Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 31, No. 6

In This Issue Poodle Beach!

Summer Treats Sun Festival

C R E A T I N G

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M O R E

P O S I T I V E

R E H O B O T H

July 16, 2021 Volume 31, Number 6 camprehoboth.com

inside 4 In Brief 6 Out in Delaware The First State Again?

DAVID MARINER

8 Intentionally Inclusive

How Potlucks Can Build Bridges WES COMBS

10 CAMP News 12 Sun Festival 2021

THIS ISSUE

22 Words Matter

18 Volunteer Spotlight KAREN LAITMAN

20 Dining Out on the Boards FAY JACOBS

MICHAEL GILLES

84 Visiting View

24 Who’s That?

That’s CAMP!

Homophobia and Transphobia D’ANNE WITKOWSKI

Suede to Return to Rehoboth

86 Bloody Mary Shrimp

ANITA BROCCOLINO

26 Membership Matters CAMP Rehoboth ImpACT MARJ SHANNON

14 It’s My Life 16 Community News

Gwen Osborne on Stage

CLARENCE FLUKER

28 Health & Wellness

MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

82 Theatre is Back

Olympics for All: Rooting for the Ones We Love

Sundance Evolves into Sun Festival

In Memoriam

VOLUME 31, NUMBER 6 • JULY 16, 2021

ED CASTELLI “Go, speed racer!” By Marta Nammack. See page 74.

44 Dining Out

In the Good Ol’ Summertime

Summer Days Are Meant for Port 251

MARJ SHANNON

FAY JACOBS

30 COVID-19 & HIV

46 Out & Proud

On Living Through Dual Pandemics ASHLEY INNES

32 Out & About

The Case of the Invisible Lesbians ERIC PETERSON

34 LGBTQ+ YA

Cape’s GSA—A Student Body Role Model ELLA WALKER

38 Candidate Forum

A Taste of Summer STEFANI DEOUL

48 CAMP Houses The Bread Baker and the Chocolate Maker RICH BARNETT

50 Celebrity Spotlight Performer BeBe Deluxe to Open at Aqua FAY JACOBS

52 Music from the Heart A Uke, a Garden, and a Life of Pride MATTY BROWN

60 It’s Officially Poodle Beach Cover Story

90 Historical Headliners Nostrovia!

ANN APTAKER

104 The Real Dirt

FAY JACOBS

64 Straight Talk

Gordons Pond or Poodle Beach?

Celebrating the Fruits of Our Labor ERIC W. WAHL

DAVID GARRETT

68 CAMPshots

Summer’s in Full Swing

72 It’s Hell to Be a Crab MICHAEL GILLES

74 CAMP Arts

ON THE COVER

Summer Treat (Left to right) Matthew Stensrud and Alonza Parker Photo: Murray Archibald

DOUG YETTER

76 Booked Solid TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

78 ViewPoint

Insurrection and Queer Intersections RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

See page 20

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

Photographs must be high resolution (300 dpi).

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

Letters 2 JULY 16, 2021

PUBLISHER David Mariner EDITOR Beth Shockley COPY EDITOR Marj Shannon DESIGN AND LAYOUT Mary Beth Ramsey ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Tricia Massella ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT Matty Brown DISTRIBUTION Mark Wolf CONTRIBUTORS Barbara Antlitz, Ann Aptaker, Murray Archibald, Rich Barnett, Anita Broccolino, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Wes Combs, Stefani Deoul, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, David Garrett, Michael Gilles, Fay Jacobs, Karen Laitman, David Mariner, Tricia Massella, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Richard Rosendall, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Eric W. Wahl, Ella Walker, D’Anne Witkowski, Doug Yetter

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 to in any way, 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. © 2021 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved by CAMP Rehoboth. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the editor.

CAMP REHOBOTH

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PRESIDENT Chris Beagle VICE PRESIDENT Wesley Combs SECRETARY Mike DeFlavia TREASURER Natalie Moss, CPA AT-LARGE DIRECTORS Jane Blue, Pat Catanzariti, Jason Darion Mathis-White, David Garrett, Leslie Ledogar, David Mariner (non-voting), Tara Sheldon, and Leslie Sinclair EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR David Mariner HEALTH & WELLNESS PROGRAM DIRECTOR Salvatore Seeley DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Anita Broccolino YOUTH UP COORDINATOR Barbara Antlitz

CAMP REHOBOTH 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 tel 302-227-5620 | fax 302-227-5604 email editor@camprehoboth.com | www.camprehoboth.com

The Way I See It

BY BETH SHOCKLEY, EDITOR

“HOT FUN IN THE SUMMERTIME.” THAT’S MY GO-TO SONG FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR. WHEN SLY and the Family Stone had a hit with it, I was a wee child. But I remember it coming through the speakers wherever I was, bathing me in the promise of endless days of summer joy.

We’ve got plenty of it here in Rehoboth. The sand, surf, and boardwalk are at full capacity, and we all have one thing in mind—summer fun. That’s the main focus in this issue. We’ve also got another theme, summer food.

From crabs to boardwalk eats, our writers have been busy. Especially our Dining OUT correspondent Fay Jacobs (who will never pass her Retirement 101 class this summer). She’s taking us on a boardwalk foodie crawl as well as offering her review of Port 251. Other of our columnists offer recipes from delectable Bloody Mary Shrimp to a basic Pico de Gallo. So much food, so little time. And so many choices!

And since it’s hard crab season, a major local delicacy, maybe you’re wondering what the best way is to actually get to those tasty morsels. We have some tips if you’re game.

Did you know that local historian Charles J. Trust referred to the Delmarva Peninsula as the “Bread Basket of the American Revolution?” This area has a long tradition of agriculture that goes back to the Native American Nanticoke and Lenni Lanapi cultures who grew maize, beans, and squash. Don’t get me started on the joys of our local produce…

Farms and waterways crisscross Southern Delaware, connecting us to a set of rich culinary traditions. The original Nanticoke inhabitants baked hearty johnnycakes and hunted wild game.

Hungry for a taste of home, German settlers developed scrapple from local ingredients. I know, scrapple is one of those love-it or too-disgusting-for-words foods. Born and raised in Salisbury, I get cravings….

Today’s home cooks and chefs draw from the land and sea to whip up a distinct southern Delaware cuisine. Local author Denise Clemons, who wrote A Culinary History of Southern Delaware, savors a story in every dish in presentations for the Delaware State Archives and the Lewes Historical Society.

"After the broiler [chicken] industry started, broiled chicken with sour-milk biscuits became a favorite,” Clemons writes. “Shrimp steamed over a pan of spiced vinegar and served with tartar sauce was a traditional seafood dish. Cooks prepared cauliflower with a custard sauce and creamed-corn pudding as accompaniments to meat dishes. There was also a fish stew, called Muddle, which included fin and shellfish and was cooked in a Dutch oven. Steamed crabs were cooked at beach picnics. Ham smoked to a rich brown, almost the shade of mahogany, and aged at least a year has been a Delaware specialty.”

Hungry yet? Keep reading.

Or maybe you need to walk off some of those calories. Poodle Beach or Gordons Pond? We all know and enjoy Poodle Beach. However, there’s a lot of gay history behind it going back nearly a century. If you’re not already familiar with it, it’s a fascinating read. And, find out why Gordons Pond is considered more “laid back.”

You won’t be laid back when you find out who we’re bringing to Sun Festival (formerly Sundance) this year. I’m not going to spoil the surprise here, but we’re delighted and think you will be, too.

Also in this issue, learn where the four candidates for commissioner stand on the issues affecting all of us. Remember how important it is to vote on August 14. Our celebrity spotlight focuses on BeBe Deluxe, performing here next month, who sings her heart out and educates folks about the trans community. There’s so much more in this edition, so read on.

On a personal note, this is my last issue serving as Letters’ editor. Bittersweet for me, but it’s been a pleasure and an honor. See you on the avenue, as they say.

Be well and enjoy!

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.

JULY 16, 2021

3 Letters

PRIDE Rides Support CAMP Rehoboth

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RIDE riders from Sea Barre fitness in Lewes recently cycled and sweated through four days of rides to benefit CAMP Rehoboth’s Youth Up and Health and Wellness programs.

Salvatore Seeley, CAMP Rehoboth Health and Wellness Director, says he is “so appreciative of their support for health and wellness programs including youth programming.” ▼

Thank you from CAMP Rehoboth!

D Party Benefits CAMP Rehoboth

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AMP Rehoboth was the beneficiary of The Lodge at Truitt Homestead’s 1st Annual White Party/Summer Solstice event June 26. The sold-out party was primarily attended by residents and friends of the Lodge and more than $8,200 was raised. Most of the attendees were decked out in all-white attire and enjoyed live entertainment, a silent auction, a sparklers toast, and incredible hors d’oeuvres, desserts, and an open bar.

“I am very proud to work at The Lodge, and I am thrilled we had this fundraiser,” said Community Relations Director Suzette Chambers. “The Lodge is in the people business. This past year taught the world how precious people are, and how each and every individual counts and needs to be seen, protected, and valued. I want everyone to know they will find that here with us.”

Pictured above: (left to right) Lori Simmons, Kim Nelson, Grace Pesikey, Janet Urdahl, Merrily Nelson; Tara Sheldon ,Carol White; Dave Thomas, Melanie Wolfe and Monica Niccolai.

CATCH THE SUEDE WAVE IN REHOBOTH BEACH!

Grab your tickets at camprehoboth.com before they’re completely sold out. Suede will be performing Saturday, July 31, at 7:30 p.m. at Epworth United Methodist Church.

See full story on page 24.

Letters 4 JULY 16, 2021

ogfish Head and Chesapeake & Maine PRIDE month happy hours raised more than $1,500 for CAMP Rehoboth in celebration of Pride month. Kerry Hallett was on-hand to provide live music for at the 4–6 p.m. Thursday events. And the refreshing Pom Hanks drink dedicated to CAMP Rehoboth was definitely a big hit! Stay tuned as additional fundraising events at Chesapeake & Maine are being planned for the fall. ▼

Where Can I Get Letters?

W

hile our issues are always available online, there’s nothing like reading Letters on the beach, on your porch at home, or taking it with you on vacation. (Take a photo holding Letters at your vacation venue, send it to us via e-mail at the largest size, and we’ll try to publish it!)

To find the print copies of Letters, there’s a great interactive map at camprehoboth.com.

Click on a link and you’ll see where to pick up the latest issues.

Happy reading! ▼

SPEAKOut MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Dear Editor,

COMMUNITY EVENTS SUEDE CONCERT July 31 CAMP REHOBOTH SUN FESTIVAL August 29-September 5 REHOBOTH BEACH BEAR WEEKEND September 15-19 CAMP REHOBOTH CHORUS ENSEMBLE CONCERT September 24-26 DELAWARE PRIDE October 2 CAMP REHOBOTH BLOCK PARTY October 17 CAMP REHOBOTH CHORUS PRESIDENTS’ DAY WEEKEND CONCERT February 18-20, 2022 WOMEN’S FEST April 7-10, 2022

FIND OUT MORE AT CAMPREHOBOTH.COM

GSA Leader Gathering

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n Sunday, June 27, CAMP Rehoboth’s Youth Up program held an in-person meeting at Cape Henlopen State Park for teachers, social workers, GSA advisors, mentors, and other professionals who work with students in Sussex County and the lower part of Kent County. Participants were taught ways to visibly develop a community that accepts everyone regardless of their sexual identity and gender expressions. Presenter Jesse Frechette led the group through exercises aimed at processing challenges from the past year, recognizing areas of growth, setting intentions for the year ahead, and cultivating gratitude, compassion, and hope to build resiliency with each other and the youth we serve. ▼

Thankful Thursdays!

A great, family-friendly event will be held at Hudson Fields, Thursday, August 5, to benefit CAMP Rehoboth.

Sponsored by the Revelation Craft Brewery Company, participants can enjoy live music, food trucks, cornhole, yoga, and vendors galore! ▼

Since its inception on February 1, 2003, Delaware Stonewall PAC has been working diligently on behalf of the LGBTQ community to pass pro-equality legislation. We are very proud of what we have accomplished but we know our work has not yet been concluded.

Our success is based on our support for legislators who we know or are anticipated to support our legislative agenda. When we began as an organization, we had a legislature which was hostile to the LGBTQ community, but we worked to change it. We also set as a goal to elect open LGBTQ candidates and in 2020, we elected not one but three, State Senators Sarah McBride and Marie Pinkney, and State Representative Eric Morrison, and we will honor them at our summer event scheduled August 21 between 4 and 6pm at Lavender Fields in Milton.

This is usually our only fund-raiser of the year and we use the funds we raise to support legislation and candidates who have shown or we expect to show support for the LGBTQ community.

Many of the state’s elected officials show up. Admission price is $65 per person with membership. For $10 more you can get admission and a yearly membership. Sponsorship opportunities are also available. Check our website at delawarestonewall.com to sign up for the event or to learn how to sponsor.

Peter Schott President, Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee

Sun, fun and…

Jennifer Holliday?

You read right! Find out all about the first annual Sun Festival coming Labor Day weekend.

See full story on page 12.

Send letters to the editor to editor@camprehoboth.com JULY 16, 2021

5 Letters

OUT in Delaware

BY DAVID MARINER, CAMP REHOBOTH EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

The First State Again?

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n June 17, state legislators, LGBTQ community members, and disability rights advocates gathered outside Legislative Hall in Dover for a special announcement. House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst announced the introduction of House Bill 199, for which she is the lead sponsor. She was joined by several co-sponsors of the bill including Speaker of the House Peter C. Schwartzkopf, Senators Marie Pinkney and Sara McBride, and Representative Eric Morrison.

HB199 is the first step towards a constitutional amendment to add sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability to Article I, §21 of the Delaware Constitution to declare explicitly that protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability is one of Delaware's fundamental rights.

Delaware previously amended the state constitution to prohibit the denial or abridgement of equal rights under the law based on sex in 2019. In 2020, race, color, and national origin were also added.

If passed, Delaware would make history by becoming the first state to include sexual orientation or gender identity in its

state constitution. Delaware would join Britain, Bolivia, Ecuador, Fiji, and Malta, countries that explicitly offer equal constitutional rights to LGBTQ individuals.

HB199 currently has 31 sponsors, which is a strong showing. It will be taken up in the next legislative session. As a proposed change to the state constitution, it will need to be passed by two successive general assemblies.

CAMP Rehoboth staff and board members were honored to attend the event.

Two young people who participate in our CAMP Rehoboth Youth Up! program, Edward Christopher and JaLynn, spoke at the event, about the impact HB199 would have on them.

Also speaking at the event were Mark Purpura and Lisa Goodman from Equality Delaware.

Mark recently emphasized the importance of adding state constitutional protections. “Our current legal protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity are piecemeal and address actions of the state government mainly through a Governor’s Executive Order.”

A new governor could potentially

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reverse the executive order. A state constitutional amendment would, therefore, offer more permanent and tangible protections for government services including Medicaid and Medicare, an important issue for transgender and nonbinary individuals seeking gender affirming care.

“A state constitutional amendment would also make it much more difficult for any future general assembly or governor to enact a law that is discriminatory against LGBTQ people or people with disabilities,” Mark added. “The constitutional amendment would likely at least place a heightened standard of review on any such law.”

Mark also said that even though the legislative session is closed, there is never a bad time to learn more about where your state senator and representative stand on this issue. If you would like to see a complete list of cosponsors or track the progress of this legislation you can do so at legis.delaware.gov. ▼ David Mariner is executive director of CAMP Rehoboth.

Donna

Whiteside 302.381.4871 donnawhiteside@ gotogallo.com

The Donna Whiteside Group 16712 Kings Highway, Lewes 302.645.6661

Letters 6 JULY 16, 2021

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We can’t wait to welcome you back on board, and when you’re ready, The Retreat will transport you like no other vacation.

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JULY 16, 2021

7 Letters

Intentionally Inclusive

BY WESLEY COMBS

How Potlucks Can Build Bridges

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ometimes the simplest idea provides an opportunity to learn more about people different from us. Every year a friend of ours hosted an annual Easter potluck and the dishes ranged from deviled eggs to a German apple cake. Often, there was a story behind the choice that was a favorite family recipe. I loved hearing people reminisce about the time when they were a kid and that dish gave them such happy memories.

When friends gather at our dining room table, I always like each guest to share a fond memory growing up of a favorite dish made by their mother, father, or grandparent. Especially for a holiday main course, usually served on Rosh Hashanah, Passover, or on the Sabbath. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

My friend Ty always talks about his Czechoslovakian grandmother’s pierogies (handmade dumplings stuffed with either potatoes or cream) and kolaczki cookies (a puffed pastry filled with apricots, cherries, or poppy seeds). Grandma Hreben came to America in 1923 and never learned English so the way she showed her love was through cooking food from the old country. “Because my grandparents were not wealthy, the way they brought the family together was through food, cooking, and baking,” recalled Ty. Ty and his siblings bake kolaczki cookies to this day because it connects them to their culture. “Whenever I am stressed about throwing the perfect dinner party, I remember that it’s really about the love and time spent making the food.”

Food teaches us so much about cultures different from our own. In recent years, I have become a more educated cook (not quite a chef yet) and have learned so much about food from shows like Top Chef and Chopped, where the judges explain where ingredients come from and how they were used in their native countries. And who can forget Julia Child’s cookbook Mastering the Art of French Cooking and later her television Letters 8 JULY 16, 2021

show, The French Chef, which introduced this beloved European cuisine and French culture to everyday cooks on this side of the Atlantic. The late celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain spent much of his career taking viewers along for the ride as he explored the culture and cuisine of faraway places like Thailand, Peru, India, and Russia.

The simple practice of breaking bread with others may be the easiest way to create common ground with those around us.

I am embarrassed to say that I never knew much about how some of my goto foods came to be everyday staples around the world. Most recently CNN’s series, Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, part travelogue, history, and cooking show, schooled me in ways I never expected. In every episode Tucci served as an ambassador for all things Italian as he interviewed chefs, food producers, winemakers, restaurateurs, guides, historians, artists, and activists about foods we all love but may not have known their origins. "I'd like people to see that incredible diversity, and how it came about— from geography, from invasions, from the influences of the Arab world, from the Spanish, the Normans, the Austrians. It's an incredible culinary melting pot," said Tucci.

I was surprised to learn that sardines were used as a symbol by political activists in 2019 fighting against the hate cultivated by the far right in Italy. Did you know that pizza was originally sold in the streets of 16th century Naples as the dish of the poor people, not considered

a kitchen recipe for a long time? If you have not seen these amazing episodes, add it to your watchlist today!

The last example I will share revolves around our friend Grace whose parents emigrated from Korea in 1967. Like many first- and second-generation immigrant families, her parents assimilated in countless ways to fit in with their new neighbors. However, her mom’s holiday tradition of making filled dumplings was an important part of Grace’s cultural upbringing because across Asian cultures they are said to bring good fortune in the coming year.

Now with a family of her own, Grace has continued this tradition for the past 15 years, sharing it with close friends by hosting what is now known as “Dumplingfest” every New Year’s Day. My husband, Greg, and I have been fortunate to join this joyous party that starts mid-afternoon and lasts until midnight.

The guests are eager students as Grace teaches us how to place the filling and fold gyoza skins into half-moon pockets of pure heaven.

So, the next time you plan to host a potluck dinner, ask those on your list to bring a dish that reminds them of their cultural heritage and have them share a story about why they selected the dish.

The simple practice of breaking bread with others may be the easiest way to create common ground with those around us.▼ Wesley Combs, a CAMP Rehoboth Board member, is a diversity and inclusion expert, executive coach, and a passionate social justice advocate. He is the founding principal of Combs Advisory Services where he works with clients who share his values of enabling equity, equality, and opportunity in the workplace and the community..

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9 Letters

CAMPNews CAMP Rehoboth Needs You! As the world re-opens, so does CAMP Rehoboth—and we need volunteers. Can you jump in to lend a hand?

SUN FESTIVAL 2021 Volunteers needed starting now and leading up to the week prior and weekend of Labor Day. Multiple roles available: • Admin support: experience with Microsoft Word and Excel.

• Help to procure sponsors and auction items. Anyone with CRM software, auction software, and database experience—have we got plans for you!

• Graphics professionals, social media experts, logistics support, and so much more!

SUEDE CONCERT Suede is coming back to Rehoboth and we need a few volunteers to help us out before and during the show on July 31.

• Some admin support: experience with Microsoft Word and Excel.

• Food & beverage volunteers, tickets-takers, parking attendants, some logistics support.

CAMP REHOBOTH EVENT AT HUDSON FIELDS Volunteers needed for Thursday, August 5, for the Revelation Brewery/Hudson Fields Thankful Thursdays benefit for CAMP Rehoboth.

• Ticket-takers, parking attendants, activities helpers, and set-up/break-down support.

Please send your full name, preferred phone number, and email address, note the event(s) in which you’re interested, along with days and/or hours available to volunteer. If you would like, also specify what types of volunteer activities you prefer. Email: development@camprehoboth.com.

C R E A T I N G

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

Local Heroes RB Candidate Forum (We Could Be) Heroes A

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July 26, 2019 Volume 29, Number 10 camprehoboth.com

ainment That’s Entert for Play A Passion Tradition Taking Dance for a Twirl

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August 9, 2019 Volume 29, Number 11 camprehoboth.com

Rehoboth Guest House Tells All

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f you’re a Facebooker, follow The Rehoboth Guest House. The inn’s manager, Tom Kelch, is writing about the history of the building, which shares a lot line right behind CAMP Rehoboth. Not only is the building’s history fascinating, but Tom is talking a lot about the history of CAMP Rehoboth itself. As he describes the guest house’s transformation over the years, he also chronicles Rehoboth politics and the role CAMP Rehoboth and its founders, Steve Elkins and Murray Archibald, played in making our town safe for the LGBTQ community, helping to assure there is room for all. This gay guesthouse pre-dates the formation of CAMP Rehoboth by at least two decades and the stories are fascinating. ▼

Advertising in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth pays off.

CALL TRICIA MASSELLA AT 302-227-5620 or email tricia@camprehoboth.com for more information!

Letters 10 JULY 16, 2021

SunFestival w a y Sta r

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Friday

Saturday

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Save the DateS for Not one, but two amazing performances!

Events will take place throughout the week at different locations around town, including 2 Dances!

To Sponsor or Purchase Tickets, please visit:

www.camprehoboth.com JULY 16, 2021

11 Letters

SUN FESTIVAL 2021

Sundance Evolves into Sun Festival 2021 Born as a one-night dance, it’s now a week of festivities.

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he hugely popular annual Labor Day weekend celebration and fundraiser needed for CAMP Rehoboth’s essential health, wellness, arts, and advocacy programming is on! Sun Festival, formerly known as Sundance, is among the largest and most spectacular events held in Rehoboth Beach and the entire southern Delaware area.

Regarded as one of the most respected and successful nonprofit organizations in Delaware for more than 30 years, CAMP Rehoboth’s annual Labor Day festivities have been more than just an event. They were places to embrace long-time friends, meet new people and celebrate diversity and inclusiveness. Now, after live, in-person events had to be cancelled due to COVID-19 in 2020, and inspired by community enthusiasm, the event has transformed into Sun Festival 2021, a week-long, multiple-event, annual celebration, this year August

Letters 12 JULY 16, 2021

29-September 5. Ticket prices for the main events range from $35 to $500, and the fun will kick off on Sunday, August 29th with the annual 5K Racing Festival.

“We are excited to be expanding on the weekend by increasing the number of events during the week and bringing high-quality performers for the weekend portion of the festivities—Broadway star Jennifer Holliday, and the Skivvies,” said CAMP Rehoboth Board member, Mike DeFlavia.

Following CDC guidelines and capacity limits, combined with the planning time needed for a dance that lived up to past events, the CAMP Rehoboth Board members made the difficult decision to forgo a dance at the Convention Center this year. “But don’t worry, you can still get into your dance-trance,” said Anita Broccolino, Development Director at CAMP Rehoboth. “We are in the planning stages to host at least one, and possibly two dances during the week, a women-specific activity or two, in addition to multiple other activities and experiences we trust will appeal to a variety of interests and tastes. All of those will lead up to the big-name weekend entertainment.”

Music is a key part of CAMP Rehoboth’s Labor Day activities, and Sun Festival 2021 will be no different. Friday night, September 3, will bring a return appearance by the Skivvies—Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley—singer/actor/ musicians performing stripped-down arrangements of eclectic covers and eccentric originals. “Not only is the music stripped down—cello, ukulele, glockenspiel, melodica,” said DeFlavia, “but the Skivvies musicians literally strip down to their underwear to perform.”

The Skivvies will perform with special guests: Randy Harrison (Justin Taylor from Queer as Folk) and Diana Huey (who played Ariel in the national tour of Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Kim in Miss Saigon).

“Then Saturday night, September 4,

we bring Broadway to the beach with an appearance and performance by Tony Award winner Jennifer Holliday, a member of the original Broadway cast of Dreamgirls,” DeFlavia said.

“Labor Day weekend has always been a keystone time for CAMP Rehoboth,” said CAMP Rehoboth Executive Director David Mariner. “Sun Festival builds and expands on that strong Sundance tradition started by our founders: Murray Archibald and the late Steve Elkins with their legions of volunteers.

Our goal is to bring in more diversity of participation, more excitement, and ultimately more funds in support of our essential services to the community.”

Mariner said the addition of some virtual events will make Sun Festival 2021 accessible to a wider audience, including people not able to be in Rehoboth Beach or comfortable being back out in public settings. “It’s a major change,” added Board Chair Chris Beagle, “but what will never change is the essence of Sundance—a celebration of community, life, and friendships.”

The event was born in 1987 in response to the devastation that the AIDS epidemic was causing in the gay community. It was a single-night event—

an AIDS fund-raising anniversary dance party organized by CAMP Rehoboth founders Steve Elkins and Murray Archibald.

Years later, a second day was added—with a 5K race and an auction that helped raise additional funds and invited broader participation. In 2018, an early evening tea dance was added. All was well until the pandemic hit. There was no dance in 2020.

The auction moved online. The need for safety spurred innovative, new virtual events. These changes paved the way for a new week-long celebration: Sun Festival 2021.

Sun Festival will continue to rely on the generosity of the community, local businesses, its hosts, and sponsors to fund the events and make it possible to bring in top-level talent like the Skivvies and Jennifer Holliday. “It’s a win-win,” said Natalie Moss, a Founders’ Circle member and Board member of CAMP Rehoboth. “We will still have the incredible online auction, and this year the ability to add a select few Live Auction items, thanks to the Convention Center events. Hosts and sponsors will allow us to provide exceptional entertainment, and have the satisfaction of contributing to their community, all while gaining widespread visibility for their generosity.”

Sponsorships are available for $1,000 up to $10,000. “Stay tuned for volunteer opportunities, too,” Broccolino added.

“We cannot do this without the numerous and dedicated crew of talented volunteers we have always had.”

Our goal is to bring in more diversity of participation, more excitement, and ultimately more funds in support of our essential services to the community.

If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, Broccolino asks that you reach out to her as soon as possible for maximum visibility.

More information about Sun Festival 2021 events will be announced in the upcoming weeks and posted at camprehoboth.com. To learn about volunteering, hosting, and sponsorship opportunities, call Anita Broccolino at 302-227-5620 or email: development@camprehoboth.com.

All proceeds from Sun Festival 2021 benefit CAMP Rehoboth, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and support the health, wellness, and arts activities and programs it provides to the Rehoboth community, all of Sussex County, and beyond. Events will be added and announced throughout the summer. For more information, go to camprehoboth.com. ▼

JULY 16, 2021

13 Letters

It’s My Life

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

In Memoriam

T

he hummingbird feeder I pick out is made of yellow and green glass swirled together.

It’s exactly the one my sister Nancy would like. I can imagine the look of joy on her face when she sees it.

The problem is, my sister is 400 miles away, dying, and will never see it. The cancer she’s battled for two years has started to win. Or, perhaps more precisely, Nancy has decided that fighting it is no longer the best use of her time and has chosen to go off on her next adventure. For almost a week she’s been in that twilight world of near-death. We’re just waiting for her to make the transition.

When I get home, I mix up a batch of sugar water and fill the feeder, then hang it in the backyard near the flower garden. Almost immediately, a ruby-throated hummingbird flies up and starts drinking from one of the tiny metal flowers. Another follows soon after, and the two begin a swooping, frenetic game of chase to determine whose territory the new feeder is. “You could share, you know,” I hear Nancy lecture them in her distinctive voice.

I leave them to it and go inside to check the group message going between myself, Nancy’s husband, and my other sister. I keep expecting to hear that Nancy has passed, but there is no update. I write to the others and tell them about the hummingbird feeder. I don’t know why, really, except that it feels better than talking about how sad we all are.

Reading back through the message thread, I notice that we’ve started to occasionally refer to Nancy in the past tense. “Nancy loved the garden,” one of us writes, an admission that she won’t be planting anything new in the one that, until a few days ago, she tended with enthusiasm. For a moment, it feels like a betrayal, as if we’ve stopped believing that she’s going to beat this, as she so often said she would.

But, of course, we’ve known the outcome since her diagnosis. We just didn’t know how long it could be held off. And now that it’s arrived, pretending that what’s happening isn’t happening is too exhausting.

Later, Cubby and I go to dinner with friends who have just returned from a week of camping. It’s a

Even though her death is only hours old, I can already tell that for me it is different from the deaths of our parents.

It feels as if a part of my own life has vanished.

Letters 14 JULY 16, 2021

relief to listen to their stories about unexpected rainstorms, a recalcitrant canoe, and one of their dogs accidentally breaking the glass on the camper door and waking up the entire campground. It all feels very normal. A respite from constant worry. But when we get home, the news has come: “Nancy has crossed over.”

For some reason, I am suddenly terrified that I will forget what my sister looked like. I go to Nancy’s Facebook page and scroll through her photos. Going backwards in time, I see her cancer-thinned face become fuller, transforming back into the one most familiar to me.

Then I come across another photo, one Nancy scanned from a family photo album after our mother’s death a few years ago. Taken in 1970, it shows our family standing together. Nancy, 11, is in front of our father. Our sister Nina, 13, stands to the right of our mother, who is holding 2-year-old me in her arms. Nancy is wearing a brightly colored shirt patterned with tulips and beneath that a pair of clashing striped shorts. Her hair is barely contained by a single barrette on one side. She’s all hunched shoulders and nervous energy about to explode. It’s exactly how I picture her when I think of her.

Even though her death is only hours old, I can already tell that for me it is different from the deaths of our parents. It feels as if a part of my own life has vanished. My sisters are, of course, the only other people who experienced growing up in our family.

Although we had distinctly different and often contradictory relationships with our parents, and with each other, there is still a shared history of 53 years.

My last words to Nancy—which made her laugh despite the intense pain she was in—were, “What you need is a bowl of SpaghettiOs.” To anyone else, it seems nonsensical. To us, it summed up everything.

And I will never get to say it to her again.

People die every minute of every day. But yesterday, during one of those minutes, it was my sister who died. I loved her very much, and I will miss her. ▼ [Editor’s note: Readers are invited to donate to the Delaware animal rescue non-profit, One Dog More, in memory of its founder, Nancy Barnard Muller.]

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

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15 Letters

CommunityNews Senior Community Set for SAGECare Certification The Lodge at Truitt Homestead is in the process of becoming the first senior living community in Delaware to achieve LGBTQ Cultural Competency Certification. It’s on its way to becoming Platinum-certified by SAGECare, an LGBTQ senior advocacy group and part of the nation’s largest and oldest organization dedicated to improving the lives of LGBTQ older adults.

Management at the community and corporate level recently took the first step toward becoming SAGECare certified by attending online and virtual cultural competency training, provided by one of SAGECare’s expert trainers.

For more information on The Lodge at Truitt Homestead visit truittlodge.com or call 302-232-6372. The community is located at 36233 Farm Lane in Rehoboth. ▼

BVSPCA to Help Families with Pets in Need

C

otton was the first pet to receive assistance from a $60,000 grant received by the Brandywine Valley SPCA to help families in need to care for their pets. The grant was awarded to BVSPCA by Petco Love (formerly the Petco Foundation) to help families with financial difficulties keep the pets they love rather than bring them to a shelter. Cotton’s person lost her job due to a lifechanging injury and couldn’t afford her beloved senior pup’s dental extractions. ▼

Gov. Carney, BVSPCA Honor Champ Governor John Carney and Lt. Gov. Bethany Hall-Long issued a proclamation memorializing President Biden’s German shepherd, Champ, who died on June 19. The proclamation was requested by the Brandywine Valley SPCA on behalf of Delaware’s animal welfare community. ▼

Letters 16 JULY 16, 2021

Pie Ladies 2021

Continuing the long-held tradition, the Pie Ladies returned on the Fourth of July to deliver over 100 pies along multiple stops in Rehoboth Beach. Coming out of quarantine, the drag queens commemorated this year’s visit with favorite lockdown companions, read: our TV characters and personalities. The festivities include skits, performances, and many laughs.

With Magnolia Applebottom hosting, the characters from left to right are: Erika Jayne from Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Daphne from Bridgerton, Beth Harmon from The Queen’s Gambit, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek, Carol Baskin from Tiger King, and Rose from Golden Girls. ▼

Summer Fun and Mystery at Riverfront Theater Milford’s Second Street Players will stage its first show at full capacity in more than a year with its summer production of Clue: On Stage, written by Sandy Rustin and based on the screenplay by Jonathan Lynn. Audiences will be familiar with the iconic characters made famous in the Hasbro board game Clue, as well as the 1985 cult-classic film of the same name.

All performances will be at the Riverfront

Theater, 2 South Walnut Street, Milford, and are scheduled for July 16, 17, 18 and 23, 24, 25. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 7 p.m. and Sunday shows begin at 2 p.m. Seats are $20 with a $1 discount available to seniors, military, students, and our members. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit secondstreetplayers.com. ▼

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JULY 16, 2021

17 Letters

Volunteer Spotlight

BY KAREN LAITMAN

Lewis Dawley

L

ewis Dawley hails from Houston, Texas (although he doesn’t have an accent). He is the youngest of five children. As a kid growing up in Houston, he lived on a block where every house had children and he has many fond memories from those times. As a child he loved going to Galveston because it was on the water. After spending vacations there, he knew he always wanted to be near water.

One summer before graduating high school, he worked as a bellman at a local resort in Texas. He knew at that time that he loved serving others and he knew that working in hospitality was what he was destined to do for life. After high school, he landed a front desk position at a local Houston Marriot hotel. In the early 1990s, Lewis transferred to Marriot’s corporate office on the east coast in Bethesda, Maryland. He visited Rehoboth Beach for the first time while living in DC and fell in love with this seaside town.

In 1994 he met his now husband, Greg (from Pennsylvania). For 15 years, Lewis traveled worldwide for Marriott. While abroad, he thoroughly enjoyed learning about and being immersed in the European and Asian cultures. Lewis loved working for Marriott, because it afforded him the opportunity to travel to so many different countries. Lewis worked for Marriott hotels for 38 years. His takeaway from his worldwide travel was that “we are more alike than different,” and he keeps that in mind still today.

Lewis and Greg moved to Rehoboth Beach full-time in 2005. Lewis commuted back-and-forth from DC to Rehoboth for many years before retiring in the fall of 2020.

When did you start volunteering at CAMP Rehoboth?

I have been a member of CAMP Rehoboth for four years, but because of work I did not have a lot of time to volunteer. My first time volunteering was in May 2021, where I volunteered with CROP (CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program) at a food collection drive for the Food Bank of Delaware. I love volunteering because I feel Letters 18 JULY 16, 2021

it is selfless and I intrinsically feel empowered when I do so.

What do you love most about CAMP Rehoboth?

I feel that the outreach at CAMP is extraordinary. CAMP offers so many opportunities to so many. There is an abundance of programs which allows me and others to contribute and make a difference.

“I love volunteering because I feel it is selfless and I intrinsically feel empowered when I do so.”

Of the many events held by CAMP Rehoboth, which is your favorite?

I loved the dances in the 2000s that were held at the Rehoboth convention center on the Fourth of July holiday.

Favorite season here at the beach?

I love the fall because of the Indian summer from September to October. During that time, I love going to North Shores with my dog, Wilson, a Labrador/bloodhound.

What is your fondest memory of coming to Rehoboth?

My best memories were spent with friends and family. Greg and I loved

coming down to Rehoboth every other weekend and renting a beach house with a group of friends.

The LGBTQ community has made significant progress in the fight for equality in recent years. Did you expect to see this in your lifetime?

When and where I grew up (Texas), things were so different, I didn’t think progress would happen. In the early 90s, after moving to the Washington DC area and after coming out, that was when I noticed progress. In the late 90s, our families came together and spent a week together at the beach. That was significant progress in my eyes.

CAMP Rehoboth’s passion has continued to make progress. My concern for CAMP is its momentum to continue to grow with the younger generation. I am concerned about our future. There were such great strides of change made in the 90s, there was so much positive progress and growth, and we are still a strong community, I hope that the passion from those who have paved the way will continue with the next generation.

Since you began coming to Rehoboth, name the biggest change you’ve seen.

People, people, and more people.

What was your life like during the pandemic?

My favorite place to go is Gordons Pond, and I would frequently go there and hike the many trails with my Wilson. Greg and I moved to Rehoboth permanently one week before the pandemic and I was sad because we couldn’t do anything. During the pandemic what I learned most about myself is that I am a homebody and that I have a deeper appreciation of the people around me.

What brings you joy?

What brings me joy is that I love that we live in our forever town in our forever home. ▼ Karen Laitman is a member of CAMP Rehoboth’s Volunteer Development Committee.

We are here for you.

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

Jenn Harpel CFP®, ChFC® Associate Vice President

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

Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 +1 302 644-6620

Financial Advisor 55 Cascade Lane

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

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

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19 Letters

SUMMER Treats

BY FAY JACOBS

Dining Out on the Boards

O

kay, now that summer Letters issues are only once a month, we’ve got our great advertisers taking oodles of ads and leaving the editorial staff with lots of pages to fill! Happily, our editor has enlisted all hands on deck, and I am here to tell you I’m spectacularly flunking Retirement 101. But I’m also here to talk about our issue theme: beach food!

Specifically, boardwalk food.

Back in the 1980s, when I first stepped foot on the Rehoboth Boardwalk, I was dazzled by the diversity of goodies waiting to be consumed along the stretch. But I learned some important rules over the years and I’m sharing these with you now to optimize your dining pleasure.

Enjoy the treats but watch out for low-flying sea gulls. In a single season, if all the Thrasher’s fries brazenly stolen from tourists’ hands by hungry seagulls were laid end-to-end they would rival the number of cars traveling Route One in that same season. Those Thrasher’s fries are a delicious hot mess, while the traffic is merely…a hot mess.

Salt and vinegar complete the Thrasher’s fries experience. Yum. RULE ONE

Wear light colored clothing for dining on funnel cake. If there’s a reader here who’s never had the distinctly gluttonous goody, I say you gotta try it at least once. But beware. The powdered sugar atop the yummy fried dough will cling to your clothes like, well…powdered sugar. Think donuts or beignets. Dammit, now I want either a beignet or some funnel cake and New Orleans is too far away, so I may head to the Funnel Cake Factory any minute for a Big Daddy.

(Something you’ll never hear me ask for in any other circumstance.)

RULE TWO

RULE THREE It’s hot out. Lick the ice cream cone from the top of the cone on up. It will be less messy. Maybe.

Whether you like Kohr Bros., Archies, the Ice Cream Shop, or Starkeys, or other ice cream sites. Please, I beg you. Take

Letters 20 JULY 16, 2021

your licks responsibly. And just a few steps up Wilmington from the boards is The Royal Treat. And it is. And has been for decades. All the concoctions are great but try an old-fashioned chocolate ice cream soda with your choice of ice cream flavors. It’s my once-a-year personal royal treat; had it on my birthday weekend, I’m done for the year, but take it from me, it’s devastatingly delicious. Extra: if you walk up a block from the boards to the corner of First and Baltimore, you can sample Double Dippers, President Biden’s favorite Rehoboth ice cream place.

RULE FOUR Dolle’s is now located a few steps up Rehoboth Avenue – they just got a nice (smaller) new Dolle’s sign there. The family feud which led to the closing of the iconic Dolle’s on the boardwalk is sad. But you can still get the amazing Dolle’s caramel corn and saltwater taffy at…Dolle’s. Whew!

There is nothing like getting a bucket of hot caramel corn late in the evening at Dolle’s (um, I mean Ibach’s) and heading to a white boardwalk bench to munch as you look at the moon over the ocean.

Fisher’s popcorn gets raves too.

RULE FIVE Candy is dandy but liquor is quicker. So said Ogden Nash. Rest assured that there are adult beverages available along the boardwalk. From Green Turtle to Whiskey Jacks, Obies to Victoria’s, they’ve got you covered. My fave is Obie’s, with a cold beer and fried food. What’s not to like?

RULE SIX But we were talking about candy, so it’s back to Ibach’s and Candy Kitchen. The dark chocolate nonpareils are amazing at either place, also at Kilwins, but knock the sand off your shoes and walk up to Sndyer’s on the avenue for the very best.

RULE SEVEN Pizza, pizza, pizza. While Grotto rules the boardwalk real estate, and it was our “starter pizza” in the 1980s, once we found Louie’s on the ocean block we’d come home. It’s so

great, as is their Italian Grinder (hoagie, sub, whatever your hometown dubs this deliciousness). We enjoy Nicola’s too for the ambiance and the Nic-o-Bolis, but we’ll be losing the Caggianos to Route One soon and I wish them well.

RULE EIGHT Gus & Gus Place—over 60 years on the boardwalk, gets a rule all its own. Greatest fried chicken, cheesesteaks, and burgers on the boardwalk. Hot dogs too. The same family has owned and operated it since about the time I knew I was gay, and that’s going back some. We miss the original Gus. Founder Gus Svolis passed away in 2020 at 90, but this family keeps going strong.

RULE NINE

a. If I left out anybody, especially friends of Letters, I’m sorry, but please understand that I’ve written this all from memory and I’m old. b. I’ve written from memory because you do not want to see me loose on the boardwalk devouring all these goodies. c. Funland deserves a whole article on its own. I will also play Whack-a-Mole there many times this summer, as I need that game to rid myself of my political rage.

RULE TEN

See Rule One. ▼

Fay Jacobs is the author of five published books and is touring with her one-woman sitdown comedy show, Aging Gracelessly.

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21 Letters

Words Matter

BY CLARENCE FLUKER

Olympics for All Rooting for the Ones We Love

I

t has already started. Even though I’d told myself that I wasn’t that interested, I have begun to lock in. It happens every couple of years just like clockwork. I join billions of people around the world deeply invested in the lives, stories, trials, and triumphs of strangers.

It is known as the Summer Olympics. A few weeks ago, I was searching for something to watch on television to pass a little time before bed. I scanned the channels and found an Olympic qualifier event. I don’t even remember what the event was, but I found myself engrossed. I couldn’t turn away.

I discovered a new cast of athletes by heartwarming introduction videos that made me feel like I knew them. The next thing I knew, I was rooting for them to succeed. For the ones that qualified for the Olympic games, despite the fact that I never watch or pay any attention to their sport for years at a time, I’ll be tuned in to cheer for them. I want them to do their very best. I want them to win. I want them to he intense fervor that succeed in all that they do. causes us to jump to our I’m looking forward to seeing Allyson Felix comfeet, applaud, yell, and pete in her 5th Olympic fist pump for our favorite games. At age 35, many didn’t think Felix would be athletes can’t be reserved able to make another Olymjust for those we don’t really pic track and field team after her long road to recovery know. Imagine if we all following a challenging rooted for the people in our childbirth.

All eyes will be on lives with that same vigor Simone Biles, who is the and high vibration. It would most decorated American gymnast of all time with a be transformative. combined 30 Olympic and World Champion medals.

Biles’ early life included being in temporary foster care with her siblings before her grandparents adopted her. In 2018, she was one of the women who spoke out about the sexual assault perpetrated by a former USA Gymnastics physician.

Throughout her life she’s shown resilience and tenacity.

These incredible women are headed to the Olympics, and I’ll be rooting for them every step of the way.

T

Letters 22 JULY 16, 2021

Over the summer, our excitement and interest build in rooting for the thousands of athletes from around the world competing for Olympic glory who we don’t even know. This can provide us an opportunity and model for how we should go about rooting for our own friends, family, and community.

The intense fervor that causes us to jump to our feet, applaud, yell, and fist pump for our favorite athletes can’t be reserved just for those we don’t really know. Imagine if we all rooted for the people in our lives with that same vigor and high vibration.

It would be transformative. This summer, I am committing to rooting for the people who I watch television with just as much as for those who I’ll be watching on television.

I’m going to be rooting for my dearest loved one who’s recovering from a mental health setback because I know she can pull through and feel her best self. I’m going to root for my friend who after many years has been able to find herself back at the head of the class in a new teaching position. I’m going to be rooting for my friend who’s trying a new approach to achieve and maintain what he believes is an ideal body weight and good health for himself.

I’m rooting for my buddy who is taking a leap of faith and moving across the country to a new city for the first time in his life. I’m even rooting for my precious nephew who has been trying his best to take his first steps. He happens to be named after an Olympian and greatest boxer of all time.

No matter whether they are small steps, big steps, or extraordinary leaps, I’m cheering for all my loved ones and all those in my sphere. We are all doing our best, perhaps not competing on the Olympic stage, but just trying to navigate this thing called life, and at some point, we all need to hear and feel someone supporting us. This summer be reminded of that. Root for your home team. And don’t forget to root for yourself! ▼ Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community. Follow him on Twitter: @CJFluker or Instagram: Mr_CJFluker.

JULY 16, 2021

23 Letters

WHO’s That?... That’s CAMP!

BY ANITA BROCCOLINO, CAMP REHOBOTH DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

Suede to Return to Rehoboth

Y

ou know how some people just keep circling back through your life, in different locations, different ways, and for different reasons? Like a musical vortex, that is pretty much the track my lucky interactions with the incomparable singer, songwriter, musician, chanteuse, also known as Suede, have gone over the decades. And this is one of those months that reminds me how much I love that I get to write about those who are generous and giving to our community. Suede is big in spirit and heart, and both of those match her big, beautiful voice and vast talents.

Suede is coming to town to share her abundance of musical gifts with CAMP Rehoboth and the community through a benefit concert at 7:30 on July 31 at Epworth United Methodist Church.

“I’ve always loved Rehoboth—since I went to high school outside Annapolis, that’s back when dinosaurs roamed the earth,” she joked. “Rehoboth Beach was always a preferred location—no comparison, as far as I was concerned.

It’s relaxed, beautiful, friendly, clean— and now, so many of my longtime fans from DC/MD/PA/VA have wisely retired there, so of COURSE I want to come play there again and again! It’s a kind of homecoming for me.”

This from the powerhouse voice who was Joan Rivers’ opening act and, as many of you know, a 30-year Olivia Cruises headliner. But for those of you who have never heard her perform, it is not easy to characterize the immense range of vocals, extraordinary arrangements, and incredible trumpet, piano, and guitar playing, combined with a super-snappy and witty sense of humor, all wrapped up in one person who delivers a performance you will not forget.

Hard to believe, but it has been three years since we have had Suede at the beach. And here is a great example of her magnificent and charitable spirit: We were not sure we could afford to bring Suede in to perform and still make it a Letters 24 JULY 16, 2021

fundraiser, but she handily jumped in and agreed to help us with some costs out of her own pocket. Like—WOW. Maybe we should call her “Super Suede” and get her a cape!

Her munificent life-force is obvious.

“She’s one part Rat Pack, one part Tony Bennett, one part Rosie Clooney, and like Adele meets Bette Midler meets Diana Krall.”

She’s a strong believer in the power of celebrity status to raise funds for causes she believes in. In addition to CAMP Rehoboth, she’s done multiple benefits throughout the years for AIDS awareness, women’s health causes, animal rights, homeless assistance, Alzheimer’s organizations, and many others, and has helped to raise both awareness and millions of dollars for them all.

Still not familiar with this powerful set of lungs and soul? Here is a quote from another media outlet: “she’s one part Rat Pack, one part Tony Bennett, one part Rosie Clooney, and like Adele meets Bette Midler meets Diana Krall.”

Personally, I love hearing her sing jazz, pop, and, as one person put it—her naughty blues. She is a joy to watch and hear on stage, and it is obvious she enjoys entertaining regardless the gender-identity or age of the audience.

OK, fine, it’s true—I may or may not have been sneaking into bars back when I was underage, just to hear her sing.

When I asked her who she has shared a stage with that she would love to perform with again, her answer

was smoothly Suede: “In this dream come true life of mine, I’ve been incredibly privileged to share stages with everyone from Pete Seeger to Livingston Taylor to Janis Ian, Melissa Etheridge, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Rivers and more, as well as many lesser known and still brilliant artists like KJ Denhert (a real fave) and, of course, my twisted and beloved pals in the Lesbian Rat Pack, as I call us—Vickie Shaw, Karen Williams, Lisa Koch, Roxanna Ward and so many more. I couldn’t possibly say who I’d love to be back on stage with—the answer would have to be: ALL of them, any chance I get.”

We invite you to experience Suede for yourself as she performs a benefit concert on behalf of CAMP Rehoboth on Saturday, July 31, at 7:30 at Epworth United Methodist Church.

We encourage you to grab your tickets if you haven’t yet, as they started selling literally the instant we posted them. Few, if any, remaining tickets will be available at the door, which is why we encourage you to purchase them ahead of time. The link is available on our CAMP Rehoboth webpage: camprehoboth.com, under Featured Events. ▼ CAMP Rehoboth’s Development Director Anita Broccolino oversees and advances CAMP Rehoboth’s Development, Fundraising, and Communications efforts, while helping increase awareness in the community. If you would like to become a member, volunteer for events, or meet with Anita to discuss a Donation, Legacy, or Planned Giving gift, please call: 302-227-5620 or email: anita@ camprehoboth.com.

JULY 16, 2021

25 Letters

MEMBERSHIP MATTERS BY MARJ SHANNON ImpACT Story

CAMP Rehoboth Opens Doors If our ACTions truly speak louder than words, then the ImpACT of CAMP Rehoboth is most evident not only in our advocacy work, but in the day-today programs, classes, free counseling, and health testing we offer that touch individual lives. The Membership Matters team is bringing you one story monthly to help celebrate the successes your membership gift and matching donations make possible.

Stay tuned each issue to see how even a minor ACTion can have a huge impact on one—or many—lives in our community.

“I

’m a servant. I love to help,” says Rob Jasinski, a longtime member of CAMP Rehoboth’s Men’s Discussion Group—and oh, so much more.

Rob sought out the group five years ago, after a long-term relationship—that culminated in his move to Rehoboth to embark on a new life—foundered, and he found himself alone, with no local friends or familiar activities.

A visitor to Rehoboth for years, he was aware of CAMP Rehoboth and regularly read Letters. He recalled reading about the Men’s Discussion Group, and reached out to Salvatore Seeley, CAMP Rehoboth’s Director of Health & Wellness Programs. Sal extended his characteristic warm welcome and invited Rob to attend the group’s next meeting.

“That meeting began as they all do,” says Rob, “with introductions around the circle of attendees. But when my turn came, I just began to cry. Everyone immediately gathered around me to offer support and comfort. There went the agenda for that evening’s meeting! The meeting turned out to be ‘all about me.’”

The group continued to be supportive and uplifting across many meetings, says Rob, as he continued to adapt to his new community and circumstances. “At some point, the guys began to encourage me to start volunteering; they thought it’d help me take the focus off myself and put it onto others.” It turned out to be exactly what he needed to hear.

Knowing he liked music, one man suggested Rob reach out to Clear Space Theatre. That led to an ushering “gig” two or three nights each month, with subsequent opportunities to volunteer

“At some point, the guys began to encourage me to start volunteering; they thought it’d help me take the focus off myself and put it onto others.”

It turned out to be exactly what he needed to hear.

Letters 26 JULY 16, 2021

in other capacities. He now volunteers at Milton Theatre as well.

Another man pointed him toward Epworth United Methodist Church, where he became active in the weekly soup kitchen.

He’s participated in the AIDS Walk, and with the reading of the names.

He’s a volunteer at Rehoboth’s annual Christmas tree lighting ceremony.

And CAMP Rehoboth, of course, offered its own opportunities as Rob fashioned his new life and claimed his new community. “I’ve worked with the CROP [CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program] Team; I’ve helped with Women’s FEST and VegFest. (I’m a vegetarian, so that’s a great fit!) I’ve worked in the auction room, with Sal, at Sundance; I’ll help this year with the Sun Festival.”

Rob has stayed active in the Men’s Discussion Group, too, noting that “the group was a big turning point for me; I want to help it be that for others.”

Five years from that fateful first meeting with the discussion group, Rob says, “I love CAMP. The people I’ve met here opened doors for me throughout the community, and gently pushed me through them. I now know loads of people through volunteering. I’m a firm believer in paying it forward; CAMP Rehoboth helped me find so many ways to live out that belief.” ▼

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JULY 16, 2021

27 Letters

health+wellness

By Marj Shannon

In the Good Ol’ Summertime… …danger awaits! Huh?! I mean—we’ve just weathered a pandemic. What now? Well, there’s the food. And the sun. And the water sports….

That long-awaited barbecue or picnic could be lethal. Germs which cause foodborne illness are eager to join the party. Some easy ways to foil them: • Keep cold foods cold (below 40°F) and hot foods hot (at or above 140°F).

• Throw away any perishable foods that have been sitting out at room temperature for two hours or more.

• Toss them after one hour if they’ve been sitting out at temperatures of 90°F or more—say, at that family picnic or backyard barbecue.

• Avoid eating raw or undercooked meat, seafood, poultry, or eggs.

• Wash your hands and food prep surfaces thoroughly after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, fish, or eggs.

Blue skies, sunshine, what a day to… get crispy? Yep. Ultraviolet (UV) rays can begin to damage skin in just 15 minutes.

One easy way to assess how dangerous the day’s rays will be: check the UV Index. The index is a scale numbering from 1 to 11+ that indicates the expected intensity of UV radiation from the sun. If the UV Index value is 3 or higher, take some simple precautions: • Slather a layer of sunscreen on all exposed skin, using a product with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Be generous and reapply it often— at least every two hours if you’re just sunning; more frequently if you go into the water or sweat or towel it off.

• Seek out shade under an umbrella, tree, or other shelter, especially during the hours of prime exposure (10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.).

• Cover up with a long-sleeved shirt and long pants, which offer some extra protection, as do closely-woven and darker-colored fabrics. Dry t-shirts protect better than wet ones.

(But even a dry t-shirt has an SPF of less than 15—so it doesn’t offer Letters 28 JULY 16, 2021

enough protection on its own.) Some clothing is certified under international standards to offer ultraviolet protection—check labels.

• Wear a wide-brimmed hat, which shades the ears and neck as well as the face. A tightly-woven fabric, like canvas, protects better than straw, which has all those holes in the weave.

Which means ‘tis also the season of rip currents. What to do if you’re caught in one?

It would be singularly ironic to survive a pandemic, only to succumb to the risks inherent in a typical summer. Be careful out there!

What about avoiding—or dealing with— the risks posed by other water sports?

• Wear sunglasses that block UVA and UVB rays. They’ll help protect against cataracts as well as guard the fragile skin around the eyes. Wrap-around styles work best, blocking sunlight from the sides as well as the front.

Sunburn’s downside is not limited to its immediate discomforts; it can have distasteful, later-life consequences too: premature aging and wrinkling of the skin, age spots, and skin cancer.

Delaware is among the 12 states with the highest rates of melanoma of the skin (the most serious skin cancer), per statistics released in June 2021 by the National Cancer Institute.

Sailing…or kayaking or canoeing or pontoon boating or paddle boarding— ‘tis the season to get out on the water.

• Don’t panic as the shore recedes despite your best efforts to swim toward it.

• Go with the current, swimming parallel to the shore. Rip currents generally impact small areas, so you soon should swim out of it.

• Once free of the current, swim back to shore.

• Watch the alcohol intake—among teens and adults, it’s estimated that up to 70 percent of deaths related to water recreation involve alcohol.

• And guys—you be especially careful out there: nearly 80 percent of drownings occur among males.

• Love boating? Wear your life jacket!

The US Coast Guard reports that about 75 percent of boating accident deaths are due to drowning. And 88 percent of those folks were not wearing life jackets.

• Taking that boat or board way, way out? Consider an EPIRB (Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon).

At sea, adrift in (or out of) your vessel, your cell phone likely is lacking a signal, or waterlogged, or both. Your EPIRB will emit a distress signal which will be transmitted to a ground station, alerting rescuers to your predicament and position. The sea is vast and you—by comparison—are tiny.

It would be singularly ironic to survive a pandemic, only to succumb to the risks inherent in a typical summer. Be careful out there! ▼ Marj Shannon is an epidemiologist and writer. She can be reached at marjshannon01@gmail.com.

Classes & Events WALK-IN HIV TESTING Mondays, 12:00-4:00 p.m.

Free rapid HIV testing at CAMP Rehoboth. Get your results in 15 minutes. Mondays are walk-in, no appointment needed. Any other time and days of the week are available for appointments by calling 302-227-5620 or email Salvatore@ camprehoboth.com for more information.

women. The circle is welcoming, inclusive, and a positive place to meet, connect, and share with other women. Each week a different topic opens the circle to discuss, learn, and support one other. Become a part of the growing community of the Women in Circle.

MORNING MINDFULNESS Tuesdays, 8:00 a.m. | Virtual Start your Tuesdays off with Erin and CAMP Rehoboth. Erin will lead us through a mindful exercise or morning meditation for 30 minutes.

CHAIR YOGA Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. | Virtual Everyone can access the health benefits of yoga in this Chair Yoga class with Erin. She’ll guide you to synchronize conscious breath and mindful movement. The sequence of poses is designed to energize and strengthen as well as relax and lengthen muscles. Reduce anxiety and stress, improve circulation, protect joints, build strength and balance, and support your overall wellbeing. Yoga also can help reduce cravings and simply make us feel good.

MEN’S DISCUSSION GROUP 2nd/4th Wednesdays each month, 7:30 p.m.

The Men’s Discussion Group is a safe and nurturing space to start conversations important to our community. We celebrate who we are, we promote respect and understanding, and we accept each other’s differences with intention to build a more connected community. This discussion group is a safe space for gay, bisexual, transgender, and masculine of center men to talk issues, values, and matters that make up our life, free from stigma and judgments.

WOMEN IN CIRCLE 1st /3rd Saturdays, 10:00 a.m.

Unity Center, 98 Rudder Road, Suite A-1, Long Neck Women in Circle is a gathering of lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and feminine center

MINI-GOLF MONDAYS 6:30 p.m., see schedule below Join us as we travel down Route 1, spending the summer playing mini-golf (you know you wanna show off your mini-golf skills!). The games are on us and PRIZES WILL BE AWARDED!!! We are limited to 12 players at each of our courses.

Contact Salvatore at 302-227-5620 or email Salvatore@camprehoboth.com to sign-up.

Schedule of Mini-Golf events: 7/26: Jungle Jim’s in Rehoboth 8/9: Nick’s Mini-Golf 8/23: Lost Treasure Mini-Golf, Ocean City LGBTQ+ YOUNG ADULT DISCUSSION GROUP July 21, 7:00 p.m. | Virtual CAMP Rehoboth and NAMI Delaware are pleased to announce a new, virtual discussion group designed specifically for 18-25 year-old LGBTQ+ adults. This group will meet virtually

by Zoom every third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. This group is free, confidential, and peer-led.

Contact Barbara Antlitz at Bantlitz@ camprehoboth.com.

LGBTQ+ BLACK, INDIGENOUS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR MEETING July 20, 7:00 p.m. | Game Night and Pizza Join us as for a peer-led social and discussion group for LGBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color in Delaware.

This meeting will be in person at CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach.

Our mission is to build a united front of diverse LGBTQ+ Black, Indigenous, and People of Color community members for our social, political, and economic advancement by forming a hub for Delaware LGBTQ+ life.

Come together to bond, share, and connect in community, and discuss what matters most in your life and how we can come together to support each other.

CAMP REHOBOTH LGBTQ+ BOOK CLUB July 26, 5:30 p.m. | Virtual The CAMP Rehoboth Book Club is a queer-facilitated discussion group dedicated to reading novels about queer topics and/or books by queer authors that tackle a variety of interests and subject matters. We alternate between fiction, non-fiction, and young adult material.

July’s selection: Secret to Super Human Strength by Alison Bechdel.

Our book club aims to bring all members of our community together in a safe, supportive, and inclusive space to enjoy literature, conversation, and most of all engage with each other.

This group is open to all regardless of sexuality and gender.

Email Salvatore@camprehoboth.com for more information.

HEALTH & WELLNESS PROGRAM DIRECTOR Salvatore Seeley | YOUTH UP COORDINATOR Barbara Antlitz HIV CTR COUNSELORS Jerry Filbin, Patricia Clear, Alan Spiegelman | PEER YOUTH LEADER Julian Harbaugh JULY 16, 2021

29 Letters

COVID-19 & HIV

BY ASHLEY INNES

On Living Through Dual Pandemics

W

e’re coming off a historic year in 2020. A year that devastated us and empowered us. A year that tested us and made us stronger. A year that put systemic racism and health disparities front and center for the world to see.

It reminded us that there is still much work to be done in the fight for equality and equity yet inspired us to act toward progress.

We are still in the middle of a pandemic that has claimed the lives of over 600,000 Americans, but amid the struggle we are beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel. As the COVID vaccine allows us to feel hope, I reflect on what this feeling must be like for long-term survivors of HIV. Many remember when a new, unknown virus emerged that was claiming the lives of their loved ones. A virus that they still live with today.

As we work to manage the current pandemic, many who have been living with HIV for decades once again find themselves losing loved ones. Reliving the past, grateful for what science has brought so quickly, and cautious to not let history repeat itself.

I recently had a conversation with Phill Wilson, founder and former CEO of the Black AIDS Institute. As many know, Phill is a gay Black man who has been living with HIV since 1981. He has been a champion and leader in this work for decades and understands better than anyone the concerns facing people living with HIV and the parallels to COVID-19, especially in Black communities.

“This experience presents both an emotional as well as a physical health risk,” Wilson says. “We’re living dual experiences because we’re not yet finished with the HIV pandemic, and we’re now living with COVID. There is kind of a painful déjà vu going on as COVID-19 is manifesting itself in our communities in the way HIV continues to manifest itself in our communities. Chief among them are the disparities. Black communities were slow to respond to the HIV/AIDS pandemic while we were disproporLetters 30 JULY 16, 2021

tionately impacted, and policy makers were not sufficiently concerned about our needs. That is being replayed with COVID-19 as well.”

“There is kind of a painful déjà vu going on as COVID-19 is manifesting itself in our communities in the way HIV continues to manifest itself in our communities.”

It should be apparent at this point that ending HIV and COVID-19 is about more than just access to medicine and vaccines. It’s about dismantling the systems of oppression that allow these viruses to thrive and recognizing that Black and other marginalized communities have a long history of distrust of the medical system. Many remain traumatized by the Tuskegee experiment, Henrietta Lacks, the experimental procedures performed on enslaved women, and the list goes on.

“Black people have very legitimate reasons to have medical mistrust because the medical community has not always been responsive to our needs,” Wilson says. “The most dominant way we have been mistreated by the medical community is by them withholding treatment from us.” Tuskegee is an example of that, as the Black men involved

received no treatment for syphilis, and Wilson believes that is exactly why we should be fighting for information and access to the vaccine now.

I wholeheartedly agree with him and at the same time understand that as much as I urge Black communities to get into HIV care, utilize PrEP, and take the COVID vaccine, I know it’s not that simple.

Medical racism is real, and the challenge is on America to overcome it. We can urge people to take this vaccine without shaming them or judging them for being skeptical. It’s not Black people’s fault that they don’t trust the medical system. America has been medically unethical since the founding of this country. That legacy never goes away.

Therefore, my job and that of everyone who calls themselves an advocate or is part of the medical system in any way is to improve trust by providing equitable care and accurate information that allows people to make informed decisions about their health. We need all of us collectively working together. So many people have already lost their lives.

Wilson cautions us to not repeat past mistakes, saying, “These are lessons that we’ve learned and, frankly, the consequences of screwing up. I’m hoping we can take the lessons of HIV/AIDS, apply them, and come up with more equitable solutions as we fight the pandemic. And one of them is making sure that medicine, vaccines, and prevention tactics and strategies are open and accessible to Black, brown, and other marginalized people.”

Simply put, we honor the past by fighting for the now, fighting for the future.

Let’s ensure we all survive. ▼ Ashley Innes is a writer and HIV advocate.

Follow her on Twitter @Ash_Innes. This column is a project of TheBody, Plus, Positively Aware, POZ and Q Syndicate, the LGBTQ+ wire service. Visit their websites – http://thebody.com, http://hivplusmag.com, http://positivelyaware.com and http://poz. com—for the latest updates on HIV/AIDS.

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JULY 16, 2021

31 Letters

Out & About

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

The Case of the Invisible Lesbians

I

’m just going to go ahead and say it: Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights is already the movie of the summer.

I don’t know if it’s the best movie that will be released all summer long (although a 96 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes bodes well in that regard), but I cannot fathom another movie this year capturing the very essence of summertime: the heat, the escape, the celebration, and oh yes…the heat.

In fact, this movie is so hot that I felt it. Even in the Arctic-grade airconditioned theater* I sat in, I could feel the stifling hot and steamy air of a New York summer, as well as the infectious rhythms of the Salsa-meets-Hip-Hopmeets-Merengue score. The movie is hot in every possible way. I loved it, without reservation.

And yet, as you’ve undoubtedly heard, it’s not without controversies.

Most notably, the Afro-Latine** community was upset that all of their community was not represented by any of the lead characters in the film. While the Washington Heights neighborhood, via the scores of dancers who populate the screen, is visibly diverse, the LatinAmerican immigrant stories that are highlighted are focused solely on those with lighter skin tones. Miranda himself heard these concerns and issued a gracious response. Latina legend Rita Moreno came to his defense in this regard, and later apologized for her remarks.

But there’s another controversy that wasn’t talked about as much. In the stage version of In the Heights, Daniela owns the beauty salon, and Carla is a stylist there. In the new film, they are played as a lesbian couple. In the opening images of the film, they wake up in bed together—and in two scenes, they are seen dancing with each other.

In the press leading up to the film release, Daphne Rubin-Vega (who plays Daniela in the film and achieved immediate icon status when she originated the role of Mimi in Letters 32 JULY 16, 2021

Broadway’s Rent) spoke about how proud she was to represent the LGBTQ community in the film, and that the movie was taking this important step toward greater inclusion.

And yet, many in the community felt let down when they saw the film.

It’s literally a case of blink-and-you’llmiss-it. During the opening, you don’t know who these two women are, and

[In the Heights]…is hot in every possible way. I loved it, without reservation. the moment is so fast that when you finally see Daniela and Carla on screen again later, you probably won’t recall having seen them before. The shots of them dancing are in the background of other scenes which are driving the plot forward; if you’re not actively looking for them, you’ll miss them.

Their invisibility is compounded by the fact that a new character, Cuca (played by Orange is the New Black’s Dascha Polanco), has been added to the film—and she spends most of her time with Daniela and Carla. The trio act like three fun, sassy friends, and further dilute any interaction solely between the supposedly lesbian couple that might have otherwise occurred.

If anyone went to see In the Heights and was particularly excited about seeing a positive representation of the LGBTQ community, I can understand why they were upset. To many, it felt like a classic case of queerbaiting. Eve Ng, professor of media and gender studies at Ohio University describes the practice as “leading us on…making us think you’re actually going to deliver a satisfying narrative but it doesn’t turn out.”

As I say, I get it. And, I hope that the controversies surrounding In the Heights don’t prevent you or anyone else from seeing it. It might not be a perfect film, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen something so joyous and profoundly moving.

The disappointment that some in the Afro-Latine and queer communities felt after watching this film isn’t just because one movie didn’t include them—it’s because In the Heights is the only major film about the Latin-American experience in recent memory. A lot of the discontent stems from the belief that if I can’t be seen in this movie, I won’t ever be seen at all.

And let’s not kid ourselves: Hollywood is a business. After examining these controversies, what’s clear to me is that we really need far more stories about the Hispanic and Latin communities in our cinemas. The very best way to make that happen is to ensure that In the Heights is a big fat hit. Go see it. And look for the lesbians—they’re there, if you’re paying attention. ▼ * By the way, I’ve really missed movie theaters. But that’s another column. ** “Latine” (la-TEEN-eh) is a genderneutral version of “Latino,” preferable to many in the community to “Latinx.”

Eric Peterson is a novelist, podcaster, and DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) practitioner. His debut novel, Loyalty, Love & Vermouth will be released in November 2021.

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JULY 16, 2021

33 Letters

LGBTQ+ YA Column

BY ELLA WALKER

Cape’s GSA—A Student Body Role Model

L

GBTQ+ students, allied youth, or any students who want to be part of a supportive community all comprise the diverse club known as the Gender & Sexuality Alliance (GSA). The GSA at CHHS serves as a club that supports all students, from those struggling with gender identity and sexuality issues, to all things yet to be realized.

The GSA puts forth many efforts to create a better social atmosphere for students by representing a supportive community that students can be part of.

GSA strives to ally students by promoting equality and inclusion on all levels, and projecting themes of empathy and student cooperation. One of the club advisors is Jayne Fetterman. Describing the GSA’s approach to connecting students, Fetterman says the club connects students by allowing honest discourse to occur in club meetings.

“We have seen nationally- and locally-divisive issues such as politics and race; it is up to each of us to exchange ideas and differences in an honest discussion,” Fetterman says. “I think it is a skill to be taught.

I am ever hopeful we can communicate with an open mind.”

Describing how the GSA assesses social issues at the school, GSA adviser Garnet Rhue says enlightening students on benevolent themes is the fundamental goal the GSA strives towards. “As with any schools when you have diverse populations, it is always important to teach empathy and inclusion,” she says.

As for the current social dynamic at Cape, Fetterman and Rhue believe that differences such as class, race, gender, and sexuality can threaten a positive social dynamic, but students at CHHS harmonize effectively.

According to Fetterman, “social dynamics at Cape mirror the world...the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots.’ We have students living very comfortable lives and students wondering where their next meal will come from. It is important to have ‘the conversation’ with one another so we can see one another and support one another in our reality.”

And the student view? GSA member Kris Bard is a Cape Junior who is training to be a future leader of the GSA. Kris is a non-binary student who goes by they/ them pronouns. Bard says the GSA is a “good shoulder” for students who are struggling and need a safe

“We’ve been able to grow comfortable around each other and make each other feel safe. And the family expands each passing year.”

Letters 34 JULY 16, 2021

haven. Their favorite aspect of the GSA is the family-like atmosphere the club has. “We’ve been able to grow comfortable around each other and make each other feel safe,” Bard says. “And the family expands each passing year.”

Rhue says the positive atmosphere the GSA contributes to should be seen as a precedent of admirable cooperation in a world that projects social contrast.

“The students always amaze me with how well they get along, considering the many differences that surround them.”

Whether students at CHHS are a part of the LGBTQ+ community or not, Rhue says the GSA’s goal is to be seen as a positive role model that inspires the student body to reflect those connections the club has enriched and nurtured so well. “We lead by example,” Rhue says.▼

Ella Walker (she/her) will be a sophomore at Cape Henlopen High School (CHHS) and is an aspiring writer. Writing has always engaged her, but after being introduced to the world of journalism in her Intro to Publication class at CHHS, she realized she could use writing for much more than leisure. Writing is used every day as an impactful tool to convey messages to local and national audiences. Ella is a staff writer for her school newspaper, the Viking Ventures. There, she writes about the essential aspect of her school, the people. The teachers, clubs, and students are what make CHHS exceptional, so she devotes her writing to giving them a voice to speak about their opinions, thoughts, accomplishments, and any ideas they want to vocalize to the school and community.

– BARBARA ANTLITZ

BARBARA ANTLITZ, CAMP REHOBOTH YOUTH UP COORDINATOR, works with Gender & Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) in middle and high schools in Kent and Sussex Counties, and with other groups supporting LGBTQ+ youth.

Barbara can be reached by email at bantlitz@ camprehoboth.com.

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JULY 16, 2021

35 Letters

Letters 36 JULY 16, 2021

JULY 16, 2021

37 Letters

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On Saturday, August 14, voters in Rehoboth Beach will elect two city commissioners. There are four candidates vying for the two seats: Tim Bennett, Richard Byrne, Rachel Macha, and Mary Antoinette “Toni” Sharp. ★ The Rehoboth Beach Homeowners Association and CAMP Rehoboth are sponsoring a Candidates Forum for the voters of Rehoboth Beach at 10 a.m. on Sunday, July 17, in the CAMP Rehoboth Elkins-Archibald Atrium. The forum will be broadcast live from CAMP Rehoboth’s Facebook page. ★ All four candidates responded to questions posed by CAMP Rehoboth. Their responses are unedited.

Introduce yourself to Letters readers and explain why you’re running for office.

★ Tim Bennett: I grew up in Connecti-

cut and graduated from Marietta College in Ohio with a Public Relations/Marketing degree. I have lived on both coasts and a lot of places in the middle. I am a member of Malta Boat Club in Philadelphia.

Served on the Boards of GreensGrow, my college’s alumni association, and supported or consulted for numerous non-profits. I am a partner with Tribury, a creative and media agency. I also cohost a weekly program called The Focus Group. When it started in 2008, The Focus Group was SiriusXM’s first original program dedicated to the world of business and consumer culture. Prior I enjoyed a career in corporate marketing, as the Director of Marketing and Advertising Programs at Subaru of America. Most notably, I was responsible for Subaru’s award-winning advertising effort to the LGBTQ consumer that forever changed the way corporate leaders viewed the market, and gay Americans.

Rehoboth Beach has been a welcoming destination for me since the 80s. I bought a home here four years Letters 38 JULY 16, 2021

ago and just moved here full time.

Now it is my time to give back to this community that has given me so much enjoyment for so long.

★ Richard Byrne: I am running for

re-election for Rehoboth Beach Commissioner because I love living in this beautiful city and I have a great desire to continue to contribute to keeping it the welcoming, clean, safe, and environmentally friendly city that has drawn me here for the past 30 years. My wife, Sherri Wright, and I have owned here since 2002 and have lived here full time since 2009. Our three children and their families including three grandsons who love Rehoboth and visit us here several times each year.

I have over 30 years of leadership experience in the Extension Service at both U of Maryland and U of Minnesota.

I had state-wide responsibility for administering, managing and leading county Extension programs in 4-H, Family Consumer Science and Agriculture. These programs were collaborations of citizens, volunteers, youth, and community organizations, along with University Extension, and other county, state and federal government agencies.

I was elected City Commissioner in 2018. It’s been an inspiring and challenging time, and it’s been a huge privilege to serve all of you. I’m very proud of the many initiatives I’ve been involved with. For example, I was the author of the legislation creating Steve Elkins Way (thank you Fay & Murray); I created and became Chair of the City Environment Committee; I chair the City Animal Issues Committee; I serve on the Tree & Green Infrastructure Committee; and the City Personnel Committee.

Since retirement, I have spent the past 13 years full-time in Rehoboth Beach serving on boards of directors and providing leadership with community-based groups. Until recently, I served as President of the Sussex Family YMCA Board of Governors, a member of the DE-YMCA Association Board of Directors, immediate past VP of the DE SPCA, Chair of Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf’s RD Committee, and am currently President of the Park Place Homeowners Association.

In recent years I have been the recipient of the DE Governor’s Volunteer Award for work with the SPCA, Volunteer of the Year Award from the DE Democratic Party, and the

Distinguished Service Award from the National 4-H Association.

I’m running for office because I have a commitment to work collaboratively with others to preserve and maintain our unique neighborhoods and businesses; to protect our natural environment; and to promote ethical, open, fair and transparent government.

★ Rachel Macha: My husband, Rich, and

I have 23-year-old triplets and 21-yearold twins and 2 dogs. We have been Rehoboth property owners for the past 21 years. We have created priceless family memories, enjoyed Summer weekends and vacations in Rehoboth as well as spent off-season time attending events including SeaWitch Festival and Holiday Tree Lighting with our 5 children. Since our kids were 14 years old, they have held summer jobs in Rehoboth at Funland, Royal Treat, Jungle Jim’s, Bin 66, and Big Fish Restaurant Group.

In addition to family, I have a career in business and have always given back to my community. I started my career working for AT&T and then moved into the technology, software, and service industries. My specialty area is improving customer service and customer experience. Through the years, I have served on various school, church, company, and non-profit boards and committees.

For the past three years, I leveraged my experience serving Rehoboth on the Park, Shade and Tree Commission and Planning Commission. I am running for Commissioner because my family loves Rehoboth and I want to ensure that Rehoboth thrives in the future, that we preserve the charm of Rehoboth, have a strategy that includes a forward looking plan and budget, and improve the experience of residents, businesses and tourists. My hope is that others experience the beach, shopping, restaurants, and all the fun that Rehoboth offers for years to come.

I am confident that my 21 years as a resident with a balanced view of family fun, business career, and community experience positions me to contribute positively to Rehoboth’s future and its success.

★ Mary “Toni” Sharp: I am Mary

Antoinette (“Toni”) Sharp.

I built my home on Silver Lake in 1999 and have lived here full time for a decade.

I was one of your Rehoboth Beach City Commissioners from 2013 until 2019. During my tenure, I passed budget approval for a dedicated communications professional, ensured stronger financial discipline, championed a feedback mechanism for public input, and chaired the Mayor’s Advisory Committee on Trees, which created a public-private partnership to enhance our standing as a Tree City using private donations. Additionally, I led the City Commissioners to unanimous consensus on our green infrastructure agreement.

I am running for a third term because I have very strong opinions on— • Fairness for all constituents; • Responsibility of public service; and • Doing the right things for the City of Rehoboth Beach.

We need to do the right things for the City, which means we need to restore and redouble our efforts to balance the needs of the triad that keeps our City great—voters, businesses and visitors.

We need to listen to the public and focus on “must have” projects versus “nice to have” projects.

During my time in Rehoboth, I’ve seen and heard from a lot of people, and few have exactly the same perspective or interests—not all voters want the same things, not all businesses what the same things, and certainly visitors come here for different things. Trying to find a balance that works for most will always be a challenge, but I believe we have a responsibility to seek common ground for the good of all in the City where we can.

I ask for your vote on August 14!

What single issue do you feel defines the 2021 Rehoboth election, and how will you address it?

★ Tim Bennett: Managing growth is the

biggest issue facing Rehoboth. I am an advocate for smart growth that allows the tree canopy to flourish, encourages the

neighborhoods to remain distinctive, and welcomes a diverse commercial district. I am new, but not uninformed. New thinking would be a positive for city government. Change is inevitable. Plan carefully.

★ Richard Byrne: Managing and admin-

istering the balance between the various identities of our City…residential community and resort (business) community. The current CDP (2010) states, “maintaining balance among these various identities is a continuing challenge of managing traffic, parking, oceanfront land use, municipal service, business stability, commercial and neighborhood appearance, and governance.” This continues to be a challenge and I believe is inevitable for a city whose brand is as a “beach and resort town.”

Sherri and I intentionally invested in our full-time retirement home here to be a part of both of these vital communities.

My approach is to give constant attention to achieving a balance that is win-win for all. Public officials have a serious responsibility to work in an intentional collaborative problem-solving mode on behalf of all to achieve agreement on a unified set of goals for the future.

This includes involving the broad community in developing a long range, forward looking plan with specific goals, strategies and timelines.

★ Rachel Macha: Comprehensive

Development Plan (CDP): Within the next year, our updated CDP will set forth our strategic vision for Rehoboth Beach. It is our guide to navigate our way to a sound future. The CDP addresses key strategic objectives including infrastructure, arts and culture, strategic projects, and safety.

As a member of the Planning Commission, I focused intensely to carefully analyze and understand the concerns and suggestions of residents, businesses and tourists before, during and after COVID. As a Commissioner, I am uniquely positioned to leverage the time, effort and insights I learned on the Planning Commission to help execute the CDP’s action items. I will actively work with my colleagues to ensure that Rehoboth follows through on the CDP’s Continued on page 40 JULY 16, 2021

39 Letters

Continued from page 39

recommendations, carefully plans for infrastructure upgrades and maintenance, ensure a thriving commercial district and an attractive place to work, and protect the investment in our properties.

My unique background in Customer Experience and my 21 years as a resident with a balanced view of family fun, business career, and community experience positions me to add value and contribute positively to Rehoboth’s future and success.

I would like to launch a Customer Experience Committee comprised of residents, organizations such as Camp Rehoboth and others, and our local businesses to generate and freely discuss ideas and recommendations to keep our City moving forward positively.

★ Mary “Toni” Sharp: I am not a single-

issue candidate. Any issue that seemingly needs to be urgently addressed today may very well be overcome by events— just look at how our priorities changed with the pandemic.

My top issues are: • balancing the needs of voters, businesses and visitors; • prioritizing where the City spends money; and, • listening to voters and the public.

As we head to the polls on August 14th, we need to remember the kind of leaders we need: • We need leaders who will protect our natural assets—the beach, the boardwalk, the trees, and the lakes.

• We need leaders who will bring experience and knowledge to manage our tax dollars.

• We need leaders who conduct business in the open.

• We need leaders who ask our opinions, listen to us, discuss all points of view and then act in the interest of all our citizens.

My voting record from my two terms as a City Commissioner shows that I have all these qualities, that I understand the intricacies of complex issues the City must address and that I will work to find the appropriate balance between different interests and priorities.

Letters 40 JULY 16, 2021

How do you see the city interacting with CAMP Rehoboth and its members?

★ Tim Bennett: CAMP Rehoboth has

been vital to making Rehoboth the city it is today. I would recommend that CAMP be included at each Commissioner’s meeting to share information, similar to how the Chamber and Main Street are presented. CAMP deserves at seat at the table.

★ Richard Byrne: Sherri and I have

been proud members of CAMP for many years. We have benefitted from and have enjoyed many programs and activities sponsored by CAMP. I fervently believe in the mission of CAMP “to create a more positive environment inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities....and to promote cooperation and understanding among all people as we work to build a safer community with room for all....”

I have worked diligently for years with a variety of organizations and in several communities to support human and civil rights and against prejudice and discrimination.

My role as Commissioner is to ensure the City does the same, that is, honor and support the CAMP Rehoboth mission statement and purpose and develop policies and practices to realize the CAMP mission for all in Rehoboth Beach.

The City, like CAMP, must always be a positive advocate for fairness and equal rights for all.

★ Rachel Macha: CAMP Rehoboth

serves a critical role in our City and beyond our borders. CAMP is recognized as a leader in its support of LGBTQ+ rights and provides an array of services that benefits its members and our Rehoboth Beach community as a whole.

Various support programs and events bind together our unique community and exemplifies who we are—a City with room for all. I want to encourage greater participation by the City to support their inclusiveness, awareness, and community involvement through joint efforts to bring more services

and acceptance to our community.

We should do more to recognize what CAMP has contributed and continues to contribute to the vitality and health of our City and surrounding areas, and enhance everyone’s understanding of the importance they hold in the future of our City and the commitment to “Equality for All.”

★ Mary “Toni” Sharp: CAMP and its

members are valued citizens in our community, involved in every issue the City faces. We will continue to work together with CAMP, its members, and our many LGBTQ businesses, and visitors.

Despite our welcoming spirit, a recent HRC report noted the City has some work to do to improve our ranking as an inclusive city. More communication on these issues and making it a priority can bring tangible results.

In five words or less, what is your vision for the city of Rehoboth Beach?

★ Tim Bennett: The Nation’s Summer Capital

★ Richard Byrne: Welcoming, clean, safe and eco-friendly.

★ Rachel Macha: Welcoming, thriving

town, priceless memories. For more information, visit: RachelforRehoboth.com

★ Mary “Toni” Sharp: Balance. Priorities.

Outreach. ▼

Summer is here!

We are open Wednesday - Sunday

Dinner 4:30pm - 9pm

Happy Hour 3pm - 5pm

Make a reservation by calling or going to our website

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

Being part of a team means taking responsibility.

Whether negative or positive, we are all part of the same team in front of the camera or behind the scenes. Unprotected sex is a risk that nobody should take. If you don’t have a condom, stick with non-penetrating activities. Tune in to Health.

Sponsored by CAMPsafe. © 2006 CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. Photography by Judy Rolfe. For more information, call CAMP Rehoboth at 302-227-5620, the Delaware HIV/STD Hotline at 1-800-422-0429 or the CDC National AIDS Hotline (English) 1-800-CDC-INFO. Funding provided through a contract with Delaware Health and Social Services Division of Public Health. CAMPsafe is a program of CAMP Rehoboth.

JULY 16, 2021

41 Letters

Letters 42 JULY 16, 2021

JULY 16, 2021

43 Letters

Dining Out

BY FAY JACOBS

Summer Days Are Meant for Port 251

A

rea restaurants are booming and there’s some amazing fun to be had this summer. On a Sunday morning I joined a group hanging out on the (pet friendly!) patio at Port 251, downtown Rehoboth’s latest entry into the drag brunch craze—crazy good, that is, perfect for day drinking and breakfast or lunch.

Not to slight the entertainers, who were amazing.

We started with cocktails, from Bloodies, Mimosas and Aperol Spritzes at our table to a bottle of chilled-in-abucket champagne. From the menu I sampled the decadent and delicious Bananas Foster French Toast and an equally wonderful Eggs Benedict. The place was packed to bursting, but the food came out perfectly hot and all together for our big table.

Then came the show….emceed by Tamia Mykles—Miss Gay Wilmington 2021, who did their own excellent singing, no lipsync, and introduced the bevy of bewitching queens who performed so enthusiastically that folks passing by in the street had to stop and applaud. The costumes were over the top, as were the musical numbers and the whole experience was a joy. And it’s worth noting that as always, the crowd was a great example of Rehoboth’s motto “Room for All.” It was wonderful to see such delightful diversity.

It’s a fact that Port 251 wears its descriptor of Gay Bar with pride and offers a Thursday Ladies Night that rocks! Steph Dalee is at the bar, (don’t miss her watermelon cocktail) and you may even find Rehoboth ladies night legend Viki Dee performing. In fact, Viki plays some ladies nights and alternates Sunday evenings with keyboard guy John Flynn, who is also a musical legend around here (and Philly, and...). Now that I think about it, bartender Steph Dalee is a legend, too, having hosted ladies nights (and more) in town from the former Seafood Shack, to Diego’s, more than a few nights at the old Cloud 9, and now to Port 251.

Letters 44 JULY 16, 2021

I haven’t had a chance yet to stop by for dinner, but I love the whole idea of a European apéritif bar (memories of Florence), with plentiful small plates and tapas-like treats. We sampled one of their snappy appetizers on Ladies Night—crinkly fries with yummy toppings, and it went really well with Steph’s watermelon cocktail.

It’s a fact that Port 251 wears its descriptor of Gay Bar with pride and offers a Thursday Ladies Night that rocks!

Wednesdays are Pasta Nights. And there’s a Monday Steak and Jazz Night (one of my favorite jazz pianists, Dave Zipse, is on the keys) where you can have a steak dinner date night, with an 8-ounce filet ($20) and a bottle of wine ($20.) That’s a $60 date night and it’s even on downtown’s Meterless Monday!!!!!

The operation is owned by realtors Joe Maggio and Tony Sacco, with Sacco’s husband, Billy Greene. They are welcoming hosts, dedicated to good food and good times.

Check out Port 251 (251 Rehoboth Avenue) at the corner of Lake and Rehoboth Avenues. It’s a happy addition to our (gayer than ever) downtown Rehoboth and proudly carrying the mantle of Room for All. ▼ Fay Jacobs is the author of five published books and is touring with her one-woman sitdown comedy show, Aging Gracelessly.

JULY 16, 2021

45 Letters

Out & Proud

BY STEFANI DEOUL

A Taste of Summer

S

ummer in Rehoboth is an elbow to elbow, joyous madhouse. And whether we now call Rehoboth home, or still grab our “weeks,” the one thing many of us have in common is summer rituals. And many of those revolve around food. Something about the smell of the sea meeting the smell of the boardwalk destroys any sense of will power and suddenly we’re all happy-go-lucky carbaholics.

And because many of our restaurants were part of this “summer ritual,” this need to feed was mutual.

I remember arriving in Rehoboth and being introduced to the old Seafood Shack. It was on Baltimore Avenue, actual address was 42 and a half (!), and served po’ boys that left you longing for your next visit before you finished your last bite from your first visit. Back in the day, you’d find Peg in the kitchen, Georgie and Pat in the front, and enough chunks of shrimp piled on your po’ boy that the roll was rendered to condiment status.

For me, summer ended when they closed the shack, and began anew the day they reopened. And I know I wasn’t the only devotee. Although their shrimp owned my heart, others salivated for their soft-shell crab po’ boy. Which is how I learned you don’t get soft-shell crab until the crabs slough. Who knew?

Ergo it was not uncommon to celebrate the return of summer twice in those days—once when the open sign went up, and again when the “crabs are in” sign was finally raised. It occurs to me, I owe those crabs a big thank you.

Did you know before the Seafood Shack became the Seafood Shack, it was a house? One that was rented out to summer people, like you or me. When the Seafood Shack moved in, those upstairs bedrooms remained.

Seafood Shack was first Dos Locos owned by Pat Whittier and Georgie Schaefer, who then opened another business, Plumb Loco on 1st Street. They closed Plumb and sold it as Dos LoLetters 46 JULY 16, 2021

cos to Joe and Darryl Ciarlante-Zuber, who eventually moved it to Wilmington Avenue, then Rehoboth Avenue. Pat and Georgie rented the Old Dos Locos spot on Baltimore to Stephanie Dalee and Shelia Savaliski who created the name and business, Seafood Shack.

As for Joe and Darryl, they sold Dos Locos and they’re now back over on 1st Street, with Square One. Which to a beach newbie might suggest it’s like they’re back to Square One. People with longer-term memories might be furrowing their brows thinking, hey wasn’t there a place before called Square One? Hmmmmm….

Something about the smell of the sea meeting the smell of the boardwalk destroys any sense of will power and suddenly we’re all happy-golucky carbaholics.

Go ahead, unfurrow your brow, you are correct. Once there was Square One. Which became the sensational Yum Yum. Which had a partner named Alison Blyth, who now owns the always stellar Go Fish.

Fish. I remember the fish—in the floor of the Cultured Pearl, back when it was on Wilmington Avenue. Now on Rehoboth Avenue with their great food, their fish, and bonus, an aerie to dine on!

However, a warning to those who might imbibe, the new fish is an uncovered pond—feet will get wet and dropped phones may drown.

Memories, many of them we’re so lucky to have. Chez la Mer, Nancy Wolfe? The Camel’s Hump—complete with Mediterranean costumes? Adriatico, Zebra, Terry Plowman’s perfectly named, The Front Page?

Memories, so many of them we still get to make. Blue Coast (Ginger Brene-

man at the bar!), Port 251 (Aperol Spritz!), The Pines (Blue Velvet Chairs and Mona Lotts!), Freddie’s Beach Bar (Barbie Dolls!), Goolees Grill (Drag Brunch!).

And of course, memories we can revisit, over and over, our summer stalwarts…chicken salad at Lori’s, a brunch at Back Porch, a salt-and-pepper shrimp at Confucius, the huge menu (and huge-er burger) at the Purple Parrot, a drink on the deck at Aqua, Café Azafrán, the hopping bar at Rigby’s. Old friends, still here.

And most amazingly, still tasting like they should.

And then there was Cheryl…

If you came to eat, drink, and be very merry, there was one other summer ritual you could count on. Somewhere downtown, while you were eating, or drinking, or being very merry, you would be accosted by a big-smiling, small-instature woman on roller skates selling raffle tickets. If you didn’t personally know her, you soon would.

The late Cheryl Blackman raised money for different local causes by selling those tickets. A lot of money. And if it was the 4th of July weekend, she did it decked out in red, white, and blue. We miss her.

The Rehoboth Beach Museum has a tribute to Cheryl for the month of July. So I’m thinking you should find a minute to stop by, then find an hour or two to find a parking space, and then finally, head to dinner…whether that’s with an old friend, or a new one, I hope you find the memories you make are as warm and fuzzy and delectable as mine.

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

JULY 16, 2021

47 Letters

CAMP Houses

BY RICH BARNETT

The Bread Baker and the Chocolate Maker

W

e all know the kitchen is the most important and social room in today’s home, but this especially rings true for Bob Nowak and David Bergman, two retirees from the DC area who now live in Rehoboth’s Canal Corkran neighborhood. David bakes bread and Bob makes chocolates.

And when I say that I don’t mean Parker House rolls and chocolate brownies…. Oh, no. These fellas are serious about their craft. They’ve studied at the French Culinary Institute and the Culinary Institute of America. They own and operate culinary equipment such as a dough sheeter to roll out laminated, uniformly thin sheets of dough in a few minutes, and a steel confectionary guitar to cut chocolate into clean, precise squares, rectangles, and diamond shapes.

David has built a special temperature-controlled room to work with his dough. Bob utilizes an inkjet printer that takes colored cocoa butters in order to produce colorful edible images on chocolate transfer sheets to decorate his confectionaries. They’re hardcore, baby, hardcore!

A love of cooking and experimenting has always been one of the fundamental bedrocks of Bob and David’s 41-year relationship. You’ve heard the saying: the couple who cooks together stays together? It certainly rings true in their case.

Cooking also figures in their relationship with Rehoboth.

The couple first began coming to the Delaware beaches on winter weekends back in the 80s. As Bob explains, “We’d load up the car with our favorite foods and head to Dewey Beach to spend the weekend walking on the beach, cooking, and hanging out by the fireplace with friends. It was hard to find a rental back then that still had the water turned on in the winter. Remember how everything closed? Even the grocery stores?”

These desolately delicious getaways led to spending more time at the beach.

They purchased a condo at Spring Lake Letters 48 JULY 16, 2021

in the 90s and then built their current house in 2004, a modern 3-level, 5-bedroom home designed with the help of a Chilean architect friend.

A couple of things stood out to me as the guys showed me around their home.

First was how the windows and tall ceilings provide a light, airy feel, augmented by the fact that the main living spaces are on the second and third floors. The second, and most dramatic feature, however, had to be the 45-foot-long swimming pool right outside the second-floor great room.

Yes, you heard that right. Rather than digging a hole in the ground, the guys and their architect designed an elevated structure to support the pool some 15 feet in the air. They say it didn’t cost much more. And it certainly adds a modern panache and a wonderful space for parties and entertaining.

But as fab as the pool is, it’s the kitchen I wanted to see. Layout-wise, it’s incorporated into the great room and it, too, opens onto the pool. The first thing I noticed about it, though, was a lack of clutter. No toaster. No coffeemaker. No car keys or stacks of mail lying about.

Just some knives and some bottles of olive oil. I thought maybe they’d tidied up because I was coming over, but no, apparently serious cooks don’t like clutter. It gets in the way of focus, process, and efficiency. All their appliances and gadgets

are housed out of sight in space-saving, functional, wooden cabinets and drawers which combined with the stainless-steel appliances gives the kitchen a warm but sleek and serious look.

“A marriage of style and function is what you expect from a German kitchen,” David tells me. “We worked with SieMatic Kitchens, a venerable German firm with a showroom in DC. They helped us design the kitchen totally from the cook’s perspective.” The floors are cork, which is easier on the feet and back. The countertops are Silestone which is just as durable and more stain resistant than natural products like granite and marble, and easier to maintain. There are two stoves and two dishwashers. The sinks have foot-operated systems to turn the water on and off. And yes, David responds to my question: the accordion pullout spice drawer is alphabetized! I also particularly liked the library of cookbooks they house in a secret walk-in pantry.

When I ask the fellas what’s the most important thing to them in the kitchen the answer is unanimous: the big 4x7 island. That surprises me. I’d have thought the 72-inch, 6-burner big daddy Thermador range with pot filler, wok burner, and griddle. “Oh yeah, the range top is great,” says Bob, “and a wonderful luxury, but the island is where the magic happens.” It makes sense. It’s the workspace where dough becomes bagels and baguettes, and chocolate is transformed into truffles and ganaches. And sometimes when the two mix perfectly—say, into a flaky croissant with a creamy chocolate filling—the pastry becomes the perfect metaphor for their culinary passions, their relationship, and their kitchen.

Until next time…bon appétit! ▼ Rich Barnett is the author of The Discreet Charms of a Bourgeois Beach Town, and Fun with Dick and James.

Have you found your place in the world?

Chris Beagle, REALTOR® M 215.262.6209 | O 302.273.4998 chris.beagle@compass.com chrisbeaglegroup.com Chris Beagle is a real estate licensee affiliated with Compass RE, a licensed real estate broker and abides by equal housing opportunity laws.

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

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Rich Barnett

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JULY 16, 2021

49 Letters

Celebrity Interview

BY FAY JACOBS

Performer BeBe Deluxe to Open at Aqua

S

inger-songwriter BeBe Deluxe will be performing at Aqua on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights the last three weekends in August. I got a chance to have a wonderfully fun phone call with BeBe, who has been described as a transfeminine indie pop singerproducer and LGBTQ activist. I got to hear all about her music and her plans to visit us.

Where have you been appearing already this season and in the past?

I live in Jacksonville, Florida, and have been performing there for years. Before COVID shut us down, I was performing three nights a week at several places, plus I’ve done the Wigwood Festival in Miami three times, Liquid in Miami, and I’ve participated in the Bushwig Fest in Brooklyn six times. In Jacksonville I perform with a band, but in Rehoboth I’ll be solo.

During COVID things just stopped.

We tried doing some limited occupancy gigs, but it wasn’t great. Just recently, with things opening up, I produced and participated in our local Pride festival and now I’m coming to Rehoboth!

Have you visited Rehoboth before?

If not, what have you heard, lol!

I’m excited. I heard that Aqua is just two blocks off the beach! Once Kevin, the owner at Aqua, saw my show and invited me to Rehoboth, I’ve been obsessed about it, looking up things to do and see. I told a friend it sounds a little like P-town and I can’t wait to be there.

So tell me about your music. What can we expect?

I do some country music, jazz. I’m a crooner, but it’s all definitely with an electronic sound. I produce my own tracks, do some covers, some originals.

My music is rb/pop fusion.

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What’s your style; who can we compare you with?

Hmmm.… I’m like the result of in-vitro between k.d. lang, Cyndi Lauper, and Bugs Bunny.

Bugs Bunny???

Seriously, he’s a queer icon. Bugs in drag is the ultimate!

(Author’s note: I was fascinated and looked it up. This year we’re celebrating Bugs Bunny’s 80th birthday on HBOMax, and I saw an ad for a Tik-Tok What’s Up Doc online challenge. The nationwide publicity says we’re celebrating Bugs for his gender fluidity and awesome drag. Who knew? I didn’t.)

Can you tell us a bit about your transgender journey?

Sure. I did about a decade of drag, doing lip sync and singing, and for me, it was really the only way I could express the lady inside of me. I had to be an illusion, sexy, plastic hair, heels. But I really wanted to express myself as more of a musician and not worry so much about the illusion. But I saw that a lot of queers were relegated to being just funny, sexy drag queens. After a while, I wasn’t very happy doing drag.

So what did you do to change that?

I realized I had to walk away from drag and live in my female gender.

My performing name is BeBe Deluxe.

To my family and partner of 11 years, I’m Beatrice Bernadette; they call me Beatrice, and I live a she/her kind of life.

And I understand it, you are committed to educating folks about the trans community. Tell me about your conversations.

I’ve been asked to speak at the University of North Florida and talk at other schools and to groups. I try to present information about trans lives in a fun way, but also make certain that the public knows we are real people, just like they are. I share new terminology. If

BeBe’s online!

You can find BeBe Deluxe’s music, videos, and merchandise online at BeBe-Deluxe.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Hear her on Spotify and Amazon.

I’m talking to young queer people, I try to help them navigate past the barriers to success.

So many people talk about the transgender experience like it’s just a buzzword and don’t see us as the people we are in real life. We’re here, we’re just like you, please leave us alone! ▼ Fay Jacobs is the author of five published books and is touring with her one-woman sitdown comedy show, Aging Gracelessly.

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51 Letters

MUSIC FROM THE HEART

BY MATTY BROWN

A Uke, a Garden, and a Life of Pride

C

oping through the last year and a half meant focusing on hobbies and finding outlets to share them. Facebook friends of Robb Mapou, also known as Robb the Uke Guy, are privileged to experience his outlet personally.

Since last summer, Mapou has been sending personalized song messages to friends who list their birthdays on Facebook. The trend began in May 2020, when Mapou was asked by his cousin to make a birthday video for her father, who was turning 90. Like many during quarantine, he hadn’t been doing too well, but this little greeting sparked a sense of joy. A few months later, in July, Robb extended the greetings to his close friends on Facebook, and eventually, the practice snowballed into a daily routine.

“By the end of this May, I had done over 500 videos,” said Robb. “I have around 800 friends so I’ve been able to get to most of them.”

Besides playing the ukulele, Robb works full-time as a neuropsychologist specializing in evaluating patients with any disorder that affects the brain, including learning disabilities, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD, formerly known as ADD), and autism.

Robb’s clinical background gave him a unique perspective to lead a CAMP Rehoboth virtual discussion on coping with COVID-19 last November. The discussion covered the experience of anxiety and sadness over the loss of usual activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Robb, some of the responses to his Facebook birthday greetings illustrated music’s power to alleviate some of that COVID-induced stress. “The responses ranged from a like and comment to someone calling and telling me how much this meant to them,” he said. “One of those responses came from a straight colleague who said, ‘I didn’t expect that; it brought a tear to my eye.’ Another colleague I knew from organizational work told me, ‘that video really put a smile on my face and I haven’t been smiling much lately.’”

Letters 52 JULY 16, 2021

These reactions push Robb to keep sending the messages. “I know I’m making an impact, and I know that I’m making people happy,” Robb said. After such an isolating quarantine, bringing the community together through music became a necessary and kind act.

After such an isolating quarantine, bringing the community together through music became a necessary and kind act.

That’s why Robb jumped at the opportunity to participate in CAMP Rehoboth’s virtual open mics last fall. “Those were a great opportunity,” said Robb, noting that he attended every event.

Robb started playing the guitar at 12 years old, but it wasn’t until he fell in love with Hawaiian music later that he truly invested in his love for playing ukuleles.

Now, Robb owns eight ukuleles.

Speaking of Robb’s love, his primary love, husband Mike Zufall, has been very supportive of his musical outlet. That’s partly because Mike understands the power of channeling self-expression into

hobbies and has his own favorite outlet: gardening. Since he was a little kid, Mike has enjoyed gardening, and in Rehoboth, he became enamored with the agricultural possibilities.

“It’s one of the most incredible gardening experiences I’ve ever had because you can practically watch things grow here,” said Mike. “I’ve planted so much around our property—what was once a foot high or less, is now eight feet in some cases. It’s just a phenomenon to watch things progress and grow so fast,” he said.

Likewise, the couple’s love has blossomed high over the course of their decades-spanning relationship. After meeting in 1978 in Atlanta, the pair have been together since. They were married almost as soon as it was legal in Maryland, on their January anniversary in 2011. No matter where they were, though, they made sure to live their lives with pride, which, for the couple, is more than a month-long celebration in June.

“We practice pride every day,” said Mike. “I always encourage other people to do the same. We never hesitated to be ourselves. The closet is a very dangerous place. We’ve never been in it, and somehow we survived.”

In 2017, they made their official move to Rehoboth after visiting for almost two decades. During those days in the early aughts, Robb and Mike first heard about CAMP Rehoboth by picking up copies of Letters when in town during their first visits to Rehoboth.

“Ever since those early days, I’ve always grabbed one and read it front to back. I remember reading Fay Jacobs’s column in there and getting her first book,” said Robb. Now, Robb and Mike are part of Letters’s storied history. ▼ Matty Brown is the Operations Administrator at CAMP Rehoboth.

Photo: Mike Zufall and Robb Mapou at their home in Rehoboth.

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JULY 16, 2021

55 Letters

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

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

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

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

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

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

REHOBOTH FOOD & DRINK 1776 Steakhouse, Midway Shopping Center................................302-645-9355 Aqua, 57 Baltimore Ave................................................................ 302-226-9001 Back Porch Café, 59 Rehoboth Ave...............................................302-227-3674 Blue Moon, 35 Baltimore Ave........................................................302-227-6515 Café Azafran, 18 Baltimore Ave.....................................................302-227-8100 Café Papillon, Penny Lane Mall......................................................302-227-7568 Coho’s Market & Grill, 305 Rehoboth Ave......................................302-227-2646 Diego’s Bar Nightclub, 37298 Rehoboth Ave................................302-227-1023 Dos Locos, 208 Rehoboth Ave.......................................................302-227-3353 Go Fish, 24 Rehoboth Ave..............................................................302-226-1044 Goolee’s Grille, 11 South 1st St.....................................................302-227-7653 Indigo, 44 Rehoboth Ave.............................................................. 302-212-5220 Just In Thyme, 38163 Robinsons Dr..............................................302-227-3100 Lori’s Café, 39 Baltimore Ave.........................................................302-226-3066 Loves Liquors, LLC, 305c Rehoboth Ave........................................302-227-6966 Lupo Italian Kitchen, 247 Rehoboth Ave.......................................302-226-2240 Penny Lane Liquors, 42 Rehoboth Ave..........................................302-567-5245 Purple Parrot Grill, 134 Rehoboth Ave...........................................302-226-1139 Rigby’s, 404 Rehoboth Ave............................................................302-227-6080 Shorebreak Lodge, 10 Wilmington Ave.........................................302-227-1007 The Pines, 56 Baltimore Avenue....................................................302-567-2726

Letters 56 JULY 16, 2021

BUILDING/CLEANING/REMODELING/LANDSCAPING

A.G. Renovations ...........................................................................302-947-4096 BSD, 18412 The Narrow Rd, Lewes..................................... 302-684-8588 Country Life Homes, 34882 Picnic Basket Ct................................302-231-5001 Randall-Douglas.............................................................................302-245-1439 Ron’s Repairs..................................................................................302-727-3591

CHURCHES/SYNAGOGUES

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

COMMUNITY RESOURCES

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

Gay/Lesbian Alcoholics Anonymous—add’l schedules..................302-856-6452 Saturdays 6 pm: Epworth UMC, 19285 Holland Glade Rd (step meeting) Saturdays 7:30 pm: All Saints’ Church, 18 Olive Ave (step meeting) Tuesdays noon: St. Peter’s Church, 211 Mulberry St, Lewes (step meeting) Thursdays noon: CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave (open discussion) Sundays 9 am: CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave (open discussion) Tuesdays 8 pm: CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave (Young Persons) Gay Men’s Discussion Group—Program of CAMP Rehoboth.........302-227-5620 Lesbian Support Group—Program of CAMP Rehoboth..................302-227-5620 Lewes Senior Activity Center (age 50+).........................................302-645-9293 LGBTQ Student Union—University of DE, Newark.........................302-831-8066 Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth................................................302-645-7449 PFLAG-Rehoboth—2nd Tuesdays, Public Library, 111 Adams Ave, Lewes............................................................302-841-1339 SLAA and SAA—Thursdays, 7:30 pm, All Saints’ Church 18 Olive Ave ............................................................................302-745-7929 Social Security Administration—Lewes office................................800-772-1213 TransLiance of DE—Rehoboth—4th Tuesdays at 7 pm, MCC of Rehoboth; contact: TransLiance@gmail.com

INSURANCE

COUNSELING/THERAPY/LIFE COACH

PET RETAIL

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

EVENT PLANNING/CATERING

Flair................................................................................................302-930-0709 Palate Bistro & Catering.................................................................302-249-8489 Plate Catering.................................................................................302-644-1200

FINANCIAL SERVICES

Bell Rock Capital, 19606 Coastal Hwy..........................................302-227-7608 Black Diamond Financial Solutions,19409 Plantation Rd..............302-265-2236 Community Pride Financial............................................................302-227-2939 County Bank, 19927 Shuttle Rd.......................................... 302-226-9800 Jenn Harpel, Morgan Stanley.........................................................302-644-6620

FLORISTS

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

FUNERAL SERVICES

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

HAIR SALONS/TATTOO & PIERCING

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

HEALTH-RELATED

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

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

LEGAL/ACCOUNTING/TRUST SERVICES

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

LOCKSMITHS

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

MASSAGE THERAPY/FITNESS

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

OUTDOOR LIGHTING

Allure Outdoor Lighting, allureoutdoorlighting.com......................302-226-2532 Critter Beach, 156 Rehoboth Ave..................................................302-226-2690 Pet Portraits by Monique................................................................717-650-4626

PET SERVICES

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

REAL ESTATE

Allen Jarmon, NextHome Tomorrow Realty...................................302-745-5122 Bill Peiffer, Patterson Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy....................302-703-6987 Chris Beagle, Berkshire Hathaway, 37230 Rehoboth Ave............302-227-6101 Debbie Reed Team, 319 Rehoboth Ave.........................................800-263-5648 Donna Whiteside, Berkshire Hathaway, 16712 Kings Hwy...........302-381-4871 Eric Atkins, Patterson-Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy...................302-727-1456 Hugh Fuller, Realtor........................................................................302-745-1866 John Black, Patterson Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy...................302-703-6987 Lana Warfield, Berkshire Hathaway, 37230 Rehoboth Ave...........302-227-6101 Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, 16698 Kings Hwy....................... 302-645-6664 Lingo Realty, 246 Rehoboth Ave....................................................302-227-3883 McGuiness Group, 246 Rehoboth Ave...........................................302-227-3883 Randy Mason/Shirley Kalvinsky, Lingo Realty................................302-227-3883 Sea Bova Associates, 20250 Coastal Hwy........................... 302-227-1222 Troy Roberts, Mann & Sons, 414 Rehoboth Ave............................302-228-7422

RETIREMENT LIVING/SENIOR CARE FACILITIES

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

TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION

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

POPULAR LGBTQ BEACHES

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

JULY 16, 2021

57 Letters

CAMPCritters GIZMO AND MEMO Gizmo [white and tan] was abandoned twice in his life before he was rescued by his dads, James and Moe.

FUN FACT He spins in fast circles for treats.

Memo [white and brown] has a heart-shaped birthmark on his side.

FUN FACT He loves to sprint full speed and slide on the hardwood floors.

Interested in having your critter(s) featured in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth? Send a high resolution picture (300 dpi) along with their name(s) and one fun fact to editor@camprehoboth.com. Our roaming photographer will also take photos in the courtyard all summer long.

Letters 58 JULY 16, 2021

A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC.

*Promotion is open to all Sellers who list their property with the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gallo Realty, who sign Listing Agreements on or after May 15, 2021, with the listing going to settlement by December 15, 2021, to qualify. Drawing to be held on December 15, 2021, where ONE lucky winner will earn a 50% refund on the Seller commission paid at closing.

Please contact the Lee Ann Wilkinson Group office at 302-645-6664 for full details.

JULY 16, 2021

59 Letters

COVER STORY: HISTORIC POODLE BEACH

BY FAY JACOBS

It’s Officially Poodle Beach!

The definitive—or not—words on Rehoboth’s gay beach

P

oodle Beach is the previously unofficial, but now historically official, name for Rehoboth’s beachfront from Queen and Prospect streets to the south end of the boardwalk. It’s where the boys are, and none too few gals as well.

Every year, or occasionally every other year, there are words here in Letters about why that stretch is called Poodle Beach. Rehoboth residents and regulars don’t mind reading about it seasonally, and newcomers get the real, or partially real, scoop about why that sandy oasis is called Poodle Beach.

Sort of. Because frankly, nobody really knows.

Historians have long tapped Carpenter Beach, just over the dunes and heading towards Dewey, as Rehoboth’s first gay beach.

That sandy stretch was the home of Louisa Dupont Carpenter, an aviatrix and—though married to a man—known to enjoy the lesbian lifestyle. One of her closest friends was Hollywood legend Tallulah Bankhead, who often visited Louisa there, along with many homosexual male friends, during the 1930s and 40s.

Louisa’s gal pal was torch singer Libby Holman, who, when accused of shooting her husband, tobacco heir Zachery Smith Reynolds, was bailed from jail by Louisa.

Libby and Louisa took refuge from the scandal (the charges were eventually dropped) and came to live here in the mansion on Carpenter Beach. (It’s a great story, look it up!).

So Carpenter Beach became a known gathering spot for gay visitors and continued that way through the 1950s, 60s, and early 70s. Hundreds of older gay men would sun and socialize there, playing chess, backgammon, and volleyball a comfortable distance away from the vacationing straight couples and families on the official Rehoboth beach.

Gay people faced the awful threat of exposure, firings, and even prison back then, so staying to themselves at CarpenLetters 60 JULY 16, 2021

ter Beach made sense.

According to reports from those who were there, it was a very sophisticated gay scene and the tradition went on for years. As there were no gay bars in Rehoboth in those days (and even if there were, it was against the law to walk with a drink in your hand, so nobody could socialize), gay visitors spent time on Carpenter Beach followed by private house parties—with shades drawn and discretion a must.

Perhaps, it was a hurled slur, or maybe those “cousins” had poodles.

The tradition continued almost unchanged through the 1960s and early 70s. Louisa du Pont Carpenter was still around at her beach home much of the time, but died in the early 70s after she crashed her single-engine plane trying to land at an eastern shore airport.

Why, then, don’t we still plant our rainbow flags there?

In the late 70s or early 80s, even with the threat of being outed, old-timers recall two men who may or may not have been “cousins,” who got fed up dragging their beach chairs and coolers all that way past the boardwalk. And they longed to be closer to boardwalk refreshments as well.

One day, they brazenly spread their blankets on the sand near Queen Street, and invited friends to join them. Soon, this growing collection of gays took a stand on the sand, holding their ground as the Rehoboth family crowd moved slightly north to accommodate them.

For a few years after that, a group of old-timers still frequented Carpenter Beach, with their chess and backgammon games, but eventually the shift to Queen

Street became permanent, and Poodle Beach was born.

But, wait! Why did this “new” area become known as Poodle Beach? Perhaps, it was a hurled slur, or maybe those “cousins” had poodles. Some recall that they did indeed have fluffy white (or were they black?) standard poodles with them. The truth is, the naming of the beach remains a mystery.

Its location does not. As Rich Barnett recalled in 2018, “Memorial Day weekend is nothing but raucous on Poodle. It’s like being in a Cadmus painting with all the fellas cruising and showing off their winter workouts…. And yes, it’s perfectly fine to stare.”

Diversity in ages, styles, ethnicities, and genders echo 2021 in wonderful ways.

And into the new millennium, Poodle Beach became more and more famous, crowded, home to legendary Drag Volleyball, and iconic to Rehoboth Beach. So iconic, in fact, that resident Frank Cooper, along with his friends, had been trying to find a way to commemorate the history of Poodle Beach.

Cooper petitioned the state of Delaware for a historical marker to acknowledge Poodle Beach as a historic refuge for LGBTQ people to have fun and relaxation, away from discrimination and harassment, for over 70 years.

The Delaware Public Archives Historical Marker Program approved the marker, one of over 600 in the state, in December 2020. Wording on the sign and placement of the marker are still in the works.

The name and its relation to poodles may remain a mystery but its popularity surely is not. And as of now, Poodle Beach is here, it’s queer, and it’s recognized as historic. ▼ Fay Jacobs is the author of five published books and is touring with her one-woman sitdown comedy show, Aging Gracelessly.

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61 Letters

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JULY 16, 2021

63 Letters

Straight Talk

BY DAVID GARRETT

Gordons Pond or Poodle Beach?

O

ver the decades, as Rehoboth Beach slowly became the Nation’s Summer Capital, there were two questions that every newcomer would ask—where do we go for drinks and good food, and where do we go to relax on the beach? Many of the old stand-by restaurants have changed hands and names. But the beach remains the beach.

The center of town offers the opportunity to people watch. One may enjoy seeing the tourists circle the block three times before finding an open parking space, watching them unpack their vehicle, and then finally seeing them perform acts of strength and balance as they carry their beach essentials while keeping the kids from fussing. All of this can be conveniently coordinated from outdoor seating at several choice restaurants.

A more relaxing agenda can be found by driving either north or south of town, depending on your priorities. Rehoboth Beach offers two popular beach locations for the gay community—Gordons Pond and Poodle Beach. They form the bookends of this quaint little town, Gordons Pond to the north and Poodle Beach to the south.

You can drive on the beach at Gordons Pond, but only if you happen to be a lucky owner of a highly coveted surf fishing license plate. This requires you to actually surf fish, of course! Short of that plan, there is also plenty of open sand away from the pesky fishing lines that drape across the walking path. That is where you will find your favorite eye candy. A jetty serves as a visual dividing line between the guys and the gals.

Poodle Beach is located nearly two miles to the south of Gordons Pond. Parking can be a bit trickier here, as the closest access feeds in from the streets that require seasonal parking permits rather than meters. Poodle has been the go-to gay beach haven for many out-of-towners. There is an element of safety and belonging when everyone in proximity is like-minded. Learning the history of important places is always enlightening, but let’s take a close look in the present tense.

Several persons in the know were asked what attracts them to either Gordons Pond or Poodle Beach. One popular guy in town, D.F., says, “Poodle is where my friends go. I’m not an avid beachgoer, so I only go with friends. I like to collect shells along

It’s all about being yourself and relaxing, no matter who is under the umbrella next to you.

Letters 64 JULY 16, 2021

the water. I love to see the dolphins, and you can actually see the big schools of fish when the water is clear and calm.”

According to M.Z., Gordons Pond is the place to be. “It’s more relaxing and tends to have more local visitors. I also like to have an adult beverage and enjoy the dogs at the beach playing with adults.

Parking is easier and it’s just more laid back.”

The most definitive word on Rehoboth beaches, however, comes from T.R. He has been going to Poodle Beach for more than 40 years. The attraction for him is “the boys who spend their lives in the gym, so I can see the fruits of their efforts! If they are going to work out several hours each day, I should not let their work go to waste. I should APPRECIATE their efforts and RESULTS! It can be all about fantasies and occasionally chatting up and becoming friends with people, especially the lifeguards.”

On a more serious and reflective note, T.R. says, “I find [going to Poodle Beach] to be a more spiritual experience as I get older, feeling the warmth of the sun, being barefoot and ‘grounded’ in our Earth, the ‘caw’-ing of the seagulls, seeing the motion and hearing the sound of the waves. These background noises fade into the distance as I meditate and drift in and out of present consciousness to being hypnotized by the senses of the beach surroundings.”

It is evident to any casual observer that there is no longer an exclusively gay or lesbian beach here. Straight folks will drag their beach equipment all along the shoreline that is Rehoboth. And that’s ok! It’s all about being yourself and relaxing, no matter who is under the umbrella next to you. A life philosophy for many settings is “to have good neighbors, BE a good neighbor.” This proves a worthy adage for beaches as well. Be a good neighbor on the beach, and you will have good beach neighbors.

With this in mind, whether you choose Gordons Pond or Poodle Beach as your place to go for sun, sand, and surf, you’ll have a great time. ▼ David Garrett, a CAMP Rehoboth Board member, is a straight advocate for equality and inclusion. He is also the proud father of an adult trans daughter. Email David Garrett at davidg@camprehoboth.com.

JULY 16, 2021

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Letters 66 JULY 16, 2021

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67 Letters

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

Summer’s in Full Swing THIS PAGE: 1) at The Pines Pamala Stanley, RB Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski, Toneisha Harris (runner-up on The Voice), Clay Ellis, Gordon Tanner, Robert Patlan, Brent Quinn, John Hackett, Joe Matassino, Tim Murray, Tom Newton, 2) at the West Rehoboth Beach Art Market Leah Beach, Macy Beach, Pat Gallagher, Rob Bagley; 3) at the HB199 Launch at Legislative Hall, Dover Sally McBride, Andrea Rashbaum, Tara Sheldon, Chris Beagle, Lisa Goodman; 4) CAMP Rehoboth art reception for the late Lee Wayne Mills Bonnie Quesenberry, Geoffrey Jackson.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 5) in Rehoboth Suzanne Krupa, Laura Reitman, Mary Jenkins, Joann Gussich; 6) at the Chesapeake & Maine Happy Hour Russell Stiles, Wes Combs, Anita Broccolino, Chris Beagle, David Mariner, Patricia Stiles; 7) at Ladies Happy Hour Port 251 Laurie Vendetti, Jan Vendetti, Ann Mei Chang, Rina Pellegrini, Kim Witmer, Viki Dee, Mary Jenkins, Jennifer Rubenstein, Diane Scobey, Rosemarie Schmidt and Carolyn Horn, Michelle Holmes, Sandra Chinchilla; 8) at Aqua Jeremy Clark, Matt Rice, Charles Bounds, Marvin Miller, Dan Kyle, Joe Filipek, Larry Richardson, Frank Suprenant.

(More CAMPshots page 70)

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SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH (Continued from page 69) THIS PAGE: 1) on Wilmington Avenue Fay Jacobs, Eric Peterson, Larry Rosen, John Fazakerly, Bonnie Quesenberry; 2) at the Women’s Softball League Deb Bievenour, Kaye Sullivan, Lisa Balestrini-Faber, Cynthia Changuris, Renee Chaney, April Deer, Shiela Savaliski, Sue Garson, Deb Webber, Terry McQuaid, Kim McGeown, Lori Garrett-Baron, Teresa Bolduc, Kelly Sabol, Joy Strieby; 3) at Dmatta Restaurant Lance Alworth, Peter Rosenstein, Lamar Braithwaite, Gail Curtis, Meghan Kee, Greg Albright, Steve Mazzola, Jeff Akman, Ah Bashir, Gary Seiden.

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OPPOSITE PAGE: 4) at the Purple Parrot Salvatore Seeley, John Baker, Barbara Antlitz, Anya Lindsey; 5) at DAC Creative Market Kathryn Byrne, Cliff Diver, Laura Reitman; 6) at Aqua Lawrence Arbuthnott, Ski Rowland, Matt Bevins, Cathy Benson, Susan Jimenez, Tony Zacche, Deb Kennedy, Beth Yoceem, Jacob Anthony, Rick Norcross, Nick Leffler; 7) at Poodle Beach Justin Field, Moe Khatib, Andrea Jaskulsky, Steve Jaskulsky, Scott Brinitzer, Matt D’Amico, Sam Gerbino, Domenich Mannello, Brian Hulse, Oscar Rivero, Brandon Rondell, Tyler Brewer, David Salie, Mark Bromley.

(More CAMPshots page 100)

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71 Letters

SUMMER Treats

BY MICHAEL GILLES

It’s Hell to Be a Crab

I

hate crabs. Yes, I hate crabs. Not the crabs in crab cakes, mind you. Or the crabs in crab quesadillas. Or giant lumps of crab meat on a steak filet.

Those are good crabs. No, the crabs I hate are the ones that look you straight in the eye as you’re about to lobotomize them with a wooden hammer. Those crabs.

Knowing this, I still agreed to spend an evening at a local all-you-can-eat crab feast with friends I will kindly call “professional crab eaters.” I did NOT agree to sit in the middle of this carnivorous group of crab fiends. “I get the end of the table,” I said. Pretty plainly, I must say. So where do I end up? In between Kim the Crab Killer and Susan the Splatterer. Was I out of place with my platter of fried oysters and hushpuppies?

Yes, I was. And it got ugly fast.

Within a few seconds of the arrival of a steaming pile of crucified crabs, the Crab Killer was ripping the face off of an innocent shelled victim. No sooner was I subjected to this horror, a crab claw came flying into my forehead. Thanks, Susie. I should have brought goggles.

After the carnage began, all conversation consisted of grunting and an occasional “Hey! Over here!

More crabs!” I was not picking crabs, yet my hands, my shirt, my cheeks were covered in Old Bay and whatever comes out of a crab when you hit it hard enough. Small pieces of crab shells were flying into my oysters. Had I realized earlier that this “social event” was really a contest of catapulting crab shells, I would have ordered takeout and eaten in my car.

My professional crab-eating friends were eating so quickly that I dropped three hushpuppies on the floor just watching. Their fingers were actually bleeding. Not enough to call an ambulance, but enough to require bandaids. And still they chewed on, dipping crabmeat into little cups of butter with such gusto that I wish I had brought a change of clothes. One of them actually did. And another brought a pillow, of all Letters 72 JULY 16, 2021

— HOW TO EAT CRABS — There are almost as many ways to pick crabs as there are people who love to do it.

Here’s the Kim-and-Susan guide. If you’re squeamish, don’t go any further.

STEP 1: First you rip his face off.

(Yes, that’s a crab thing.)

STEP 2: Tear off the large claws.

(You’ll get to those later.)

STEP 3: Remove each smaller claw and crack open the largest part for claw meat.

STEP 4: Very gently and with a great deal of finesse remove each swimming leg so that you can pull out a great big chunk of crab meat on the end of it. Dunk the meat immediately in melted butter (or vinegar with Old Bay seasoning) and devour.

STEP 5: Remove the apron from the underside of the crab and then pull the front and the back apart. Discard the hard back shell.

STEP 6: Holding each half of the body, break it in half.

STEP 7: Lightly smoosh together to loosen meat and tear in half again. Dig out the meat and enjoy.

STEP 8: Separate the two parts of the large claws and gently using a knife and a mallet, lightly cut into the part of the leg nearest the movable part. Break it at the knife indentation and enjoy the claw meat like a lollipop. Split the other part of the claw the same way and eat.

STEP 9: Have a little cole slaw and a swig of beer. Then grab another crab!

things. She says it was to support her back. I think it was to reach the crabs in the middle of the table faster than her crab buddies could.

After the carnage began, all conversation consisted of grunting and an occasional “Hey! Over here! More crabs!”

I grabbed a moment between the grunts to ask Kim, “Why? Why do you do this? Why do you eat crab after crab after crab with bloodied hands and buttercovered chins?” She said, “Because the next crab might be the best.” Suddenly, I got it. It’s why golfers bang a ball all over an oversized lawn 100 times a match.

Or why people keep feeding the slots at the casino. Because the next crab or golf shot or pull of the handle might be the best. It sure didn’t make me feel any cleaner, but it did explain my friends and their quest for the best.

Not everything signaled a lost evening for me. Once we had all one-byone trudged to the restrooms to clean up as much as possible, we headed to the local ice cream hangout for vanilla cones, supposedly to calm the spicy remains of the Old Bay on their tongues.

And to trick me into forgetting what I had just witnessed. A crab massacre.

The Greek playwright Aristophanes said, “You cannot teach a crab to walk straight.” Had I had the chance, I would have taught this batch to run like hell. ▼ Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

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JULY 16, 2021

73 Letters

arts+entertainment

BY DOUG YETTER

SPOTLIGHT ON THE

arts

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community

Soul Food

A

s the world lumbers toward normalcy, the arts community is finally coming off life support and hoping a bit of occupational therapy will get them back on their feet. As someone who has spent his life in the arts, the lockdown was akin to subsisting on bread and water in solitary confinement. I heard from friends and family who were thrilled to work from home, but that wasn’t a possibility in my field. My soul was withering with no opportunities to make music with other living, breathing human beings. But the past few months have been a veritable smorgasbord for my spirit. As Bill Shakespeare once said, “If music be the food of love, play on!”, or as Audrey II said, “Feed me, Seymour!”▼

Inspirations The gallery at CAMP Rehoboth currently features the mother-daughter duo of Aina Nergaard-Nammack—a colorist working with abstract forms—and Marta Nammack, a talented photographer. Each use their medium to communicate in individual ways, using art to tell a story and show life and nature in an interesting light. Through August 3. ▼

Award Winners XXI CAMP Rehoboth has a long-standing collaboration with the Biggs Museum in Dover to present work from the Delaware Division of the Arts Award Winners. This year we have choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, folk art, painters, sculptors, photographers…whew! A reception for the award recipients will be held on a Meterless Monday, August 9 (6:30-8p.m.) with performances and readings by the artists, along with the visual art in our gallery. The exhibit is on display August 7-31. ▼ CAMP Rehoboth highlights our community’s unique history and culture, and serves to further diversity, equity, and inclusion, by building unity and understanding.Exhibits at the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery may be viewed Monday-Friday (10 a.m.-4 p.m.) or by appointment by emailing artshow@ CAMPRehoboth.com.

Images this page (left) Alice by Howard Eberle—a Delaware Division of the Arts Award Winner.; (above, left to right) #1033 Sky and Sea by Aina Nergaard-Nammack, and Sand and Water Textures (detail) by Marta Nammack; Andromeda #16 by Jack Knight—a Delaware Division of the Arts Award Winner.

Letters 74 JULY 16, 2021

arts+entertainment PERFORMING ARTS CAMP Rehoboth 1st Fridays (Epworth UMC; 19285 Holland Glade Rd.) singers from CAMP Rehoboth Chorus present “Summer in the City”—August 6, 7 p.m., open to the public and FREE—also live-streamed and archived on the CAMP Rehoboth Facebook and YouTube pages.

CAMP Rehoboth Theatre (37 Baltimore Ave.; 302-2275620; camprehoboth.com) in collaboration with the Delaware Division of the Arts and the Robert Hoffer Theatre Fund, presents Tiny Beautiful Things (August 20-22) under the direction of Russell Stiles. Read more about the production on page 82.

Cinema Art Theater (17701 Dartmouth Dr., Lewes; 302-313-4032; rehobothfilm.com) follows all CDC guidelines, with reduced seating capacity for in-person viewing, though dozens of films are available for streaming. See website for information.

Clear Space Theatre Company (20 Baltimore Ave.; 302-227-2270; ClearSpaceTheatre.org) has their summer repertory season in full swing with Mamma Mia!, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and The Sound of Music. Christopher Peterson’s Eyecons: The Thank You Tour plays FridaySunday evenings. Check their website for details.

Freeman Arts Pavilion (36097 Sand Cove Rd., Selbyville; 800-515-2171; freemanarts. org) offers acts from Wynton Marsalis to REO Speedwagon.

The Milton Theater (110 Union St., Milton; 302-6843038; miltontheatre.com) has reduced indoor seating for social distancing, as well as their outdoor Quayside stage with a remarkably diverse array of tribute bands, stand-up comedy, drag shows, and psychic mediums.

Check their website for events and summer camps.

Possum Point Players (441 Old Laurel Rd., Georgetown; 302-856-4560; possumpointplayers.org) are on summer hiatus except for their summer camp. Check out their website.

King of Pain by Kim Klabe—a Delaware Division of the Arts Award Winner.

Rehoboth Beach Bandstand (Rehoboth Ave. and the Atlantic Ocean; rehobothbandstand.com) returns to entertain tourists and locals alike every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evening at 8 p.m. with a wonderful mix of local and national musicians.

GALLERIES & MUSEUMS CAMP Rehoboth Gallery (37 Baltimore Ave.; 302-2275620; camprehoboth.com) features Inspirations by Aina Nergaard-Nammack and Marta Nammack and Award Winners XXI. (See listing elsewhere in this column.)

Complex Cloth—four quilters’ approach to surface design— through July 25. Opening July 31: Coastal Camera Club Exhibition.

Rehoboth Art League (12 Dodds Ln., Henlopen Acres; 302-227-8408; rehobothartleague.org) has several exhibits: A Time, A Place—a Juried Members’ Showcase—through July 25; Martha Spak—Member Artist of the Month—through July 31; Members’ 83rd Annual Fine Art Exhibition; Experiencing America’s Great Outdoors, works by John Clendening; re-Interpreted, fiber art by Melissa May—all through August 22. See website for upcoming exhibitions and class offerings. ▼

Gallery 50 (50 Wilmington Ave.; 302-227-2050; gallery50art.com) offers complete framing services Doug is the Artistic Director for and a fluid selection of works CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, Director of Music Ministries at Epworth by the many talented artists UMC, and co-founder and Artistic they represent. On exhibit Director emeritus of the Clear through August 11: Summer Space Theater Company. Contact Dreams by Carolyn Huff.

Doug at dougyetter@gmail.com if Opening August 13: Recent you want to add your events to the Works by Debby Brisker Burk. calendar. Check out CAMP Arts on Peninsula Gallery (520 E. Savannah Rd., Lewes; 302-645-0551; peninsulagallery.com) presents

our website at camprehoboth.com for links to all the listed theatres, galleries and museums.

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

JULY 16, 2021

75 Letters

arts+entertainment

by Terri Schlichenmeyer

BOOKED SOLID As a Woman: What I Learned about Power, Sex, and the Patriarchy After I Transitioned by Paula Stone Williams c.2021, Atria Books $27.00/$36.00 Canada, 256 pages

There are two sides to every story.

In politics, there’s left and right; in fairy tales, it’s good or evil. Guilty or innocent in court, salty or spicy mealtimes, dog or cat among friends, heads or tails. Sometimes you choose and at other times, like in As a Woman by Paula Stone Williams, you can see both sides.

From the time he was very small, Paul Williams thought that he “should have been born a girl.” He wasn’t bitter about it—not when he was a teen, not even as an adult—but it lingered in the background of his life.

Oh, he tried to tamp down his desires to dress in his mother’s clothes but he could not, though he knew it would anger her. She caught him once wearing his grandmother’s cast-offs and he never forgot her reaction; even so, he ransacked her closet at least once a week during his adolescence, hoping his

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parents wouldn’t come home early.

His feelings of furtiveness were perhaps exacerbated by a family legacy of evangelical ministry. Every man he knew was a leader in their church; when he was young, it was assumed that Williams would follow them, as if there was no other option. And so, dutifully, he became a CEO in a “church planting” organization. He married a woman he genuinely loved, and they started a family.

But the urges didn’t go away. As his children grew and left the nest, Williams began to explore the possibility of letting out the woman he was inside. He confessed everything to his wife, started hormones, and asked for his wife’s silence until he made plans for a transition physically and at work. He’d been at the organization for 35 years, and he was respected, although less than he believed. Williams was fired and humiliated.

Marriage in question, children shaken, job gone, he began to assess his life.

The world needed to know the truth.

And so, on July 29, 2014, Paula Stone Williams officially took to her blog….

Come to As a Woman looking for a memoir, and you’re going to be happy: most of the pages here tell a tale of transitioning while immersed in a major evangelical organization, which are generally incompatible things. This is interesting, told in an unabashedly forward manner as author Paula Stone Williams resists minimizing her male past.

Dig deeper, though, and there’s more to this book: its look at the difference in how society as a whole regards the roles of men and women, from someone with knowledge of both, is funny and sharp-eyed, and could serve as a primer-slash-warning for newly-transitioning women. It’s fiery, it’s sometimes the tiniest bit whiny, it’s a little repetitious, and it’s eyebrow-raising with a dash of heated argument-starter for zest.

In the end, As a Woman leaves a lot for female readers to agree with; Williams’ observations are honed, hard, and honest. Men, however—particularly cis men—could take umbrage at her observations and might give this book a little bit of side-eye. ▼ Terri Schlichenmeyer has been reading since she was three years old and never goes anywhere without a book. Always Overbooked, she lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 15,000 books.

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77 Letters

View Point

BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

Insurrection and Queer Intersections

I

n politics, if you characterize someone else’s concern in the most extreme and provocative manner, you can stir partisan passions and undermine serious discussion of the subject. It is a way to divide people and prevent solutions to our nation’s most pressing issues.

A lot of noise has been made by Republicans looking for a wedge issue over whether history teachers should be able to teach the truth about race in American history. Gay conservative Andrew Sullivan has made a huge fuss over Critical Race Theory (CRT), though he says it should be exposed and not suppressed. But decrying CRT when few understand it much less teach it is like panicking over Sharia law in Wisconsin. It is all heat and no light.

The same is true of efforts to ban trans girls from participating in girls’ sports, efforts that stir a lot of dangerous trans phobia without any evidence of an actual problem.

These bogus controversies are directed at minorities including African Americans, Asians, Jews, Latinos, and the LGBTQ community, especially transgender people. So it shouldn’t be hard to figure out which side selfrespecting queers (whatever we call ourselves) should be on.

The Republican Party has become the party of treason, insurrection, and sedition. If there were any doubt of this after January 6, when a Trump-incited mob tried to prevent certification of the presidential election results and threatened to murder Vice President Pence and Speaker Pelosi, that doubt was removed by subsequent actions.

The aggressive rewriting of history, the determination to preserve power by any means necessary, and the Confederate Lost Cause revivalism offer no solace to racial, ethnic, or sexual minorities.

I had the honor of speaking at the Black Voters Matter rally on the Mall near the US Capitol on June 26 in support of voting rights and DC Statehood. The rally capped off the eight-day Freedom Ride for Voting Rights.

Letters 78 JULY 16, 2021

I spoke briefly: “I am a native Washingtonian and a longtime LGBTQ rights activist. I have worked in coalitions for policing reform and marriage equality in this city. I support the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, the For the People Act, and DC Statehood.

LGBTQ folk have a clear stake in the fight for democracy.

“DC’s population is larger than those of Vermont and Wyoming. We pay federal taxes. We serve disproportionately in America’s wars. Yet we are denied voting representation in Congress. We deserve Statehood, and we will not get it from the insurrectionists.

“In our responses to hate crimes, racist policing, and vote suppression and nullification, there is a stark and telling contrast between the aspirational ‘This is not who we are’ and the observational ‘Here is further evidence that this is exactly who we are.’

“Our Constitution and values are under assault. We need to change our laws. We need to litigate and electioneer like never before. We need to

tell the truth. We need to support one another. We need to take firm, smart, and concerted action against those who attack democracy in state legislatures, at the US Capitol, and on the floor of the Senate.

“Like our ancestors, we struggle for a more perfect union. We are the bulwark against autocracy and the poison of racism, sexism, homophobia, and transphobia. Let us defeat the division and disinformation, as Dr. King urged us, by working and fighting ‘until justice runs down like water, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’

“We can do this.”

I got the invitation to speak because I have worked with rally emcee Mark Thompson for a quarter century. Mark was political director of the DC branch of NAACP in 1997 when he organized the DC Police Task Force (of which I was a member representing DC’s Gay and Lesbian Activists Alliance, which marks its 50th anniversary this year) to reestablish independent police review in DC. Mark, a radio talk show host, has emceed many civil rights rallies.

In other words, my presence on that stage was about more than me getting a great publicity shot. It represents just the sort of coalition building that was championed by Harvey Milk more than four decades ago. The LGBTQ community crosses every demographic; that is the essence of intersectionality.

The main reason I can think of to oppose participation in coalitions like the one reflected on the Mall on June 26 is if you are a white, cisgender, conservative male who feels immune from political scapegoating. To paraphrase Pastor Martin Niemöller, once the fascists have gone after all the other usual scapegoats, who will be left to defend you? ▼ Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist at rrosendall@me.com.

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JULY 16, 2021

79 Letters

Q Puzzle Early Out

Solution on Page 108 ACROSS 1 The Gay Caballero star Romero 6 Mil. student body 10 Chloe’s Boys Don’t Cry role 14 Elroy Jetson stroked him 15 Lot measurement 16 Treated as a sexual object 17 Setting for a cowboy story, or a 1930 movie 19 Color purple 20 Earth pigment 21 Abraham in Amadeus 23 Rapper Snoop ___ 26 One-dimensional 27 Fairy tale huffer 31 Actors, e.g., or a 1928 movie 33 Dirty Dancing director Ardolina 35 ___ a time 36 Certain dark hues, or a 1929 movie 38 The 44th president 43 Evita narrator 44 ___ Hai 45 Judy Garland, to many 46 Mata ___ 48 Sch. for your first mate 50 Nero’s land 51 Edvard Grieg’s land (abbr.)

53 Accra resident

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Letters 80 JULY 16, 2021

55 Early out pioneer of the 3 movies in this puzzle 59 Archaic word for gay 60 Words before many words 62 One of the Village People 63 “Nobody ___ But Me” 64 From the top 65 When to have sex 66 Mauresmo’s do-overs 67 “Not that I loved Caesar ___... “ DOWN 1 Cornfield cries 2 Morales of Resurrection Blvd.

3 Lid problem 4 East of Eden son 5 Like balls 6 Like hard-core porn 7 Vein contents 8 Madonna’s Dick Tracy role 9 Indian bean tree 10 High Sierra star Ida 11 Experiencing REM, maybe 12 Type of network 13 Carry a torch for 18 Retreat for D.H. Lawrence 22 Try to deceive 24 Body snatchers

25 27 28 29 30 32 3 4 37 39 40 41 4 2 47 49 50 52 54 55 56 57 58 59 61

Entered Barmaid, to the Bard Largest cornhusker city Onions partner Emulate Earhart Bentley of American Beauty Come out on the beach House star Hugh Like House races That’s Rich!

Swamps, or what tops want?

Cumming on the stage Ready for bed, perhaps All shook up Rink star Babilonia Full House twin name Nathan and Alan Enterprise Klingon “___ your disposal” Doug Mattis leap Animal that’s no breeder Sex and the City source Cries from an S/M bottom

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THEATRE IS BACK

BY MICHAEL GILLES

Gwen Osborne on Stage

G

wen Osborne, who plays a central role in CAMP Rehoboth’s upcoming production of Tiny Beautiful Things, is feverishly studying her lines. She comes across this piece of wisdom: “Love is the feeling we have for people we care about. It can be fleeting, everlasting, conditional or unconditional….”

It strikes a chord. It will be among the easiest lines for Gwen to learn. From her loving family growing up, to her love of community, to her lovely 26 years with her partner Katie, she has lived a life full of love.

That love started early for her. Her life began in Baltimore, but her dad decided early on that his kids needed a home where they could go to the beach and have a large place for family to gather.

He bought a parcel of land in Ellendale in 1975. The family still owns the land, and it still serves as a gathering place for friends and family to come together and connect. This need to connect, to be a gatherer of community, has always been part of the fabric of Gwen’s life.

Move forward almost 30 years. Gwen and Katie started Sign*A*Rama, first in Rehoboth, then in its current place of business in Georgetown. They just happily retired and sold the company, but they left their mark on the business, making Sign*A*Rama an important part of the community, sponsoring charities and helping organizations like CAMP Rehoboth. Their philosophy: Give of yourself, and you get it back.

Along with organizations such as animal shelters and Meals on Wheels, CAMP Rehoboth has been a large recipient of Gwen’s largesse. She is an active member of the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus, and has been in several plays presented by the organization. When not singing or gracing the stage, Gwen is a loyal volunteer and now that she is retired, plans to do much more. When not working away at CAMP Rehoboth events, she supports her church (Epworth United Methodist Church), Letters 82 JULY 16, 2021

which brings her nearer to the spirituality that is an important part of her core.

Gwen has always loved the theater, but that love had been unrequited most of her life. So, what changed in the last

“Sugar is a broken soul who has come through her own personal devastation and sees that she can help others. Her heart is the best thing about her. She has never lost it, and it has given her strength.” five years? How did Gwen find herself performing in shows? She credits it all to the late Bob Hoffer, a volunteer at CAMP Rehoboth and a member of the Board of Directors. Bob saw her singing one day and, sensing that she could glow onstage, talked her into auditioning for a play at CAMP Rehoboth. She has been glowing on the CAMP Rehoboth stage ever since.

In Tiny Beautiful Things, Gwen plays the role of Sugar, a writer and a married mom with two children. On a whim, she takes a job of an anonymous online advice columnist, only to discover that she needs the many Letter Writers (played by other cast members) as much as they need her.

In Gwen’s words, “Sugar is a broken soul who has come through her own personal devastation and sees that she can help others. Her heart is the best thing about her. She has never lost it, and it has given her strength.”

Director Russell Stiles agrees. He thinks the world of Gwen, and sees some of Sugar in her. Her kindness, her giving soul. He is delighted with the entire cast (Gwen, Matty Brown, Diana Counts, and Rick Welk). He has worked with Gwen, Diana, and Rick at either CAMP Rehoboth or Possum Point Players. Matty is a newcomer to the stage, just as Gwen was a few years back. Each player performs many roles in the play, and the ultimate goal of director and actors is to develop personas for each character, and find the inspiration to really feel the emotions behind each one. It’s a blueprint for a good show.

“Love is the feeling we have for people we care about.”

Words to live by, whether for Sugar or the many Letter Writers in the play. Or for Gwen Osborne, a person who strides through life believing that you give of yourself, and you get it back.

Tiny Beautiful Things is based on the book by Cheryl Strayed and adapted for the stage by Nia Vardalos. It will run August 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. and August 22 at 2:00 p.m. at the ElkinsArchibald Atrium at CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach. Directed by Russell Stiles, it features Gwen Osborne, Matty Brown, Diana Counts, and Rick Welk; Teri Seaton is Stage Manager.

Tickets are $20 and can be purchased in advance at eventbrite.com. COVID precautions will be in effect for these performances. ▼ Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

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83 Letters

Visiting View Guest Column

BY D’ANNE WITKOWSKI

Homophobia and Transphobia

C

ongratulations to Gavin Grimm.

If you don’t know that name, you should, especially if you give a damn about transgender rights and the attack on trans kids in this country.

Grimm sued his Virginia school district because he wasn’t allowed to use the boys’ restroom. The US Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled in Grimm’s favor. The Supreme Court declined to hear the case, which means that the 4th Circuit Court’s ruling stands.

According to the Washington Post, both Justice Clarence Thomas and Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. said they would have taken the case. Seeing as they are two of the most conservative justices on the bench, and considering that the Supreme Court has a conservative majority, it is likely that things would not have gone Grimm’s way.

So while this turn of events is a relief in many ways, it’s only a partial victory.

The 4th Circuit doesn’t cover the whole country, so there are plenty of places insisting that kids can only use the restroom that matches their assigned sex at birth.

And then there’s the fact that Gavin Grimm was a high school student when his case began. A kid. A kid who never should have had to fight this fight. A kid who became a very public face of transgender rights during a particularly hostile time in this country. The most intimate details of Grimm’s life and body have been the subject of a national debate. That is insane. And it’s wrong.

Elsewhere in the world, police in Turkey are violently shutting down a Pride march in Istanbul. The event had been banned and the reason given was COVID-19, according to the BBC. That’s a good reason to ban a large gathering. But the BBC also reports that Pride has been banned in Istanbul since 2015. So this year’s ban was probably not a simple public health measure. Homosexuality isn’t illegal in Turkey, but according to the Al-Monitor, Pride events have been banned “amid Letters 84 JULY 16, 2021

an escalating campaign to criminalize Turkey’s remarkably resilient gay community.”

Meanwhile, the Hungarian parliament banned any discussion of LGBTQ+ issues in schools. Al Jazeera reports that those under the age of 18 “cannot be shown any content that encourages gender change or homosexuality. This also applies to advertisements.” According to ABC News, “the law is ostensibly designed to crack down on pedophilia, but critics argue amendments to it make a dangerous link between homosexuality and the abuse of minors.”

But what is more evident than ever in the U.S. is that we aren’t actually much different from places where homosexuality is criminalized and punished.

Hmm, where have I heard that before? Oh, I know. Right here in the United States.

By US lawmakers who say we need to dehumanize trans people in order to protect women and children from sexual predators. As if all trans people fall into this category.

It’s likely no surprise to hear that Hungary is not a great place when it comes to LGBTQ+ rights. Long before Hungary banned LGBTQ+ discussions in school, the country had outlawed marriage equality and limited adoptions only to heterosexuals. So, it’s tempting for many to point to places like Turkey and Hungary and say, “See? Things in the US aren’t so bad. Quit yer complaining.” In fact, this was the reasoning the Log Cabin Republicans used to endorse Donald Trump.

But what is more evident than ever

in the US is that we aren’t actually much different from places where homosexuality is criminalized and punished. One of our two major parties is extremely hostile toward LGBTQ people and has only become more hostile as the country as a whole has become more accepting. Republicans see what’s happening in Turkey and Hungary as progress.

This, of course, should surprise no one. Republicans are an extremist party, not a governing party. They haven’t been interested in governing for a long time, but they lost all credibility after the January 6 insurrection, which they encouraged and now act like was no big deal.

And they still worship at the altar of Trump. Not in my lifetime have we ever had a president so utterly incompetent, corrupt, and anti-democracy. They’re still claiming that Trump, the most unpopular president in ages, actually won the election and will somehow be magically reinstated.

It’s lunatic thinking. But these are the same people who see Gavin Grimm, Black Lives Matter, and people being allowed to vote as the real threats to the United States.

So, no. I don’t look at other countries where LGBTQ people have it worse and think the US is doing great by comparison.

A lot has happened in my lifetime in the realm of LGBTQ rights. We’ve made some truly amazing gains. The fact that I have a legal marriage certificate is one of them.

But we have so much further to go.

And not only am I not dead yet, but there are also many more young people like Gavin Grimm who will keep pressing forward. ▼ D’Anne Witkowski is a writer living in Michigan with her wife and son. She has been writing about LGBTQ politics for nearly two decades. Follow her on Twitter @ MamaDWitkowski.

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85 Letters

SUMMER Treats

BY ED CASTELLI

Bloody Mary Shrimp

I

’m a chef wannabe. It’s not unusual to find me spending an entire wintery Sunday in the kitchen. Puttering in my comfy, chunky Crocs...the ones my husband prays I never wear in public.

Tweaking ingredients. Baking bread.

Loving life.

But in the summer, spend more than half an hour in the kitchen? Heck no.

It’s not so much about the heat, but we’re outdoorsy folk. It’s a big, beautiful world out there and neither of us wants to waste precious time breathing conditioned air. In the waning hours of a typical beach day, one of us is always pleading, “stay just one more hour”?

ParkMobile is our enabler. Transaction fees be damned.

So, as much as I love to cook, my time in the kitchen is minimal from June to August. But the problem nowadays is all of us are eating in more. COVID

restrictions are lifting, but reservations are scarce. So we take turns cooking with our friends. We cobble together simple meals. Focus more on

You get home, you rush through your sun shower. You need a recipe that practically made itself that morning, ready to grab and go. sustenance than process. Make dishes that turn us around quickly for more fun in the sun.

Let’s pretend you’re going to a barbeque. You’ve offered to bring a covered dish. But you want to maximize your beach time. You also want to end your afternoon hanging at the Purple

BLOODY MARY SHRIMP MIX TOGETHER IN A LARGE BOWL: 1 cup orange juice 1 cup fresh lemon juice 3/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce 1/3 cup vodka (optional) 1 tsp. celery seed 1/4 to 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce, to taste 1 tsp. horseradish sauce, or to taste WHISK IN: 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil ADD: 2 pounds cooked, peeled (leave tails on) large shrimp 1 very small red onion cut in small, thin slices 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (substitute parsley if preferred) Cover and refrigerate 3 to 6 hours. Toss one last time, then drain and serve. Enjoy!

Letters 86 JULY 16, 2021

Parrot, because nothing screams summer like a no-shower-happyhour. The scent of sunscreen and salt mixes so well with an icy cold beer.

You get home, you rush through your sun shower. You need a recipe that practically made itself that morning, ready to grab and go.

Bloody Mary Shrimp is the perfect dish. A fun, refreshing appetizer or brunch nibble that makes an impression with very little effort. And bonus: it contains vodka!

I’ve tweaked this recipe many times over the years. I think I found the original in Bon Appétit. Feel free to change it up to suit your taste. It’s very versatile and forgiving. I like to pile these shrimp on a white platter or in a fun bowl. Then gay it up with fresh herb garnishes and lemon wedges. ▼

JULY 16, 2021

87 Letters

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89 Letters

Historical Headliners

BY ANN APTAKER

Nostrovia!

I

s it just me, or does it seem that Russia has been a staple of the American news diet for, like, ever? Throughout almost the entirety of the 20th century and now into the 21st, it’s been one Russian story after another. First, the 1917 Revolution that writer John Reed said “shook the world.”

Then came the Red Scare of the 1920s; the perceived infiltration by Communists into the American labor movement during the 1930s Depression; a brief warming of relations necessitated by the Second World War; the nuclear arms race during Cold War of the 1950s and its McCarthyite witch hunt for “Commies” in every crevice. Later in the 20th century came the glimmer of hope for better relations and the hopedfor institution of Russian democracy after the fall of the Soviet system in 1991. And now, the resumption of hostile relations with rise of Russian strongman Vladimir Putin and his shenanigans to destabilize the West, America in particular.

One might think that after a century of daily doses of such fare we’d know quite a bit about the lives of the Russian people, past and present. To some extent we do.

We’ve seen countless photos of peasants in babushkas trudging in the snow. We’ve seen glamourous photos of the Tsarist elite. Newsreels showed us revolutionaries storming the palaces. But looking at all these photos and newsreels, I want to know: “Who in that crowd of people is L, G, B, T, or Q?” According to author Dan Healy’s scholarly Homosexual Desire in Revolutionary Russia, published in 2001, LGBTQ life in Russia before the eighteenth century was generally ignored by the authorities. Yes, there were restrictive laws against homosexuals, but these laws went largely unenforced. Russia, at that time, was rather a backwater, culturally apart from Europe. While the rest of Europe was modernizing, expanding their ideas of cultural refinement, Russia still clung to earthier traditions going back to its pre-Christian past.

Russia’s lenient attitude toward homosexuality ended with Peter the Great’s Europeanization of his enormous realm. It Letters 90 JULY 16, 2021

was Peter who signed Russia’s first specifically anti-homosexual law in 1716.

Peter’s Europeanization of Russia actually worked against his crackdown on LGBTQ life. The influence of Europe’s more sophisticated culture, and the opening of trade and other exchanges it

brought with it, led to a rapid urbanization in Russia. As is always the case, artists and other free spirits migrated to the big cities of St. Petersburg and Moscow, where LGBTQ life and culture took root.

By the 19th century, Russia’s cities were swinging. The Tsarist elite and aristocracy patronized the arts in a big way, supporting highbrow and lowbrow entertainments, mixing and mingling with the creators of those arts. One of the more notable aristocrats in this scene was Grand Duke Konstantin (1858-1915), a gentleman whose lineage was about as highfalutin as you can get: grandson of Tsar Nicholas I, and uncle of the last Tsar, Nicholas II. Konstantin’s homosexuality, and his struggle to resist his urges—a struggle he usually lost in his visits to gay brothels—was revealed when his diaries were finally published in 1994.

Though Konstantin struggled against his homosexuality, many of Russia’s elites partook of its pleasures. House parties in St. Petersburg were the scenes of ex-

travagant dinners, dancing, and entertainment by drag performers.

An odd and interesting note regarding all this homosexual revelry was a 1913 essay, “Moonlight People,” by writer and philosopher Vasily Rozanov. Rozanov wrote that homosexuality had a place in both Russian cultural history and religious history! Citing an 11th century text, Lives of Boris and Gleb, about younger sons of Tsar Vladimir the Great who were martyred around the year 1015 and were later canonized, Rozanov suggests that various martyrs and saints of the Russian Orthodox church were in fact homosexual.

There were still repressive laws on the books, though. This did not change until Russia changed in the world-shaking upheaval of the 1917 revolution, when the triumphant Communists overturned all laws written under tsarist rule, and the Soviet government decriminalized homosexual behavior.

But this freedom did not last. In 1931, Stalin recriminalized LGBTQ relationships.

Stalin’s laws remained in force until the post-Soviet constitution of 1991.

By now you’ve noticed that I’ve not mentioned lesbians. That’s because they were not included in either Russia’s repressive laws or the decriminalization of homosexuality. These laws apply only to men. Lesbians were ignored because what women did was considered unimportant. Insulting? Yes, but it afforded lesbians a bit more freedom: if you’re invisible, nobody sees what you do.

Russia today has an active LGBTQ community and rights movement. Like ours here in America, it has a history, a lineage of cultural achievement side by side with its oppression. To those activists whom we never see or hear about in our daily deluge of news about Russia, I say, “Nostrovia!” To your health! ▼ Ann Aptaker’s Cantor Gold crime/mystery series has won Lambda Literary and Goldie Awards. Her short stories appear in numerous publications and anthologies.

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91 Letters

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93 Letters

Continued from page 92

William Briganti & Gary Moore* Anita Broccolino - In Memory of Cathy Fisher Wendy Bromfeld* Ronald Butt & Steve Cannon* William Byron & Ali Lazur Debbie Cali & Maddie Cunningham Helen Chang & Pat Avery Michael Clement & Mac Gardner* Community Bank Delaware* Mark Conheady* Lois Cortese & Jill Stokes X Kenneth Currier & Mike Tyler X John D’Amico* Joseph Davey & H. Ralph Fletcher Linda DeFeo X J. Lynne Dement & Lisa J. Snyder* Jim DiLalla & In Memory of Frederick Episcopo* Tony DiMichele & Jeff Smith* Joe DiSalvo* Donna Dolce* Kevin Doss & Arie Venema Arlyce Dubbin & Kathleen Heintz* Jeanne Embich* Maureen Ewadinger* Ellen Feinberg & Lesley Rogan X Barbara Fitzpatrick & Denise Centinaro Sara Ford & Anne Donick* Roland Forster & David McDonald Deb Fox & Deb Bonneau Charles Gable Christopher Galanty & James Apistolas Joan Glass X Ron Glick & Tien Pham* William Gluth & Channing Daniel Ed Gmoch* Mike Gordy & Ed Brubaker Joe Gottschall & Scott Woody Charles Graham* Deborah Grant & Carol Loewen* Todd Hacker Jen Hackler Siobhan Halmos & Beth McLean* Sharon Hansen X Pat Harte & Nancy Sigman Tracey & Erica Hellman Nancy Hewish & Vicki Martina* Bill Hillegeist X Vance Hudgins & Denny Marcotte* John Hulse X Mary Huntt & Angela Creager Janet Idema & Patricia Higgins* Sharon Kanter & Cyndy Bennett* Mark Kehoe X Maryl Kerley & Pat Sagat X Bonnie Kirkland & Wanda Bair X Ruth Kloetzli & Lisa Scholl* Jay Kottoff & Mark Matey* Rob & Jean Krapf X Barbara Lang & Diane Grillo* Jim Lesko Chip Logan Dale & Sue Lomas* John Mackerey & Donald Filicetti Duncan MacLellan & Glenn Reighart* Robb Mapou & Mike Zufall Marsha Mark & Judy Raynor* James Mastoris & Edward Chamberlain X Michael & Stephan Maybroda Kathy & Steve McGuiness* Kate McQueen* Margaret Moore & Sheree Mixell X Thomas Moore & Richard Bost*

Letters 94 JULY 16, 2021

Robert Neighbour & Andrew Dan* Pat Nickols* Donna Ohle & Susan Gaggiotti X Lisa Orem & Debby Armstrong* Sandra Oropel & Linda Frese* Carolyn Ortwein & Ann Barry* Rutland Paal & Robert Mittleman* Sandra Pace & Barbara Passikoff X Steve Parker* Ellen Passman X Marilyn Pate & Dorothy Smith* Rina Pellegrini Colleen Perry & Jane Kuhfuss* Marianne Perry & Jeanette Laszczynski Deena Pers X Grace Pesikey & Janet Urdahl* Russ Phipps & Stephen Jacobs* Peter Pizzolongo & Carlos Prugue* Pat Powell Stephen Proctor Pierce Quinlan & Ginny Daly Jay Raksin Thomas Ramsey & Chris Murray Alex Reed & Jed Millard Susan Reinagel & Dawn Henderson* Pat Renninger & Tammy Plumley X Bill Rogers & Jeff Wilkinson Judy Rosenstein & Elva Weininger X Deborah & Charles Ross X Michael Safina & Tim Bean Katherine Sams* Richard Sargent* Laurie Schneider & Margie Ripalda* Teri Seaton & Rena Frampton-Seaton Michael Seifert & Harvey Holthaus* Craig Sencindiver & Gary Alexander* Frank Shockley & Arthur Henry Anita Smulyan Tina Snapp Christine Stanley & Joyce Rocko* Matthew Stensrud & Michael Cohen* Greig Stewart & Jake Hudson* Caroline Stites & Elizabeth Coit X Brian Straka* Terrence Sullivan David Szumski & James Carfagno Trudie Thompson Thrasher’s French Fries* Jeffrey Trunzo & Herman Goodyear* James Vernicek & Jeff Dailey* Tama Viola Don Wainwright & Tom Jamison* Elizabeth Way & Dorothy Dougherty* Donald Wessel William Wheatley* Ralph Wiest & Anthony Peraine* Daryle Williams & Steven Fretwell Melanie Wolfe & Monica Niccolai Sherri Wright & Dick Byrne* Niki Zaldivar & Cecil McNeil X Kathryn Zimmerman Helaine Zinaman & Roselyn Abitbol X

RED LEVEL Guy Abernathey X Dale Adams Adrienne & Kim* Jim Affonco X Mark Aguirre & Wayne Gleason X Bill Alldredge X Stephani Allison & Judith Gorra X Ria Allman Marge Amodei* Alan Anderson X

Daniel Anderson & Greg Melanson Lois Andreasen & Jean McCullough* Andrea Andrus & Maggie Shaw X Peter Antolini X Patricia Antonisse X Wanda Armwood & Illona Williams Judith & Wanda Ashbrook Jan Atwell Terry & Gayle August Josh Bach & Edward Ginley Kathleen Bailey X John Baker & Richard Latham X John D. Baker June Baker* Sarah Barnett Curtiss Barrows X Brian Bartels Eric Barton & Greg Nagel John Batchelor X Karen Beck Beebe Medical Foundation* Pat Beebe Mike Behringer & Nelson Correa* Alex Belano Sheryl Bender & Doreen DiLorenzo* George Benes & Michael Mallee X Suzanne Bennethum & Deborah Smith Jeri Berc X John Berdini X Joel Berelson & Charles Maples* Lisa Beske Christine Bielenda & Karen Feuchtenberger* Thomas Biesiadny X Deb Bievenour & Susan Shollenberger* Lorraine Biros* Cathin Bishop & Laura Simon X Jason Blachek Ann Black & Kaye Wachsmuth X Carol Blair* Eric Blondin - State Farm Insurance Rehoboth Beach X Jacquelyn Blue X Rev. Dr. Tom Bohache & Tom Laughingwolf Simmons X Annabelle Boire* Carl Bomberger & Mike Rhoads Robin Bond & Leanna Johannes* Bob Bonitati X Joy Boone & Marina Simmers X Randall Borgerson X Pete Borsari X Laura Borsdorf X David & Donna Bowman X Deni Boyer & Loretta Imbrogono Brian Boyle & Larry Gee X Beth Bozman Jim Brady & Mike Hays X Victor Branham & Mark Clark Kelly Brennan & Susan McVey* Susan Brinsfield & Barbara Devenport Debora Brooke * Kevin Brown X Lyn Brown & Winsome Boyd Mathew Brown Diane Bruce & Annie Sorvillo* Daniel Bruner & Tim Beymer Marilyn Bryant Donald Bucher & Kevin Paul Al Bulliner X Belinda Buras & Linda Simeone Geoffrey Burkhart & Bruce Williams* Lyn Burleson & Sharon Werner* Carol L. Burnett X Rob Burns & Cris Hamer* Timothy B. Bush X

Randy Butt & Emerson Bramble* James Byrnes X Chris Cahill X Robertine Cale Ingrid Callmann & Karen Askins* Leslie Calman & Jane Gruenebaum* Michele Campisi & Julie A. Slick X Joe Canter Matt Carey X Jim Carlo X Justine Carpenter X Shirley Carpenter & Mary Coldren X John Carr & Billy Cox* Marianna Carson & Laura Bobo Alice Casey Jo Cason & Peggy Neidlinger Teresa Cason & Lynda Schepler X Sara Cavendish & Wendy Bunce X Denis Chandler & Sebastion DiMauro Linda Chaney & Irene Lawlor* Dr. Harvey J. Chasser X Mike Chateauneuf X Dan Childers & Ted Hernandez* Tom Childers & John Hall X Sandra Chinchilla & Michelle Holmes X Curt Christensen & Ellen Heald* Billy J. Christian X Dennis Chupella & Rob White X James Clark Norma K. Clark X Rob Cline Barbara Clipper Amy Clouse & Betty Long X Carolyn Cole & Sandy McDevitt X Stuart Comstock-Gay X Inez Conover X Bill Cooley & Ken Watkins DVM X Josh Cooper & Steve Rathburn Jeffery A. Coover X Michael Cornell X Lois Corson & Mary Murdoch X Mary Costa & Kris Nygaard Becky & Tom Craft X Wendy Cramer & Carolyn Baranowski* Theresa-Ann Crivelli & Angela Murray* Robert Crocetti X Bill Cross & David McCall X Mark Cunningham & Ken Tattersall X Rich Custer Howard Cyr & Lynn Ashley* Ellen Dahl William T. Darley X Debra Davies & Joanne Saltzberg Jeremiah Davis Marsha Davis & Bev Lesher X Kathy Davison & Ruth Dickerson X Scott & Donna de Kuyper Hotel Blue* Frederick Dean & Steven Swierzy X Linda Dean & Donna Whiteside* Scott Dechen & James Maino Michael Decker X Michael DeGraffenreid Maureen Delaney & Madonna Aldrich Bernie Delia X Frank Dell’Aquila X Claire Dente & Leslie Campo* Karen DeSantis & Carol Brice* Nancy DeToma & Meg Smith* David DeVargas & Steven Champion X Carolyn DeVito Dawn Devries & Helen Krum

Henry & Marcia DeWitt X Romy Diaz & Dennis Bann Geri Dibiase Photography* Julie Dickson X Richard Dietz Phyllis Dillinger Mary Dipietro & Wendy Schadt* Deb Dobransky & Ketty Bennett* Arthur Dochterman X David & Lizann Dockety X Peg Dolan & Mary McDevitt X Millie Donnell Debbie & Karen Dorris* Kathryn Downs Frances Doyle X Paul Dradransky X Michael Driscoll & Ben McOmber X Susan Dube & Diana Patterson* Deanna Duby & Carol Bruce Barry Dunkin Brenda Dunn & Karen Anderson Gene Dvornick X Sue Early X Frank Echols & Robert Robinson Eden Restaurant X Gail Elliott & Bea Hickey* Pamela Elliott W. Kay Ellis Susan Farr & Joanne Pozzo Alexis Faust Rene Fechter & Cynthia Smith Larry & Ro Fedorka Karen Ferguson Virginia Fessler & Chris Patton Jayne & Ro Fetterman* Irene & Edward Fick* Allen Fred Fielding X Joe Filipek & Larry Richardson X Mark Finkelstein & Michael Zeik X Paul Finn & Joseph Porporino Rick Fischer X Barbara Fischetti & Janet Thoden Gary Fisher & Josh Bushey* James Fitzsimmons & Brian Burdelle Chuck Flanagan & George Whitehouse X Paul Florentino & Chris Pedersen X Sandra Fluck & Beverly Morgan* Mary Ford & Judy Hedrick X Anthony Forrest & Glyn Edwards Beebe Frazer X Billiemichelle & Evelyn Friel* Neil Frock & Bob Harrison* Marilyn Fuller & Teresa Marigliano June Rose Futcher Lorraine Gaasche & Jill Mayer* Frank Gainer & Ramon Santos* Lynn Gaites & Faye Koslow X Nina Galerstein* Marcia Gallo & Ann Cammett Karen Gantz & Jeanie Geist Kathryn Gantz & Kathryn Gehret Don Gardiner X Cheri Garnet & Cynthia Arno Patricia Garrison Mindy Gasthalter* Wilson Gates X Charles George & Dennis Rivard X Tracey Gersh & Amy Johnson Gary Gillard X Jordan Gipple & Paul Weppner* Karen Glooch X Ronald Gluck Jane Godfrey* Randall Godwin X Jackie Goff & Mary Vogt X Dave Gold & In Memory of James Yiaski X Continued on page 96

ENTERTAINMENT MINUTES FROM THE BEACHES! July 22 - LOWER CASE BLUES: Quayside@Nite / 7PM July 23 - FROZEN Jr: Summer Camp Show / 12PM & 2PM July 24 - KASHMIR: Led Zeppelin Show / 3PM & 8PM July 29 - HONEY SHINE: Quayside@Nite / 7PM July 30 - MOANA Jr: Summer Camp Show / 12PM & 2PM July 30 - THE BOYS OF SUMMER 2: Stand-Up Comedy / 8PM August 5 - PAUL CULLEN & FRIENDS: Quayside@Nite / 7PM SHAYNE SMITH August 12 - MAMA'S BLACK SHEEP: Quayside@Nite / 7PM Banned From Karate Tour August 14 - THE JANGLEBACHS: Woodstock Generation / 8PM July 23 - Saturday - 8PM August 15 - MANDIE STEVENSON: Psychic Medium / 7:30PM August 19 - CHRISTINE HAVRILLA: Quayside@Nite / 7PM August 20 - STAND-UP COMEDY SPECIAL / 8PM August 21 - AUNT MARY PAT DISABATINO: Comedy / 8PM August 25 - 78th ARMY DIXIELAND BRASS BAND / 7PM August 26 - LOWER CASE BLUES: Quayside@Nite / 7PM August 27 - MAGNOLIA APPLEBOTTOM: Comedy Drag Show / 8PM August 28 - CHILLIN' WITH CHARLIE / 8PM PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM August 29 - DELAWARE COMEDY THEATRE / 8PM A Tribute To Elton John July 31 - Sunday - 8PM

Saturday, October 16, Starts @ 4PM

It's the HOMECOMING of the undead as the Milton Theatre Zombie Fest returns to its original home! Check out the latest updates on our website!

THE HONEY DEWDROPS Husband & Wife Folk Duet

August 13 - Friday - 8PM

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

www.MILTONTHEATRE.com BEGINNINGS

A Celebration of the Music Of Chicago

August 22 - Sunday - 3PM & 8PM

302.684.3038 110 Union St. Milton, DE

JULY 16, 2021

95 Letters

Continued from page 94

Robert Gold X Mel Goldberg Suzanne Goldstein & Dana Greenwald X Milton Gordon & Bill Hromnak X Teresa Gordy & Barb Ford X Dan Goren & Peter Robinson X Anita Gossett & Ronnie Smith* Amy Grace & Karen Blood* Lisa & Raymond Graff* Angela Grant & Zoe Fitzpatrick Paul R. Grant & Marc Watrel* Cheryl Graves Linda Gregory Harvey Grider Kenneth Grier* Richard Grifasi X John Grillone & Paul Schlear Jr. X Joseph Gritz X Jeffrey Groenheide Wendy Grooms & Barbara Fishel X Carol Gross X James Gross X Richard & Frances Grote* Paula Grubbs X Helene Guilfoy X Bill Gunning & Joe Greoski X Bob Gurwin & John Rourke Marie & Ken Haag* Jay Haddock & Hector Torres* Gerard M. Haley & George D. Zahner X Cynthia Hall X Barbara Hals & Sharon Dyke Mark Hare & Mike Newman X Kelley Harp X David Harrer & Floyd Kanagy* Mary Hartman & Laurie Nelson Jeff Haslow X Janece Hausch* John & Mary Havrilla* Nancy Hawpe Daniel F.C. Hayes* Gail Hecky* Barb & Len Hedges-Goetti Leslie Hegamaster & Jerry Stansberry* Linda Heisner X Steve & Maria Hendricks Matthew Hennesey* David Herchik & Richard Looman X Fred Hertrich X Howard Hicks & Stephen Carey X Barbara Hines & Nancy Froome X Howard C. Hines, MD X Karen Hinman Janel Hino & Patricia Ann Scully X Connie Holdridge* Robert Holloran & Ed Davis* Brad Holsinger & Ed Moore Mod Cottage* Chris Holt & Emory Bevill X Mollyne Honor & Shelley Garfield Larry Hooker X Mary Anne Hoopes & Dianna Johnston* James T. Hopkins X Elaine Horan & Debbie Sciallo X Frank Hornstein & Mark Henckel X James Hospital & Jack Fraker* Robert Hotes X Corey Houlihan & Karen Abato Peggy Ann Hughes Ellan Hylton Batya Hyman & Belinda Cross* Thomas Ingold X Chris Israel & John Stassi X

Letters 96 JULY 16, 2021

Debbie Isser & Fran Leibowitz Geoffrey Jackson & Will Delany X Fay Jacobs & Bonnie Quesenberry X Sharon Janis X Steve Janosik & Rich Snell X Allen Jarmon & Ward Ellinger X Robert Jasinski* Mary Jenkins & Laura Reitman Susan Jimenez & Cathy Benson X Chip Johnson - In Memory of Joseph Lachac Donna A. Johnson* Ken Johnson X Randi Johnson Tara Johnson Jim Johnston Richard Jolly & Charles Ingersoll X D. J. Jones Dee Dee Jones & Julie Blake Gay Jones & Barb Bartels Glenn Jones X Rob Jones Tom Jones X Nola Joyce & Brenda Eich* Frank Jump & Vincenzo Aiosa Wayne Juneau X Mick Kaczorowski X Bob Kaplan & Jeff Davis X Daphne Kaplan & Steve Scheffer Sharon Kaplan & Pamela Everett* Kevin P. Kaporch X Amylynn Karnbach - One Day At A Time Gifts, LLC Anne Kazak & Chris Coburn X Peter Keeble & Tom Best Margaret Keefe* Alan Keffer* Donald Kelly* John Kelly & Randy Sutphin X Michael J. Kelly X John Kennedy Rosemary Kerwin & C Robinson Hunter Kesmodel X Ned Kesmodel & Matt Gaffney X Tom Ketterman Marge Keyes & Julie Arenstein X C. David Kimmel* Spencer Kingswell X Daniel Kinsella* Frank Klemens & Barry Brown Jane Knaus & Cindy Myers Beth Kopicki - in Honor of Barbara Nissley Stephen Kopp John Kort & Hung Lai* Robert Kovalcik & Bob Howard X Myra Kramer & John Hammett* Marcia Kratz* Karen Kreiser & Beth Nevill* Kevin W. LaBarge X Peter Lanzaro & Frank Bodsford X Dr. Mathilda Laschenski & Dr. Kathleen Heacock X Ruth Lauver & Judy Wetzel* Kate Lavelle X Charlie Lee X Nicholas Lee Jon Leeking & Dieulifete Jean* Edmund LeFevre & Keith Wiggs X Sherry Leichman & Keith Snyder Jen Leonard & Claire McCracken Marsha Levine & Susan Hamadock X Arlene & Ginny Levy-Balmforth Barbara Lilien* Cindy Lins & Diane Milam Duwayne Litz X Eleanor Lloyd & Celeste Beaupre

Jonathan & Karlyn Lokken* Robert E. Long X Pat Loughlin* Cynthia Lowe & Rae von Doehren Debbie Lupton Diane Lusk X P. Michael Lutz* Becky Lyons & Ebie Hamrick X Wendy Maclay & Sheree Davis* Joe Maggio X Loretta Mahan* Bernadette Maher & Cheryl Tarlecky Jack Maher X Nancy Maihoff X Eddie Major X Bruce Majors X Harvey Manchester X Domenic Mannello X Stephanie Manos & Reber Whitner X Anyda Marchant X Charles Marino & Alan Berman* Diane Markey & Randi Snader* Colleen Martin Michele Martin & Rosalee Elson Norma Martin X Linda Martinak & Susan Baker Nan Martino & Patty Rickman* Joe Matassino & Tim Murray Frank Matero Nancy Mathis Jason Darion & Jason A. Mathis-White John Matthews & Nick Polcini* Sarah Matthews Eric Matuszak X Lewis Maurer Donna McCabe & Mac Ignacio X Kathleen McCormick & Elizabeth Fish X Sean McDonald Mary McElhone & Nancy Kaiser X Sherri McGee & Kris Aulenbach Thomas McGlone X Kathleen McGrath Ellen McKeon & Kay Cummings Joe McMahon X Joseph McNally & Terry Jones X Charlotte McNaughton Chuck McSweeney & Michael Clay X Jim & Bruce McVey-Back* Mary Medlock & Susan Russell Buck Melton X John Messick X Joseph & Thomas Michael-Ryan Alicia Mickenberg & Kathleen Fitzgerald* Jamie Middelton* Dr. Phyllis J. Mihalas X Melissa Milar* Alicia Miller & Shawn Noel* Bruce R. Miller & Dean D. LaVigne X Frank Miller X Marilyn K. Miller & Candice Zientek* Todd A. Miller & Michele Frame X Trixie Miller Stan Mills & Marcia Maldeis X Lee Wayne Mills X Martha Monell Andrea Monetti & Karen Petermann* Sue Monismith X Jamie Moore Teri Moore & Barb Kulbaba* Mary Morgan & Beth Fitton X Meg Morgan & Susan Lynham X Bob Morris & James Weygandt Carol Morris & Ann Abel Pearl Morris*

Barry Moshinski & Robert Ponzini Andrew K. Moss & Richard Blevins X Donna Mulder & Denise Delesio* Brent Mundt X Marie Murray & Deb Ward X Robbin Murray & De Raynes* Cynthia Myers Kathleen Nagle & Susan Blazey Marc Nasberg & Howard R. Nelson X Keith Neale X Cindy Necaise & Debbie Cole X Lee Ann Nelson X Darrell Netherton & Robert Wheeler X James Newkirk & Leon Wilkowsky* Janet Newkirk X Arletta Nicholl & Mary Anderson Scott Nickle Konrad Noebel, MCAT, LMT & Brian Cox* James Nolan Janet Nosal Chuck Oakes & Robert Dellanoce* Susan O’Brien* Terry O’Bryan & Jack Musser James O’Dell X Megan O’Donnell Dan O’Flaherty* James O’Malley X Richard O’Malley X Missy Orlando & Patty Violini X Jeffrey & Lisa Osias X Kathy Osterholm Randy Overbaugh X Sharon Owens & Doreen Halbruner Sally Packard & Dinah Reath X Denise Page Richie Pagnotta X Bud Palmer X Stephen Pape & Jerry Clark Fred Parham Emilie Paternoster & Monica Parr X Carol Patterson & Carol Hughes* Tim Patterson & Harvey Sharpe X Peggy Paul X Wesley & Connie Paulson* Patricia Pawling & Jennifer Butz* Lucille & Dan Payne Michelle Peeling & Wendy Adams* Caroline Pellicano Beverly Peltz* Roy Perdue X Al Perez & Gary Kraft* Susan Petersen & Luz Cruz Eric Peterson X Elizabeth Petitte & Erin Reid Bruce Pfeufer X PFLAG-Rehoboth Beach Peggy Phillips & Norma McGrady* Frank Pileggi & Jon Blackman X Arleen Pinkos* Janice Pinto & Lori Swift* Terry Plowman X Jo Pokorny* Claire Pompei & Dolores Yurkovic* Roni Posner X Sue Potts & Karen Kohn X Renata Price & Yona Zucker* Timothy Price & Gerard Sealy X Glen C. Pruitt* Sarajane Quinn* Jean Rabian & Ralph Hackett X Elaine Raksis & Maxine Klane* Barb Ralph X Rob Ramoy X Bob & Mary Beth Ramsey X Linda Rancourt & M. Sue Sandmeyer*

Lewis Rathbone* Carole Redman Janet Redman X Carolyn Redmon & Nancy Allen* Randy Reed X Rehoboth Art League* Laura Reich & Deb Zabinski Peter S. Reichertz X Ken Reilly & Tony Ghigi X Virginia Reime & Gene Tadlock* Jeff Reinhart & Jack Miller* Patricia Remeis & Maureen Kane Don Reppy Thomas Resh & Jeffrey Meyers X Judith Retchin & Elyse Wander X Deborah Reuter & Deborah Bea* Sarah Reznek & Babette Pennay Sandie Riddell & Eileen Siner* Marion Ridley & Mark Lundy X John Riley Joel Robbins & Michael Linder X Sandra Robbins X William Robbins & Gary Ralph Sandy Roberts X Rob Robertson & Carlos Taylor X Teri & Amy Robinson-Guy Craig Rocklin X Tim Rodden & Randy Clayton X John & Susan Roehmer* Jeanne Rogers* Roy Rollins X Lauren Romig X Debbie Ronemus & Peggy Sander* Ed Rose & Sandra Robbins X Michael Rose & David Le Sage Peter Rosenstein X Larry L. Ross X Ellen & Terry Roth Perreault X Barb Rowe X Ski Rowland & Gary Mosher X Joan Rubenstein X Steve Sage & Thom Swiger X Chris Sailer & Min Mancini Joe & Nancy Sakaduski* Margaret Salamon* Cindy Sanders & Donna Smith* Sanford & Doris Slavin Foundation X Richard Scalenghe & Thomas Panetta* Kim Schilpp* Michael Schlechter & Kevin Sharp X Lisa Schlosser & Sherri Brown Rosemarie Schmidt & Carolyn Horn X Kirk Schneck Holly Schneider & Linda Haake Jaime Schneider & Glenn Randall X Peter Schott & Jeffrey Davis* Carol Schwartz X Craig Schwartz & William Pullen X Mona Schwartz & Joanne Tramposch* Carol Scileppi & Valerie McNickol* Diane Scobey X John Scotti & Greg Landers David Scuccimarra & Dorothy Fedorka* Clifton C. Seale & Charles A. Gilmore* Nancy Bradley Seibert* Gary Seiden & Ah Bashir X Shirley Semple* Marj Shannon* Dale Sheldon & Pat Coluzzi X Tara Sheldon Kelly Sheridan & Debra Quinton David Sherman X George Shevlin & Jack Suwanlert* Continued on page 99

JULY 16, 2021

97 Letters

Letters 98 JULY 16, 2021

Continued from page 96

William Shively & TD Stanger Davis Short & Beverly Castner Francine Siedlecki Frank Silverio X Marc Silverman & John Campbell* Brian Sims Joanne Sinsheimer & Margaret Beatty* Sandra Skidmore X Ken Skrzesz X Jeffrey Slavin X Anne Smith & Lisa Taylor Carol Smith* Harlan Joe Smith & Dustin Abshire* Leonard Smith X Marty Smith & F. Price Connors Peg Smith* Robert Smith Rosanne Smith & Brenda Butterfield* Shannon Smythe & Kevin Subers Claire & Mikki Snyder-Hall Sandra Sommerfield & Cindy Scott X Sandy Souder - Unity of Rehoboth Beach* Lynda Sowbel Dee Speck & Linda Kauffman X Jim Spellman X Lorraine Stanish & Beverly Miller* Christy Steer X Frank Sterner X Lisa Stewart X Libby Stiff & Bea Wagner X Allison Stine & Pete Jamieson Terry Stinson* Tracy Stith & Laura McCarthy Dr. Frederick C. Stoner * Michael Stover* Christine Strauss X Lois Strauss X Kaye Sullivan Trish Sullivan & Sandy Hudson Jill Sungenis & Nicole Bano Frank Surprenant, DDS & Chris Wisner X John Swift & Ron Bowman X Melanie Szvitich Gail Tannenbaum & Wendy Walker* Ronald Tate & Jacob Schiavo X Suzie & Robert Taylor - In Memory of Richard Bonnet Micaela Tedford X David Thomas & David Tiburzio X The Hon. Henry E. Thomas IV & John-Kevin Litschgi X Thomas Tibbetts X Otto F. Tidwell X George Todd & Rusty Baker Cassandra Toroian X Manny Tortosa X Cheryll & Bill Trefzger* Steve Triglia X Roz Troupin & Mary Harris X Patricia Truitt Abby Tschoepe & Pat Dunn* Matt Turlinski & Jerry Sipes X Ed Turner & Steve Baker X Judy Twell & Cheri Himmelheber Bruce Uliss X Thomas Urban & Marc Samuels* Donna Valla Debra Van Dyke* Jennifer Varone Joseph Vescio V. James Villareale & Dale Ebert* Gail Vitale & Carmen Garrett

Beverly Vogt & Waneeta Mack X Patrick Wadsworth & Mike Converse X Scott Wagner & John Sohonage* Eric Wahl & Eric Coverdale Marianne Walch X David Wall & Robert Houck* Kenneth E. Walz & Robert G. Ward, Jr. X Garold Wampler X Michael E. Ward X Robert Warmkessel X Jack Warren* Sharyn Warwick X Ellen Watkins X Troy Watson & Dennis Wolfgang* Barbara Weatherly Debbie Webber & Terry McQuaid Lisa Weidenbush & Judy Stout Kathy Weir & Lynn Finaldi* West Side New Beginnings Donna West Gary West & Jay Seitz - In Memory of Richard Pagnotta Karin Westermann Carl R. Wetzel X Liz Wheeler & Ruth Morse X Steve White & Wayne Williamson X Thomas White & Robert Freeman X Kurt Wibbens Aimee Wiest & Charlotte King Phil & Stephanie Wikes Steven Wildasin Keith Wilkinson X Diane & Ken Williams Edward Williams Jim Williams* Rich Williams X Kelly Williamson & J Ellis Donna L. Wilson & Laurie R. Levin X Lynn Wilson* Stephanie Wingert & Carla Avery* Patricia Wojnas David Wolanski Max Wolf X Carol Woodcock & Carol Lewis* Cody Woodfin & Rich Morgan Michael Wray Robert B. Wright X Robert T. Wright & Jack Lim* Marjorie Wuestner & Catherine Balsley* Janet Yabroff Alexander G. Yearley X James E. Yiaski X Linda Yingst* Vickie York X Nancy Schindler & Eric Youngdale John Zakreski* James Zeigler & In Memory of Sam Deetz* Carol Zelenkowski* Phyllis Zwarych & Sheila Chlanda*

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JULY 16, 2021

99 Letters

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

1

2

3 (Continued from page 71)

4

5 Letters 100 JULY 16, 2021

THIS PAGE: 1) at JAM Bistro AJ D’Orta, Jed Ross, Cubby D’Orta, Jim D’Orta, Mary Rose D’Orta, Tony Burns; 2) at the Boyband Project at Blue Moon Chris Messina Jr., Jesse Corbin, Travis Nesbitt, Chris Messina Sr., Cathy Messina, Nick Metcalf; 3) at the Blue Moon Bill Ruchell, Jason Abella, Ron Harvey, Kelly Leung, Jimmy Babock, Jane Harvey, Rick Perry, Charlie Browne, Rod Cook, Kelli Carpenter, Nick Buccieri, Anna Steele; 4) Indigo Girls at the Freeman Stage Susan Shollenberger, Deb Bievenour, Jamie Forshey, Anne Garvey; 5) at the Rehoboth Beach Museum Libby York, Keith Fitzgerald, Marilyn Spitz.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 6) at Theo’s Restaurant Charles Plantz, Mauria Stein; 7) Kathy Lamb’s art opening at the Back Porch Restaurant Terry Ricks, Kathy Lamb, Henry Dewitt, Marcia Dewitt; 8) at Gallery 50 Ed McGann, Dale McGann, Kim Klabe; 9) at Mama’s Black Sheep at The Pond Jo Ann Cason, Kaye Sullivan, Lexi Gardner, Julia Orza, Katja Ilves; 10) at Poodle Beach Mat Gulich, Jeff Raven, Rudy Reynes, Chris Coots, Brandon Powell, Justin Lennon, Alex Horansky, Matthew Stensrud, Cohen Michael.▼

Summer’s In Full Swing

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10 JULY 16, 2021

101 Letters

WE REMEMBER

Robert J. Tomlin

R

obert J. Tomlin (Bob) passed away peacefully on February 29, 2021, at the age of 91.

He was born in Covington, Kentucky on August 3, 1929, to the late Eugene O. and Thelma M. Tomlin (née Fortner). Bob moved to Rehoboth Beach from Williamsburg, Virginia in 1999 after enjoying five summers with his partner on Poodle Beach. He retired as Director of Purchasing at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in Springfield, Illinois in 1985. Bob served in the US Army during the Korean Conflict.

In addition to his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his brothers Carl R. Tomlin and William A Tomlin. His beloved life partner of 42 years, Deane

R. Doolen, passed away in 2009. Bob first came to Rehoboth in the 1940s and celebrated his memories of visiting Royal Treats for ice cream and going to the gay bar called the Pink Pony that was on the boardwalk.

Bob is survived by his loved ones and caregivers: Ed Lewandowski and Dennis Creedon, Joanne Klosowicz, Elizabeth Geisler and Anna Heinsohn, Omar and Sophia Espinoza, Tammy and Chris Tattersalls, Gail Johnson and Michael Weaver, and Tony and Jennifer Comero; many family members in Covington; and friends and neighbors here in Rehoboth. ▼

MORE THAN HOSPICE Delaware Hospice provides more than in-home hospice services. Whether it’s palliative care, children’s care or bereavement services you are looking for, we have you covered.

delawarehospice.org 302.683.8948 Letters 102 JULY 16, 2021

JULY 16, 2021

103 Letters

The REAL DIRT

BY ERIC W. WAHL

Celebrating the Fruits of Our Labor

T

here is no doubt that summer is here. The sun is high in the sky, the crowds have returned to the beach, and our gardens are beginning to provide those things we dreamt about when sowing their seeds all those weeks ago.

This year, I planted four varieties of tomatoes, four varieties of peppers, and two kinds of basil. A rabbit happily fed on a couple of pepper plants, but luckily it did not touch the hot pepper plants.

So presumably, a lot of pico de gallo and salsas will be made in addition to the panzanella salad.

This edition is about food, a topic that I like to talk about. I like to prepare it and I like to share favorite recipes, too.

So, in honor of those traditions, here are a couple recipes that highlight the summer fruits of our labor.

Once the tomatoes start ripening, it seems like a never-ending stream. In my youth, I disliked tomatoes. But now they appear regularly in dishes during the summer. Here is an easy recipe that can be used for dipping, topping, in salads, on sandwiches, you name it.

Pico de Gallo

Prepare 2 cups of chopped tomatoes (try to remove the seeds as they will water down the dish). Next, dice some onion, about 3/4 cup. I like to use 1/2 cup chopped cilantro, but parsley is a good substitute—my neighbor has some parsley in their raised planter box, and sharing is caring, I like to say. Mince a couple garlic cloves, and finely dice a jalapeno pepper (with seeds removed).

Mix all ingredients; squeeze some fresh lime juice into the bowl, and season with sea salt to taste.

You will probably end up making multiple batches of this recipe because it will fly off the plate as soon as you place it on the table. Pico de gallo helps to brighten any dish, and goes well with chicken, seafood, steak, or just about anything. You can change the flavor profile by using basil instead of cilantro, Letters 104 JULY 16, 2021

Panzanella

Have fun this summer and enjoy the fruits of your labor from your­—or your friend’s— garden. Good food and good friends always equal a good time in my book. which is convenient since I have basil bursting in my garden.

Another dish that screams summer to me is panzanella. Think of a bread salad with tomatoes, onions, mozzarella, and basil all tossed in a vinaigrette. It’s super easy and comes together quickly.

This could be a light summer meal that satisfies everyone’s palette—especially if they love bread like I do. The reason this dish is flawless is because the bread soaks up all the flavors on the plate and is a perfect vehicle to deliver that taste to your mouth.

Grab a loaf of crusty bread and cube about 6 cups. You will want to drizzle some olive oil on the cubes and season with some salt and pepper. Bake this in a 400-degree oven for close to 10 minutes or until the edges turn golden and crispy. Let them cool while you work on the rest of the dish.

Chop about two pounds of tomatoes into bite-size pieces. Place in large bowl (probably the one you used for the bread cubes). Next, slice about four ounces of mozzarella in the same fashion or use small mozzarella balls cut in half. Add the mozzarella into the bowl with a thinly sliced, small onion, and 1/2 cup of roughly chopped basil.

We’re almost there. Once the bread has cooled, place everything into the bowl and mix all together. Lastly, add a vinaigrette made from 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar, two grated garlic cloves, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently and serve immediately. Garnish with more basil.

You can change this recipe by adding your favorite diced vegetables, changing the type of vinegar used, or adding different herbs.

Have fun this summer and enjoy the fruits of your labor from your—or your friend’s—garden. Good food and good friends always equal a good time in my book.

Enjoy the season, and let’s garden together. ▼ Eric W. Wahl is a landscape architect at Pennoni Associates, and President of the Delaware Native Plant Society.

Photo by Shalev Cohen on Unsplash

JULY 16, 2021

105 Letters

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ARTS TEAM Edward Alban Kerry Hallett Jane Knaus Lois Powell Leslie Sinclair Tiffany Smith Patricia Stiles Debbie Woods CAMP COMMUNITY CENTER Ann Evans Natalie Moss Larry Rosen Sandra Skidmore Alan Spiegelman CAMP MAINTENANCE Eric Korpon CAMPCIERGES Mary Anne Bonafair Barbara Breault Jeff Buhrman David Carder Max Dick E.J. Kenyon Jim Mease Kim Nelson Pat Powell Patricia Stiles Russell Stiles CAMPSHOTS PHOTO VOLUNTEERS Tony Burns Dave Camorali Fay Jacobs Laura Reitman

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CHORUS LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE Neil Frock Bill Fuchs Dianna Johnston Judy Olsen Kim Schilpp Dave Scuccimarra Sandra Skidmore CROP EVENT— NATIONAL TRAILS DAY Karen Anderson Ketty Bennett Anita Broccolino Debbie Cali Deb Carroll Yvonne Cipressi Brian Cox Deb Dobransky Brenda Dunn Justin Martine Jill Masterman Konrad Noble Jill Steiner Debbie Woods EBAY VOLUNTEER Tony Mazzarella FIRST FRIDAYS WITH THE CAMP REHOBOTH CHORUS Sally Gilles Gail Hecky Bo Gordy-Stith Vicki Gordy-Stith Dave Minges Gloria Richards

Larry Rosen David Scuccimarra Tracey Seabolt Sandra Skidmore Doug Yetter GRANTS COMMITTEE Leslie Calman Kate Cauley David Garrett Lois Powell John Roane Leslie Sinclair HANDMADE MARKET Kevin Brown Nick Bryant Richard Dietz Mark Eubanks Ryan Homler Joe Ilardi James Mahoney Jim Mease Doug Sellers Duncan Woodward LEE WAYNE MILLS ART RECEPTION Chris Beagle Mike DeFlavia Eric Engelhart Mike Fetchko Keith Petrack Tara Sheldon Leslie Sinclair Patricia Stiles Carol White Debbie Woods

LETTERS ARCHIVIST Ronald Dempsey LETTERS DISTRIBUTION TEAM Dean Kasow Mary Ellen Mannion Kim Schlipp LETTERS MAILING TEAM David Carder David Hagelin Nancy Hewish Grant Kingswell Vickie Martina Stephen Palmer Russell Stiles Linda Yingst MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE Jane Blue Ann Evans Rich Grote Pat Newcomb Glen Pruitt Debbie Woods

Samantha Pietryak Diane Scobey Evie Simmons Barb Thompson Margaret Tobin Elva Weininger SOCIAL MEDIA Lyndon Johnson VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE Jeffrey Buhrman Pat Catanzariti Karen Laitman Jim Mease Rina Pellegrini Leslie Sinclair John Michael Sophos Angie Strano Debbie Woods

RAINBOW THUMB CLUB Dale Adams Chris Bowers Carol Brice Linda DeFeo Karen DeSantis Patricia DiModugno Monica Fleischman Sparky Jones Chip Logan Carolyn Ortwein

JULY 16, 2021

109 Letters

AD INDEX Accent On Travel...........................................................7 AG Renovations.......................................................... 79 AIDS Walk................................................................... 77 Allen Jarmon, Realtor................................................. 79 Aqua Bar & Grill.......................................................... 51 Bayberry Flowers....................................................... 83 Beebe Healthcare...................................................... 81 Beebe Healthcare Career Opportunities................... 62 Brandywine Urology Consultants..................................9 BSD............................................................................. 93 Café Azafran............................................................... 67 CAMP Rehoboth Letters Subscription...................... 109 CAMPsafe................................................................... 41 Caroline Huff, Artist.................................................... 15 Cat & Mouse Publishing............................................. 49 Chesapeake & Maine................................................. 98 Chris Beagle, Realtor................................................. 49 Christopher Peterson................................................. 33 Clear Space Theatre................................................. 105 Coho’s Market & Grill.................................................. 31 Country Lawn Care................................................... 110 County Bank............................................................... 91 DE Div of Public Health Tobacco................................ 17 Debbie Reed Team..................................................... 67 Delaware Community Foundation........................... 103 Delaware Hospice.................................................... 102 Delaware Humane Association ................................. 58 Delaware Pride .......................................................... 97 Delaware Stonewall PAC............................................ 63 Diego’s Bar & Nightclub...................................37,42,43 Donna Whiteside, Realtor.............................................6 Duck Donuts............................................................... 91

Letters 110 JULY 16, 2021

Elegant Slumming...................................................... 13 Fifth Avenue Jewelers................................................ 35 Freddies Beach Bar & Restaurant.............................. 65 Gay Women’s Meet Up............................................... 79 General Dentistry..................................................... 106 Go Fish Go Brit .......................................................... 19 God’s Greyts Senior Greyhounds............................... 88 Goolee’s Grille............................................................ 65 Harbour Waterfront Dining......................................... 41 Harvey Grider, Accent On Travel 7-Night Cruise........ 23 Historic Lewes Farmers Market................................. 88 Hugh Fuller, Realtor.................................................... 54 Immanuel Shelter....................................................... 85 Indigo Indian Cuisine................................................. 15 Jack Lingo, Real Estate.............................................. 87 Jenn Harpel, Morgan Stanley..................................... 19 Jolly Trolley................................................................ 83 Just In Thyme Restaurant........................................... 83 Lana Warfield, Realtor................................................ 27 Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, Realtors............................ 59 Lori’s Café................................................................ 106 Loves Liquors............................................................. 31 McWilliams Ballard Real Estate.................................. 73 Membership Matters.................................................. 27 MERR Institute............................................................ 85 Midway Fitness & Racquetball................................. 111 Milton Theatre............................................................ 95 Olivia Travel................................................................ 21 PFLAG......................................................................... 88 Philip Morton Gallery.................................................. 23 Port 251..................................................................... 45 Purple Parrot.............................................................. 55

PWW Law.................................................................... 93 Randall-Douglas......................................................... 80 Randy Mason/Shirley Kalvinsky, Realtors.................. 19 Rehoboth Art League................................................. 67 Rehoboth Beach Bears............................................. 107 Rehoboth Beach Dental............................................. 79 Rehoboth Beach Museum........................................ 108 Rehoboth Guest House............................................ 106 Rehoboth Massage & Alignment................................ 27 Rigby’s ....................................................................... 47 Saved Souls Animal Rescue..................................... 106 Sea Bova Associates, Realtors................................. 112 Smyrna Opera House................................................. 91 Springpoint Choice..................................................... 89 Square One Grill......................................................... 36 State Farm - George Bunting..................................... 83 State Farm - Jeanine O’Donnell/Eric Blondin............. 85 Suede Concert ........................................................... 25 Sun Festival................................................................ 11 Sussex Family YMCA.................................................. 49 The Lawson Firm........................................................ 80 The Lodge at Truitt Homestead.................................. 35 The Pines.................................................................... 61 Time to Heal Counseling & Consulting...................... 66 Troy Roberts, Realtor.................................................. 15 True Blue Jazz............................................................ 53 Unfinished Business................................................... 35 Village Volunteers...................................................... 76 Volunteer Opportunities........................................... 109 Volunteer Thank You................................................ 109 Windsor’s Flowers...................................................... 88

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Fall Delivery. 4BR/2BA 2,029sf 1-story w/glimpses of Beaverdam Creek. Bamboo floors, stainless steel kitchen appliances, granite. 16’x20’ deck. 0.67 acres. $519,900 (2000664)

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14 miles to the Rehoboth boardwalk. $279,900 (181766) SE HABLA ESPAÑOL

WHITE TAIL LANE - Millsboro. You’ll find this 2002 3BR/2.5BA Cape Cod-style home down a long, private gravel lane. The 2-story home is approx. 2,100 sq. ft. on 4.1 acres. Attached 2-car garage & an enormous 30’x40’ 2-story pole barn w/lean-to for your boat or other “toys.” Formal LV w/gas FP. Big kitchen w/dining area. Family room is next to the kitchen, so it could be a formal dining room. Main bedroom & bath are on the 1st floor. Two big BRs upstairs. So much attic storage space. No HOA. $599,000 (183706)

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HERON BAY - Lewes. 2008 3BR/2BA 1,456sf home has so many upgrades. Newer roof, HAVC, laminate flooring, 12’x14’ VinylTech porch & more. Bonus: Finished attic. ½ acre. $389,900 (184876)

BAYVILLE SHORES - Selbyville. This 2,230sf townhouse features views of the lake from the 1st & 2nd floors. It is steps away from the community pool & clubhouse. And the Fenwick Island State Park beaches are only 5 miles away! The 2002-built condo has a 1st-floor main bedroom suite, with walk-in closet, separate tub & shower, plus an 11’x16’ sunroom w/water views. 2nd BR/BA are on this level, too. Upstairs living room w/gas FP also has sunroom w/lake views.

3rd BR/BA upstairs, too.

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SHIPBUILDERS VILLAGE Milton. Located 1 mile from the historic downtown area.

57’x93’ lot is ready your new construction home. Cape schools. 15 miles to RB boardwalk. $85,000 (184316)

CAMELOT MEADOWS Rehoboth. 2016 2BR/2BA home has an addition w/ wood stove & mini-split HVAC. 3.5 miles to beach.

Community pool. $110,000

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6 miles to bch. $175,000

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LOCHWOOD - Lewes. New Construction – Starting Mid-July. 3BR/2BA 1,570 sq. ft. home.

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(2001166) Lot Rent $766/mt.

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– 302-227-1222 

EMAIL

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Office Independently Owned & Operated by SBA, Inc. Prices, promotions & availability subject to change without notice. * “A/C” Active/Under Contract, Accepting Back-Up Offers – * “T/O” Temp Off Market