remote” is masculine. On the other hand (a feminine noun in Spanish), Hungarian, Estonian, Finnish, the Turkic language Kyrgyz, and American Sign Language do not have gendered pronouns at all.
Pronouns do serve a useful purpose. I once had to write an article about a person who preferred no pronouns at all. Trust me when I say it’s difficult to write (and read) text that incessantly refers to the object of the story by their name.
From time to time, people have put forth ideas for new pronouns. The earliest example Baron found (from 1841), is e, with em for the object and es for the possessive. Others include zie, ze, xe, and hir, the latter of which was used by The Sacramento Bee newspaper for 25 years, Baron said.
I argue that there’s nothing wrong with the singular they. Rules for language change over time and with cultural advancements. Professor Baron says that the singular you only came into use in the 17th century. Prior to then, you was always plural.
The bottom line is to call people what they want to be called. Asking about and using a person’s preferred pronouns are powerful opportunities to show respect for others and promote sincere communication. ▼
Nancy Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and editor who owns Cat & Mouse Press in Lewes, Delaware.
Photo: The story of William and the Werewolf, dailymedieval. blogspot.com/2022/07/william-and-werewolf.html
No Prize for Trump
What to Give a Man Who Demands Everything? A Pink Slip.
The voices in Donald Trump’s head were unanimous. “Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize,” he told the United Nations General Assembly. If he really believes everyone agrees with him, why is he so consumed with revenge?
Also, are we really going to let a mad ignoramus destroy our country?
Trump’s popularity may be waning, but his increasing desperation makes him all the more dangerous. He forced out a US attorney whom he appointed for refusing to indict former FBI Director James Comey due to a lack of evidence. He then appointed his personal lawyer, Lindsey Halligan, despite her having no prosecutorial experience. She filed a bare-bones indictment just days before the statute of limitations was set to expire. Trump’s public comments provide clear evidence of a selective and vindictive prosecution. A judge will likely throw it out.
It is difficult to say which is worse, Trump’s vindictiveness or his lack of discipline. The people he is eager to prosecute include Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and New York Attorney General Letitia James. From his frequent insults, he appears to have a lengthy enemies list, though he denies it’s a list.
He is increasingly erratic. After throwing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy out of the White House, Trump is now disillusioned with his buddy, Vladimir Putin, and is claiming to re-embrace Zelenskyy. Who knows what his position will be next week?
Trump has made our country a laughingstock. His UN speech was a tangle of his usual lies, petty grievances, and meritless boasting. He demanded an investigation into the escalator stopping, which was caused by his own videographer, and the teleprompter failing, for which his staff was to blame. Every time Trump stubs his
toe, it’s another Deep State conspiracy. Trump’s mischief is catching up with him. His attempt to silence his critics backfired badly in the case of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel. Disney and ABC returned Kimmel to the air soon after his suspension provoked a national uproar against censorship.
This does not mean Trump is about to lose power. He controls every branch of government, and his fellow Republicans have been mostly supine. The Associated Press reports that the Supreme Court has granted the Trump administration’s requests to block lower court rulings in more than 70 percent of cases brought by the administration that were decided via the shadow docket.
“The miracle is how robust free expression and liberal science have proved to be, despite unremitting attacks from every direction over hundreds of years.”
Still, Trump’s act has gotten old. His habit of creating problems rather than solving them is increasingly difficult to overlook.
Trump is Mr. Distraction. That might work for him if people gave up. But people are getting fed up. He has not made good on his promises to lower food prices, and his Big Beautiful Bill, which passed a few months ago, is threatening many people’s healthcare and food assistance. Meanwhile, he and Health and Human Services Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., have endangered public health by embracing junk science, like the claim that Tylenol causes autism.
The midterm elections are 13 months away. If we tune out instead of holding
BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL
Republicans to account, the toadies and incompetents Trump has installed atop our government will continue their wreckage.
So-called War Secretary Pete Hegseth summoned hundreds of our top military officers from around the globe to Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia on September 30 to discuss his vision of “warrior ethos.”
Imagine seasoned military officers being lectured by a guy whose qualification was weekend hosting duties on Fox News. He criticized beards and accused “toxic leaders” of lowering standards to make DoD the “Woke Department.” Trump also spoke, forcing the brass to hold their bladders for an extra hour.
Francis Scott Key, in 1814, described in “The Star-Spangled Banner” the American flag surviving a night of British bombardment of Fort McHenry. I marvel each morning that we have survived another day of attacks on our norms and institutions.
As Jonathan Rauch writes in The Constitution of Knowledge, “The miracle is how robust free expression and liberal science have proved to be, despite unremitting attacks from every direction over hundreds of years.”
I remain defiant. I’m thinking of cheering everyone up with a column titled, “Imagine how much worse things could get.” It could get so bad that a closeted senator could no longer safely cruise in the nation’s capital.
More seriously, the threat never feels quite so dire until we ourselves are being grabbed in the street by masked officers and disappeared.
Let’s not wait until it is too late. Freedom is kept alive by exercising it. ▼
Richard Rosendall is a writer and activist who can be reached at rrosendall@me.com.
The Sea Salt Table
Ed’s Pimento Cheese
Back in August, I performed a not-so-delicate faceplant. No, I wasn’t rock climbing in Gibraltar. Nor was I parkouring away from 007. I was merely walking.
A driver had waved me through an intersection. To show my appreciation, I made eye contact, gave a little nod, and did a bit of a skip, showing them I was “hopping to it.” Except my feet got tangled.
In an instant, I went from vertical to laying on the ground with bloody knees and hands. There was a sort of slide involved, with my wounds picking up bits of macadam. My sunglasses were 10 feet away. Being honest, it was surprisingly violent. And very embarrassing.
Good Samaritans got out of their cars, helping me up, all the while tsk-tsking, and asking me to count their upheld fingers. Luckily, no one pulled out a cell phone to record that poor, graceless man.
Late that night at the ER, we learned I’d fractured a radial something-or-other in my right forearm. The break was minor, but instructions were to not use that arm for at least four weeks. That being my dominant hand was a bit of a gamechanger.
I quickly realized how weak and uncoordinated my left arm and hand are. Challenges included mousing, writing, flossing, toilet papering. Getting a fork into
my mouth without stabbing my cheek. My husband was immediately amazing, doing so much that I could no longer do. But Castelli’s pride ourselves on being independent. We’re the caregivers, not the other way around.
But I learned when you need help, accept it with grace, humility, and appreciation. And I kept two things in mind. One, I wasn’t a huge fan of mowing the lawn anyways. And two, if I lived alone, I would be 10 times worse off.
My worst setback was that my hobby, cooking, became a dreaded chore. Ever try to cut an onion with one hand? Or roll pie dough? Or lift a 9x13 pan in and out of an oven?
I’m better now, although I suspect I’ll have an arm that can predict the weather as accurately as my late Grandma’s sciatica.
So, this month, I’m highlighting one of the simplest recipes I have in my arsenal. If you had to, you could make this with one hand tied behind your back. And blindfolded (not recommended). It’s my Pimento Cheese.
This is amazingly better than any premade spread you buy, even at a specialty grocer. It’s simply fabulous in a sandwich, on celery, a cracker, or toasted bagel. Or grilled cheese! Or melted on a hamburger!!!
Let’s get started, shall we?
If you had to, you could make this with one hand tied behind your back.
STEPS
BY ED CASTELLI
Using a food processor (or a friend), grate the following:
• 8 oz. extra sharp white cheddar
• 8 oz. extra sharp orange cheddar
In a bowl, add the following to the cheeses, breaking up the pimentos with your spoon:
• 4 oz. jar pimentos, well drained
• ⅔ cup mayonnaise
• Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
Chill for at least two hours, allowing the flavors to meld. Enjoy.
TIPS
• Be aware pre-shredded cheese is often coated with an anti-caking ingredient. Freshly grated cheese is a gamechanger in taste and texture.
• Subpar ingredients don’t get better when combined, especially when there’s so few. Pick really good cheese and mayonnaise (I prefer Duke’s).
• I often do this whole recipe in the food processor using gentle, quick pulses so as not blend it too hard. ▼
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.
A Veteran’s Story
A Harrowing-Turned-Happy Tale
Bert Kobli might have had a lobotomy, jumped in front of a moving Metro car, or been knifed to death in his own home. But none of those real possibilities happened.
And when Bert stopped in at CAMP Rehoboth one day, hearing that the CAMP Veterans Group was soliciting stories for their upcoming Veteran’s Day program, Bert, at age 87, decided he must finally tell his tale.
Bert’s family was steeped in military culture. His father served in World War II, a great uncle died in France in World War I, a sibling served and, thanks to Ancestry. com, Bert learned that a family member served in the Revolutionary War.
It was almost pre-determined that 19-year-old Bert would serve—so he joined the Air Force on January 12, 1958, at the height of the repressive McCarthy era.
Bert, who’d known he was gay since high school, hated that truth about himself. He dated women and says, “I had a pretty girlfriend, but I was terrified my secret would be discovered.”
He buried his feelings and developed a terrible self-hatred. When asked by the Air Force recruitment team if he had homosexual tendencies, he flat out lied.
The military sent him to Syracuse University for an intensive 11-month program learning Russian. There, he and a military roommate became friendly. While they
BY FAY JACOBS
both admitted they were gay, there was no sexual relationship. When both men finished classes and went to their respective posts, they kept up a friendship by mail.
Bert was sent to Turkey, where he was stationed in an underground bunker, monitoring Soviet broadcast activity. “At that post and for the entire four years of my service, I refrained from any sexual activity and hid my secret,” he says.
But in 1961, just a few months before his enlistment was up, Bert was called in and told his superiors had reason to believe he had homosexual tendencies. “I was horrified,” he says.
Turned out that Bert’s Syracuse friend had been kicked out of the military for being gay, and “because we were friends and had written many letters to each other, they started investigating me.”
The inquiry began in Turkey and went on for 18 months, by which time Bert was back in the US at Ft. Meade in Maryland, still totally closeted, engaged to his girlfriend, and hoping to leave the service for a job at the National Security Agency (NSA).
In that year-and-a-half of constant badgering and intense questioning, he was interrogated at least 22 times. “The Air Force wanted to know if I had sex with a man during my time in the military.”
Bert was subjected to a lie detector test on that question, and he passed. “My superiors asked if I was part of the ‘nest of homosexuals’ they said were all around me. I detested myself, the officers who interrogated me, and my whole life.”
In the end, their incessant questions, innuendo, and cruelty got to him. After one particularly grueling session, Bert broke down and admitted to having had some homosexual experiences in high school.
“Instantly, they revoked my clearances, the NSA job disappeared, and they made me clean floors with all the other men watching. Bert recalls that time in 1961 as “totally humiliating.”
Next, Bert was put on trial, in an ordeal that lasted two-and-a-half days. His
fiancé testified on his behalf, Bert insisted he was about to marry, and in the end, seemingly confused, the prosecutor said, “You are not homosexual, but you should be careful of the company you keep,” and found him not guilty.
But not before recommending, because of his sexual confusion, that he submit to a medical lobotomy—a devastating and now discredited surgery severing the brain’s prefrontal cortex connections to cure psychiatric disorders. The procedure left the patient unable to concentrate or form emotional responses, and could cause them to lose initiative.
“The suggestion was horrifying, and I was shocked and scared,” Bert remembers.
Luckily, a lobotomy was only recommended, not ordered, and Bert left the service with an honorable discharge. He hurriedly married his fiancé, buried his homosexual feelings, and escaped from this military nightmare.
Bert and his wife moved to Bethesda, Maryland, raised two sons, and ultimately were married for 35 years, with five grandkids. Bert recalls the family making many visits to Rehoboth Beach, buying taffy at Dolles, and enjoying the beach.
Career-wise, after receiving an art degree, Bert worked as a graphic artist, first for the government, and ultimately, for many years, with the National Endowment for the Arts.
But in 1993, something happened that changed Bert’s life.
While he rode the DC Metro one day, the train stopped at Dupont Circle. Suddenly the doors opened to a flood of excited, exhilarated people, with rainbow flags and equality t-shirts, and they were smiling, laughing, and proud of being gay.
It was the day of the 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay and Bi Equal Rights. Bert sat in the packed
“It took me a long time to love myself, but I now know that being gay is something to be proud of.”
Metro car, amid the throng of gay people and their allies, stunned, not believing what he was seeing.
That day led to a lot of reflection, then to depression as “I realized some people were gay and happy, so unlike everything I had been through.” He compared it with his own closeted life, his self-hatred, his missed opportunities.
“After I had the epiphany that it’s okay to be gay, I did start to have some secret gay experiences, but I became even more depressed,” he recalls. He joined GAMMA, a support group for gay married men, and, after coming home one day, he told his wife “I’m gay and I can’t take this anymore.“
The couple went to counseling, hoping to find a way to remain married. But after a while, at one session, Bert’s wife blurted out, “I’m thinking of killing him,” and seemed to mean it. For at least two weeks at home, in their separate bedrooms, Bert feared he’d be knifed in his sleep.
“I was scared but I felt terrible,” Bert said, “She was a great mother and grandmother and I was distraught about hurting her, but I was terrified what would happen.”
The depression worsened, and “I came within three seconds of jumping in front of a train,” Bert says. “The only thing that saved me was the thought of my youngest grandson. I couldn’t do that to him. Somehow, I didn’t jump.”
And when Bert’s wife finally said, “You have to leave,” he did.
In doing so he opened up his world to new possibilities—meeting men, feeling good about himself, and, in his 50s, “having my teenage years all over again.”
Despite the changes, Bert maintained a deep connection with his adult sons and grandkids, although he and his
former wife no longer spoke.
It was 2001 when Bert met his now-husband, Mark, a former Marine. The connection was instant and they now have been happily together almost 25 years.
And for 87-year-old Bert Kobli, there’s an irony about his entire traumatic military experience. In the mid-1990s, during the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” years, when gays could serve as long as they kept quiet about their sexuality, Bert’s now-husband Mark remembers trying to tell an officer he was gay. He was told quietly—but officially—not to say another word about it or he’d be kicked out of the corps. That was it. “Ironic, right?” Bert says.
“It took me a long time to love myself,“ Bert says now, especially in light of his harrowing military experience, “but I now know that being gay is something to be proud of. And I am.” ▼
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.
Interested in hearing some more stories? On Tuesday, November 11, at 5:00 p.m., the CAMP Rehoboth Veterans Group will host a free program, LGBTQ+ Veterans: Tales Asked and Told. Come share happy hour with our military vets and listen to their riveting personal stories. From outed and investigated to honored and accepted, you won’t forget their words.
Photo this page: Bert, left, Mark right; photos courtesy of Bert Kobli.
Halloween Costumes
BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
Witches & Hobos & Ghosts—Oh, My! “W
hat do you want to be?”
When you were small, those six words were followed by “… when you grow up?” Now, though, the question is more pressing, more immediate, a bigger deal.
What do you want to be for Halloween?
It’s always been a complicated decision. To fully understand why it’s loaded with more meaning than you might care to admit, you need a basic running knowledge of the holiday itself....
Experts at this kind of thing say that Halloween is rooted in the Celtic celebration of Samhain, which happened at the end of every summer, centuries ago. Samhain was pagan, and early Christians were left out of the party so in the eighth century, Pope Gregory III decided that the Church could have its celebration. Around the mid-700s, he set aside Novem ber 1 as All Saints Day. It officially became a holiday a century or so later.
All Saints Day was when All Hallow Mass was held—“Hallow” meaning “holy.” The night before became All Hallow’s Eve.
In the beginning, the Celts wore disguises to keep ghosts and spirits from recognizing them because, you know, being possessed by a spirit who knows all about you is probably no fun. But, of course, being costumed was the perfect chance to prank your fellow villagers and blame it on the Other World, right? And since nobody knows who you are, it might be possible to go around town and ask for food and adult beverages as part of the revelry, huh?
Do you see what happened here? The Pope’s peeps loved it.
By the late 1400s, All Hallow’s Eve became a big including pageants and plays and bunches of spooky songs to sing—kind of like Christmas, but without the whole Santa bit. A century later, the Scots shortened the name of the fun to “Halloween” and by the 1600s, the fun started to include the littles, big time.
Back then, you didn’t have to take your whiny kid to Goodwill to fight over a costume. No, costuming was ridiculously easy for 17th-century parents who dressed their kids
in skins and straw so that Little Skeklers could dance and sing and haul home Colonial-era versions of a Snickers bar. Sensing a missed opportunity for eats, adults tried every now and then to claw the holiday back, but Halloween had come to America and had became almost completely a teens-and-kids thing by the early 1900s.
By the late 1400s, All Hallow’s Eve became a big thing, including pageants and plays and bunches of spooky songs to sing…
Even so, costumes were still not very slick.
Most kids in the 1920s dressed in whatever they had at home and some still used straw, as evidenced by photos that you can find online. Scary clowns (which is rather redundant, isn’t it?), witches, ghosts, and hobos were easy costumes to pull together from Mom and Dad’s closet. Crêpe paper was a super-popular material for costumes, and simple paper masks were also commonly made. If you could peer back in time, you’d see a lot of unintentionally terrifying costumes and a lot of racism, neither of which went away for generations.
In the 1930s, costumes were, for the first time, often based on pop culture, particularly that of Mickey Mouse, Little Orphan Annie, Popeye, and so on. If Mom were handy, Disney and McCall banded together and offered sew-it-at-home patterns, or you could find a costume made of rayon and stiff gauze (no fire problem here, right?). Those latter kinds were mostly for the luckiest kids whose boxed costumes were purchased from catalog stores such as Sears. The majority of children had to make-do during the Depression, though, since the most desirable costumes were unaffordable. That had to be frustrating for families and it’s perhaps no surprise that reports of teen and young adult vandalism and pranking, often malicious, rose in the later 1930s and very early ‘40s. In some places in America, in fact, concerned adults started to re-think the whole thing and they floated the idea of eliminating the “Halloween Problem.” Instead, it seems that they took a big deep breath, got a grip, and the holiday was re-framed , as something for kids. A pure genius thought of trick-or-treating, which went away during World War II, due to sugar rations. It reappeared and stayed around, much to the relief of every kid since then.
Continued on page 58
Historical Headliners
What’s in a Name?
Katherine Bradley & Edith Cooper
You’ve probably heard or read the expression “Art for Art’s Sake,” a term originated by the artists and writers of the late nineteenth century’s Aesthetic Movement. But what about the idea of Art for Love’s Sake?
That’s exactly what two English poets and lovers, Katherine Bradley and Edith Cooper, created.
In nineteenth-century England, and for centuries prior, literature written by women was often dismissed as trivial. In order to gain the readership and respect of the male-dominated critical establishment, Bradley and Cooper merged their creative personalities into a single entity: Michael Field.
Published as Field, their poetry was highly regarded, receiving praise from Great Britian’s highest sources of literary criticism. It was even suggested that Michael Field be nominated as England’s Poet Laureate. The accolades came to an abrupt end, though, when it was discovered that Michael was in fact Katherine and Edith.
Though many of their male colleagues in the Aesthetic Movement, including Oscar Wilde, influential art critic Bernard Berenson, essayist Walter Pater, and poet John Addington Symonds, among others, rallied around the couple, their support couldn’t undo the loss of respect among England’s hidebound male critical establishment.
This loss of respect didn’t end Bradley and Cooper’s literary endeavors. Like many creative artists of the time, they were devotees of the arts and pagan myths of Classical Greece. The ancient Greek world’s acceptance of romantic relationships among men and the homoerotic art it engendered gave the couple a foundation from which to extol same-sex relationships between women. Naturally, they gravitated to the poetry of Sappho of Lesbos.
Though only fragments of Sappho’s poetry have survived, these fragments served as the inspiration for Bradley and
Cooper’s sensual lyrics. Keeping the nom de plume Michael Field—declaring their literary personalities as melded into a single creative persona—they produced a book of poems, titled Long Ago, inspired by the Sapphic fragments. According the scholar Sarah Parker of Loughborough University, Bradley and Cooper expanded the Sapphic fragment “They plaited garlands in their time” into a full poem: They plaited garlands in their time; They knew the joy of youth’s sweet prime, Quick breath and rapture: Theirs was the violet-weaving bliss, And theirs the white, wreathed brow to kiss, …Kiss, and recapture.
The poem continues with two more stanzas, referencing the lyricism of the Classical world and its deities.
Though they wrote under the male name Michael Field, their poems, which numbered into the hundreds, were often unabashedly open about their commitment to each other as lovers, as we see in these lines from It Was Deep April: My Love and I took hands and swore, Against the world, to be Poets and lovers evermore.
Their friends and supporters in the Aesthetic Movement, though they naturally saw Bradley and Cooper as two separate people, and each a fully realized woman, also accepted the couple as a
BY ANN APTAKER
Though they wrote under the male name Michael Field, their poems, which numbered into the hundreds, were often unabashedly open about their commitment to each other as lovers…
uniquely united creative personality. Their social circle thus often referred to them as the Fields, the same way we might refer to that nice couple down the street as the Smiths.
Their union was very much a marriage, and they lived together for over 40 years; first in Bristol, where they met at university, and then in London, where they were part of the city’s cultural life. They socialized with the likes of Wilde, Rudyard Kipling, and artists Charles Ricketts and Charles Shannon, themselves a same-sex couple. Bradley and Cooper’s domestic life was further enhanced by their devotion to their pet dog, a Chow they named Whym, and about whom they wrote a book of poems titled Whym Chow: Flame of Love
Though enamored of ancient Greece and the myths and sagas of its heroes, gods, and goddesses, the couple’s spiritual lives took an unusual turn in 1906, when their beloved Whym died. Their sadness was so profound it led them to convert to Roman Catholicism due to Catholicism’s belief in reuniting with loved ones in heaven. The loved one in question was Whym.
Their Catholicism, though, was not strictly orthodox, as evidenced in their poems. Their last two collections, still under the name Michael Fields and written a few years before publication, Mystic
Continued on page 58.
HALLOWEEN
FOLLOWING THE SEA WITH FESTIVAL
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HALLOWEEN
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GALA PARTY WITH DJ MALACHI GLAMOUR MEETS GRAVE
GRAVEYARD
DARE TO
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Halloween Costumes Continued from page 54
Also during the war, something interesting began to happen. Since pin-ups were so popular with soldiers during the war, “adult” costumes for women were manufactured in limited numbers and suddenly, the kids weren’t the only ones getting treats.
The market for costumes for adults expanded as television brought characters into our homes, feminism swept across the country, and the idea of home parties for grown-ups was suddenly something anyone could enjoy. It was no longer weird for adults to be creative and have fun with a silly or sexy costume. As for kids, well, you haven’t lived unless you’ve sweated beneath a plastic princess mask with a one-inch slot on the front that got spit on your chin every time you spoke. IYKYK.
Fads come and fads go, but Halloween today is the second-largest holiday for decorating (after Christmas) and the top reason in America for putting on a costume. Americans will spend around $4 billion on candy this year. We’ll spend even more than that on costumes.
And so what are you going to be…for Halloween? ▼
What’s In A Name
Continued from page 56
Trees, published in 1913, and Poems of Adoration, published in 1914, were a mixture of Catholic devotion and the Classical pagan passion of their earlier years.
Bradley and Cooper carried Catholicism’s hope of heavenly reunification through to their own end-of-life, when Cooper died of cancer in 1911, and Bradley followed with her own death from cancer in 1914.
The poetry of Michael Fields/Katherine Bradley/Edith Cooper fell into neglect as the twentieth century progressed, though interest in the poems has seen a recent revival. This new interest in Bradley and Cooper’s creative life also revives the controversial aspect of their personal lives as a same-sex couple.
It’s not their lesbian relationship which raises eyebrows, but the fact that Edith Cooper was Katherine Bradley’s niece. There’s more than a hint of incest in this arrangement, though their open-minded colleagues in the Aesthetic Movement chose to see the beauty of their love and their poetry, and not the questionable family connection. After all, it was the Aesthetics who lived by “Art of art’s sake,” and the life of Michael Fields/Katherine Bradley/Edith Cooper was certainly all about art. ▼
Terri Schlichenmeyer’s third book, The Book of Facts and Trivia: Science, came out in September 2024.
Photo: thevictorianhistorian.com
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—was released October 14, 2025.
Celebrity Interview
David Arquette
Scream for the Next Generation & His LGBTQ+ Advocacy
Whether it’s stepping into the shoes of Dewey Riley in Scream or into an even larger pair for an upcoming Bozo the Clown biopic, David Arquette delivers heart with every role he takes. As a proud brother to dearly departed sister Alexis Arquette, David and his entire family continue to demonstrate why allyship towards the trans community is more important now than ever. I sat down to chat with David Arquette about his passion for everything from horror movies to Bozo the Clown and he exclusively told me about the LGBTQ+ trailblazer he is about to portray.
MICHAEL COOK: Does it feel different portraying Dewey Riley for an entirely different generation?
DAVID ARQUETTE: I don’t know…it’s special when you meet someone and they say “our first date was Scream and this is our daughter, now she loves the movies too.” It’s kind of really cool and it happens more than you think.
MC: It must be absolutely surreal that a simple choice to take the role in the original Scream has become such a large part of your legacy. Being part of a horror movie legacy is not something you probably considered when you decided to be an actor.
DA: No, I never really considered it. Growing up, there’s such an exciting time when you first get to see a horror movie. Seeing Halloween and just all of the excitement that comes with that. The fear, the thrills, the jump scares and all the things. My son is now 11 and he’s just starting to watch horror movies and there’s just this really fun element; I remember watching them with my friends.
When I first read the script, I was like “Wow, this is such an interesting take on it.” You know, it takes the audience into consideration and the love of horror films and it’s kind of talking about pop culture and all these elements.
BY MICHAEL COOK
You don’t often get an opportunity to play characters throughout so much time, so it is pretty crazy.
I just thought that was really such an interesting thing, and to play a cop that got no respect. There was just a funny thing and then to see the further trajectory of the character and then he had this sort of dark ending, it was also really interesting as well. It was sad for me, I’m still a little upset at them, I’ve got to say. It was an interesting arc for a character. You don’t often get an opportunity to play characters throughout so much time, so it is pretty crazy.
MC: It was a tremendous example when you and your family showed so much public support for your sister, Alexis Arquette, when she came out as trans, especially since it was a very different time then. Was it ever difficult to be so overtly supportive?
DA: Yes and no. Yes, it’s your family, you’re going to support them. But it comes with learning how to, like, make the mistakes of misgendering someone. You apologize and figure it out, so that was a learning process. It was all new to us; we had to learn to understand and
engage with this new reality. It did come very naturally to support Alexis, though.
One of the saddest things in the world to me—I did a movie called Johns years ago and I had three months to research it. I lived right off Santa Monica Boulevard, and I’d walk down to the Formosa Cafe. I would pack my pockets with $5 bills, and I would see a street hustler, and I’d give them five bucks and say, “Can I ask you a few questions? I’m going to play street hustler in a movie coming out….”
I had this list of questions, like “How did you get out here? How long have you been out here? What’s in your pockets, if you don’t mind me asking? Do you do drugs? Are you gay? How did your parents react? What’s your schedule?”
It was really informative for me, because I literally put in my pocket what I saw them have in their pockets. I ran into a character who was essentially the character that I was playing. But most of them were rejected by their families; that’s the bottom line. And it was so effing sad; it’s
I’m actually going to be playing Canada’s first gay judge, a guy named Harvey Brownstone.
just so heartbreaking that parents can do that and that really stuck with me.
I’m actually going to be playing Canada’s first gay judge, a guy named Harvey Brownstone. I haven’t told anybody. It’s not even actually announced, but I’m sure they wouldn’t mind. I get to play Harvey Brownstone and my tag team partner, RJ City, was so funny when I told him. He said, “Well, I know you can play a gay, but a judge?!” (laughs) I’m really excited about it because he had a similar experience where his parents had a really traumatic sort of response; his mom, especially.
My own mom, as open-minded and progressive as she was, had a hard time with it. It was something we knew—we all knew Alexis was gay—but my mom had
a hard time. She explained later that she knew how hard a road and tough a journey it would be for Alexis, and it made her scared for her.
MC: All of you can now look back and see the legacy that Alexis left. She is someone who kicked the doors down that many people didn’t realize needed to be opened at that time.
DA: Yes! It’s scary what’s going on in this world. It’s super creepy. It’s gross. It’s so gross.
MC: You mentioned you are involved in a Bozo the Clown film; when are we going to get that on the big screen?
DA: Well, I’ll be playing him. We’ve got an incredible script and an incredible director; we’re just sort of trying to secure the financing. We have half of it and it’s just
trying to get the second half that’s been challenging. I hope it’ll be soon, but by this time next year we’ll definitely have a documentary out. We’re doing the finishing pieces on that and we have a record that we just finished that should be released soon. ▼
Follow David Arquette on Instagram: instagram.com/davidarquette/?hl=en
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. Photos courtesy David Arquette, Facebook
The Real Dirt
Autumn is for Abundance
Delaware in autumn is abundant with many things. One often overlooked is the cornucopia of nut trees in our forests and even in our backyards. The Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, stretching from Delaware and Maryland through Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey, is home to a diverse array of native nut-bearing trees. These species have long provided food for wildlife and humans, shaped cultural traditions, and influenced land-use practices. Understanding their growing requirements and ecological roles is essential for conserving these trees and reintroducing them into landscapes where they once thrived.
American chestnut (Castanea dentata), once called the “redwood of the East,” dominated Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic forests, producing bumper crops of sweet, starchy nuts that fed people, wildlife, and livestock. The tree grew quickly, preferred well-drained, acidic soils, and thrived in full sun on ridges and slopes. However, the chestnut blight in the early 20th century nearly eradicated it. Today, restoration efforts through hybridization and breeding for blight resistance aim to bring this cultural keystone back to Mid-Atlantic woodlands.
Black walnut (Juglans nigra) is a stately tree of bottomlands and fertile upland soils, known for both its edible nuts and prized dark wood. It grows best in deep, moist, well-drained soils with full sun. Its nuts are encased in a hard shell within a thick green husk, rich in flavor but notoriously difficult to crack. The tree also produces juglone, a natural chemical that can inhibit growth of nearby plants, which gardeners must consider when planting.
Related to black walnut, butternut—or “white walnut” (Juglans cinerea)—is less common but historically important. It grows in cooler upland soils and along forest edges. Its nuts, sweeter and easier to crack than black walnuts, were a valued food for both Native American communities and early European settlers. Sadly, butternut populations have been
declining due to canker disease, making conservation a pressing need.
The hickories, including shagbark (Carya ovata), shellbark (Carya laciniosa), and mockernut (Carya tomentosa),
In modern landscapes, reintroducing nut-bearing trees provides both heritage and resilience.
are pillars of Mid-Atlantic forests. They prefer rich, well-drained soils and full sun to partial shade. Hickories grow slowly but yield highly nutritious nuts encased in thick shells. Shagbark hickory nuts, in particular, were important in Native American diets and are still sought after by foragers today. Hickory wood is also valued for tool handles, furniture, and smoking meats, highlighting the tree’s cultural versatility.
Although acorns are not always thought of as “nuts,” they are technically true nuts and vital to the Mid-Atlantic’s ecology. White oak (Quercus alba), red oak (Quercus rubra), and chestnut oak (Quercus montana) produce acorns that have been staples for wildlife and humans alike. Many Indigenous peoples leached tannins from acorns to make flour, turning what would otherwise be bitter into a reliable source of nutrition. Oaks thrive in a variety of soils, from dry ridges to moist valleys, and serve as foundational species in regional forests.
BY ERIC W. WAHL
Nut-bearing trees share some common needs but differ in their ecological niches:
Soil: Most species prefer deep, welldrained soils, though chestnut oak tolerates rocky ridges and hickories can adapt to heavier clays.
Sunlight: Full sun encourages the best nut production, though young seedlings can tolerate some shade.
Water: Moderate moisture is ideal. Black walnut and shellbark hickory thrive in fertile bottomlands, while chestnut and oak do well in upland sites.
Space: These trees are long-lived and large, requiring ample room to spread. Planting should consider their eventual size and canopy spread.
For landowners, establishing nut trees requires patience—most take a decade or more to bear reliably—but the ecological and cultural rewards are long-lasting.
Nut-bearing trees are woven into the history of the Mid-Atlantic. Indigenous peoples relied on acorns, hickory nuts, chestnuts, and walnuts for sustenance, processing them into flours, porridges, and oils. The American chestnut, in particular, was central to Appalachian life, providing dependable harvests that supported entire communities.
Ecologically, these trees remain keystone food sources for wildlife. Squirrels, deer, turkeys, and bears depend on nut crops to survive winters.
In modern landscapes, reintroducing nut-bearing trees provides both heritage and resilience. They offer shade, habitat, food, and beauty while reconnecting people with a legacy of sustenance and survival.
Have fun and let’s garden together. ▼
Eric W. Wahl is Landscape Architect at Pennoni Associates, and President of the Delaware Native Plant Society.
Photo: Fir0002/Flagstaffotos
CAMPshots
SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH
Polar Opposites and Kodiak Moments!
THIS PAGE (left to right) 1 ) at Bear Weekend Art Reception at CAMP Rehoboth: Jeff Donovan, Nick Pirulli, JS Adams, Brendan Gray, Paul Frene, Leslie Sinclair, Craig Simmons, Scott Brooks, Don Twine, Robert Fleming, Marc Kovner, Dorian Frost, Mitchell Whittington, John Gillian, Tim Goecke, Kevin Smiffy, Charlie Jones, Jamal Williams; 2) at Bear Weekend at The Pines: Adam Gold, David Gonce, Josh Appleman, Ronald Bokh, Daniel Boililla, Ed Blonski, Miguel Lara.
OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Bear Weekend Glow Party at Atlantic Sands: Jason Glanville-Reyes, Edwin GlanvilleReyes, Thomas Pearson, Tom Nesterak, Brian Lamborn, Adam Albright, Melvin Frye, Chris Yochim, Matty Didden, Paul Griffin; 4) at Bear Weekend at Rigby’s: Bryan Hecksher, Vince Cody, Mark Kehoe, Melvin Frye, Kevin Smiffy, Paul Leary, Scott Rennie, Mike Cowell; 5) at Bear Weekend at Purple Parrot: John Asuncion, Nick Rico Knucks, Duane Shubert, Paul Frene, Dave Morgan-Lolio, Jake Jasionowski, Charley Lolio.
More CAMPshots page 66
SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH
(Continued from page 65)
THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Bear Weekend at Kiwi’s Cove: Jonathan Boyd, Chris Glaister, Michael Whitlock, Susan Forgacs, Michael Beigay, Max Manerchia; 2) at Bear Weekend at Aqua: Joe Santone, James Pol, Louis Ferri, Alfred Bonilla, Bryan Aderton, Darren DiFillippo, Mark Robinson; 3) at Diego’s: Carolyn Smith, Deb Bievenour, John Bator, Chris Owens, John Scully, Kevin Naff, Brian Sparrow, Duane Reed, Lisa Allmar, Bob Thoman, RB Commissioner Mark Saunders.
OPPOSITE PAGE: 4 at CAMP Rehoboth Chorus Concert: David Scuccimarra, Doug Yetter, Bo Gordy-Stith, Vicki Gordy-Stith, Barb Ralph, David Zipse, Jeri Berc, Gladys Ward, Carol Lee, Corey Andrews, Joseph Bennett, Tina Levine, Jeri Berc, Mary Anne Graham, Kim Leisey, Eric Peterson, David Garrett, Mary Jo Tarallo; 5) at AIDS Walk Delaware: Jennifer Varone, Shady P, Matt Castrina, Kevin Pelland, Peggy Martin, Samantha Maloney-Gracie, Cynthia Poletti, Tenisha Johnson.
(More CAMPshots page 94)
Deep Inside Hollywood
Christmas Karma is When Boy George Ghosts You
CharlesDickens’s A Christmas Carol is everyone’s favorite public domain IP, and its infinite adaptability will get another variation this year with Christmas Karma, courtesy of Bend It Like Beckham filmmaker Gurinder Chadha. Set in contemporary London and starring Kunal Nayyar (The Big Bang Theory) as a Scrooge-alike who encounters the traditional ghosts— played here by Downton Abbey patriarch Hugh Bonneville, Eva Longoria, Billy Porter and, as the threatening Ghost of Christmas Future, Boy George—it’s
BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE
Jeffrey Wright and Octavia Spencer Buy into Death of a Salesman
Playwright Tony Kushner (Angels in America) has a new project in the works, a new film adaptation of one of the great works of the American theater, Death of a Salesman He’ll co-adapt Arthur Miller’s legendary 1949 Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning play with filmmaker Chinonye Chukwu (Till, Clemency), who’ll direct. Mounted on stage and brought to screens big and small many, many times featuring some of acting’s great
names, in this remake, Jeffrey Wright— Emmy winner for HBO’s version of Angels in America—will play titular salesman Willy Loman, an aging man whose career, family, and life haven’t gone as planned. Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer will play his beleaguered wife Linda. This is certain to be a big award season release for Focus Features/Amblin, probably in 2026/27. More casting and production news will follow as it develops. ▼
Queer Boots on the Ground at Netflix
The Pink Marine is the name of Greg Cope White’s memoir of being young, gay, and a US Marine in the late 1970s, a time well before the nominal Clinton-era compromise of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (a measure that, for the record, didn’t work at all to protect LGBTQ+ service members). Now his story—fictionalized and updated to the early 1990s—is coming to Netflix in the limited series Boots. Adapted from the book by series creator Andy Parker (Tales of the City ), the project stars gay actor Miles Heizer (Love, Simon) in the lead, alongside Vera Farmiga (The Conjuring franchise) and Vampire Academy co-star Kieron Moore. Meanwhile, the supporting cast includes up-and-coming queer actors Max Parker and Angus O’Brien. Expect a lot of era-specific f-slurs when it hits Netflix in October. ▼
Legendary Gay Artist Keith Haring Comes to TV
It’s rare today for an art world star to become a recognized name in mainstream popular culture, but Keith Haring, whose bold, graphic, cartoon-like illustrations went from subway station graffiti to high-end galleries and, after his untimely AIDS death in 1990 at age 31, to museum retrospectives, achieved it both before and after he died. Now filmmaker Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers) will take Brad Gooch’s biography, Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring, and adapt
it for television as writer and director. It’s in the early stages, so there are no details besides the deal, but Haigh is a great choice to adapt the story of the young artist who personified the cool, post-Warhol, downtown New York art, fashion, music, and film world of the ’80s, a saga deeply connected to that era’s terrifying AIDS crisis. Now, who’ll play him? And Basquiat? And Madonna? And Andy? More to come.… ▼
Romeo San Vicente is your Santa Baby.
BY ROBERT DEDOMINIC
It’s Libra Season!
Greetings, Letters readers, Robby from Brooklyn here, bringing tidings of great joy on this, the very best season of all the seasons—Libra season!
Libra season runs from September 22 through October 21. This astrological period emphasizes themes of balance, harmony, relationships, and fairness. It also encourages social interaction, negotiation, and personal connections.
While these benefits impact all astrological signs, some famous Libras include Julie Andrews, Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon, Zac Efron, Gwen Stefani, Bruno Mars, Avril Lavigne, Hilary Duff, Sting, and yours truly. Libra personality traits include being diplomatic, fair-minded, sociable, and artistic, with a love of harmony and beauty. Libras are natural peacemakers and skilled negotiators, but can be indecisive, conflict-avoidant, and sometimes prone to superficiality or people-pleasing.
This birthday rings even more bittersweet because I don’t feel like I am where I should be at this point in my life.
I have long identified with everything Libra; I even have a Libra tattoo on my left inside bicep. Many of my best friends are Libras. I get along great with Libras.
Birthdays are bittersweet for many reasons. I am not a huge celebrator of my birthday, however, it 1000 percent must be acknowledged. We acknowledge birthdays for the sheer fact that many of our friends did not get to see 40 or 50 or 60. We acknowledge birthdays for those no longer with us. But as far as “it’s my birthday WEEK,” or “it’s my birthday MONTH,” no, that’s not how I roll.
This birthday rings even more bittersweet because I don’t feel like I am where I should be at this point in my life. I don’t feel like I have the same things that many others at the same age have. I am single, not in a relationship. I don’t own any property. And when you put yourself up next to others in your age bracket and you have decidedly less—it can sting.
At a party a few weeks ago, I was talking with friends and their twenty-something daughter, who is a teacher. The daughter explained that “yes, I know I am making less than my friends and that I
am going to have less than them.” I felt a sense of camaraderie with her. I told her that I felt exactly the same way at 25. But at 48, that same sentiment hits very differently.
Of course, we all know that comparing yourself to someone else is a dangerously slippery slope— but it is human.
I need to flip the switch and look at the glass half-full and through a Libra lens. I have worked in amazing schools and met incredible teachers I have learned from and who, to this day, I still call friends. I have lived in amazing cities and states and have gotten to travel to numerous continents, each providing enriching experiences.
Looking back at some of those Libra themes….
FAIRNESS
I have been arrested for civil disobedience, protesting the availability of guns in this country. I have been arrested at sit-ins at the Supreme Court of the United States, protesting how queer people are treated as second-class citizens in this country. I have personally raised over $100k for AIDS research, participating in more than 10 cycling events like AIDS Lifecycle and The Smart Ride.
SOCIAL INTERACTIONS AND PERSONAL CONNECTIONS
I volunteer at organizations like God’s Love We Deliver and SAGE in New York City. I’ve met queer senior citizens and learned from them about what queer life was like in the 1960s and 1970s at the beginning of the queer liberation movement.
BALANCE AND HARMONY
And the most important aspect of this birthday coming up is that it is by no means anywhere near the end of anything. As I like to say—the best is yet to come. If this is middle-age, then that is exactly where I am—in the middle. There are (hopefully) years and years—even decades!—for me to build that oh-so-important financial wealth and security I am so longing for.
Until then, I guess I am going to have to be OK with the old familiar saying: “You’re rich in other ways.” That will just have to suffice!
Until next time, readers, Happy Libra Season! ▼
Robert DeDominic is a queer freelance writer living in Brooklyn, NY. Follow Robert on Bluesky at robertdominic.bsky. social.
Reflections
Breaking Up With the Scale
It’s been decades since I owned a scale. The last time I stepped on one in a doctor’s office I asked the nurse not to say the number. “If you need to know for your records, fine,” I told her. “I don’t.” The reason: The judgment and scolding associated with the number can throw me into a downward tailspin and has little to do with my health.
Could I look better if I lose weight? Sure—at least, according to cultural and social norms, I would. I am a short, stocky woman who has been about the same size all my life. I am fit, strong, and healthy.
While never a disparaging word was heard from family members, the ridicule was rampant on the playground and in the classroom. The TV reinforced how a woman ‘should’ look, and the airlines had a height/weight requirement for flight attendants—a career I desired but could not pursue due to those requirements. The pretty, skinny girls were chosen first by teachers, fellow classmates, and later, employers (or at least it felt that way to me).
It affected my confidence in almost everything I did. Clothes shopping turned into a stressful chore and high school dances were always a disappointment. Unfortunately, the social stigma associated with being a different physical size has not lessened in my lifetime. Americans are as obsessed as ever with physical appearance. Recently, when I asked Alexa to play music, the first ad aired was for Ozempic®, one of the new anti-diabetes medicines currently being embraced as a weight-loss panacea. I am inundated with ads for these drugs and stories about celebrities on these drugs in media. Selling weight loss has become a profitable business.
An estimated 40.3 percent of adults (age 20+ years) are obese. That’s more than 100 million American adults, based on data from 2021-2023. That data was compiled collecting Body Mass Index (BMI) numbers—which have their own limitations.
The Met Life Insurance “ideal weight” charts that made no accommodation for people like me, compact and solid, are no longer used. Physicians now use BMI, based on a person’s height and weight; however, this method has its own set limitations and criticisms. BMI treats all
My goal is to feel good about me and about how I look.
weight the same, even though where fat is stored matters. BMI is not tailored to age, sex, or ethnicity, and the focus on BMI alone can reinforce stigma without giving people an accurate picture of their overall health.
Experts often recommend BMI now be used as a screening tool—but not as a stand-alone indicator of health. Instead, experts are now recommending a more holistic approach using waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, and fitness and metabolic markers to get a more complete picture of a person’s health.
Healthy weight is different for each of us. I got fed up dealing with professionals who focused on what they thought I should weigh instead of focusing on my
BY PATTIE CINELLI
health, how I feel, and how I am able to function.
I’ve been on a weight-losing trend this past summer. Call me old-fashioned: I’ve been cutting back on my food intake and mentally noting my choices for nutritional balance. It’s working but oh, how slow it is!
I’ve been envious of those who could comfortably take a shot or pill, and watch the extra pounds melt away quickly. My fear of effects known and those not yet known from these new drugs—as well as an intense aversion to needles—keep me away. Over the years I tried fasting, the Scarsdale Diet, the French women’s diet, prescription diet pills, liquid diets, Ayds (remember those candies for weight loss?), Dr. Haas’s diet (book), an Ayurvedic diet, and a high protein diet. All did indeed shrink me, but none stayed with me. That’s because I followed someone else’s plan.
I don’t know what I weigh, and I don’t care. But I know when I overeat or consume something that’s not suited for me, because I monitor how I feel. My goal is to feel good about me and about how I look. There’s no magic pill or shot and no amount of exercise or surgery that can make a difference until I change my thoughts. I am learning to appreciate my size just as I am.
The secret to losing weight is no secret at all. It’s a lifelong process, not an individual event. Drugs and surgeries can make it easier for us to eat less but they don’t change our relationship with food. They also do not give us support or provide clues on how to feel good no matter what size we are. That’s an inside job. We have the power to decide what works for each of us, and how we want to feel about our bodies. ▼
Pattie Cinelli is a writer and a holistic health & fitness professional. Email her with questions or column ideas to: fitmiss44@aol.com.
Medical Foundation
1916 Club Membership!
1916 Club is a way for Beebe supporters to celebrate the hospital’s founding year of 1916 by gifting $1,916 or more annually to Beebe Healthcare. Now over 500 members strong, this innovative giving club provides critical, annual support for Beebe Healthcare, a local non-for-profit health care system.
“As a Beebe leader and as a family, Cathy and I are proud to support Beebe through the 1916 Club. Giving back is our way of saying thank you for the compassionate care Beebe provides, and of investing in the health and well-being of our neighbors. To us, this is about more than healthcare — it’s about community, connection, and ensuring Beebe is strong for generations to come.”
– Diane Taylor,
Senior VP, Chief Strategy Officer-Chief of Staff
SPOTLIGHT ON THE arts
CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community
INTO LIGHT
October 10-November 23
The INTO LIGHT Project is a national nonprofit that uses art and storytelling to change how people see drug addiction. The INTO LIGHT exhibit features original, hand-drawn portraits and personal stories of individuals who died from addiction. Each portrait honors a lost life and helps shine light on the human side of a disease that is often misunderstood.
This powerful exhibition will include 45 framed graphite portraits of Delaware residents who died from drug addiction. Each is paired with a written narrative that tells their story—not just about how they died, but also about how they lived. The exhibition includes portraits by artists Theresa Clower, Shawn Faust, Jeremy Hebbel, Maia Palmer, and Cecil Norris.
Over 100,000 people died from drug-related causes in 2023 alone. Addiction affects tens of millions of Americans, yet stigma, misinformation, and shame still surround the disease. [See related article on page 20.]
Through this exhibit, the INTO LIGHT Project aims to educate, reduce stigma, and create space for compassion, healing, and meaningful conversation.
As Dr. Nora Volkow of the National Institute on Drug Abuse has said, “The emotional connection experienced through art can be an even stronger argument for changed perceptions on addiction and overdose.”
The opening reception held on Friday, October 10, brought together family members and friends of those who died from drug addiction, staff from the Delaware Department of Health and Human Services, CAMP Rehoboth members and staff, representatives from INTO LIGHT, and local officials. We encourage everyone to visit this powerful exhibition.▼
CAMP Rehoboth Gallery typically is open Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Call ahead to confirm: 302-277-5620.
This program is supported, in part, by a grant from the Delaware Division of the Arts, a state agency, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Arts. The Division promotes Delaware arts events on DelawareScene.com.
BY MARY JO TARALLO
CAMP REHOBOTH ARTIST PROFILE ⊲ Irene Fick
You might say that Irene Fick is a Renaissance Woman. She certainly is a “Jill of all Trades.”
OK, enough with the cliches—because Fick is anything but cliche-ish. She probably would prefer to be called eclectic. Her sense of humor can be summed up by her favorite George Bernard Shaw quote: “If you cannot get rid of the family skeletons, you may as well make them dance.”
Fick was the celebrated artist at an event called From Poetry to Prose, held September 21 at the University of Delaware’s Virden Retreat Center in Lewes. The program featured Fick and three other writers/poets who were billed as “Branching Out with a Little Help from My Friends,” the sub-title of the event. She told amusing stories about her Italian background, her marital adventures, her insatiable wanderlust that propelled her from her hometown of Brooklyn to Chicago, San Francisco, Florida, Wilmington, and then—finally—to Lewes, where she has lived with her husband Ed for the past 15 years.
A full house came out to hear what the readers, and especially Fick, had to say—or read. (Her co-presenters were Sarah Barnett, Jack Mackey, and Ceil Payne.)
The event was made possible by two funding groups: the Delaware Division of the Arts and the Delaware State Arts Council. Fick had applied for a grant several times and finally was selected for a 2025 Individual Artist Fellowship for creative writing. There is an abundance of writing talent in the Rehoboth/ Lewes/Bethany corridor and Fick is at the top of the list. Her resume is impressive.
She has authored three books, two of which won first place awards from the National Federation of Press Women. Her poems have appeared in numerous journals including Delmarva Review, and The Broadkill Review. Her essays have appeared in numerous publications. Fick confesses that she has always written.
As a child, she wrote poetry, then majored in journalism in college. “Adult Irene” worked in newspapers, magazines, and public affairs for a medical center and a pharmaceutical company.
“Take your time to find your own voice. It’s good to read and sometimes try to imitate other writers that you admire, but in the end, it is your voice that matters.”
“It wasn’t until I retired, moved to this area, and got involved with the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild that I began writing seriously from the heart—like poetry and creative nonfiction,” she said. “I love writing as it gives you a voice that you might not otherwise have. So often your voice gets lost in the clutter of conversation and the miscellany of daily life. When you are writing, it’s just you and the pen or, in my case, the keyboard.”
Singing was another one of her passions and, for several years, she was a member of the Delaware Women’s Chorus (DWC) in Wilmington. Fick joined the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus in September of 2010, shortly after she and Ed moved to Lewes. She had spotted an article in the Cape Gazette about CAMP’s chorus
and showed up at the first rehearsal.
She prefers popular music over the classical music sung by the DWC. Her oboe-playing husband also joined the Chorus and was a member from 2010 till 2016—but then got involved with the Rehoboth Concert Band and a woodwind quartet. During her tenure with the Chorus, Fick served on the music committee and helped with publicity. She was a member of a smaller group—The ALLIANCE—until last year and she continues to sing with the general Chorus. She describes the experience as “one of the joys of my life.”
Fick also volunteers with Delaware Hospice. She has always been interested in end-of-life issues and experiences, having witnessed the death of her mother, father, and a beloved aunt. “Not a day goes by that I am not aware of our mortality and how little time we all have on earth,” she says.
Fick has some advice for budding writers: “Take your time to find your own voice,” she says. “It’s good to read and sometimes try to imitate other writers that you admire, but in the end, it is your voice that matters. It belongs only to you, and it’s what makes you who you are. It took me a long time to realize this.” ▼
Editor’s Note: This piece is the first in a planned series of profiles featuring CAMP Rehoboth members who are musicians, writers, actors, painters, sculptors, dancers—in short, artists. To suggest someone we night include, contact editor@ camprehoboth.org.
Logan Farro is CAMP Rehoboth’s Visual Arts Coordinator. They may be reached at logan@ camprehoboth.org.
Mary Jo Tarallo is a former journalist and public relations professional for various nonprofits. She won a Gold Award for a United Way TV program starring Oprah Winfrey.
You weren’t proud of it. Something you did in your past, yesterday, five years ago, a lifetime, you think of it sometimes and poke it like a bad tooth. You’re not proud of it but you paid for it anyhow, with time, money, apologies, or through a jury of your peers and you know this: as in the new novel, The Elements by John Boyne, the condemnation is harshest when the jury is you. She changed her name again.
It was the first thing Willow Hale did when she rented the cottage on an island not far from Dublin. Isolation would help her sort things out—why her husband was in jail, why her daughter avoided her. Willow didn’t want anyone to recognize her as she came to terms with her role in what happened.
Though he was born with the skills of an athlete, Evan Keogh didn’t want to be a soccer star. He wanted to be an artist after he left the island, but he wasn’t talented enough. Coming to terms with that took a while, and he sold his body to older men to get by in the meantime. When he finally accepted his athleticism, it was not because he loved the game. It was because he loved revenge—but satisfying that
BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER
Medical students were annoyances that Freya Petrus had to endure. Though she was a highly-regarded burn surgeon, the truth was that she disliked humanity in general, perhaps because of childhood trauma she couldn’t forget. So, teeth gritted, no family, no friends, no close colleagues, she endured people, relying instead on a sordid hobby to soothe her memories.
Rebecca didn’t ask Aaron Umber to bring their son from Australia to Ireland, but there was a reason he did so, though Emmet balked at the trip. Emmet was at a tender age, not an adult but not a child anymore, either—14, the same age as when something happened to Aaron that affected him forever.
Where to begin?
How ‘bout: The Elements is an incredible book.
How ‘bout: from the very beginning of it, you’ll be captured by what feels like The Twilight Zone without the paranormal; like reading the news, and wincing.
Here, the lush Irish background that author John Boyne so lovingly portrays is secondary to his characters, each of them flawed, maybe irretrievably so, as they wrestle with culpability and self-indulgent recognition of the past. You’ll dangle from a string as four intertwined tales eke out in a delicious tease, detonating a little TNT on a page every now and then to keep you feeling edgy and perched on the edge of your chair.
No spoilers here but the end of these four stories isn’t quite really an end, which will leave you flabbergasted, staring at the back cover for a few minutes after you close it.
Beware that there are adult themes inside this book, and they could potentially be triggering. If that’s not a worry, let yourself be stunned by The Elements
The Multi-Billion Dollar Industry of…
Pumpkin Spice!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Pumpkin spice season, of course.
Every fall, the flavor sneaks into everything from lattes to breakfast cereal, dog treats, and even deodorant. With pumpkin spice products generating billions in sales each year, we may have officially reached peak pumpkin. Whether you’re a pumpkin spice fanatic or roll your eyes at the hype, you have to admit: fall just wouldn’t feel the same without that warm, spicy blend.
But how did pumpkin spice, once a simple pie flavor, turn into a global industry and cultural phenomenon?
Pumpkin spice might feel postmodern, but its origins date back to the Middle Ages. In 1393, a French book of manners called Le Ménagier de Paris listed recipes seasoned with cinnamon, nutmeg, saffron, ginger, galangal, and “grains of paradise” (a relative of ginger). These spices were imported along costly trade routes from Africa and Asia, so only the wealthy could afford them. And surprisingly, most of the dishes weren’t sweet pies but savory meat stews and roasts.
In the following centuries, similar blends appeared across Europe, often under the name poudre douce (“sweet powder”). When European colonists encountered pumpkins in the Americas, they began seasoning them with familiar spice blends. The earliest pumpkin recipes weren’t desserts at all, though: they leaned savory.
Sweet pumpkin desserts started showing up in the late 17th century, and by 1796, the first US cookbook, American Cookery, included recipes for “pompkin” spiced with ginger, mace, nutmeg, and allspice. By the 19th century, pumpkin spice was referenced as a blend in other American cookbooks.
In 1934, McCormick, which today controls about 20 percent of the spice market globally and 40 percent of the US market, released a ready-made “pumpkin pie spice” product. This convenient blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice meant home bakers no longer needed
to buy multiple jars just to make one pie. Even for families that didn’t bake often, that little jar helped get a pumpkin pie on the holiday table.
For decades, pumpkin spice stayed in its lane: pies, breads, and the occasional fall cookie. But in the late 20th century, coffee culture changed everything.
By the 1990s, coffee shops had become a “third place” in American life— not home, not work, but a cozy hangout. Shows like Friends reinforced the vibe, and independent cafés experimented with flavored drinks to stand out. Somewhere in this period, coffee houses began tinkering with pumpkin spice. One small shop in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, Fasig’s Coffee, was selling pumpkin spice coffee in the late ’90s.
Then, in 2003, Starbucks tested a pumpkin spice latte in select markets. By 2004, the drink launched nationwide. It was an instant hit, combining the cozy nostalgia of pumpkin pie with the rising trend of seasonal, Instagrammable beverages. The Pumpkin Spice Latte, or “PSL” as it was quickly dubbed, became more than a drink. It became a cultural marker, the official start of fall.
For decades, pumpkin spice stayed in its lane…. But in the late 20th century, coffee culture changed everything.
Today, Starbucks is the world’s largest coffee chain, with over 30 percent of the global coffeehouse market. Their marketing machine turned pumpkin spice from a humble kitchen spice jar used primarily at holidays into a billion-dollar flavor trend.
Pumpkin spice isn’t just about lattes anymore, of course. According to market trackers, pumpkin spice products generated $800 million to $1.1 billion in annual US sales by 2023. And the global pumpkin spice market, which includes everything from flavored snacks to candles, is about the same size.
BY STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS
While the vast majority of these products don’t contain actual pumpkin, it’s the spice blend—cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves—that people crave. In fact, flavor is more about nostalgia than anything.
Retailers know this and learned to capitalize. Seasonal scarcity makes pumpkin spice feel special. By the 2010s, pumpkin spice was everywhere. Grocery aisles filled with pumpkin spice-flavored cream cheese, chips, and protein bars. Non-food products joined the party: candles, air fresheners, lotions, even dog treats and Spam! Some folks will buy and try just for the novelty.
The hype is so big that pumpkin spice also became a punchline. The PSL became the ambrosia of “basic” culture, even as sales kept climbing. In 2022, the term “pumpkin spice” was officially added to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, proof that it had crossed from marketing gimmick to cultural institution.
Is pumpkin spice here to stay, or are we headed for “pumpkin fatigue”? Industry watchers say the market is still growing, but it has matured. Not every pumpkin spice product survives, obviously. But core products like lattes, baked goods, and candles remain strong sellers. Some analysts expect the category to reach over $2 billion globally by 2032. Others suggest we may see more competition from other autumnal flavors like maple, chai masala, or apple crisp.
Either way, pumpkin spice has already secured its place in pop culture. What began as a medieval luxury spice mix has become a 21st century marketing juggernaut, one that smells like cinnamon, nutmeg, and nostalgia.
Even people who publicly scoff at the mere mention of pumpkin spice can’t privately deny that the stuff’s delicious. And, if sipping on a PSL is basic, so be it! Apparently, being basic tastes amazing! ▼
Stephen Raskauskas is a Sussex County native who has produced content for radio, TV, digital, and print.
Friends of Friends of Dorothy Solution on Page
Big Freedia’s Church
The Queen of Bounce
BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI
The New Orleans icon returns to her church roots to process grief and celebrate her truth.
Big Freedia’s voice has always been a force—loud, joyful, defiant—but on her new album, Pressing Onward, it becomes something even more powerful: a vessel for healing.
The Queen of Bounce returns to her gospel origins on a deeply personal new project that fuses the church music of her youth with the high-energy New Orleans sound she helped bring to the mainstream. Inspired by her roots in New Orleans’ Pressing Onward Missionary Baptist Church, the record wasn’t born from grief, but now reflects it—alongside resilience, celebration, resistance, and self-affirmation—following the loss of her partner of 20 years, Devon Hurst, and at a time when the world feels especially hostile to trans and queer communities.
We talked about all of that: finding sanctuary in music, redefining what worship can look like, and why this album might be the most Big Freedia thing she’s ever done.
CHRIS AZZOPARDI: What is it about this era of political backlash against trans and queer people that made it the right time to finally blend your gospel roots with bounce music?
BIG FREEDIA: It’s just perfect timing given the state of the world that we’re in. But this album is also definitely a big part of my healing process right now. I just recently lost my partner of 20 years, and so this album has been definitely a help in that process, with being able to continue to give God the praise and glory even in my toughest moments.
CA: I’m very sorry to hear about Devon. I hope that you’re taking good care of yourself.
BF: Thank you. One day at a time.
CA: What was happening in your world when you recorded these songs?
BF: I was in a very happy space, going back to my childhood and my young adult days of being in a choir. Just really stepping back into those moments—they
were kind of the best days of my life, just growing up in church, being young and full of energy, and finding out all about God, and who God is. It was a fun time in my life, and I’m just so happy to finally be able to bring these moments forward and share them with the world.
CA: Every queer person’s journey with faith is different. I was raised Catholic and often felt like I had to choose between my identity and my relationship with God. This album feels like something I wish I had as a kid—it
might’ve helped me feel like there was space for me in the church.
BF: Well, everybody’s welcome here at the Big Freedia gospel, no matter who you are, no matter what walk of life—Black, White, gay, straight. This is a church that doesn’t judge you. This is a church that you could come and be who you are and love who you want to love and also connect back with God, connect to your higher power and bring joy into people’s lives.
Continued on page 88.
OCTOBER 30 - A TRIBUTE TO PIANO MEN: Jerry Lee, Elton, Joel, and More! - Josh Christina & The Revivals
OCTOBER 31 - ADRENALIZE: Def Leppard Tribute
NOVEMBER 1 - SCOTT KEO: #1 Michael Bublé Tribute
NOVEMBER 5 & 7 - JUKEBOX MUSICALS: Musical Theatre Ensemble (MTE) Fall Showcase
NOVEMBER 6 - TRIBUTE TO ELTON JOHN: With Lee Alverson
NOVEMBER 8 - TARKUS: Tribute To Emerson, Lake & Palmer
23 SHOWS: NOVEMBER 20 - DECEMBER 14
23 SHOWS: NOVEMBER 20 - DECEMBER 14
NOVEMBER 9 - SERAFIN ENSEMBLE: Presents “American Salute”
NOVEMBER 14 - MAGNOLIA APPLEBOTTOM: Drag Show
NOVEMBER 15 - EXTRA HOUR, COMEDY HOUR!: Stand-Up Comedy Special
NOVEMBER 26 - DRAGSGIVING: It’s Giving Thanks Drag Show
NOVEMBER 30 - CELLOVOCI: Night Divine
DECEMBER 7 - FESTIVE FRENZY: The Devil’s Brigade Holiday Spectacular (Formerly “The American Rogues”
CA: Did your faith help you become closer to who you actually are?
BF: Oh, most definitely. My church was my safe haven. It was a way for me to stay out of the hood and be protected from the things that I grew up around in my neighborhood—because I saw it all, from poverty, to drugs, to killings. And the church saved my life. My life was all about church. I stayed in church 24/7.
CA: Bounce music and gospel might seem like unlikely siblings to some, but you blend them so seamlessly on this album. What was your approach to honoring both traditions without compromising either?
BF: Just going in and being myself and bringing Big Freedia to gospel. It allowed me to bring myself to those moments because bounce and gospel have similar feelings of spirit. When you come to a Big Freedia bounce show, it’s like a revival, so they’re very much connected with the spirits, especially culturally. CA: How do you personally define worship now? Is it still tied to a church building, or has it become something bigger?
BF: Well, it’s not exactly tied to a church building, because a lot of times I’m on the road. But we have gospel Sundays in the van. We pray before everything that we do, especially a show. The church is the people…. The building is just the building.
This is a church that you could come and be who you are and love who you want to love and also connect back with God…
CA: Some of these songs are so big and vibrant—I can imagine what they must feel like performed in a church setting. What did it feel like for you in a recording studio?
BF: Oh, I had a great time. In those moments, I was just giving God the glory and the praise, sitting back thinking about when I was a child and growing up in the Baptist church. It just brought back
so many great memories and I was able to be in there in my true element.
CA: Right now, we’re seeing trans and gender-nonconforming people fight just to exist. Did you feel a kind of responsibility, or even a righteous anger, while making this album?
BF: No. I did it for me more than anything, and when I do music for me, I give it my all. I put my best foot forward, and I know that if I love it, my fans are going to love it, and that’s where I was at with it.
CA: You’ve got some iconic collaborators on it, including Billy Porter, Tamar Braxton, and K. Michelle. What did each of them bring into the room creatively and spiritually?
BF: Everybody also has a church background. So everybody was able to bring their flavor to the Big Freedia gospel. I gave them free range to be able to do whatever they felt and to bring their vibe and their spirit to the record, and so they did exactly that. I’m so grateful for all of my collaborators. CA: Have the people who went to the church you grew up in heard any of the album, and what do they think?
BF: I know for sure my godmother, Georgia, the head choir director at Pressing Onward; she was there with me while I did the recordings. I dedicated a part of this album to her. Part of the album is also dedicated to Devon, who got to hear and listen to the album before his passing. So this is a very special record for me….
CA: I’m thinking about all the things that you’ve accomplished in your long career, and it’s a long list. A hotel opening in 2026, a cannabis brand, this gospel album. What’s still on the list of things that you’d like to accomplish?
BF: There are so many things that I want to do. Some here locally in New Orleans, like opening a homeless shelter. There are many things that I want to continue to do to help elevate the community and those in the music industry. I want to keep on breaking barriers and opening more doors for other people to walk through and bring their music to the world. If I did it, they could do it as well. CA: You reached a career pinnacle when you guested on Beyoncé’s “Break My
Soul” in 2022. What goes through your mind now knowing your voice is such a powerful part of a Beyoncé song that had such a global impact?
BF: I’m just forever grateful to Beyoncé and to the Beyhive for being able to collaborate with great artists like Beyoncé and to cross-collaborate with different genres of music and represent New Orleans and put New Orleans culture on the map. It’s a big thing for me, and I’m forever grateful. ▼
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.
Photos: Hunter Holder
Reefer Madness
CAMP Rehoboth Library
Open Monday - Friday, 2 - 4 PM
Featuring hundreds of LGBTQ+ titles in fiction, LGBTQ+ history, performing arts, and more!
Special thanks to volunteer Glenn Lash for organizing the CAMP Rehoboth Library!
Please note: CAMP Rehoboth is no longer accepting donations to the CAMP Rehoboth Library after reaching capacity. Find out more online at camprehoboth.org/programs.
CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERSHIP
Join today to support our mission!
RAINBOW MEMBERS RECEIVE:
• Basic Membership Package
- Advance ticket sales to CAMP Rehoboth events
- Recognition in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth
- Rainbow 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!
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VOLUNTEER spotlight
KEVIN PELLAND
BY SOPHIE WAGNER
CAMP REHOBOTH: When did you start volunteering at CAMP Rehoboth?
KEVIN PELLAND: I believe I started volunteering around June of 2024, soon after moving to Rehoboth Beach.
CR: What’s your best memory volunteering here?
KP: There are many great memories from volunteering with CAMP Rehoboth, but what stands out the most is helping to carry the huge LGBTQ+ flag during the 2024 Sea Witch® Halloween event. There were so many people shouting out things such as “We love you CAMP Rehoboth! Thank you for all you do for our community!” The tears were flowing as I marched with the flag and as I realized I am indeed home.
CR: Favorite holiday and why?
KP: My favorite holiday is probably Thanksgiving. We can all gather with our chosen family/friends and celebrate the day with good food and laughter without the obligatory gift-giving of the typical commercialized Christmas holiday.
CR: If you had an extra hour in the day, what would you do?
KP: With an extra hour in the day, I’d probably spend more time at the gym fighting off the effects of Nicola Pizza.
CR: What are you most thankful for?
KP: I’m most thankful that I was able to retire and move here in 2024 and make friends through my association with CAMP Rehoboth and Epworth. After losing family members, it was so incredibly wonderful to have found friends here who have become my chosen family.
CR: If you could describe CAMP Rehoboth in three words, what would they be?
KP: Love. Hope. Community. ▼
SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH
(Continued from page 67)
THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Clear Space Theatre 21st Anniversary Gala: Wes Combs, Greg Albright, Jason Matthews, Joe Gfaller, Jadine Pilotti, Jeff Conley, John Hackett, Tom Newton, Doug Lynn, Pam Lynn, Brittany McCunney, Derrick Kelley, Mike Ewald, Dennis Diaz, Jeff Rowe, Ida Rowe, Sherri Brown, Edward Chrzanowski, Lisa Schlosser, Kim Leisey, Kathy Solano, Chris Evans, Chris Rnucci, Danny Sebright.
OPPOSITE PAGE 2) at CAMP Rehoboth Golf League: Sweet Pea and Tama Viola, Beth Petitte, Joanie Murphy, Renate Cos, Lee Ann Wortman, Linda Porto, Marni Goldberg, Nan Martino, Judy Stout; 3) at Straight Eights Lambda Car Club Show: Jerry Filbin, Andy Dorosky, Greg Oliver, Paul Christensen, Dennis Morgan; 4) at DE Stonewall PAC at Aqua: DE New Castle County Councilman Brandon Toole, DE State Rep DeShanna Neal, RB Commissioner Chris Galanty, Dwayne Bensing, Leslie Ledogar, Sussex County Councilwoman Jane Gruenebaum, Leslie Calman, Mark Brainard, David Mariner, Tom Gill, Lt. Governor Kyle Evans Gay, RB Commissioner Patrick Gossett, Dick Byrne, DE State Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, DE State Auditor Lydia York, Tori Parker.
(More CAMPshots page 96)
SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH
(Continued from page 95)
THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Mrs. Roper Romp: Vicky Cutroneo, Pam Silves, Sharon Nolan, Frank Del Campo, Jeff Davies, Kevin Comerford, Bryan Gearin, Charles Bounds, Ryan Vargas, Kelly Doyle, Linda Wildasin, Andy Whitescarver, Michael Yousko, Alex Petrino, Tom Johnson, Herb Engent, Duane Reed, Leon Vignes, Melissa Livingston, Lara Perrault, Jonathan Lockerby; 2) at Friends of RB Library Benefit: Robert Thompson, Sandra Skidmore, Lorraine Zellers, Sam Cooper.
OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Aqua: Matt McGregor, Gina McGregor, Steve Morris, Rob Schiazza, Diane Schiazza, Mark Hunker, Peter Luger, Keith Long, Angelo Tabbita, Gianni Ballarin; 4) at Theo’s: Marvin Miller, Brook Rose, Greg Busch; 5) at Blue Moon: Roary O’Donnell, Charles Plante, Dale Beles, Brenda Beles, Pam Lynn, Doug Lynn; 6) at Purple Parrot: Joe Coates, John Offandini, Elijah Brown, Alonza Parker, Terreah Brown; 7) at Mid-Atlantic Symphony Orchestra Concert: Fran Sneider, Beth Cohen; 8) at Freddie’s Beach Bar: Anthony Juchnowski, Cheryl Tilton, Ozzy Aydocan, Ricky DiDomenico. ▼
William Miller
William “Bill” F. Miller, age 82, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, and Arlington, Virginia, passed away on October 2, 2025.
Born on October 28, 1942, in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, he was the son of the late Mary Louise (Leach) Miller and William P. Miller. After graduating high school, Mr. Miller moved to Washington, DC, where he attended George Washington University and American University. He began a distinguished career with the US government, which included assignments at the White House, the US Navy Department, the US Agency for International Development (USAID), and several other federal agencies.
A proud Vietnam veteran, Mr. Miller served in the DC Air National Guard and the US Air Force from 1963 to 1969. His government work took him across
the globe, including postings in Saudi Arabia, Honduras, South Korea, and numerous countries throughout Central and South America and the Far East.
After retiring from public service, Mr. Miller resided in Rehoboth Beach,
Delaware, where he enjoyed a second career as a personal trainer at The Firm Fitness Center and Gold’s Gym. He had a deep passion for fitness, theater, dancing, traveling, and entertaining friends.
He is survived by his life partner of 45 years, Joseph T. Mirabella; his sister, MaryAnn Dortenzo, and her husband David; his nieces, Erica Russo and her husband Severn of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Marissa Dortenzo and her husband Brandon Osekowski of Dana Point, California; as well as many cousins, extended family members, and dear friends.
Services will be private.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to your favorite foundation benefiting children.
To share memories or condolences, please visit Mr. Miller’s online memorial at parsellfuneralhomes.com. ▼
Fourth-Page-V CROSSWORD PUZZLE SOLUTION
(puzzle on page 84)
CAMP Rehoboth Volunteer Opportunities
To all the CAMP Rehoboth Volunteers for the period: Sept. 6-Oct. 3, 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.
WALK WITH CAMP REHOBOTH IN THE SEA WITCH® PARADE!
Mark your calendars! On Saturday, October 25, CAMP Rehoboth will proudly walk in the annual Sea Witch® Parade, and we’d love for you to join us! The parade is one of Rehoboth Beach’s most beloved traditions, and it’s always a joyful way to celebrate community and show your CAMP Rehoboth spirit. Come in costume, wear CAMP Rehoboth gear, or just bring your energy and a smile! We can’t wait to see you there!
CROP: CAMP REHOBOTH OUTREACH PROGRAM
The CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) is constantly working to cultivate community and strengthen relationships and the connections between us all. Check the site for monthly volunteer opportunities.
Sign up at camprehoboth.org/volunteers.
Your volunteer efforts benefit you and others. — PLEASE VISIT —
to register as a volunteer and to sign up for available opportunities.
THANK YOU
CAMP
ACCESSIBILITY
Hope Vella
CAMP ADMIN
Sherri McGee
CAMP ADVOCACY
TEAM
Daniel Bruner
David Garrett
Leslie Ledogar
Sherri McGee
CAMP ART
INSTALLATION: BEAR WITNESS
Ronald Baker
Robert Fleming
Paul Griffin
CAMP ART
RECEPTION
ASSISTANTS: BEAR WITNESS
Robert Fleming
Paul Frene
Elizabeth Rois
Harri and John
CAMP ARTS TEAM
Logan Farro
Jane Knaus
Lois Powell
Leslie Sinclair
Patricia Stiles
Debbie Woods
CAMP CHORUS LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE
Bill Fuchs
Karen Gantz
Carolyn Laurenzo
Sue Pound
Gloria Richards
Dave Scuccimarra
Travis Stevens
CAMPCIERGES
Joe Benshetler
Ken Currier
Max Dick
Peter Keeble
Fay Jacobs
Jim Mease
Jean Metzar
Kim Nelson
Pamela Rule
Linda Tiano
Maria Scannapieco
Patricia Stiles
Russell Stiles
Joe Vescio
CAMP DEVELOPMENT TEAM
Jane Blue
Pat Catanzariti
Wes Combs
Mike DeFlavia
Will Freshwater
Amanda Mahony Albanese
CAMP FACILITIES
Carol Brice
Lisa Evans
Eric Korpon
CAMPSAFE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING
Dick Hospital
E.J. Kenyon
Joe Vescio
CAMPSHOTS PHOTO VOLUNTEERS
G Michael Beigay
Tony Burns
CAMP VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE
Madelyn Jablon
Marce McCollum-
Martin
Jim Mease
Kim Nelson
Rina Pellegrini
John Michael Sophos
Joe Vescio
DELAWARE AIDS WALK
Christopher Maddox
Kevin Pelland
Maria Scannapieco
Jennifer Varone
LETTERS
DISTRIBUTION TEAM
Jim Mease
LETTERS MAILING
TEAM
Nancy Hewish
Joanne Yurik
LETTERS PROOFING
Barb Ralph
THIS MONTH IN QUEER HISTORY
Beth Shockley
USHERING, CAMP CHORUS CONCERTS
G Michael Beigay
Deb Bricker
Steven Creps
Donna Dolce
David Garrett
Susan Leathery
Kevin Pelland
Eric Peterson
Jefferson Rougeau
Mary Jo Tarallo
Mary Yasson
AD INDEX
CRESCENT SHORES - Lincoln. 2009 3BR/2BA. Owned solar equipment. Pool & hot tub. 1/2-acre corner lot. Freshly painted; new LVP. Updated kitchen. Split BR plan. $339,000 (2095712)
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)
ANGOLA BEACH - Lewes. Remodeled 1978 3BR/2BA. Pretty kitchen w/SS & quartz counters. 10 miles to beach. Marina & 2 pools. $179,900 (2096476) Lot Rent $850/mt. includes water & sewer.
SWEETBRIAR - Lewes. 2005 3BR/2BA home. “Morning Room” off of the kitchen. Screened porch & shed. Community pool. 8 miles to beach. $129,900 (2098016) Lot Rent $924/mt.
SHADY DELL - Ocean View. 1988 3BR/2BA manufactured home on 1/4-acred lot. Low HOA of just $75/yr. Screened porch. Shed w/30amp for your RV. 3 miles to the beach! $390,000 (2095732)
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. $354,900 (2085536)
SILVER VIEW FARMRehoboth. 1983 2BR/1BA remodeled in 2023! SS kit appliances w/granite. LVP. Shed. Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $112,500 (2092564) Lot Rent $723/mt.
SILVER VIEW FARMRehoboth. 2012 4BR/2BA is 1,624sf w/family room. Furniture negotiable. Shed. Community pool. 3 miles to beach. $297,500 (2081216) Lot Rent $723/mt.
SHERWOOD ACRES –Frankford/Ocean View. 1989 2BR/2BA manufactured home is approx. 1,150SF. 1/4-acre lot. Low HOA of just $40/yr. Only 6 miles to the beach!
$229,900 (2096808)
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! $430,000 (2088132)
COLONIAL EAST - Rehoboth Beach. 2019 3BR/2BA features the “ultimate kit” & main BR “super bath” upgrades + more! 4 miles to Rehoboth or Lewes beach. $279,000 (2091602) LotRent $896/mt.
REHOBOTH BAY - Rehoboth. New LVP throughout! 1978 2BR/1.5BA, 850 sf. Oil heat, newer AC Pac Unit. Pool & Marina. 6.5 miles to beach. $79,000 (2098282) Lot Rent $739/mt.
BAY - Rehoboth. 2019 “like new” 3BR/2BA. Open floor plan. Great kitchen! LVP throughout. Pool. Marina. 6.5 miles to beach. $199,900 (2090642) Lot Rent $913/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. $144,900 (2085884) Lot Rent $734/mt.
BAY - Rehoboth. 2002 3BR/2BA is 1,560sf. Features LV & family room. VinylTech porch. Shed. Pool. Marina. 6.5 miles to beach. $189,900 (2098272) Lot Rent $821/mt.
BAY - Rehoboth. 1986 2BR/2BA. 1,100sf with sunroom addition. Split bedroom plan. Pool. Marina. 6.5 miles to beach. $105,000 (2097532) Lot Rent $764/mt.
