Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 33, No. 1

CREATING A MORE POSITIVE REHOBOTH

Celebrating Black History Hearts and—Vinegar?

Our New Board Members

February 10, 2023

Volume 33, Number 1 camprehoboth.com

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.

EDITOR Marj Shannon

EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE Matty Brown

DESIGN AND LAYOUT Mary Beth Ramsey

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER Tricia Massella

DISTRIBUTION Mark Wolf

CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Aptaker, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Pattie Cinelli, Wes Combs, Michael Cook, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, Michael Gilles, Tara Lynn Johnson, Karen Laitman, Tricia Massella, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Richard Rosendall, Nancy Sakaduski, Romeo San Vicente, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Laurie Thompson, Eric Wahl, Doug Yetter

56 Celebrity Interview

60 Deep Inside Hollywood

62 Q-Puzzle

64 The Real Dirt Trailblazing through History

68 CAMP Arts

71 Booked Solid

ON

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth is published 11 times per year, between February and December, as a program of CAMP Rehoboth Inc., a non-profit community service organization. CAMP Rehoboth seeks to create a more positive environment of cooperation and understanding among all people. Revenue generated by advertisements supports CAMP Rehoboth’s purpose as outlined in our mission statement.

The inclusion or mention of any person, group, or business in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth does not, nor is it intended in any way, to imply sexual orientation or gender identity. The content of the columns are the views and opinions of the writers and may not indicate the position of CAMP Rehoboth, Inc.

© 2023 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.

“Mass Incarceration” by Valeric Brooks. See page 68.

CAMP REHOBOTH MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE

MISSION

CAMP Rehoboth, which stands for (Creating A More Positive) Rehoboth, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit LGBTQ+ community service organization. It is the largest and only organization of its type serving the needs of LGBTQ+ people in Rehoboth, greater Sussex County, and throughout the state of Delaware.

CAMP Rehoboth is dedicated to creating a positive environment inclusive of all sexual orientations and gender identities in Rehoboth Beach and its related communities. It seeks to promote cooperation and understanding among all people as they work to build a safer community with room for all.

VISION

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

PURPOSE

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

Promoting artistic expressions and creative thinking, and giving aid to artists and craftspeople with an emphasis on the works of LGBTQ people. Advocating for our community to build a safe and inclusive community through voter information, education, and registration; and analysis of issues and candidates.

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

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

From the Editor

BY MARJ SHANNON, EDITOR

Although it’s rather late to be saying it, this issue of Letters is our first for 2023, so—Happy New Year! May your year bring you lots of the things we cherish here at CAMP Rehoboth—sun, fun, good health, and strong connections.

Sadly, we can’t assure sunshine, but we can offer up some fun: for openers, there’s the upcoming CAMP Rehoboth Chorus concert, Hooray for Hollywood. Performances are February 17, 18, and 19; at this writing, tickets are still available for Friday and Saturday. And then there’s CAMP Rehoboth Theater’s Drip Feed, a one-woman play making its US debut on the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center stage, February 23-25. (See page 28 for an interview with its star, Tara Wisely.)

And that’s just a start. We’re also gearing up for Women’s FEST 2023, which runs April 27-30. There will be entertainment, sports, the beloved Broadwalk on the Boardwalk, and oh, so much more. See details on page 16 and watch for updates in future issues of Letters and at camprehoboth.com.

Of course, Letters itself aims to supply some of our readers’ fun—and this issue is no exception. With Valentine’s Day upon us, our writers’ thoughts turned to love— Clarence Fluker writes about some special men, and Tara Lynn Johnson tells us about her most enduring relationship. Ed Castelli gives us an easy meal to prep (and enjoy) with our Valentines.

Then there’s Terri Schlichenmeyer’s piece, which introduces us to the less-aboutlove, more-about-loathing vinegar Valentines of years past. I’m certain reading about them is a lot more fun than receiving them!

Letters also aims to bring readers thoughtful content on timely topics—and each February we focus attention on Black History Month. That attention takes many forms, including the outstanding art exhibit—Ignite the Light—now on display in the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery. For more on that, see CAMP Arts, page 68.

It also takes the form of pieces by Nancy Sakaduski (the Harlem Renaissance), Eric Wahl (landscape architect David Willison), and Richard Rosendall (the efforts by some to “erase” people). And don’t miss the profile of Diaz Bonville (page 4), pictured on our cover—it’s a truly inspirational read.

SECRETARY

TREASURER Jenn Harpel

AT-LARGE DIRECTORS

Amanda Mahony Albanese, Lewis Dawley, Lisa Evans (non-voting), David Garrett,

Seaton, and Jason D. White

CAMP REHOBOTH

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

There are lots of other pieces to enjoy this month as well. See page 10 for introductions to the four fascinating folks who are CAMP Rehoboth’s new Board members. They include a former lacrosse player, an avid snowboarder, a video gamer, and a world traveler (and one-time bellhop). We’re excited they are bringing such a great mix of skills and experience to CAMP Rehoboth.

But wait—there’s more! Michael Gilles tells us where we can find a great meal, Eric Peterson mulls the Oscars, and Pattie Cinelli (in a nod to American Heart Month), suggests there are benefits to living from our hearts—not just our heads.

If you have questions, comments, or story ideas, I’d love to hear them! You can reach me at editor@camprehoboth.com. Thanks for reading Letters!

PRESIDENT Wesley Combs

VICE PRESIDENT Leslie Ledogar

Mike DeFlavia

Teri

Diaz Bonville: Expanding Young Minds

Diaz Bonville is co-founder of the West Rehoboth Children and Youth Program (WRCYP), a community-based afterschool and summer enrichment program for at-risk, low-income, disadvantaged youth. He started the program in 2002 alongside Brenda Milbourne with the same motivation he’s had since his youth: “to help young people who are less fortunate.”

The core mission for WRCYP is, according to Bonville, “making the impossible possible by expanding young minds.” Educational opportunities, field trips, and reading programs are just a few of the ways they make that happen.

The program challenges youth to envision futures dependent on one’s habits, not one’s environment. WRCYP is hosted at the West Side New Beginnings’ Community Center, which was formed in 1990 and incorporated two years later. Today, its walls house many pictures of notable Black leaders and figures, including Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey, the cast of Hidden Figures, Bryan Stevenson, and Delaware Congresswoman Lisa Blunt Rochester, for whom Bonville served as community outreach coordinator for several years.

When discussing WRCYP’s story, Bonville underscores that “we focus on the successes, not the struggle.” Those alumni successes include: winning WBOC-TV’s Jefferson Award (twice!), getting featured in maga zines like Delaware Beach Life and The Metropol itan, and graduating from many univer sities across the country. Whatever a child’s path may be, WRCYP encourages them to be the best they can while forging it.

As much as Bonville enjoys rattling off these alumni

AARP Tax Preparation at CAMP Rehoboth

achievements, they don’t trump the satisfaction of the program’s work now. “The thrill is the same. The desire to help these children will never leave me.”

In other words, “the children are our present and our future. We have to start with them now,” said Bonville. That start for WRCYP often comes at the hands of partnerships with other local community groups. In the past, CAMP Rehoboth’s volunteers have partnered with the program for activities like etiquette dinners. “They taught the kids things like how to fold napkins.… That has left an indelible mark on our program,” said Bonville. In another partnership, the program connected with Rehoboth Beach Library for a summer reading challenge; the students read 2,084 books.

Bonville serves as the President of West Side New Beginnings, Inc., and stays involved in various other community efforts. Recently, he was elected to the board of directors for the Cape Henlopen Educational Foundation, which seeks funding and resources for the Cape Henlopen School District.

In honor of Black History Month, WRCYP will host Twin Poets for a special event. Hailing from Wilmington, Nnamdi Chukwuocha and Albert Mills channel healing through their work; Chukwuocha also serves on Delaware’s General Assembly. Check out West Side New Beginning’s Facebook page for more details on the date and time. This event is open to the public.

Over 20 years strong, Diaz is just as motivated as ever in his work. The program dares its youth to dream;

as Bonville says, “The sky is the limit, and once you reach the sky, it’s higher than that.” ▼

Thursdays until April 6, 10:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.

CAMP Rehoboth is once again partnering with AARP for FREE tax assistance. This program began February 9 and concludes on April 6. (On April 6, AARP will only be returning completed tax returns—no new intake.)

Taxpayers can schedule an appointment to meet with an AARP volunteer for a brief interview while dropping off a completed questionnaire and their tax documents. The volunteer will give the taxpayer a time to return the following week to review and sign the completed return and take all of their documents with them.

To schedule a time, please call CAMP Rehoboth at 302.227.5620 or e-mail info@ camprehoboth.com.

• MARK THOSE CALENDARS • FEBRUARY 17-19

Hooray for Hollywood!

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus

FEBRUARY 23-25

Drip Feed

CAMP Rehoboth Theater Co.

MARCH 7

CAMP Rehoboth Bus Trip

Philadelphia Flower Show

APRIL 27-30

Women’s FEST

JUNE 16-18

Out for the Summer

CAMP Rehoboth Chorus

STAY TUNED FOR MORE DATES!

Dine-and-Donate at Nicola Pizza

On March 6, from 4:00-8:00 p.m., join CAMP Rehoboth at Nicola Pizza for their “Dine-and-Donate” event. Haven’t yet visited Nicola’s Lewes location? Now’s the chance! During this time, 20 percent of sales will be donated to CAMP Rehoboth. Grab a slice, invite some friends, and dine for a cause! ▼

Ignite the Light: Celebrating the Artists

OnSaturday, January 21, the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery hosted a reception for artists exhibiting in its show Ignite the Light. Coinciding with Black History Month, this exhibit kicked off right after Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and features 13 artists of color who work in a variety of mediums, including acrylic and oil paint, digital art, photography, and fabric arts. Special thanks to Lori Crawford, the juror of this show. Crawford is an Associate Professor of Art at Delaware State University; she was awarded a Delaware Division of the Arts Individual Artist Fellowship in 2008 and has exhibited at many museums and galleries.

In a first for the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery, awards were presented for various works, including: Best in Show, First Place, Second Place, and Honorable Mentions. The Best in Show award went to Taylor Gordon for Dear Tay, an oil on canvas. ▼

Winterfly to Benefit CAMP Rehoboth

The annual Winterfly fundraiser is back, this year at The Top of the Pines, on February 24. The event celebrates the community of Firefly Music Festival fans and serves as an off-season meet-up for the festival-goers. The night includes drag entertainment and a raffle that will benefit CAMP Rehoboth. Thank you, Winterfly! ▼

Rehoboth Beach’s MEI Score Stagnant

The end of 2022 saw the Human Rights Campaign once again release its Municipal Equality Index (MEI), which scores cities and municipalities across the United States on how inclusive they are of the LGBTQ+ community. For another year, Rehoboth Beach stayed stagnant at 58, below the national average of 67. Among Delaware’s eight scored cities, only Wilmington (88) and Milford (72) scored above the national average.

The MEI survey, which has now run for 11 years, is based on the following five criteria: non-discrimination laws, municipality as an employer, municipal services, law enforcement, and leadership on LGBTQ+ equality. Last year, in an interview with Letters, RB Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski said “the score is not reflective of our community at all.” Often, the work to address progress is incremental, and CAMP Rehoboth invites further collaboration with the City on raising this score. ▼

Dragging Up Winter…For a Cause!

Thecold of the winter season can often be a drag, so the CAMP Rehoboth community has been dragging it up—for a cause! Thanks to The Top of The Pines, several drag performers have given electric performances to sold-out crowds and donated 100 percent of their tips to CAMP Rehoboth. For the most part, these outings marked each performer’s first time in drag.

On December 10, past Board President Chris Beagle and current Board President Wes Combs performed in drag under the monikers Chrissy Mingle and Ivanna Shoppe, respectively. In the holiday spirit, the duo celebrated with “All I Want for Christmas Is You.”

On Friday, January 20, OutLoud Sports chose CAMP Rehoboth as its beneficiary and featured 11 performers from its athletic leagues, giving show-stopping numbers to an enthusiastic audience.

Finally, on Saturday, January 21, Board Secretary Mike DeFlavia transformed into Penny Pasta, performing numbers like a mix between Jennifer Holliday’s “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going” and Miley Cyrus’s “Party In the USA.”

In total, the shows raised over $3,300 for CAMP Rehoboth’s essential programming and services to the community. ▼

Pictured: Chrissy Mingle and Ivanna Shoppe

BY WESLEY COMBS

Finding Our Next Leader (And a Transition Update)

Ihave a mixed relationship with January. From a work perspective, it energizes me because I consider the start of a new year as a clean slate. While

I loathe New Year’s resolutions, my focus shifts to what success looks like for me at the end of the year. It provides a longer runway to reach the goals I establish instead of setting myself up for failure by assigning an artificial deadline that is never realistic.

Socially, there is a slower, more intentional pace when it comes to what my husband and I do together and with whom. I have always been frustrated by December’s pace and those backto-back holiday parties where you get to see everyone a lot. However, when January rolls around you long for human contact and wish some of those parties were something to look forward to.

When it comes to CAMP Rehoboth, January is all about the year ahead. One of the biggest tasks is approving our annual budget which is more challenging than ever given so many unknowns. Take inflation’s impact on every expenditure CAMP Rehoboth makes, especially those related to our core services. For example, Letters would not exist without the paper it is printed on, yet the cost of paper continues to rise due to supply chain issues.

The cost of talent continues to rise even when the workforce is stable. CAMP Rehoboth’s healthcare costs are calculated based on the age of our staff which skews older currently, and overall insurance rates are expected to increase this year by five percent.

Speaking of the year ahead, the search for our next Executive Director is top of mind for the board. Cooper Coleman President Johnny Cooper (the firm we hired to conduct the search) asked if he could provide an update at our January board meeting. As I mentioned in my last column of 2022, Cooper Coleman was selected because of their experience placing senior executives in

nonprofits, including those like CAMP Rehoboth.

In addition to conducting over 20 one-on-one interviews with various board members, staff, volunteers, donors, and other organizations that partner with CAMP Rehoboth, Johnny came to tour the campus and see Rehoboth Beach firsthand. He shared that finding the right candidate is a combination of identifying people with the right skills who have a passion for serving the LGBTQ community, and who want to work in a place like Rehoboth Beach.

Johnny explained that successful searches happen when Cooper Coleman paints a complete picture of the role. That includes describing what day-to-day life is like in a beach community located within driving distance of—but not really near—a major city.

During his visit, he toured the campus, met the staff—along with CAMPcierge Joe Vescio—and was introduced to Rehoboth’s most iconic resident: Tony Burns. Tony just happened to walk in at the same time as Johnny.

I explained Tony’s long history with CAMP Rehoboth and how his photos have served to chronicle our history over the past 30 years. We discussed how readers of Letters often turn to the CAMPshots pages first when a new issue comes out to see if they made our version of Page Six.

Johnny reviewed their search process approach as well as what had been accomplished to date. Since the search went live on January 18, Cooper Coleman has posted it far and wide on go-to websites for candidates seeking their next nonprofit role: LinkedIn, CenterLink, Chronicle of Philanthropy, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement. They also reminded us to share the position announcement with CAMP Rehoboth’s networks, which includes the staff, board, volunteers, and members.

People often ask me who I think is the

right person to fill the vacancy and my answer has changed slightly since hiring Cooper Coleman. Instead of describing the type of skills, I now say this: the next Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth is passionate about serving the needs of a thriving LGBTQ community that includes a growing retiree population, second homeowners who live here part-time, full-time residents with children, and visitors from around the country.

This person is CAMP’s external ambassador and champion, a charismatic, engaging leader with a passion for building community and making genuine connections with donors, elected officials, and organizations throughout Delaware with which we do and can partner, who provide services for this diverse constituency. Finally, it is someone who has a vision and experience implementing a strategic plan that enables CAMP Rehoboth to continue being the largest and only organization of its type serving the needs of LGBTQ people in Rehoboth, greater Sussex County, and throughout the state of Delaware.

Here’s your opportunity to help us find the best candidate possible. Please share the job posting with your personal networks on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or send it directly to anyone you think would be a great fit or would know a person to recommend. You can find the job posting on our website by clicking on About Us then Press. Please make sure to include this link—coopercoleman.com/current-searches—which takes readers to the page where the listing is located. ▼

Wesley Combs is CAMP Rehoboth Board President.

Toys and Coats and Hats—Oh, My!

In December, the CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) partnered with the Rehoboth Beach Bears to collect toys, hats, coats, and gloves for children, families, and individuals in need. A total of 349 toys, 172 hats-and-gloves, and 102 coats were collected!

The “Big Sort” was held on December 5, and items were subsequently distributed to four organizations—ACE Peer Resource Center, Sussex Wellness Center, Orgullo, and Lighthouse for Broken Wings. In addition, a community family experiencing a difficult time received items for six children. Many thanks to all those involved in this year’s successful collection—the Rehoboth Beach Bears, CAMP volunteers, and CAMP staff! ▼

Somewhere Over the Atrium

OnSaturday, January 14, CAMP Rehoboth hosted three performances of the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s JUDY! cabaret. The GMCW graced Rehoboth audiences with the music of vaudeville and the silver screen that illuminated the career of the great Judy Garland.

Thank you GMCW! To readers who enjoyed these shows: stay tuned for more performances like this, as the Philadelphia Gay Men’s Chorus will be making its way to the Elkins-Archibald Atrium in May. ▼

CROP Helps Fight Hunger

CROP (the CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program) had another very productive outing at the Food Bank on Tuesday, January 10. A team of six filled 48 boxes with four bags each of food and snack items. The boxes next go to daycare centers in Newark and Milford, where bags are placed in kids’ backpacks as they head home for holidays and weekends. CROP’s efforts helped to eliminate food insecurity for 192 kids! Two additional team members helped to pack and distribute another 75 boxes of food items directly to folks in need from the Food Bank pantry. Thanks to these CROP volunteers and the Food Bank of Delaware for a job well done. ▼

Join Us at The Garden Electric

OnTuesday, March 7, join the CAMP Rehoboth bus trip to this year’s Philadelphia Flower Show, which sports the theme “The Garden Electric.” At only $75, tickets include round-trip bus fare, driver gratuity, a ticket to the Philadelphia Flower Show, and light refreshments for the trip to the show.

Departure is at 7:00 a.m. from the Lowe’s Parking Lot on Route 1. Skip the hassle of driving, gas, parking, and seeking your own ticket, and join the community for what’s sure to be a great show. Plus, this year, the Philadelphia Flower Show returns inside to the Pennsylvania Convention Center after a few years’ stint at FDR Park. Departure from Philadelphia back to the beach will be at 4:00 p.m. ▼

CAMP REHOBOTH PROFILES

MEET THE NEW CAMP REHOBOTH Board Members

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

THE NEW YEAR has brought new ideas, fresh energies, and broader expertise to the CAMP Rehoboth Board of Directors. Each of these new board members has already made extensive contributions to our community, and we welcome their increased commitment serving in this vital role and giving so generously of their time.

AMANDA MAHONY ALBANESE is an ally both at work and through her volunteer endeavors. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor of Mental Health who specializes in working with the LGBTQ+ population and with trauma. She has traveled overseas as a delegate with the World Federation of Mental Health. Prior to her work as a mental health clinician, Amanda was a junior board member and communications manager for a nonprofit that served survivors of domestic violence in Newport, Rhode Island. Amanda has also worked as a digital marketer and is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher.

– CAMP IS –

Inspiring, Equality, Fair, Fun – FUN FACTS ABOUT AMANDA –

She’s an avid snowboarder

She has led sessions in Grateful Dead yoga

She’s a seasoned bartender who filled in when a bartender was needed at SUNFESTIVAL ‘22

Amanda came to know CAMP Rehoboth through her occupation. “I work with LGBTQ clients in my mental health practice,” she says, “and often refer young patients to CAMP’s youth programs.” She first joined the CAMP Rehoboth Volunteer Development Committee but hoped to serve on the board from the beginning. She enjoys the sense of community at CAMP and the dedication of the board members. “They are passionate people, who are committed to the organization and the community and are inspiring to be with.”

Serving on that committee has given Amanda the opportunity to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community while utilizing her marketing and development skills, which she was not using in her mental health career. Amanda hopes to help expand CAMP’s mental health advocacy and develop training programs for health care providers and clinicians. She says that the systems in place and ways in which LGBTQ+ patients are served are not always as inclusive as they could be, but education and training can help correct that.

Amanda recently married Alexander Albanese who, along with his family, is also involved in serving the communities of Eastern Sussex County. In her free time, she enjoys antiquing with Alex, going to the beach with family, or gathering with friends at her book club. As much as she likes visiting the mountains in New York where her family lives, she is ready to embrace her new role on the CAMP Rehoboth board. “It’s exciting to sit on a strong board,” she says, and points toward CAMP’s strong strategic vision and the positivity of the other board members. “There is so much opportunity to ensure this rapidly growing community remains as inclusive as possible.” ▼

LEWIS DAWLEY This year is Lewis Dawley’s 30-year anniversary with Rehoboth Beach, having first rented a place on Henlopen Avenue with a group of friends in 1993. (He met his now-husband, Greg, the following year.) He retired in 2020, after a 40-year career in the hospitality industry, primarily with Marriott International. Among his accomplishments were developing a new reservation system that generated over $25M in new revenue. During this period, he traveled extensively and held several

leadership positions both within individual hotels and in the company’s corporate office. Through visiting other countries and experiencing other cultures, he learned how to listen and observe, skills that are essential when working in a team setting.

Lewis got involved in CAMP Rehoboth through the annual event now known as SUNFESTIVAL and became more involved after moving to Rehoboth full time. For the past two years he has served on the SUNFESTIVAL committee. As he learned more about CAMP and its services, he became interested in getting involved and supporting the organization. He loves the way CAMP Rehoboth supports the community. “They truly deliver in so many different areas and a lot of people just don’t know that if they’re not involved.”

Lewis sees his contributions at CAMP as an extension of his work in the hospitality field. “I really had been in service my entire life, and I wanted to do something in service because that motivates me.” After retirement, he asked himself what his priorities should be and how he wanted to spend his time. The two areas that meant the most to him were Habitat for Humanity (he is now on the board of the Sussex County group) and CAMP Rehoboth. “I have a servant’s heart,” he explains.

Being a CAMP Rehoboth board member provides more ways to serve. He was impressed with CAMP’s multiyear plan and the different areas of focus, especially the four pillars (health and wellness, arts and culture, advocacy and education, and community engagement). He’s looking forward to supporting development and governance activities and is eager to see the strategic vision become a reality. “I’m excited to be part of that journey,” he says. ▼

– CAMP IS –

Community, Family, Caring

– FUN FACTS ABOUT

LEWIS –

He once worked as a hotel bellman

He has been to six continents and traveled around the world twice

He owns 200+ vinyl records, including the original Fleetwood Mac albums

JENN HARPEL

Being a top-level lacrosse player isn’t a requirement for becoming a CAMP Rehoboth board member, but Jenn Harpel would certainly qualify, having played on the United States Women’s Lacrosse Team. And that’s not the only sport she likes. “As long as there’s competition, I’m in,” she says with a laugh. After retiring from her career in sports, Jenn moved to Rehoboth and began a new career. She is now a financial advisor and financial planning specialist as a vice president for Morgan Stanley.

Jenn got involved with CAMP Rehoboth about 20 years ago, when she volunteered for Women’s FEST. She served as chair of the FEST committee for several years and stayed on the planning committee for several years beyond that. She is now a legacy sponsor for Women’s FEST. Jenn founded CAMP Families, a support group for gay parents and their children. (Jenn and her spouse, Katie, have a son, Jason Harpel-Rickards.) Her financial expertise has also come in handy: she is currently serving as CAMP’s interim treasurer.

Jenn likes that CAMP Rehoboth is the hub of the LGBTQ+ community in Rehoboth. “It feels as though you have an organization that is supporting your lifestyle and fighting for equality and justice,” she says. “It’s the center of the action around here.” She originally was inspired by Murray Archibald and Steve Elkins to make a larger commitment, which led to her taking a position on the board of CAMP Rehoboth. “I like the direction it’s going in and thought that I could give back in a different capacity,” she explains.

Jenn’s goal as a board member is to help streamline the budget and make it easier for volunteers to create budgets and report needs. CAMP Rehoboth has many programs, activities, and events, and she wants to make sure there’s a level of consistency across committees and across budget requests.

Although it might be a stretch to make comparisons between coaching a lacrosse team and guiding committee heads through the budgeting process, Jenn’s skills will be valuable as CAMP continues to expand its reach. “I think CAMP has the ability to grow and continue to serve as a model for other communities,” she says, “and maybe help other communities build something like CAMP.” ▼

Continued on page 12

– CAMP IS –

Pride, Support, Advocacy

–

FUN FACTS ABOUT JENN –

She loves rainy days

She’s a coin collector

She’s a history buff who has over 1,000 glass-plate historical photos

CAMP REHOBOTH PROFILES

She started reading law books at age 13

She plays multiple musical instruments, including the tenor sax

Continued from page 11

TERI SEATON When Teri Seaton says, “CAMP is my life right now,” she’s not kidding. She served as co-chair for Women’s FEST last year and has stepped up again for 2023. She was also co-chair of the entertainment subcommittee for SUNFESTIVAL 2022 and is president of CAMP Rehoboth’s theater productions. To all this she can now add “board member.”

Teri worked for the retail division of global investment firm KKR & Co. Inc. for 28 years, helping turn struggling companies around. Her strengths are in management and operations, whether it’s bringing a low-performing company up to standards or running a CAMP Rehoboth theatrical production. In addition to her work with CAMP, she volunteers with the Rehoboth Beach-Dewey Beach Chamber of Commerce, Clear Space Theatre Company, Possum Point Players, the food ministry at Epworth United Methodist Church, and the Brandywine Valley SPCA. (She has a soft spot for rescue animals and currently shares her home with two dogs and two cats.)

Teri moved to Delaware in 2007 and began volunteering for CAMP Rehoboth in 2013 after becoming aware of the organization during visits to the beach. She really got involved when the theater program started, having long had an interest in the performing arts, though she prefers being behind the scenes to appearing onstage.

As for her new role at CAMP, Teri says “I’ve been on boards for businesses but never served on a board for a charitable organization.” That means she’s not yet sure what the best fit for her will be, but she looks forward to contributing to development efforts and to helping build membership and plan events, all activities that are clearly in her wheelhouse.

What she is sure of is her commitment to CAMP Rehoboth. She loves the sense of unity and inclusiveness at CAMP. “I feel safe,” she says. Teri also likes that CAMP is so active in the community. “There’s always something going on.”

Like her fellow new board members, Teri likes CAMP Rehoboth’s vision statement and the direction CAMP is heading. She welcomes the challenge of expanding CAMP’s reach. “Growth in the community, I think, is what we look forward to the most—bringing more events and opportunities…building community involvement, youth programs; there’s a lot coming up.” ▼

BY LAURIE THOMPSON

One Way to Support CAMP Rehoboth

Happy New Year! And thank you to everyone who supported CAMP Rehoboth in 2022 with a gift on Giving Tuesday and/or a year-end donation. We are grateful to have generous donors like you who understand the important work we are doing and recognize that your gifts ensure that we can continue to serve the LGBTQ+ community—both in Rehoboth Beach and in the wider community.

CAMP Rehoboth relies on the generosity of businesses, foundations, and individuals to raise the funds we need to meet our annual revenue goals. Financial support comes in many forms. Throughout this year I will highlight all the different types of support that CAMP relies on when creating their annual budget. This month, I would like to tell you about sponsorships and how we partner with businesses, foundations, and individuals in the community, and why sponsorships are an integral part of our fundraising efforts.

A sponsorship is defined as the following: a company, organization, or person that shows their support for an event, typically through a financial contribution. A business, foundation, or an individual will sponsor an event by making a financial gift or a gift in kind contribution to the nonprofit in exchange for an agreed set of benefits.

Businesses, foundations, and individuals benefit from partnering with a nonprofit by aligning their name with a nonprofit. The benefits include exposure and direct contact with a new audience, increased brand exposure through event advertising, and media coverage. In addition, sponsorship can increase visibility for the business and its brand as well as offer tax advantages.

Nonprofits benefit from sponsorships because it can help them build their annual and event budgets, subsidize ticket prices for events, and boost an event’s credibility. In addition, sponsorships can help the nonprofit to build and elevate brand equity by partnering with

businesses and foundations that have a good reputation with supporters.

CAMP Rehoboth offers two types of sponsorships: annual sponsorships and eventbased sponsorships. Each year, CAMP Rehoboth hosts three signature events—Women’s FEST (April), SUNFESTIVAL (September), and Block Party (October). Each offers businesses, foundations, and individuals the opportunity to sponsor the single events. If a business wishes to support more than one event at CAMP Rehoboth, it might make sense for them to consider an annual sponsorship that enables them to sponsor multiple events.

Last year CAMP Rehoboth welcomed more than 3,000 people to Women’s FEST and SUNFESTIVAL, and more than 2,000 people and 92 vendors to the CAMP Rehoboth Block Party. Special events account for 16 percent of CAMP Rehoboth’s overall revenue and our sponsors are essential to the financial success of each event.

As the Development Manager, I work closely with the special event sponsorship committees to help coordinate efforts to ensure that we deliver agreed-upon sponsorship benefits, and that we recognize sponsors for their generosity. We are so fortunate to have such generous businesses, foundations, and individuals that believe in our mission to promote cooperation and understanding among all people to build a safer community with room for all.

A special thank-you to all our current sponsors—we appreciate that you choose to support CAMP Rehoboth by sponsoring one or more events.

If you are interested in learning more about CAMP Rehoboth’s sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to me. We can set up a time to chat on the phone or grab a cup of coffee and meet in person. ▼

Laurie Thompson is CAMP Rehoboth’s Development Manager, overseeing all development, fundraising, and donor relations. She can be reached via email at laurie@ camprehoboth.com or call 302-227-5620.

Last year CAMP Rehoboth welcomed more than 3,000 people to Women’s FEST and SUNFESTIVAL, and more than 2,000 people and 92 vendors to the CAMP Rehoboth Block Party.

And We’ll Have Fun, Fun, Fun…

Plan Now for Women’s FEST!

The Mid-Atlantic’s largest event specifically for women is returning to Rehoboth Beach April 2730, and you don’t want to miss it. In fact, stop what you’re doing right now, jot the dates in your calendar, and book accommodations if needed (see sidebar—rooms are selling out fast).

The organizers are busy finalizing the details, but here’s what you can expect:

FUN* From the moment the kick-off party begins on Thursday night until the lights go out at the after-party Sunday afternoon, Women’s FEST will offer no shortage of fun.

Want sports? How about a pickleball tournament or cornhole on the beach? Golf more your speed? Choose from a full round of 18 holes at The Rookery on Thursday or a quick nine holes at American Classic on Friday—or why not both?

Walking more your speed? Join the enthusiastic crowd strolling the boards on Sunday in the popular Broadwalk on the Boardwalk and help raise funds for the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition. The Coalition provides programs that increase breast cancer awareness, promote the importance of early detection, provide access to mammograms, and offer support and resources to women and men in our local community who are newly diagnosed or facing recurrence of breast cancer.

Long to kick up your heels? Party the night away at the main dance bash,

which will be held at the convention center Saturday night (other opportunities to dance are in the works). With both live music and a DJ, this event is a don’t miss.

ENTERTAINMENT* It’s always nice to start off with a laugh, and you’re sure to have that when comedian Jen Kober takes the stage on Friday night with her original blend of stand-up, storytelling, and improvised rock-n-roll comedy. Opening for her will be Ty Greenstein and Ingrid Elizabeth of Mouths of Babes. With their previous bands, Girlyman and Coyote Grace, Ty and Ingrid captivated thousands of loyal fans as they crisscrossed the country, rocked festival main stages, and toured with the likes of the Indigo Girls and Dar Williams. Saturday will provide more entertainment options you won’t want to miss. We can’t spill the beans just yet, but trust us, there will be no shortage of delights.

SPRING* Nature’s time of rebirth, regeneration, and reinvigoration, spring is the perfect setting for Women’s FEST, an event at which you can renew old relationships (and create new ones), restore your commitment to health and fitness, and relish being surrounded by other women, all freely enjoying themselves in a safe setting. Returning for the 22nd year, Women’s FEST is the perfect way to kick off this year’s season at the beach.

In addition to sports, music, and dance, this year’s FEST includes an

expo, an auction, health information and screenings, and other activities. You won’t want to miss a moment.

TRADITION* In April 2001, a small group of women—the CAMP Rehoboth Women’s Project—put together a halfday Women’s Conference. The event offered speakers addressing topics such as health, financial planning, and legal protection for lesbian couples banned from legal marriages. The morning conference, upstairs at the Rehoboth Library, was a sell-out at 75 women.

Fast forward to 2022. “Electrifying,” “amazing,” and “energizing” are some of the words that were used to describe last year’s FEST. As Board President Wesley Combs put it: “Women’s FEST is one of the jewels in CAMP Rehoboth’s crown.” And the 2023 FEST is shaping up to be even bigger and better. ▼

*Fun, Entertainment, Spring, Tradition: FEST!

NEXT STEPS

1. If you need a room, call The Breakers Hotel & Suites at 302-2276688 and mention Women’s FEST to get the discount (the host hotel is already full, so hurry!).

2. Visit camprehoboth.com to get current information on events and ticket availability.

3. Consider becoming a sponsor for free FEST admissions, T-shirts, and other benefits.

Photo: LeeAndMark & Co.

Accessing PrEP

So—first—just what is PrEP? Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV is a prevention strategy in which HIV-negative individuals take one or more anti-HIV medications to reduce the risk of becoming infected when potentially exposed to HIV. PrEP is for anyone who does not have HIV and is sexually active. Individuals from all backgrounds and sexual orientations can benefit from HIV prevention strategies like PrEP.

Presently there are two daily oral medications as well as an injectable medication given every two months available to prevent HIV infection. All are highly effective when used as directed.

To make accessing PrEP easier, AIDS Delaware has partnered with Q Care Plus to provide another tool in the fight to end HIV. Q Care Plus provides flexible options like virtual provider visits with PrEP experts, convenient labs like at-home testing kits or in-person at traditional labs, and medications delivered right to your door. The partnership with Q Care Plus is the perfect option for people who don’t have a regular doctor or want a more convenient, discreet way to access PrEP.

“This partnership was a natural fit,” said John Gardner, Executive Director of AIDS Delaware. “Getting people tested so they know their HIV status is critical to ending HIV. For those who test positive, we help get them into care and onto life-saving medications. For those who test negative, we discuss PrEP as an extremely effective tool to help keep them that way.”

While PrEP is highly effective in preventing HIV, it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Condoms protect against most other STIs, as well as HIV and pregnancy. ▼

Scan to visit Q Care Plus and learn more.

Up & Coming Young Artist Kendall

Victoria Deshields, who participates in West Side New Beginnings’ West Rehoboth Children and Youth Program, loves to draw, paint, and create various images through her artwork. She is 11 years old, and in fifth grade. Kendall started drawing when she was six years old. Kendall says she likes to draw because she would “like to become a famous artist.” She enjoys drawing and painting brightly-colored flowers.

Kendall enjoys watching art on YouTube; she also likes to watch football, soccer, and softball. Her favorite subjects in school are reading, writing, math, English Language Arts, and science. She also loves to volunteer, is a leader, and does very well in school. Playing her clarinet is another joy.

Kendall enjoys spending time with her family (dad, mom, brothers, sisters, and extended family). Her hobbies (in addition to art) include making bracelets, being outdoors, bike riding, swimming, and traveling to Disney World—especially Universal Studios, Magic Kingdom, and Animal Kingdom. ▼

Coastal Delaware Running Festival

Focus

Multisports’ annual Coastal Delaware Running Festival, presented by Grotto Pizza, will take place April 15-16, 2023. The festival will include a 5k, a 9k, a half-marathon, and a full marathon (Boston Qualifier). All four courses include some of the most beautiful landmarks on coastal Delaware, including the Rehbotoh Beach Boardwalk, Delaware State Park paths and landmarks, historic Lewes, Delaware, and more. Proceeds will benefit the Delaware Seashore Preservation Foundation and other local charities.

To date, Focus Multisports’ events have yielded over $600,000 in charitable donations benefiting many local charities and volunteer organizations. “We are proud of these events in particular because of the family-friendly aspect for both residents and visitors alike. By the attendance and the positive feedback, I think we accomplish that goal,” said Focus Multisports’ Race Director Rick Hundley.

“At Focus Multisports, Rick and I, along with our team of volunteers, enthusiastic participants, police, EMS, fire police, and public works departments, and through the generosity of our sponsors, make our community better through philanthropy and have fun while doing it. Our alliances strengthen local organizations and provide businesses with a platform to give back,” said Focus Multisports’ Race Director Ernie Felici.

For details and registration, see codelrun.com. ▼

CAMP REHOBOTH THANKS OUR PREMIER SPONSORS

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It’s My Life

Reelin’ in the Years

If anyone finds 30 years lying around anywhere, could you please return them to me?

In 1989 I finished college and moved to New York to work in publishing. I stayed there until 1995. Since then, I’ve been back to the city two or three times for very brief visits, the last one in 2014 when I went to receive the Jim Duggins Mid-Career Novelist Prize from the Lambda Literary Foundation, an honor for which I was enormously thankful, but which also made me feel a little old.

I feel even older now. Last week I returned to New York for the annual Mystery Writers of America board meeting. Not only can I not believe someone put me on the board of a major writing organization, I can’t believe how much time has passed since my last time wandering around my old stomping grounds.

It’s impossible in such a situation to not compare Then to Now. After seeing a friend for lunch, we walked by my first apartment, at 45 Carmine Street in Greenwich Village. I inherited the place from a friend-of-a-friend, who let me take it over in exchange for keeping her answering machine there so that if her mother ever called, she wouldn’t know that her 40-year-old daughter had finally moved in with her girlfriend of 15 years. I paid $500 a month for the studio apartment.

I looked it up—it goes for $3,500 a month now. The building itself has been completely renovated. The Chinese restaurant next door, which supplied the bulk of my diet for the years I lived there, is now an upscale vegan place. The record stores and magazine stands have been replaced by gelato vendors and yoga studios. The streets are crowded with French bulldogs and strollers.

I moved into that apartment the summer before I turned 21. I hadn’t yet published a magazine article, let alone a book. I used to walk to A Different Light bookstore on Hudson Street and look at all the queer books, never thinking that someday mine would be for sale there too. I’d yet to venture into my first

gay bar or go home with my first man. Everything was new.

Now I’m 80-something books into a writing career. Married. And at the hour when most people are heading to bars, I’m usually in bed asleep.

One night during the trip, I went with my friends Greg and Donna to see Hadestown on Broadway. Sitting there, I thought back to my first time at a show, which also happened to be my first real

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

date with another man. I took him to a revival of Gypsy, then starring Tyne Daly, at the suggestion of my boss, a gay man who I affectionately thought of as “an old theater queen.” At the time he told me to take my date to see Gypsy, Frank was actually two years younger than I am now.

Frank is gone now, as are many of the people I knew back then. But many of my friends from those days still live in New York. I was able to see a few of them—some of whom I haven’t seen in person since leaving the city—and in those moments it felt like no time at all had passed.

But it has. Even as New York has become cleaner, renovated, perhaps overly sanitized, I’ve gotten older, greyer, slower. The hotel I stayed at was in Times Square and walking through there while going to and from the subway was the starkest reminder of how we’ve both changed. When I moved there, the lights in Times Square came from porn theater marquees. Now, they come from the M&M store. Then, solicitations came from hustlers. Now, they come from people dressed as Spiderman and Hello Kitty, offering photo ops. Back then, we

dropped tokens into the subway turnstiles. This time, I waved my phone at a screen and $2.75 was magically sucked out of my bank account.

While I mostly enjoyed the new New York, I missed the old one. Then, one night our dinner reservation at a trendy ramen place went awry. Scrambling for an alternative, I remembered the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant, which was just around the corner. When I lived in the city, it was a favorite “secret” place, one not many people seemed to know about. Housed in the basement of the Ukrainian National Home community center, it felt like going to dinner in your baba’s kitchen. The food was rustic, the service leisurely, the atmosphere delightful.

I had no idea if it would be the same now and am happy to report that it was. Passing through the doors, it felt like going back in time to 1989. Nothing had changed, including the woman who greeted us at the door. For two hours, it felt like being home again. At one point I looked over at a table where some young people were sitting. They were about the age I was when I lived in New York. They looked happy. I wondered where they saw themselves 30 years from now, or if they even thought that far ahead. And when they looked over at us, I wondered what they saw. Their futures? A group of old people? People who were once like them?

I don’t miss living in New York. It was hard, expensive, a constant struggle. I was happy to come home to our sleepy village, my husband, our dogs. But I’m thankful for the time I had there—both Then and Now. ▼

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

I wondered where they saw themselves 30 years from now, or if they even thought that far ahead.

BY PATTIE CINELLI

Live from Your Heart Not Just Your Head A Balance for Optimal Heart Health

February is American Heart Month for good reason: heart disease is the number one cause of death for Americans. Most advice about having a healthy heart includes directives that I bet we can all recite by heart—eat well, be active, quit smoking, manage your weight, and control alcohol intake, cholesterol, and blood pressure. Often there’s one more item at the end of the list: manage stress. That’s because stress is often a driving force that causes people to eat poorly, drink excessively, be overweight, or not exercise.

Living more from your heart and less from your head positively affects more than the health of your heart. To live from the heart means following what makes you feel energized, balanced, rejuvenated, and healthy. It means surrounding ourselves with people who nourish our souls, build us up, and make us want to be the best we can be.

Feelings have as much to do with the heart as they do with the brain. Our emotions can change the signals the brain sends to the heart, and the heart responds in complex ways. Ignoring our emotions can impact our physical health, increase negative social interactions, and slow intellectual growth.

You may first connect with an idea with your heart, and only then try to understand it with your brain. You may feel your way through an experience and call on your thoughts for support. You can be living from the heart and not even realize it. And you can be living from the heart and be deeply aware of the beauty of it.

Living from the heart means perceiving life differently; it means operating more from a feeling state. The heart sees how everyone and everything is connected, not how we are all different. The heart—in this way of living—is not only the organ that pumps continuously to keep us

alive, but is also our connection to our soul and our authentic selves. By tapping into our heart intelligence, we can go beyond the limits of the mind and connect with a deeper aspect of ourselves.

I’ve been living from my heart for a long time. I resonate with what feels good. I listen to my intuition, not necessarily what is an accepted path.

a nudge. It tells you to go this way or that way. Sometimes you may interpret it wrong but you can always check with your logic or your brain. It is like a crazy search engine that taps into all information in your subconscious without overwhelming you.”

Living from your heart does not mean that you sit in lotus position, chanting. You can be excited, calm, or even concerned—but are centered at the same time. If we are open to it, we may solve problems quicker, drive a car more efficiently, and get along with more people unlike us. If you live from your heart, daily activities and creativity become easier.

For decades, I divided my time between my profession—I was a midlevel public relations manager—and my avocation—teaching fitness in my spare time. But the combo became too stressful for me. Something had to change.

When I visualized my life without my fitness practice, I felt empty and unfulfilled. When I visualized my life without my office position, I felt free. My decision was clear—until I talked about it with others.

Just about everyone told me how unwise it would be to give up a wellpaying position and all the benefits that went with it for a path that was financially insecure and uncertain. My heart was telling me otherwise. When I checked in with my brain, I didn’t discount the advice but I knew my instinct was correct. If my plan didn’t work out I could always get another job. I followed my heart, started my own business, and never regretted it for one minute.

Nil Demircubuk, who is an intuition teacher and life coach who has a background in engineering, said there is much research around living from the heart. “Your intuition is like

Living from your heart, like anything else, takes practice. A simple deep breath before speaking or acting is a good place to start. Focus on small things. Open up to possibilities—let life change you. Rather than shooing away mental chatter and accompanying feelings, allow them to sit with you. Move your body. Physical movement will make you more aware of how you feel both physically and emotionally— which is where you want to start living from. Stop doing what you think you should do and start doing what feels good to do.

You may change your mind 1,000 times a day, yet your heart remains the same. Live life from your heart space where you can feel more deeply and appreciate the little everyday joys. As you become more aware of your heart’s intentions, you may find you can change your life and your health. ▼

Pattie Cinelli is a journalist and fitness professional who focuses on leading-edgeof-thought ways to stay healthy and get well. Contact her at: fitmiss44@aol.com.

Living from your heart does not mean that you sit in lotus position, chanting.

Classes & Events

For more information about any of these events, please visit camprehoboth.com or call us at 302-227-5620. Zoom links (when applicable) can be found on our website or the weekly email newsletter. Meetings are in-person and take place at CAMP Rehoboth unless noted otherwise.

Weekly Events

WALK-IN HIV TESTING

Mondays-Fridays

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

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

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

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

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

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

MORNING MINDFULNESS

Tuesdays 8:00 a.m. (Zoom)

Erin will lead a mindful exercise or morning meditation for 30 minutes.

CHAIR YOGA

Tuesdays 9:00 a.m. (Zoom)

Erin guides participants to synchronize conscious breath with mindful movement. The sequence of poses is designed to energize and strengthen, as well as relax and lengthen muscles.

MEN’S YOGA

Saturdays 8:45 a.m.

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

YOGA FOR ALL

Wednesdays 11:00 a.m.

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

Bi-weekly & Monthly Events

WOMEN IN CIRCLE

02/18, 03/04, 10:00 a.m.

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

YOUTHUP THEME NIGHT

02/23, 6:30 p.m. (Zoom)

Every fourth Thursday is Theme Night, for 11- to 19-year-old LGBTQ+ youth. February’s theme is watercolors. It promises to be a fun night of painting and talking about all things art. Watercolor kits will be provided via Amazon. All skill levels welcome—no previous experience with watercolors required. Sign up by emailing julian@camprehoboth.com.

YOUTHUP BOOK CLUB

02/27, 7:00 p.m. (Zoom)

The YouthUp Book Club meets the last Monday of each month. This month's book is Georgia Peaches and Other Forbidden Fruit by Jaye Robin Brown. If you need a copy of the book or want to be added to the mailing list for the Zoom link, email julian@camprehoboth.com.

YOUTHUP DISCUSSION GROUP

03/09, 6:30 p.m. (Zoom)

The Youth Discussion Group meets the second Thursday of each month. This discussion group is for 11- to 19-year-old LGBTQ+ youth to get together and chat virtually with other LGBTQ+ youth and a supportive adult moderator.

These meetings are meant for informal discussions of school, friends, media, and other youth-driven topics. Requests for presentations and other questions from/by adults should be directed to julian@camprehoboth.com.

YOUNG ADULT DISCUSSION GROUP

02/16, 6:00 p.m. (Zoom)

The Young Adult discussion group meets the third Thursday of each month. This group is for 19- to 25-year-old LGBTQ+ young adults. For more information email julian@camprehoboth.com.

FLAMING KNITTERS

02/27, 6:30 p.m.

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

CAMP REHOBOTH BOOK CLUB

02/27, 5:30 p.m. (Zoom)

The Book Club meets the last Monday of each month. The Book Club is a queer-facilitated discussion group dedicated to reading novels about queer topics and/or books by queer authors that tackle a variety of interests and subject matters. The February selection: My Government Means to Kill Me, by Rasheed Newson. ▼

A Valentine for My True Love

It’s Valentine’s Day and I can’t help but think about how it has been 20 years since I truly fell in love. My affection has never ebbed; it has always flowed. When separated by distance, the absence only made my heart grow fonder.

I am in love with the ocean. I also love Rehoboth. It’s the longest and best relationship I have ever had.

I first came to know this delightful beach town in the fall of 2002. As a newer resident to Delaware, lured by love that turned out to be a mirage, I hadn’t been downstate, as the locals said. I had a vague recollection from one of my father’s “look what I found on a map so let’s go check it out” trips to Delaware State Seashore Park when I was about eight, but foggy memories at best. And as for beaches, my family mostly went to down the shore, as the locals there say, to Ocean City, New Jersey. We didn’t know what we were missing.

In 2002, I was a reporter covering topics statewide and a press release arrived in my newsroom for a Rehoboth Beach event. A beach, about an hour from where I sat? I persuaded my editor, for the first time of many, that the slower lower needed to be covered and I was willing to make the sacrifice to drive all the way down there to do it. I would make the trek. To the beach. What a trouper.

so much time walking around town, in and out of all the shops (RIP Tempus Fugit). I met so many friendly people. I loved waving back to the ocean that never failed to wave first. It hasn’t always been sunshine. In fact, I remember one week in June, circa 2005, where it rained four out of five days of my vacation. And sure, sometimes even the ocean has bad days. During another trip, what looked like a serene January day, cold but quiet, turned into a scene from The Wizard of Oz as the wind off the ocean threatened to toss me from the boardwalk all the way up to the roundabout at the entrance to town.

But even a rainy, windy, crappy day in Rehoboth is better than a sunny day anywhere else.

BY TARA LYNN JOHNSON

That first work trip was short, on a sunny September day, but something about the town made me want to return. I planned a getaway the next Valentine’s Day. It was for my IRL relationship, but it ended up being the beginning of a relationship with the real love of my life. There’s just something about Rehoboth’s vibe, something I can’t name, that made me want to return. And I did and I have, many, many times.

During that first long weekend, I spent

There’s ocean up and down the coast not far from the Philadelphia neighborhood where I grew up, but it never felt like home away from home. I’ve been to many beaches in New Jersey, Maryland, Virginia, Massachusetts, and more. After I met ocean in Rehoboth, though, I never go anywhere else. I took trips with the mirage I was (formerly) legally bound to and many times by myself. (Imagine your “love” introducing you to your lifelong love and you ditch the former but keep the latter. Awkward.) During one especially therapeutic trip, I tossed all previous mirages into the ocean (figuratively and spiritually of course). The ocean graciously accepted, drowned, and swept them all out to sea. Then, we watched the day

wane into twilight, the ocean nipping my toes, me amazed by the colors on the horizon changing from light blue to pinks, purples, then almost black. Hello, moon. The next day—good morning, dolphins.

During a trip in late 2019, just before the world changed, I realized that my love of the ocean and of this town has never wavered. Rehoboth and the ocean have always been here for me, a part of me. Being apart for so long due to COVID was difficult, but we reunited in February 2022, and it felt so good. After more than two years, the first place I wanted to go was where I always found solace, beauty, and joy. Everything had changed—except Rehoboth and the ocean. As ever, they were waiting for me.

I don’t remember which late 2010s trip made me finally put a ring on it—a wave ring bought to celebrate my true love, to have it with me always. and to relegate all other relationships forever to second place. So Happy Valentine’s Day to my favorite sea, sand, and sun, and funky town downstate. You’ll always have my heart, candy and otherwise. I love Rehoboth. It’s the longest and best relationship I have ever had. ▼

Tara Lynn Johnson is caregiving in Pennsylvania, but her heart lives in Rehoboth near the ocean. Visit her online at taralynnjohnson.com.

Photo: Joel Demott, Unsplash.com

I love Rehoboth. It’s the longest and best relationship I have ever had.

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BY RICHARD J. ROSENDALL

Erasing People Is No Path to Freedom

The DeSantis administration, right after observing the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, banned Florida public schools from teaching advanced placement African American studies.

What’s the alleged offense? PBS NewsHour co-anchor Geoff Bennett describes “a pilot course by the College Board focused on Black history, arts, science and culture.” The Florida Department of Education says it “lacks educational value.”

The right-wing governor we should all call Rhonda Santis helpfully says, “What’s one of the lessons about? Queer theory. Now, who would say that an important part of Black history is queer theory?” Correct answers include James Baldwin, Bayard Rustin, and Audre Lorde.

In related news, Daily Kos reports, “Just in time for ‘Literacy Week,’ Florida teachers are told to hide books or face felony prosecution.” That’s in Manatee County, where only books approved by certified media specialists can be accessed by children.

DeSantis says, “Florida is where woke goes to die!” I thought most people go to Florida because it’s warmer; but what is this radical “woke“ agenda that the governor wants to stamp out? As far as I can tell, it is any teaching of respect for the actual diversity of people in this country.

Millions of my fellow white people, it turns out, are seething with rage at the prospect of having to share what Baldwin sardonically called “the glittering republic” with anyone who doesn’t look and think and love like them.

A few years back, people like homocon Andrew Sullivan raged against The 1619 Project, which Nikole Hannah-Jones developed for the New York Times. A year later, the Trump administration announced creation of the 1776 Commission to develop a “patriotic curriculum.” You will not be

surprised that the commission included no historians with a specialization in American history.

Isn’t it inspiring how patriotism means such different things to different people? For some of us, love of country means striving to make it “live out the true meaning of its creed,” to quote Dr. King. For others, it means jealously banishing any portrayal of our past except as a stately march to Mt. Rushmore—carved, mind you, into the Black Hills, which are sacred to the

When a governor eyeing a White House run punishes the Disney Corporation for its LGBTQ-affirming policies, denigrates and bans the teaching of Black history, and threatens teachers with prison for giving a child a book, he is the one hooked on indoctrination.

One wonders what surveillance this purportedly freedom-loving governor plans to impose on children’s electronic devices to ensure they are not exposed to the growing list of ideas he is determined to keep from them. He will have hard sledding turning back the clock on all of the social progress opposed by the white Christian nationalists he is courting.

Lakota Sioux, who want them returned in accordance with the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868.

Black History Month is a perfect time to discuss what Michael Harriot of TheGrio calls Wypipoing. He explains, “Wypipoing is calling oneself a ‘patriot’ while waving a confederate flag. Wypipoing is whining about widespread voter fraud while rubber-stamping gerrymandering, voter suppression and felon disenfranchisement. Wypipoing is screaming about freedom of speech while outlawing critical race theory.”

I suppose I am not the most loyal member of the Wypipo, since I enjoy Mr. Harriot’s smart, fierce, and witty articles. This reminds me of Charles Barkley’s 2005 book, Who’s Afraid of a Large Black Man? which is described on Amazon as “a series of charged, in-yourface conversations about race.” (Isn’t it charming when “in your face” is used as a selling point?)

Black voters who know what is at stake turned out in droves despite efforts to suppress them. Same-sex couples are raising families. Gay servicemembers are integrated into our military. Equality Texas reported, “All 30+ anti-LGBTQ+ bills filed this session were officially dead, including 13 direct attacks on transgender youth.” Brittney Griner is back home, right-wing detractors notwithstanding.

Even the Speaker of the House has no problem naming a former Brazilian drag queen to standing committees.

The fascism that sells in the reddest states will not sell in the rest of the country. Nearly 1,000 January 6 insurrectionists have been charged with crimes. The autocratic bigots are unrelenting in their fanaticism, but their refusal to learn any lessons can be their undoing.

If those of us who embrace our nation’s diversity stand together, we can beat back the reactionaries and write the next page in our history. ▼

rrosendall@me.com.

Richard J. Rosendall is a writer and activist at

For some of us, love of country means striving to make it “live out the true meaning of its creed,” to quote Dr. King.

BY KAREN LAITMAN

Drip Feed: An Interview with Tara Wisely

In just under two weeks, the CAMP Rehoboth Theater Company will premier Drip Feed, a one-woman show starring local actor Tara Wisely. We sat down with Tara to learn more about her acting career, favorite roles, and biggest challenges. And about just how she prepares for a performance where she is front-andcenter—sporting an Irish accent—for an entire solo show.

CAMP REHOBOTH: Describe your last experience on stage.

TARA WISELY: It was different from what I usually do because it was a musical which is not my normal genre. I was in 9 to 5 at Clear Space and played Violet, the Lily Tomlin character. I don’t get to do musicals that often as I’m what they call “an actor who sings.” I can sing and I can read music and follow a tune, but I am not someone who you would necessarily go see because you love to hear me sing. I do think I am great at telling a story though, and this was a story-telling character. It was wonderful to work with young people who were theater majors and who took their craft seriously. I also enjoyed playing to a packed house every night.

CR: What was your longest running role on stage?

TW: My longest running roles have been with Clear Space Theater. I do the summer programs like 9 to 5, and years ago I did Oliver. We did two performances a week for the 2022 summer, for a total of about 20 shows.

CR: What’s the first thing you do to research a character’s role?

TW: I will read the script a few times through and when I get a sense of who this character is, then I will look for the key moments in the script. I will find the defining moments that created the arc of who the character is from the beginning of the play to who they become by the end of the play. I pinpoint those moments and work on those first. This show is unique because she is telling a story the whole time. The audience does not see an actor experiencing changes over real time, like a play typically would present. In this show

the audience is watching the actor tell you about things that have already happened and have already affected her.

CR: What is the best way you have found to memorize the script?

TW: I read this script repeatedly so that I had a general sense of the story line. I embedded the story in my brain and then broke it down into 14-16 sections. Then I record each section and tackle them one at a time until I have them memorized. In a play with other actors, you have prompts from them to help remind you of your next line; in a monologue, you have to create breaking points so it is easier to move into the next section and it flows.

CR: What experience do you have with accents, and how do you develop them?

TW: I have not done a lot with accents. The only reason I was willing to chance it with this show was because I had an elderly family member when I was growing up who was from Ireland. I heard the accent when I was young and impressionable, and I have also traveled there and so am familiar with that specific ‘Cork’ accent. I feel accents are about rhythm and cadence and I feel I have a grasp on the cadence part of the Irish language. If I focus on the vowels and can get them down, then the language is easier to develop. For instance, I’ll work on getting the “I” down and underline the vowels in the script and record myself. Once I do this for a bit, then I can start to do it naturally. The Irish accent is melodic, with highs and lows, and is very expressive, which makes it a little easier to get a feel for.

CR: Describe your most challenging role to date.

TW: I was challenged two times in recent years in terms of the circumstances surrounding my participation. Once I took over a role for someone three weeks prior to production. I played Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing. This was a bucket list role that I have always wanted to play. I knew some of the scenes well but not the whole play. It was challenging because I needed to learn the blocking and lines quickly. I was recently challenged again when I was asked two weeks before open-

ing night to take on a role in Murder on the Orient Express. Fortunately, it was not as big a role, but still a challenge.

CR: Which type of acting do you feel you are most suited for?

TW: I really love the talky comedies like Neil Simon. I love the quick funny pace. The reason why I love acting so much is because there is so much to think about while you are on stage that you don’t have any room in your brain to think about anything else. It is a release for me. it is like an intense meditation.

CR: Who do you consider to be your acting role model?

TW: That sort of shifts for me. I really like English actors and those around my age. I love Helena Bonham Carter and Emma Thompson. I also like Rose Byrne a lot; I respect that she is skilled at both drama and comedy and doesn’t seem pinned down to doing one type of role. ▼

Drip Feed will enjoy its US premier on the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center stage, February 23-25, at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are available at camprehoboth.com.

Karen Laitman serves on CAMP Rehoboth Theater’s Publicity Committee and has acted in the theater’s last two productions. She serves also on the CROP Leadership Committee and is Co-Chair for Women’s FEST 2023.

This show is unique because she is telling a story the whole time.

BY Karen Cogan

DIRECTED BY Russell Stiles

STARRING Tara Wisely

Thursday, February 23 rd / 8pm

Friday, February 24 th / 8pm

Saturday, February 25 th / 8pm (with ASL interpreter) at the Elkins-Archibald Atrium

37 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE

$20 / ticket tickets available at camprehoboth.com

This organization 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

An Era of Liberation

The (Very Gay) Harlem Renaissance

Although the 1969 Stonewall uprising is often thought of as the galvanizing point in LGBTQ+ history, the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and 1930s was a time of queer liberation as well as Black liberation. The era not only allowed African American artists—from painters and authors to dancers and musicians— to experiment artistically, but also saw those artists explore gender, sex, and sexuality.

A Crossroads of Artistic, Cultural, and Sexual Energies

The rising influence of LGBTQ+ social life in the 1920s came just as Harlem became the nation’s largest Black urban neighborhood. Black and white, gay and straight—all mingled in Harlem’s speakeasies. The unifier was explicit sexuality, not sexual orientation. The police and courts enforced anti-vice laws in other parts of the city but had little interest in the behavior of the Black residents of Harlem.

Performers were able to challenge conventions of male and female dress

and behavior and some openly flaunted gender and sexuality constraints. Patrons flocked to enjoy the exoticism, freedom of relaxed mores, and opportunities for varied sexual experiences. Harlem was the only place in New York where Black gay men could gather publicly. And those men, says historian George Chauncey, “turned Harlem into a homosexual mecca.”

“Fairy” Balls

Harlem’s Hamilton Lodge began hosting drag balls in 1869. By the 1920s, the balls had become extravaganzas. Then, as now, drag events attracted both queer and straight patrons. There were contests, and awards were given for the most extravagant gowns and costumes. In 1926, a crowd of some 1,500 packed the Renaissance Casino in Harlem for the 58th masquerade and civil ball of Hamilton Lodge. Nearly half of those attending, reported the New York Age, appeared to be “men of the class generally known as ‘fairies,’ and many Bohemians from the Greenwich Village section who...in their gorgeous evening gowns, wigs and powdered faces were hard to

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

distinguish from many of the women.”

Drag balls eventually evolved into house balls. In the early 1970s, the world of drag pageantry evolved into competitions that included “vogue” battles. These events can all trace their origins back to 1800s Harlem.

Leading Lights

Few well-known figures from this era were open about their sexual orientation. Many maintained heterosexual personas but are believed to have had same-sex relationships, while others were known to be gay but only among their fellow artists. Few were truly out. Scholars and biographers have drawn conclusions by examining personal correspondence, unpublished writings, and observations by contemporaries.

Philosopher Alain Locke and poet Countee Cullen were two of the most prominent Black queer writers of the Harlem Renaissance. Locke defined the aesthetic and goals of the Harlem Renaissance with his 1925 book The New Negro, a collection of short fiction, poetry, and essays from young Black writers. Countee Cullen’s 1925 poetry collection Color helped establish his reputation as a leading Black poet of the new generation.

Richard Bruce Nugent, one of the few openly gay Black writers of the period, published “Smoke, Lilies and Jade,” a short story which is considered the first publication by an African American

The Harlem Renaissance created a spirit of self-expression and pride that set a path to LGBTQ+ activism.

Left: Langston Hughes kept his personal life private, but most scholars believe he was gay.

Above: Richard Bruce Nugent, one of the few openly gay figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Experts in coastal comfort.

to depict gay acts. His frankness and willingness to document his experiences has made him an invaluable source of information on gay life during the Harlem Renaissance.

The best-known leader of the Harlem Renaissance, Langston Hughes, is believed to have been gay, although he was very private. Arnold Rampersad, author of The Life of Langston Hughes, has said "Although Hughes remained sexually closeted to the end of his life, the widespread perception in Harlem, where he lived, was that he was gay.”

Entertainers tended to be more open. While blues singers Bessie Smith and Alberta Hunter never publicly acknowledged their lesbian or bisexual identities, they were relatively open with their fellow performers. One of the more flamboyant entertainers, Gladys Bentley, was the star at Harry Hansberry’s Clam House in the 1920s and the Ubangi Club in the early 1930s. She became famous for performing in men’s clothing, notably a white tuxedo and top hat. She often sang raunchy songs about her female lovers and flirted with women in the audience. Jimmie Daniels, who performed at the Hot-Cha nightclub, built a devoted

following of gay fans with his sophisticated renditions of jazz standards and showtunes. One gay club host was the female impersonator “Gloria Swanson,” who sang and danced wearing velvet-trimmed evening gowns and was so convincing that some patrons never realized he was a man.

The Harlem Renaissance created a spirit of self-expression and pride that set a path to LGBTQ+ activism. Only the depression and growing conservatism (then McCarthyism and the lavender scare) closeted this history. Even Gladys Bentley surrendered, trading her tux for a dress, and declaring herself “cured” by female hormones. Fortunately, society has changed and this fascinating part of LGBTQ+ history is now coming to light. ▼

WANT TO READ MORE?

Arpita Aneja, “The History You Didn’t Learn: The (Gay) Harlem Renaissance,” Time.com, October 11, 2021.

George Chauncey, Gay New York: Gender, Urban Culture, and the Making of the Gay Male World, 1890-1940.

Steven W. Lewis, “The Harlem Renaissance in Black Queer History.” Smithsonian, May 28, 2022.

Thaddeus Morgan, "How 19th-Century Drag Balls Evolved into House Balls, Birthplace of Voguing." History Channel (online), June 28, 2021.

Sarah Pruitt, "How Gay Culture Blossomed During the Roaring Twenties," History Channel (online), Updated: June 12, 2019; Original: June 10, 2019

A.B. Christa Schwarz, Gay Voices of the Harlem Renaissance. Indiana University Press, 2003.

Oliver Stabbe, "Queens and queers: The rise of drag ball culture in the 1920s." O Say Can You See, Stories from the Museum, National Museum of American History, April 11, 2016.

Lewes, Delaware.

Deborah Treisman. “Discovering an Unpublished Story by Langston Hughes,” The New Yorker, May 30, 2016.

Olivia B. Waxman, “The Overlooked LGBTQ+ History of the Harlem Renaissance,” Time.com, October 11, 2021.

James Wilson, Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance

Langston

Nancy (Day) Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and editor who owns Cat & Mouse Press in

Photo credits: Richard Bruce Nugent: Carl Van Vechten Papers Relating to African American Arts and Letters. James Weldon Johnson Collection in the Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, ©Van Vechten Trust.

Hughes: Farm Security Administration - Office of War Information photograph collection (Library of Congress)

BY MICHAEL GILLES

Shorebreak Lodge: A Gem on Wilmington Avenue

The bar: a harbinger of things to come. Usually, a restaurant bar is off to the left or the right. Not this bar. It is immediately in view, indeed the first thing you see when you enter. And with good reason. The bar is beautiful. Gorgeous lighting; an attractive layout of liquor. I thought “this restaurant is going to be good.”

Boy, was I right. Shorebreak Lodge is a top-notch restaurant. Nestled among the tree-lined Wilmington Avenue, its windows are elevated from the street below, allowing for a sense of privacy, while giving the patrons an opportunity to view the bustling Rehoboth crowds. And that’s not all. The inside offers an attractive blue-and-white color scheme and an eclectic set of chairs and tables, creating a comfortable atmosphere.

The staff adds to the ambience immeasurably. We were seated by the bartender, Brian, and attended to by the professional, friendly Stephano. The bar produced an excellent Cosmo, and more treats were in store. We were serenaded by a fellow patron, who sang the praises of the food and staff quite vociferously. At first, we thought (laughingly) that she was on the restaurant’s dole. But no, she was merely a restaurant regular, eager to share with us her love of Shorebreak. Not only was she a hoot, but she made it into the review!

But I digress; let’s get to the food. As satisfying as the atmosphere was, and as good as Brian’s Cosmo creation was, the food was even better. The appetizers’ aromas announced the serving of the dishes when Stephano brought them out. Sally got the Lamb Lollipops and the fresh, vibrant ceviche, while I got the Wild Mushroom Bruschetta. Sally loved the ceviche and took some home. Alas, no taking the lollipops home. They were eaten right down to the bone, so tender, juicy, and tasty. I am generally not a fan of bruschetta…what can be special about bread and a topping? Well, I learned my lesson. This bruschetta had the most delicious mushrooms

I’ve ever tasted on top of the perfectly prepared bread. It was just the right thickness; toasted yet soft. I caught a hint of balsamic in the mushrooms; the dish was gentle but assertive. It was delectable.

particularly superb menu item: the unbelievably good risotto. The star of some dishes, it is also served as a side. I could make a meal just from the risotto.

Finally came the desserts. Sally chose the chocolate cake, boasting a rich combination of cake and frosting, soft and creamy and melting in her mouth. I had never tried pineapple upside down cake before. Now was the time to be adventurous. I was not at all disappointed. Perfect on the outside, perfect on the inside.

I asked Stephano who is responsible for these delicious menu items. General Manager Sean Pusateri has created many of the dishes and has used his 30 years of restaurant experience to perfect them. You can find classic seafood preparations on the menu that were created by the original executive chef, Rob Stitt, founder of Shorebreak in 2011. These recipes have been the foundation of Shorebreak and are still prepared in the same way by their kitchen team, Dimas and DeWayne. Their sauces are made with fresh herbs, they serve only fresh produce, and their seafood is locally sourced. Their desserts are homemade by a local baker. The staff provides suggested pairings of their impressive wine list with their dinner choices.

Thankfully, the music played over the speakers was there to establish mood, not detract from the dining. Although it would be difficult to detract from this meal. For her main entree, Sally got the pork chop, an outstanding cut of meat with an apple chutney glaze. Another winner. I ordered the surf and turf, an appetizing combination of short rib and day-boat scallops. The short rib was perfectly done, with a veal demi-glace, so tender it practically melted on the fork. The scallops were simply amazing, beautifully caramelized, cooked to perfection. Compliments to the chef!

No review of Shorebreak Lodge would do it justice without mentioning a

Shorebreak is in season 12. Kate Wall took over ownership of Shorebreak in 2017 and the new regime is going into its seventh season. Kate has shepherded this fine restaurant well, while maintaining the particular charms and quality we experienced. The restaurant is indeed top-notch, and the people, the menu, and food show that. We certainly enjoyed every moment of this dining experience. All I can say is, bravo!  ▼

Michael Gilles is a playwright, actor, and director from Milton, and a regular contributor to Letters from CAMP Rehoboth.

I could make a meal just from the risotto.

NOT ALL HEARTS & FLOWERS

Vinegar Valentines

You remember it well, in one of two ways. Either you were the rare kid who rejoiced when the teacher announced that it was time to make your Valentine’s Day Boxes. You always made yours extra-large because you knew that thing would be stuffed with cartoon “Be Mines.” Or you were like the rest of us: the kid who knew that whatever you got, you got because the teacher said everybody had to get a Valentine. So, you slapped some pink and red construction paper on a box your grandma found on the porch and you called it a day because even then, you knew that love was for suckers.

We should all be glad we live in modern times. Meaning: it could be worse….

Though people who get paid to think about these things say that the Romans combined a bunch of dour old men into one Valentine legend, early Victorians took Valentine’s Day to loftier heights. Think: lace and lavalieres, calling cards, chaste love, and poesy. Swoon.

Every old movie you’ve ever seen about Victorian times should come to mind here, making your bosom swell. Surely, however, in the midst of such lust, it would happen—as it does in modern times—that the attention of someone who was, well, let’s just say “distasteful” might be cast upon a person who didn’t welcome it.

For that, those crafty Victorians had a solution. Starting as early as the 1840s, puckish British and American men and women who just weren’t feelin’ Valentine’s Day could send a “comic Valentine” (later dubbed “vinegar Valentines”) to the one they absolutely didn’t love.

While some vinegar Valentines could be relatively mild in a teasing sort of way, most were meant to be mean, insulting, and mocking, and were meant to be sent anonymously. They were made with the cheapest paper possible, and always featured a cartoon or caricature of some sort that wasn’t very nice (at best) or vulgar (at worst), plus a poem or short zinger, the intent of which was to hammer home the message of “I hate you, go away.”

It wasn’t even like anybody could pretend that a showy envelope held a love letter, either: most vinegar Valentines were postcards or single sheets of paper, so even the mailman knew what was up. Adding insult to injury, the earliest vinegar Valentines came postage-due because postage reforms and cheaper rates didn’t happen until later.

Early Victorians sent them by the hundreds. And then the whole idea spread.

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

It didn’t take long before vinegar Valentines were made to be given out to offenders in specific positions, say, one for a doctor who charged too much, or a saleslady who acted disrespectfully to a customer. People started personally handing vinegar Valentines to their targets, eliminating the whole idea of anonymity but driving the point home more sharply. When women started fighting for suffrage, there were vinegar Valentines to put them in their place. Teachers fretted that vinegar Valentines were teaching their students the wrong things. Fully half of all the Valentine card sales in America in the mid-1800s were of the vinegar sort.

In 1857, journalists complained that stationers’ windows were missing lace and love, and overflowing with rudeness and insults. By 1871, the postal services on both sides of the pond were tired of the vitriol, but any sort of crack-down was haphazard. In London that year, more than a million Valentines were sent, but officials tried to remove nasty cards from the system. In 1885, a murder and a suicide were reported, with vinegar Valentines catching the blame. In 1905, more than 25,000 vinegar Valentines were held in a Chicago post office because they were considered too awful to send. Not quite a century after they appeared—and though you can still find them if you look hard enough—vinegar Valentines lost their popularity. Then as now, a metaphorical slapdown was just as hurtful as a real one. There’s no good way to say, “Don’t Be Mine. Be Someone Else’s.” ▼

FOR MORE:

Lisa Bitel. “The ‘Real’ St. Valentine Was No Patron of Love.” The Conversation, 13 Sept. 2022.

Becky Little. “Nothing Says ‘I Hate You’ like a ‘Vinegar Valentine’.” Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Feb. 2017.

Crystal Ponti. “Victorian-Era ‘Vinegar’ Valentines Could Be Mean and Hostile.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 10 Feb. 2020.

Natalie Zarrelli. “The Rude, Cruel, and Insulting ‘Vinegar Valentines’ of the Victorian

13 Feb. 2020.

Era.” Atlas Obscura, Atlas Obscura,

Terri Schlichenmeyer’s first book, The Big Book of Facts, is available now in bookstores. Her next two are scheduled to appear in bookstores soon.

Image: Vinegar Valentine. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4392844

Historical Headliners

Country Boy: Grant Wood (1891-1942)

You know that famous painting of the stern farmer holding his pitchfork, the equally stern farm woman standing beside him? It’s called American Gothic, painted in 1930, and it’s one of the most talked about, argued over, even laughed at paintings in the world.

The artist of American Gothic, Grant Wood, was an established Regionalist, those heartland artists who saw beauty and subjects fit for art outside the Modernist abstractions of the New York art scene of the 1920s and 30s. The simple lives lived in the American countryside and its small towns were, to the Regionalists, as profound and majestic as the sophisticated lives lived among the towers of Manhattan.

But any college art history major already knows this.

What isn’t usually mentioned in those art history classes is that Grant Wood, native of farm-country Iowa, observer and champion of rural America, was gay.

It wasn’t mentioned among art historians and other art academics for years because, well, it just wasn’t. First of all, to lead an openly homosexual life in rural America in the 1930s simply was not done, and thus not acknowledged; and second of all, any celebration of queer life at the time was considered a cultural element of those wild and dangerous artsy types in the big cities. But in rural Iowa? Fuggedaboutit.

So how do we know Grant Wood was gay?

The Whitney Museum of American Art’s 2018 retrospective of his work made no secret of it. The show’s catalogue essay by Stanford University art historian Richard Meyer, and a 2010 biography of Wood, Grant Wood, A Life, by Wheaton College professor R. Tripp Evans, acknowledges the heretofore unaddressed homoerotic imagery in many of Wood’s paintings.

Two images which come to mind are fairly explicit: the 1924 painting The Spotted Man, and 1939’s lithograph A Sultry Night. In the first, we see a lean

and graceful nude male carefully studied from the back. In the latter work, A Sultry Night, the homoeroticism is even more overt. Ostensibly a visual record of a memory of Wood’s childhood enjoyment of pouring cold water over his body on hot summer nights, the image in A Sultry

BY ANN APTAKER

of rural America; this is a painting about danger approaching unseen by its victim. It is the perennial fear of the closeted queer.

We don’t need to rely on visual speculation regarding Grant Wood’s homosexuality, which he largely kept hidden from his Iowa community, though it’s been reported that there were rumors at the time. While in Paris in the 1920s to study the work of the Modernists as well as France’s artistic legacy—a sojourn taken by many American artists of the period— Wood and his French companion, artist Marcel Bordet, were very much part of the Paris gay scene.

Returning to his native Iowa, Wood admitted to a friend, “I guess I’m not interested in women.” Despite this admission, the times and rural life demanded certain obligations, and Wood tried to fulfill one of those obligations by an ill-advised marriage to Sara Sherman Maxon. The marriage, not unexpectedly, crumbled after only three years. Late in life, Wood eventually spent his final six years with Rinard Park, his personal secretary.

Night is not of an innocent youth but of a well-developed nude male in the prime of life, every pore of his full-frontal naked flesh taking pleasure in the water spilling down his body.

Current scholarship also takes a second look at Wood’s landscapes and other works devoid of human figures. His famous and ominous Death on the Ridge Road, completed in 1935, depicts an automobile following a longer, shinier automobile on a winding country road, while a large red truck approaches around the bend with tremendous energy. There are dark storm clouds behind the truck, hinting at the death it’s about to inflict. This is not a painting about the peace and quiet

Regionalism, even in its heyday, was too often sneered at by big-city sophisticates, a mistake currently being corrected by curators and art historians. As the art world wakes up to the extraordinary skills of the likes of Thomas Hart Benton (who, by the way, has a room all his own for his mural America Today in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art), as well as John Steuart Curry, John Rogers Cox, and others, there are fewer laughs directed at Grant Wood’s depictions of the American heartland. His landscapes with their heaving curves, his figures with their muscular grasp of life, even his stern farm couple in American Gothic, reveal an artist who understood the throb of the earth and the flesh of those who inhabit it.

Gay? Oh yeah. You bet. ▼

Ann Aptaker is the author of short stories and the Lambda & Goldie award winning Cantor Gold series Murder and Gold. The latest in the series, Hunting Gold, was released in July 2022.

…Grant Wood, native of farm-country Iowa, observer and champion of rural America, was gay.

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BY CLARENCE FLUKER

The Men Who Make My Heart Smile

When I was a kid there did not seem to be very many out gay men on television shows, starring in films, and gracing the covers of popular mainstream magazines. That lack of representation meant a lot of things. One of them being, that I didn’t really have the permission to dream and imagine the same ways that my peers did when they saw someone attractive in the public eye, or to develop a school age crush on someone that maybe, just maybe could or would return my smitten gaze.

We still have a long way to go in terms of representation of out gay men—particularly Black men and other men of color—in the entertainment and sports industry, but we have made tremendous strides. I am happy for those men who live their lives openly and authentically while pursuing their careers, inviting us all in as fans to join them on their public journey. They are thoughtful and courageous—many are also cute. They are to be celebrated as well as admired. And thanked for granting us all permission.

Not long ago I was watching an episode of Sherri, a daytime talk show hosted by its namesake Sherri Shepherd. One of her guests was the actor Jeremy Pope. He was there to talk about his last film, The Inspection, in which he starred as Ellis French, a young gay man who after being rejected by his family tries to find his way through life. He eventually joins the military as a means to find stability and independence. His work in the role garnered Pope a Best Actor Award from the African American Film Critics Association and a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture—Drama.

Pope also talked to Shepherd about his role as Jean-Michel Basquiat in the Broadway production of The Collaboration after it’s successful run at the Young Vic in London. As he sat on the couch across from Shepherd, Pope shared candidly and beautifully about his life, his work, and his redcarpet fashions. Amid it all, I couldn’t help but to acknowledge just how beautiful he is, too.

I smiled at his smile. I smiled thinking about how delightful it is to be seen and to see men who look like me and love like me shine on television, on the stage, on the screen, and in the arena. I smiled

because the world now provides opportunities for me and countless others to have innocent celebrity crushes in the ways that others have for so long— and we had not. I smile because of the expanding landscape that provides permission for celebrities and everyone else to be themselves and embrace that it is okay to desire and be desired.

serpentwithfeet is a young, out, gay music artist. In the playful video for his song “Same Size Shoe,” he sings about the joy of the relationship he has with his boo who he relates to in many ways. The video follows the two of them through a casual day spending quality time with each other from breakfast to afternoon playtime right through the night when they snuggle up by a fire together. It is gentle and romantic. It makes you want to fall in love and allows you to picture yourself in that day too. He ends the song with:

“Boy, you got my trust ‘cause I’m like you

(You’re my heel and my toe mate)

Me and my boo wear the same size shoe

(I know that you can actually walk a mile in my shoes)

(That’s why I love you)”

Not long ago, I would have been hard pressed to name even a handful of celebrity out gay men of color heartthrobs who would allow me and others to picture ourselves in love. Today, I can rattle off the names of quite a few, including Nico Annan, Brandon Black, Joel Kim Booster, Anthony Bowens, Keith Boykin, Dyllón Burnside, Jerrod Carmichael, Wilson Cruz, Colman Domingo, Israel Gutierrez, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Frank Ocean, Alex Perez, Vincent Rodriguez III, Johnny Sibilly, Rafael Silva, Blake Young-Fountain, and the list goes on. We know that they could walk a mile in our shoes, and we appreciate they give us permission to have celebrity crushes, really for us. They make my heart smile. ▼

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.

They are thoughtful and courageous— many are also cute.

CAMP REHOBOTH BEACH GUIDE

REHOBOTH RETAIL SHOPS

New Wave Spas, 20660 Coastal Hwy

Unfinished Business, Rt. 1 behind Panera Bread

302-227-8484

302-645-8700

REHOBOTH ART | GALLERIES | MUSEUMS

Caroline Huff, Fine Artist www.carolinehuff.com Gallery 50, 50 Wilmington Ave

Philip Morton Gallery, 47 Baltimore Ave

Rehoboth Art League, 12 Dodds Ln

Rehoboth Beach Museum, 511 Rehoboth Ave

REHOBOTH FOOD & DRINK

1776 Steakhouse, Midway Shopping Center

Aqua, 57 Baltimore Ave

Back Porch Café, 59 Rehoboth Ave

Blue Moon, 35 Baltimore Ave

Café Azafrán, 18 Baltimore Ave

Café Papillon, Penny Lane Mall

Coho’s Market & Grill, 305 Rehoboth Ave

Diego’s Bar Nightclub, 37298 Rehoboth Ave

Dos Locos, 208 Rehoboth Ave

Freddie’s Beach Bar & Restaurant, 3 South First St

Go Fish, 24 Rehoboth Ave

Goolee’s Grille, 11 South 1st St

Indigo, 44 Rehoboth Ave

Just In Thyme, 38163 Robinsons Dr

Lori’s

302-227-2050

302-727-0905

302-227-8408

302-227-7310

302-645-9355

302-226-9001

302-227-3674

302-227-6515

302-227-8100

302-227-7568

302-227-2646

302-227-1023

302-227-3353

302-527-1400

302-226-1044

302-227-7653

302-212-5220

302-227-3100

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

Lesbian Support Group—Program of CAMP Rehoboth

302-227-5620

302-227-5620

Lewes Senior Activity Center (age 50+) 302-645-9293

LGBTQ Student Union—University of DE, Newark 302-831-8066

Meals on Wheels Lewes-Rehoboth 302-645-7449

PFLAG-Rehoboth—3rd Tuesdays, Public Library, 111 Adams Ave, Lewes

SLAA and SAA—Thursdays, 7:30 pm, All Saints’ Church 18 Olive Ave

Social Security Administration—Lewes office

302-745-7929

TransLiance of DE—Rehoboth—4th Tuesdays at 7 pm, MCC of Rehoboth; contact: TransLiance@gmail.com

INSURANCE

Eric Blondin, State Farm

George Bunting, State Farm

Jeanine O’Donnell, State Farm

LEGAL/ACCOUNTING/TRUST SERVICES

Lawson Firm, 402 Rehoboth Ave

PWW Law LLC, 1519 Savannah Rd, Lewes

Steven Falcone CPA, Taxes & Planning

LOCKSMITHS

Rock Lock/Robin Rohr/Your Community Locksmith

MASSAGE THERAPY/FITNESS

Midway Fitness & Racquetball, Midway Center

One Spirit Massage, 169 Rehoboth Ave

Rehoboth Massage/Alignment

Reiki CENTRAL, thecentralfirm.com

PET RETAIL

Critter Beach, 156 Rehoboth Ave

302-644-3276

302-227-3891

302-645-7283

302-226-3700

302-703-6993

302-644-8634

302-386-9166

302-645-0407

302-226-3552

302-727-8428

302-408-0878

302-226-2690

Pet Portraits by Monique 717-650-4626

PET SERVICES

Brandywine Valley SPCA, 22918 Dupont Blvd, G’twn .........

302-856-6361

Humane Animal Partners (formerly Delaware Humane Association & Delaware SPCA)

Parsell Pet Crematorium, 16961 Kings Hwy, Lewes

REAL ESTATE

Allen Jarmon, NextHome Tomorrow Realty

Bill Peiffer, Patterson Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy

Chris Beagle, Berkshire Hathaway, 37230 Rehoboth Ave

Debbie Reed Team, 319 Rehoboth Ave

Donna Whiteside, Berkshire Hathaway, 16712 Kings Hwy

Hugh Fuller, Realtor

John Black, Patterson Schwartz, 18958 Coastal Hwy

Lana Warfield, Berkshire Hathaway, 37230 Rehoboth Ave

Lee Ann Wilkinson Group, 16698 Kings Hwy

Lingo Realty, 246 Rehoboth Ave

McGuiness Group, 246 Rehoboth Ave

302-200-7159

302-645-7445

302-745-5122

302-703-6987

302-227-6101

800-263-5648

302-381-4871

302-745-1866

302-703-6987

302-227-6101

302-645-6664

302-227-3883

302-227-3883

McWilliams Ballard, Kevin McDuffie kmcduffie@mcwb.com

McWilliams Ballard, Justin Orr jorr@mcwb.com

Randy Mason/Shirley Kalvinsky, Lingo Realty

Sea Bova Associates, 20250 Coastal Hwy

Troy Roberts, Mann & Sons, 414 Rehoboth Ave

302-227-3883

302-227-1222

302-228-7422

RETIREMENT LIVING/SENIOR CARE FACILITIES

Springpoint Choice, 17028 Cadbury Cir, Lewes

The Lodge at Truitt Homestead, 36233 Farm Ln .................

TRAVEL & TRANSPORTATION

Accent On Travel, 37156 Rehoboth Ave

CHEER Transportation (age 50+)

ITN Southern Delaware (age 60+ or disabled)

Jolly Trolley Shuttle from Rehoboth Ave & Boardwalk

Olivia Travel

POPULAR LGBTQ BEACHES

Poodle Beach, south end of the Rehoboth Boardwalk

302-313-6658

302-232-6372

302-278-6100

302-856-4909

302-448-8486

302-644-0400

800-631-6277 ext. 696

Cape Henlopen State Park, Ocean Dr north to Cape Henlopen State Park. Daily parking rate in effect March-November.

The Aesthetic Center

302-827-2125

Is Oscar Nonbinary?

It’s time for the Gay Super Bowl once again—or, as straight people like to call it, the Oscars. This is my favorite part of the cinematic year, between the nominations and Oscar night itself. And I have questions. Will Ke Huy Quan top off the comeback story of the century with a gold statuette? Am I really going to have to stream Top Gun: Maverick this month? Is Angela Bassett

FINALLY going to win an Oscar?

But there’s been another question brewing about the Oscars for a while. At first, it seemed like a silly question, and nobody paid much attention. But last year, the buzz around it started to get a little louder, and it’s gaining some traction. That question is: “Should the Academy get rid of gendered categories?”

People who say yes are essentially advocating reducing the category count by two. Instead of Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Actress in a Leading Role, we’d simply have one category for Best Performance in a Leading Role, where men, women, and nonbinary performers would all compete against each other. Ditto for the Supporting Role categories.

To many movie fans, this all seems like much ado about nothing. These are silly awards anyway, they’ll say. They never nominate any movies I like, and it’s ridiculous to pit ROLE against ROLE, anyway. To you, I say…you have a point.

But consider: the Oscars aren’t just Hollywood patting itself on the back (though it’s partly that, certainly). The Oscars exist to sell movie tickets. If a film is nominated for one or several Oscars, it generates excitement, and folks might be willing to buy a ticket. And specifically, the Oscars tend to generate excitement over serious dramas which feature exactly zero costumed crimefighters with superpowers—the kinds of films that don’t generate much excitement during the rest of the calendar year. So for those of us who enjoy both kinds of movies, the Oscars are pretty important.

There are a lot of good reasons to

support the idea of getting rid of the gendered categories. As Emma Corrin (who once won a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, before coming out as nonbinary) points out, there’s a growing population for whom neither gender seems to fit, and a gender-neutral category would be more inclusive.

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

Also, while the Oscars have famously celebrated white artists but failed to include deserving artists of color, no category has ever been segregated by race. Much has been made of the difficulty of getting good roles as one gets older, but we’ve never had a category just for older actors, to make sure they’re sufficiently honored. (Though they used to give out miniature Oscars for Best Juvenile Performance; the last of those was handed out in 1960.)

Finally, halving the categories for actors might reduce the number of voting Academy members in the acting wing, which many feel is overpopulated. (This is why when a famous actor is nominated for Best Screenplay or Best Director, they very often win—actors like voting for other actors.)

Why, then, have there always been separate awards for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress? There are many possible justifications, but I tend to believe it boils down to this: If we didn’t segregate by gender, women would receive significantly fewer nominations and would hardly ever win. As a result (remember why the Oscars exist in the

first place), fewer films featuring great roles for women will be made, and both women and men will suffer the lack of stories that put women at their center. And that’s a pretty good reason.

For myself, when I look at this question objectively, it seems clear that the right thing to do is to stop segregating the categories. I might argue that Performance categories, like the Best Picture category, might allow for up to 10 nominees, or perhaps introduce a third category along the lines of Best Debut Performance or (even better) Best Ensemble Award, like the SAG Awards do.

Of course, there’s still a small voice in the back of my head, whispering, “we’re not ready.” At least wait until Glenn Close has finally won an Oscar, it reasons, and maybe then. But I also know that progress happens when we take a step, however small, bravely into the future, and ask the times to catch up with us—not when we sit around and wait for things to change.

If I made the rules, the 2023 Oscars would be the last to feature gendered categories. And then yes, we’d probably see a decade or more of women being overlooked, and undercelebrated. But perhaps that would start a conversation, and spark a change.

Actually, what we’d likely find is the bias in our stories that has always existed, but was masked for a century by watching two female actors accept their Oscars each year. Perhaps we need to look at this truth, at ourselves, squarely in the mirror, if we ever expect real change to happen. ▼

Eric Peterson is a diversity and inclusion practitioner. His first novel (Loyalty, Love & Vermouth) is available online and at Browseabout Books in Rehoboth Beach. His podcast, The Rewind Project, is available wherever you listen to podcasts.

But I also know that progress happens when we take a step, however small, bravely into the future, and ask the times to catch up with us…

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

Ignite the Light! New Hopes, New Dreams, New Year!

Art, Music, Drag, and a Whole Lot of Wintertime Fun in Rehoboth Beach!

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Ignite the Light Art Opening at CAMP Rehoboth: Leslie Sinclair, Lori Crawford, Taylor Gordon, Heaven Brooks, Ronica RidleyMartin, Ann Martin, Michele Rush, Wanda Baskerville, Sharon Bembry, Lois Powell, Alicia Jones, Sondra Arkin, Lisa Evans, Valerie Brooks; 2) at Dos Locos: Mitt Patel, Gene Harris.

OPPOSITE PAGE 3) at Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington Cabaret at CAMP Rehoboth: Diane Scobey, Mike DeFlavia, Jennifer Rubenstein, Chipper Dean, Jarrod Bennett, Robb Mapou, Jonatahn Chaffin, Mike Zufall, Don Wainwright, Tom Jamison, Gordon Tanner, Robert Patlan, Dr. Thea Kane; 4) Rehoboth Beach Hometown Christmas Parade: Joe Filipek, Larry Richardson, Kelly Phillips, Kimberly Grim, Amanda Valeik, Christina Kowolski, George Stakias, Scott Silber, Paul Hughes, Al Drulis, Jenna Vedyrshkana, John Rainer.

CAMPshots page 50

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 49)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Community Unity Dinner: Terry Kestler, RB Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski, Tony Burns, Nick Flowers, RB Commissioner Jay Legree, RB Mayor Stan Mills, RB Commissioner Patrick Gossett, Eric Engelhart, Chris Beagle, Wes Combs, Lisa Evans, Joann Gusdanovic, “Citizen of the Year” Drexel Davison, Linda Corcoran, Nick Caggiano; 2) at CAMP Rehoboth Holiday Handmade Market: Joe Vescio, Marc Silverman, Bobby Croker, Matty Brown, Derrick Johnson, Lamar Kellam.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 3) at Blue Moon: Cliff Lassahan, Holly Lane, Domenic Mannello, Julie Mannello, Wanda Skinner, Michael Skinner, Pat Butler, Joe Czar, Jeff Miyahira, Lisa Scott, Mark Robinson, Miss Richfield 1981; 4) at Freddie’s Beach Bar: Taylor Weidenbach, Lorne Crawford, Kevin Marmor, Louise Menna, Rodney Kennedy, Paul Christensen, Pamala Stanley, Dennis Morgan; 5) at Purple Parrot: Gwen Osborne, Katie Handy, Gene Dvornick, Marion Jones.

(More CAMPshots page 80)

The Sea Salt Table

Easy Baked Meatballs

STEPS

 Preheat your oven to 450° and move a rack to the middle position. Lightly grease the largest rimmed sheet pan you own.

BY ED CASTELLI

Although the origins of this saying are unknown, the sentiment is so true. There’s great joy in cooking for those you love, especially your significant other. Whether it’s a table for two or a buffet for family and friends, sharing food is love.

With Valentine’s Day upon us, the idea of dining out at a candlelit table is romantic for sure. But making a special meal together can be just as loveydovey. And it requires no ironing or warming up the car. While cooking, my husband and I listen to fun music, drink wine, and wear our favorite PJs. It’s a win all around. It is love.

Romance and Italian food go hand in hand. So I think you, your special other, family, and friends will enjoy these meatballs for hearts day. They are easy to make but pack the taste and texture of an upscale eatery. These little orbs sing “I love you” with every bite.

I am drawn to this recipe because it doesn’t require stovetop frying. Instead, the meatballs are baked in a shallow bath of broth which imparts a steaming effect. They come out of the oven with a toothsome crust, while moist and tender on the inside.

Most often, I drop these in a favorite marinara. They continue to simmer while I prepare the pasta. But they also get rave reviews as an appetizer.

Let’s get started, shall we?

 Mix the following in a large bowl: 1 cup low sodium beef broth from a 14.5 oz can, reserving the rest for later; 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko; ¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese; ½ cup whole milk; ⅓ cup finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley; 3 large eggs; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 Tbl finely grated onion, optional; 1 Tbl Worcestershire sauce; 1.5 Tbl dried oregano; 2 tsp dried basil; 1 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 Tbl kosher salt; 1 Tbl cracked black pepper; pinch of ground nutmeg.

 Gently add the following until well combined: 2 pounds ground meatloaf mix.

 Form 2-inch meatballs and evenly space them in your pan. Pour the rest of the broth around the meatballs. Then bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the meatballs are browned to your liking. Serve hot with your favorite sauce and pasta.

To serve as an appetizer: When the meatballs come out of the oven, preheat your broiler and move the rack to within a couple inches. Line the bottom of a ceramic or glass dish with some of your favorite red sauce. A cup or so will do; you don’t want it very deep. Place the meatballs on top of the sauce shoulder to shoulder, keeping the tops dry.

Cover the meatballs with thin slices of sharp provolone from your deli, about a half-pound or so. The slices can overlap, just make sure each meatball is covered, lightly blanketing the whole dish.

Broil until bubbly and starting to brown. I love some charred spots. Serve with a metal spoon so guests can “cut” thru the melty cheese.

TIPS

• Meatloaf mix is generally 50 percent beef, 25 percent veal, and 25 percent pork. If I can find it, I love making these with all ground veal, which makes them exceptionally tender while imparting a light yet beefy flavor. If you’re not a fan of veal in any amount, feel free to substitute 90 percent lean beef (ground sirloin).

• The cayenne pepper is just enough to bring out the other flavors, while keeping the end result from being too spicy. Feel free to add more to suit your taste. Personally, I’d rather add a few red pepper flakes to the marinara.

• If you go the appetizer route, be sure to limit how many of these you serve. I can guarantee everyone will want to make them the main course! I use a white tart dish. The concentric circles make for a fun presentation. ▼

Ed and his husband Jerry split their time between homes near Harrisburg Pennsylvania and Bethany Beach. Ed builds websites to pay the bills but loves to cook, garden, hike, and dote on their dog Atticus. Recipe requests and feedback welcome: ed@seasalttable.com.

“Cooking is love made visible”

-ANONYMOUS.

These little orbs sing “I love you” with every bite.

Talk with us about how your DAF can make what you love about Delaware even better.

Lewes Beach

Celebrity Interview

Julia Lemigova

When The Real Housewives of Miami returned to Peacock last year for a fourth season, fans were eager to see not just who the returning Housewives would be, but what new women could possibly be joining the mix. Julia Lemigova joined the show and brought a quiet sensibility, a litany of animals, and a very famous wife along with her.

Becoming the first out lesbian housewife was a lofty responsibility, but Lemigova (and wife and tennis icon Martina Navratilova) are showcasing a whole new perspective for fans worldwide. I chatted with Julia about what fans can expect on the new season and what Martina is loving about being married to a global reality show star.

MICHAEL COOK: The fans are thrilled that The Real Housewives of Miami returned last year and even more thrilled that it has returned for a fifth season on Peacock (the first four episodes dropped on Peacock December 8). How did you initially get involved with this group of women?

JULIA LEMIGOVA: Well, thank you Adriana (de Moura) (laughs)! She called me one morning and said “girl listen, the show is coming back and I cannot think of anyone else that I would want to be my friend on the show, would you want to be with me”? I remember thinking that we already have a crazy life, we always have fun, there is always something going on with Adriana…okay, we’ll just add a camera; not much will change!

MC: Was it hard for you to convince your wife, Martina Navratilova, to do the show? She has certainly had her own share of publicity already in her life as a world renowned tennis champion.

JL: I kind of jumped through the door and she was still in bed—Adriana had called me in the morning. I was like “Martina, guess what”! She looked at me like “what”? I think with my facial expressions; she was like “Julia, who could say no to you”? My eyes were talking louder than

my words. She said, “go for it girl” and she said it right away (laughs).

MC: As the first officially out lesbian Housewife, you are offering a fresh and much-needed perspective to the franchise—is that fair to say?

BY BY MICHAEL COOK

I know that besides having a lot of fun with the show, I feel the changes I have helped make with other people’s lives is the biggest reward. I have gotten so many messages from amazing people who are connecting with me and sharing their lives, problems, and stories. Sometimes they will write back after I reply. They will say “thank you” because whatever I told them helped them overcome the difficulties that they were having. That is my biggest reward. I feel responsible; I am trying to live my best life and trying not to disappoint people. (I don’t like to disappoint people). I am grateful that I could help and will hopefully help others.

MC: You have definitely fit seamlessly into the Real Housewives lexicon and definitely seem to jell and get along better with some cast members more than others…

JL: Wait, you are going to see more; you have seen nothing yet!

MC: Any hints you want to give us about the new season? You and Larsa (Pippen) look like you’re still a little bit prickly, and I have a feeling that relationship might get worse before it gets better….

JL: Yes, you’re right. Larsa and I are like Tom & Jerry, that is how I describe our relationship now. You never know who is who; she is watching out, I am watching out…. But we have fun with each other; we tease each other. It almost reminds me of an English sense of humor. It’s not what you see, it’s shady; not necessarily bad shady, but fun shady. It’s witty and I like that about her. As much as I might get mad at her, I like her and we are in this kind of British relationship—witty, naughty, be careful, I’ll catch you if I can, you’ll catch me if you can.

JL: It’s a responsibility, definitely. I don’t want to imagine that I have a lot of weight on my shoulders, because then you get nervous and stressed and you start overthinking it. I went into my second season with an open heart, and I am 100 percent convinced that this is the best thing that ever happened to me. I love doing it.

MC: While your friendship with Adriana led you to the show, were you friends with any of the women or previous cast iterations before joining Season 4?

JL: I’d never watched the show in my life. I’d never watched reality TV before, can you imagine? Now I’m addicted; I even

I went into my second season with an open heart, and I am 100 percent convinced that this is the best thing that ever happened to me.

had Martina put a TV in the kitchen so sometimes we have dinner at the kitchen counter and not at the table. Last night, we watched Below Deck. It never would have happened with me two years ago, but now let’s watch…. We were watching Southern Charm; I was watching Bravo yesterday and enjoying it. I had never watched a single show, but when Adriana invited me to join the show I speedwatched every single season. It was like a season per day—three days, three seasons!

MC: The dynamic between you and Martina has probably shifted when you are out publicly. Before, fans may approach simply to speak to their favorite tennis icon, but now their favorite Housewife is in the mix also.

JL: (Laughs) Martina is having a blast. She was like “Finally” (laughs)! Martina has this thing where if we are out to dinner and someone taps her on the shoulder while she is eating her pasta, she doesn’t like that. So it has happened that people have come to me and talked to me and then they would see her and say “we love you on the show, but YOU Julia.…” She is having a blast, sitting and enjoying it; she just says, “I love it”!

MC: Now with an empty nest, you are dipping your toe into a previous career this season. What has that been like for you?

JL: I am kind of a daredevil, so it takes me time to make a decision, but once I go there, I go in 100 percent. Going back into modeling wasn’t easy. We always doubt ourselves; it’s human nature. We always find something wrong with ourselves. Then I started thinking that if I can push myself to do it and overcome my fears, maybe it will help some other people overcome their fears—not necessarily in a modeling career, but at anything.

I wasn’t feeling comfortable in the beginning at the idea—at my age—of going back to fashion. I know fashion, I love fashion, but I was 18 years old (when I started). I did it for 15 years and I

stopped at a certain age and never in a million years would have imagined that I would go back. Life is full of surprises and now with diversity, there are no taboos anymore. You don’t have to be that skinny or that young anymore; you just have to be you. Now I am so incredibly happy to join that movement.

MC: South Florida is known to have an absolutely vibrant and spectacular LGBTQ community. Have you noticed a sudden interest from the boys in Miami or Wilton Manors who might be showing you the kind of love you never noticed from the public before?

JL: (laughs) To be honest I haven’t noticed anything. I would say that generally, all people all around give me the same kind of compliments. They say they are happy that I represent the gay community and I am so proud of that myself as well. Like if I went to gay bar tonight, which I would love because it is so much fun and fabulous, maybe that would hap-

pen. I have just been keeping quiet and private, but I am going to do that!

MC: If you took a walk on Ocean Drive or on Wilton Drive, I suspect that you’d get a great deal of attention once fans noticed you. If you’re looking for a dance floor to hit, Hunters on Wilton Drive has a Sunday Disco Tea Dance that is absolutely epic!

JL: I love Wilton Manors! All right, I’m going to have to do that…. ▼

The Real Housewives of Miami is streaming now on Peacock. Follow Julia Lemigova on Instagram.

Michael Cook has been a part-time resident of Rehoboth Beach for over a decade. He is currently a contributor to Instinct Magazine, World of Wonder’s WOW Report, and South Florida Gay News.

Photos: Bravo/NBC Universal/Peacock

[Martina] is having a blast, sitting and enjoying it; she just says, “I love it”!

Deep Inside Hollywood

Indya Moore Dives Deeply into DC

BY ROMEO SAN VICENTE

Indya

Moore is moving into the watery world of Aquaman. The Pose star will next be seen in 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom from director James Wan, alongside fellow cast Jason Momoa, Ben Affleck, Patrick Wilson and Nicole Kidman. Of course, how much of Moore we see will depend on a variety of special effects elements, since she’s playing a radiation-mutated humanoid shark. Karshon the Tiger Shark (whose origins go back to Green Lantern comics, fyi) will be part of the next chapter of Aqualore, and Moore will at least give voice to the character. Will Karshon be a villain? We’re hoping so, really, because wicked characters are always more fun, and they never actually go away for good, sometimes returning even after they’ve been killed off in an earlier story. And besides, Aquaman can handle another nemesis; he’s a superhero and that’s his job. Settle in and wait, though, because the movie opens in December. ▼

Noah Schnapp Stalks the Tutor

It used to be that if a movie had the word “tutor” in the title, that film was inevitably a slightly naughty ’80s teen-sex comedy one would consume at a drive-in theater. But that was long ago and far away. Here comes The Tutor, and the teenagers are out for blood. Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp—who recently came out as gay—stars as an obsessive, disturbed young man determined to wreck the life of a professional tutor (Garrett Hedlund) and expose his secrets. The thriller directed by Jordan Ross (Thumper ) has a script by Ryan King, and the film co-stars Victoria Justice (Victorious) and Jonny Weston (Benjamin). Looking forward to this one, if for no other reason than to watch Schnapp stretch his acting wings, get maniacal and aggressive, and leave the sweet and soulful Will Byers behind. ▼

Romeo San Vicente’s secret superhero identity is Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction.

South by Southwest: Home of the Queer Documentary From

Portrait of Jason and The Queen in the late 1960s, to the landmark ’70s film Word Is Out, the documentary is where real queer stories usually get told first. It’s a tradition that continues to the present day, and film festivals like South by Southwest that showcase independent cinema are where they often make their bow. This year’s SXSW is no exception, and two international documentaries premiering there have the potential to capture American audiences’ attention. Who I Am Not, from Romanian filmmaker Tünde Skovrán, focuses on a young intersex activist and the resistance met by people who don’t fit neatly within a gender binary. Meanwhile Agniia Galdanova’s film Queendom follows queer Russian artist Gena as they protest the government with provocative performance acts that often put their life in danger. These two films will probably make the film festival rounds, so keep your eyes peeled for other dates and locations. ▼

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez Starts a Wildfire

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, the Emmynominated heart and soul of Pose, is about to make her mark on the big screen. Of course, she’s appeared in theatrically released films already, but with Wildfire, she’ll be a lead, playing a transgender character. With a producer in American Idol vet Randy Jackson, and a script by rising screenwriter Chaya Doswell, Wildfire is the story of an unlikely friendship. A seven-year-old girl named Lu, who is mute and also living with abusive family, accidentally starts a wildfire, and then maneuvers Rodriguez’s character into unwittingly kidnapping her. Why? Well, that’s what second and third acts in scripts are for, so the rest of the plot is under wraps. It’s early in the process, so look toward 2024 for this one to arrive in front of audiences, and more information here as casting continues. ▼

Q Puzzle Paula on What She Does Solution on Page 84

The REAL DIRT

Trailblazing through History

February is Black History Month. Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, at least when I was in school, did not have many references to African Americans in the books or lectures of those days. In fact, I don’t remember any at all. Of course, our curriculum was focused more on the principles of design, the science of horticulture, and future trends of the field and the technology that supports it. We really only had one class that catered to the history of my career choice, mainly through the lens of the European experience. But that’s a topic for another day.

This day—this month—I’d like to introduce you to David August Williston, one of the first recognized African American landscape architects in the United States. He would come to be known for his campus planning of historical black colleges and as an important horticulturist.

Born in 1868 in North Carolina as one of 12 children, he graduated from the Howard Normal School (now Howard University) in Washington, DC in 1895. He then attended Cornell University’s College of Agriculture where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree, the first African American to do so.

Williston returned to North Carolina to begin his teaching career at Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, where he would be professor of horticulture. He taught periodically for almost three decades.

Williston also oversaw the development of the Tuskegee campus when he was in charge of buildings and grounds from 1910 to 1929. His plans for the campus included allées of trees, open spaces in the style of quadrangles, formal-edged open spaces, and less-formal plantings in the center of campus. With his horticultural knowledge and expertise, he utilized the surrounding areas to propagate plantings for his designs. Williston designed the planting plans for many Tuskegee facilities, including the George Washington Carver Museum and The Oaks, the home of Booker T. Washington.

Booker T. Washington was the first president of Tuskegee. He lived in a home that was built in the Queen Anne style by students of Tuskegee as part of their curriculum. Williston contributed to

BY ERIC W. WAHL

catalpa, fringe tree, redbud, dogwood, sweetgum, cherry laurel, and American holly. Williston also used non-native species, but always used those that would thrive and prosper in the climate in which they were planted. In other words, the right plant for the right spot.

During the Great Depression, Williston returned to DC where he began the first African American-owned landscape architecture firm. While there, he completed the site planning and landscape design for the Langston Terrace Housing Project. This was the first federally funded housing project in Washington DC.

Williston helped to plan the campuses of other historical black institutions while practicing both landscape architecture and horticulture. These institutions include Fisk University, Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial, Clark University, Alcorn State University, Lane College, and Philander Smith College. Williston also aided in the expansion of Howard University in collaboration with African American architect Albert Cassell. At Tuskegee University, he consulted on the further design of the campus throughout its evolution, and ultimately prepared a landscape plan for the entire campus after World War II.

the overall site plan by helping to design the landscape and grounds, locating the carriage house, the well-house, and a gazebo. The site plan also called for vegetable plots, cold frames, and even areas for livestock. Fruit trees and nut trees were also planned for the space as well as native species found near the campus. We might argue that this was a form of what we would call permaculture today.

While at The Oaks, Williston worked with George Washington Carver on the selection of plants. Carver, being well known for horticulture and being an agrarian scientist, further collaborated with Williston on other Tuskegee projects. Williston’s designs often mimicked his campus plans, utilizing native species such as elm, oak, maple, cedar, magnolia,

Williston was an important pioneer in landscape architecture and horticulture. Our shared American history is full of stories that may not have been in our school history books. Discovering them—and furthering our knowledge and understanding—enriches our lives.

Be curious, and let’s garden together. ▼

Image: David A. Williston. ( D. A. Williston Papers/Moorland-Spingarn Research Center, Howard University). https://blogs.cornell.edu/ sipshistory/2021/12/22/david-a-williston-98-wasthe-first-professionally-trained-african-americanlandscape-architect-in-the-u-s/

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

David August Williston [was] one of the first recognized African American landscape architects in the United States.

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BY LESLIE SINCLAIR

SPOTLIGHT ON THE arts

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community

SHOW EXTENDED Ignite the Light On Display Through March 6

Thirteen artists of color are exhibiting their unique perspectives in a variety of mediums—oil and acrylic paintings, digital art, mixed media, and fabric art in the form of quilts depicting aspects of Black life and culture. To allow as many patrons as possible to view this exceptional exhibition, CAMP Rehoboth is extending it through March 6. Do stop by to see how these artists have awakened their inner power to create art that inspires. ▼

IMAGES

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

(Clockwise): Dear Tay by Taylor Gordon; John Henry—American Farmer by Bryant T. Bell; Seen by Kayla Johnson; Dancing Around the Marula Tree (detail) and Quilt Sunning (detail) by Ann Martin.

Connections Opening March 10

Welive in a world of many connections and shared experiences—both personal and via the digital world. In this exhibition opening March 10, young artists aged 16-21 are provided an opportunity to share their unique perspectives of connectivity in the digital age through a youth-focused lens. Through April 17. ▼

Are you an artist aged 16 to 21?

Do you know a budding artist in this age range?

CAMP Rehoboth is seeking young artists to be part of the upcoming art exhibition, Connections. Email artshow@camprehoboth.com to receive additional information about how to enter art for consideration.

Move quickly, as the submission period runs only through February 19.

2022 RECAP CAMP Rehoboth Visual Arts

CAMP Rehoboth’s Visual Arts Program highlights our community’s unique history and culture, and serves to further diversity, equity, and inclusion by building unity and understanding. Support of the arts has been part of CAMP Rehoboth’s purpose since its founding. The program seeks to shine a light on the arts, the talent of the arts community, bring more diverse artists into CAMP Rehoboth, and explore pertinent themes that enlighten, educate, and build community.

In 2022, CAMP Rehoboth hosted 10 art exhibitions, providing over 100 artists with an opportunity to exhibit.

Hundreds of patrons attended the artist receptions and stopped by to enjoy and learn from the art on display. A highlight was celebrating the history of CAMP Rehoboth in 30 Photos in 30 Years, while two solo exhibits promoted the work of popular local community artists. ▼

CAMP Rehoboth Announces Its 2023 Season

ThroughMarch 6, Ignite the Light serves to inspire and enlighten. (See Ignite the Light, page 68, for additional information.)

In March, CAMP Rehoboth will provide artists aged 16-21 with the opportunity to display their talents in Connections. Emotions, such as isolation, relationships, anger, love, belonging, and solidarity will be explored using a variety of mediums. (See Connections, this page, for additional information.)

April and May bring us FEST Art 2023!, CAMP Rehoboth’s largest community art exhibition of the year, held in conjunction with Women’s FEST. This juried exhibition celebrates women in the arts and is open to all.

CAMP Rehoboth is honored to host Murray Archibald in a solo show in June. Murray is an artist, designer, and the co-founder of CAMP Rehoboth. Known for his use of bright colors and patterns, Archibald’s work reflects his deep love and passion for life, spirit, and community.

In July, another community favorite, Renata Price, will share her art in a solo exhibition. Renata is a classical realist painter, representing an array of art subjects.

CAMP Rehoboth welcomes the Delaware Division of the Arts Award Winners in August. These individual artist fellows are recognized for the outstanding quality of their work in a variety of art forms. A reception provides an opportunity to enjoy readings and performances, as well as recognize these artists for their achievements.

In September, we celebrate the Bear in an art exhibit hosted in conjunction with the Rehoboth Beach Bears Weekend. This is a juried group show, and all artists are invited to share their Bear-themed art. CAMP Rehoboth supports our local “artful artisans,” and In October and November will host a fine arts and crafts salon in its gallery. The salon will feature high-quality offerings of original and unique fine arts and crafts.

In December, the Pacem in Terris Traveling Youth Peace Exhibition will be on display. This juried exhibition showcases a diverse collection of beautiful, original, and inspiring works of peace by young artists between the ages of five and 18.

Art has the power to bring us together, break down barriers, and highlight our shared humanity. We hope you will participate as an exhibitor or patron. Watch Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, CAMP Rehoboth emails, and the website for more information about these exhibitions. Email artshow@camprehoboth.com to have your email included in communications alerting artists of opportunities to exhibit. ▼

CAMP REHOBOTH highlights our community’s unique history and culture, and serves to further diversity, equity, and inclusion by building unity and understanding. Exhibits may be viewed MondayFriday (10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.) and Saturday (10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.). You may view and purchase the art on the CAMP Rehoboth website under the “SHOP” heading.

BY DOUG YETTER

artist SPOTLIGHT Dulcena Kemmerlin

DOUG YETTER: You may be the first Delaware native I’ve interviewed since I started this column. Where were you born and where did you grow up?

DULCENA KEMMERLIN: I was born in Wilmington and raised in Middletown. I call Milford my home now.

DY: You touched thousands of lives as a teacher and had a career one mutual acquaintance called “legendary”— and I don’t think that’s an exaggeration. What made you want to teach?

DK: My parents fostered many children for the state, on top of raising six children of their own. Helping my parents with the younger kids gave me a sense of empathy. I enjoyed being able to teach and help shape their minds.

DY: You’ve also been involved with the Miss Delaware pageant for years. How did that start?

DK: I participated in the Miss Black America Pageant as a senior in high school, and again as a college freshman. While I wasn’t successful, I used the experience to improve in areas that I lacked—such as interviews and social skills. I competed in the Miss Delaware State College pageant to serve as Delaware State University’s official representative and won—which helped me gain some much-needed confidence.

I also won the Mrs. Black Maryland Pageant in 1983, and Miss Hemisphere in 1995. I began my journey as a Local Director for Miss Delaware in I993 when I was participating in a show at Second Street Players where Kenney Workman was the director for the show. Kenney was the producer for the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization, and he asked if I would be interested in becoming a Local Director and starting a Miss Milford pageant. The rest is history.

DY: When did you become interested in theater?

DK: I became interested in theater after my mother sent all six kids to see Purlie Victorious in New York when I was 10.

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

DK: During my junior year of college, I

auditioned for a production of Cinderella and was cast AS Cinderella!

I never thought an African American would land a role written for a Caucasian female. There was some very non-traditional casting as the entire cast was mixed. I enjoyed playing Vy—the preacher’s wife—in Footloose at Clear Space, where the director cast us as an interracial couple. And I loved being Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray at Possum Point—a show that continues to be so relevant in our society today.

DY: What is your favorite part of being in a show?

DK: I enjoy being able to use my singing talent and develop a character to fit my personality without taking anything away from the intent of the character in a particular show.

DY: Least favorite?

DK: Wasting time during rehearsals!

DY: How do you define success?

DK: Success is having empathy and showing respect for others. Having a husband of 45 years standing by you and knowing how important family is to both of us. We have two wonderful sons and four beautiful grandchildren. Teaching and helping students become beautiful souls and retiring when you know the time is right. After I retired in 2019, I was able to help my sons with their children. Success is also having my two oldest granddaughters following in my footsteps and being on stage with me! ▼

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

Success is having empathy and showing respect for others.

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

BOOKED SOLID

To Walk About in Freedom: The Long Emancipation of Priscilla Joyner

by Carole Emberton

©2022, W.W. Norton, $28.95, 242 pages

You are not confined to your chair. If you want to get up and move around, in fact, you can. Stand up, stretch, wiggle your toes, shake out the knots. Step out and drop in on the space next door or down the street and it’s okay. You’re not stuck in your chair or this room or even this building, and in To Walk About in Freedom by Carole Emberton, you’ll get a new appreciation for that ability.

In 1935, at the end of the Depression, the Federal Writers’ Project (FWP) was created to put unemployed teachers, writers, and editors to work, in part by gathering oral histories, with the goal to establish a uniquely American story. Over an eight-year period, FWP workers collected 10,000 interviews, including stories from the Emancipation.

Priscilla Joyner’s was one of them.

She was 80 years old when two FWP workers, both of them Black, came to interview her about her life. Eager to see them, she was waiting for them on the porch of the home she’d lived in for decades. She was ready to talk....

Joyner was born in January of 1858, the child of a white mother and a Black father—or so she was told. She never knew for sure; the white man who gave her his name did so reluctantly. Her Black birth father’s identity was something her mother took to her grave but Emberton says there were other possibilities to explain how Joyner was different than

arts+entertainment

her white siblings and why they were allowed to torment her.

Though she was not a slave in the strictest sense, Joyner lived as one: she was taught domestic tasks but not how to read or write until she was 12 and her mother sent her to live with a Black family, who sent Joyner to school. The move was “upsetting,” and she didn’t understand it, but it turned out to be what Joyner needed.

She learned to love her new home. There, she met her husband and found community....

There’s no other way to say this: To Walk About in Freedom is an exceptional book.

On every page, in every single story, author Carole Emberton leads readers to learn something they didn’t know or to meet someone new, and it’s done between the facts of history and social mores, presented concurrently with Priscilla Joyner’s story.

But Joyner’s life isn’t the only one shared here; other FWP interviewees and former slaves’ words are added to the overall, which lends further richness to what you’ll read. Emberton then explains how some FWP interviews were nearly ruined by over-editing and “Uncle Remus” additions made by white writers and editors who insisted on it, and how Joyner’s full story was almost lost.

This is one of those books that’ll make you lose track of time and your surroundings. lt’ll answer questions, raise your pride, and it’ll make your head spin for days after you’re done reading it. To Walk About in Freedom is the book you need to keep you in your chair. ▼

Terri Schlichenmeyer’s first book, The Big Book of Facts, is available now in bookstores. Her next two are scheduled to appear in bookstores soon.

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Continued on page 74

ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

17-18-19

FEB 19 - THE DAVE MATTHEWS TRIBUTE BAND

FEB 24 - HAZY COSMIC JIVE: David Bowie Tribute

FEB 26 - SOL KNOPF BAND: Neil Diamond Tribute

MAR 2 - AMISH OUTLAWS

MAR 3 - MARCH COMEDY MADNESS: Stand-Up Comedy

MAR 4 - 80'S REWIND A TOTALLY RAD COMEDY

Get the Best for Less for Your Pet

The Brandywine Valley SPCA Animal Health Center is a full service veterinary clinic offering the same high quality care available at a private practice with lower pricing. Services include:

• Sick visits

• Preventive care

Meet the Vet:

Sarah Landon, DVM

•

• Dentals

Dr. Landon has been caring for pets in our community for more than 10 years. She started in private practice in 2011 then moved to the BVSPCA in 2018. Dr. Landon is the primary veterinarian for patients at the Georgetown Animal Health Center and enjoys helping family pets as well as our shelter animals.

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

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US FOR OUR UPCOMING 2023 EVENTS

APRIL 27-30, 2023

SEPTEMBER 2-3, 2023

OCTOBER, 2023

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Marty Smith & F. Price Connors

Robert Smith*

Rosanne Smith & Brenda Butterfield*

Rich Snell X

Claire & Mikki Snyder-Hall

Sandra Sommerfield & Cindy Scott X

Stephanie Specht

Dee Speck & Linda Kauffman X

Jim Spellman X

Lorraine Stanish & Beverly Miller*

Ginger Stanwick

Christy Steer X

Frank Sterner X

Shelley Stevens & Joanne Locke

Lisa Stewart X

Libby Stiff & Bea Wagner X

Russell & Patricia Stiles*

Allison Stine & Pete Jamieson*

Terry Stinson*

Caroline Stites & Elizabeth Coit X

Tracy Stith & Laura McCarthy

Dr. Frederick C. Stoner *

Rev. Barry Stopfel

Michael Stover*

Christine Strauss X

Lois Strauss X

Jackie Sullivan & Sharon Padbury

John Swift & Ron Bowman X

Melanie Szvitich

Stephen Szymanski

Gail Tannenbaum & Wendy Walker*

Ronald Tate & Jacob Schiavo X

Micaela Tedford X

Martin Thaler

David Thomas & David Tiburzio X

The Hon. Henry E. Thomas IV & John-Kevin Litschgi X

Laurie Thompson

Thomas Tibbetts X

Otto F. Tidwell X

Linda Toggart & Jane MacDonald

Cassandra Toroian X

Manny Tortosa X

Steve Touzell & Marshall Scott Beadle

Carol Trenga & Cheryl Harding

Steve Triglia X

Roz Troupin & Mary Harris X

Matt Turlinski & Jerry Sipes X

Ed Turner & Steve Baker X

Judy Twell & Cheri Himmelheber*

Charles Tyrell

Bruce Uliss X

Michael Utasi

Donna Valla

Debra Van Dyke*

Jennifer Varone*

V.James Villareale - & In Memory of 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

Jennifer Walker & Mary Ann Veitch X

Paula Walker & Gayle Dumonceaux

David Wall & Robert Houck*

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

Garold Wampler X

Michael E. Ward X

Robert Warmkessel X

Sharyn Warwick X

Ellen Watkins X

Troy Watson & Dennis Wolfgang*

Barbara Weatherly

Debbie Webber & Terry McQuaid*

West Side New Beginnings

Donna West

Carl R. Wetzel X

Liz Wheeler & Ruth Morse X

Steve White X

Thomas White & Robert Freeman X

Phil & Stephanie Wikes*

Steven Wildasin Keith Wilkinson X

Diane & Ken Williams

Jim Williams*

Rich Williams X

Kelly Williamson & J Ellis

Donna L. Wilson & Laurie R. Levin X

Lynn Wilson*

David Wolanski*

Max Wolf X

Carol Woodcock & Carol Lewis*

Cody Woodfin & Rich Morgan

Robert B. Wright X

Marjorie Wuestner & Catherine Balsley*

Alexander G. Yearley X

James E. Yiaski X

Linda Yingst*

Jay York

Vickie York X

James Zeigler & In Memory of Sam Deetz*

Lisa Zimmerman X

X Founders’ Circle 10+ years

* Members five years or more

Names in bold are new or upgraded members as of January 26, 2023

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

RAINBOW MEMBERS RECEIVE:

• Basic Membership Package

- Advance ticket sales to CAMP Rehoboth events

- Recognition in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth

- Rainbow level colored Member window cling(s)

- Weekly “What’s Happening at CAMP” email

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

• Free Health Screenings, Counseling Services, and Support Groups

• Youth, Adult and Senior Programs, Services and Outreach

• The satisfaction of knowing you are helping others!

PAY ANNUALLY or MONTHLY

☐ PURPLE LEVEL ☐ $2400 annual or ☐ $200 monthly

Basic + 25% ticket discount and one 1/4 page ad in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth

☐ INDIGO LEVEL ☐ $1200 annual or ☐ $100 monthly

Basic + 20% ticket

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

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

(Continued from page51)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at The Pines: Alonza Parker, Ivanna Shoppe (aka Wes Combs), Chrissy Mingle (aka Chris Beagle), Becky Casey, Andrews Tremois, Claudine Weinstein, Kim Beachley, Michael Reamy, Kathy Wiz, Muriel Hogan, Drew Mitchell, Tyler Townsend, Vadim Karpeshov, Bob Suppies, David Franco, Lashawn Frost, Al Saxby, Jerry Haley, Bob Feick, Dean Nejman, Mona Lotts, Fancie P. Charmington.

OPPOSITE PAGE 2) at Fins Restaurant: Michelle Wellner, Meryl Griffin, Wendi LaMond, Bob Pruchnik, Al Zervas, Yost Bonham, Jim Prettyman, Dennis Cozzens; 3) at Aqua: Rich Norcross, Nick Leffler, Robert Simpson, Sam Gambino, Brian Helsdon, Joseph Mingari, Kara Enck, Shelby Scott, George Stakis, David Berman, Rob Jordan, Linda Giannini; 4) at Rehoboth Art League Holiday Open House: Paula Holoway, Rose Murray; 5) at Sydney’s: Geri Dibiase, Vera McNair, Kathy Moore, Sharon Miken, Deb Knickerbocker, Vicki Martina, Nancy Hewish; 6) at The Pond: Jeannette Beaulieu, Holly Klein, Donna Whiteside, Claire Snyder-Hall, Mikki Snyder Hall; 7) at Bethany Blues: Beth Petrie, Erin Reid, Wendy Smith. ▼

Doris L. Kayser

Doris (Dorie) L. Kayser, 95, of Lewes, passed away Wednesday, January 25, 2023, of congestive heart failure. She was born November 20, 1927, in Rochester, Pennsylvania.

As a young woman, Dorie lived in California, attending San Francisco State University and the University of California, Berkeley, where she completed her master’s in social work. Dorie was involved in several major child welfare projects throughout her career,

and in her later years was a leader in medical social work at Los Angeles General Hospital. She was a pioneer in the field of social work, developing structures that would influence the profession on a national level.

Dorie moved to Long Neck, Delaware in 2002 and married her loving partner, Jean Houck (deceased), May 15, 2015.

Dorie was a champion for social justice and was delighted by the accomplishments of the LGBTQ

Michael Raymond Cockey

Michael “Mike” Cockey, 73, of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware transitioned from this life on December 3, 2022. He was born in March, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland.

Michael had a contagious, positive spirit with a calming demeanor that attracted you to him. He always greeted you with his enigmatic smile and a warm hug. He had that spark of energy with an infectious smile and laugh that made every gathering memorable. Mike was a spirited light that was put out too soon. He was a gifted teacher and mentor who possessed a loyal and loving heart. His time with us will live on forever in the hearts and memories of his family and friends.

He was preceded in death by his partner, Ron, and his mother, Irene, for whom he was caregiver till her transition in 2018. He is survived by his cousins Denise, Sheila, and Larry, and their families.

The family would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to Michael’s numerous friends for their support during his brief illness.

The family suggests donations in Michael’s memory to CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Ave, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971 (camprehoboth.com). ▼

community. She was an avid reader and bridge player and was a member of St. George’s Chapel in Harbeson. Her quick wit and extraordinary generosity of spirit were made obvious by the twinkle in her eye, which will be missed by all who knew her.

Dorie is survived by two nephews, Allan and Brook. She considered her loving family of friends her true survivors.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made at delawarehospice.org/donate. ▼

Stanley Walter Marks

Stanley Walter Marks, 73, of Milford, Delaware passed away Thursday, December 1, 2022, at Bayhealth Hospital. He was born November 7, 1949, in Baltimore City, Maryland.

Stan was an avid collector of Mickey Mouse memorabilia, Fiestaware, and tin cans. Many of these were on display at The Kannery Sub Shop which he both owned and operated for many years in Rehoboth Beach. He loved Christmas, his three dogs (AJ, Sam, and Lucy), and cooking for family and friends. He could frequently be spotted treasure hunting at local thrift stores.

He is survived by his partner of 36 years, Gregory Williams; his loving sister, Stephanie Palacio; and a host of other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Gwendolyn Vanscoy; his father, John Marks; and his sister, Denise Roe. ▼

Send

CAMP Rehoboth Volunteer Opportunities

WOMEN’S FEST 2023 | APRIL 27-30

Committees now seeking volunteers interested in planning/logistics include: entertainment, sports, auction, volunteer coordination, sponsorships, and publicity. To join a committee, email FEST Volunteer Committee Chair Liz Aranza at lizaranza16@ gmail.com with your name and the committee(s) you’re interested in. Sign-ups for specific day-of tasks will become available closer to the FEST dates.

CROP: CAMP REHOBOTH OUTREACH PROGRAM

Check CAMP Rehoboth website for monthly volunteer opportunities.

CAMPSHOTS PHOTOGRAPHERS

Shoot CAMPshots for Letters! Use your camera or iPhone, or the CAMP Rehoboth office camera. More guidelines will be shared with volunteers. Sign up at camprehoboth.com/volunteers.

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

thank  you

ARTS TEAM

Logan Farro

Jane Knaus

Lois Powell

Leslie Sinclair

Patricia Stiles

Debbie Woods

CAMP COMMUNITY CENTER

Glenn Lash

Natalie Moss

Sandra Skidmore

CAMP MAINTENANCE

Eric Korpon

CAMPCIERGES

Joe Benshelter

Barbara Breault

Ken Currier

Lynn Eisner

Jim Mease

Mike Merena

Kim Nelson

Patricia Stiles

Russell Stiles

Joe Vescio

CAMPSAFE HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING

E.J. Kenyon

Sharon Morgan

Alan Spiegelman

Joe Vescio

CAMPSHOTS PHOTO VOLUNTEERS

Tony Burns

David Garrett

Laura Reitman

CHORUS LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE

Bill Fuchs

Dianna Johnston

Judy Olsen

Dave Scuccimarra

Sandra Skidmore

CROP AT THE FOOD BANK

Deb Carroll

Chris Cossette

Karen DeSantis

Robert Grant

Todd Hacker

Daphne Kaplan

Beverly Miller

Steve Scheffer

Debbie Woods

COMMUNITY UNITY DINNER

Claire Ippoliti

Baylan McGuiness

Kathy McGuiness

GAY MEN’S CHORUS OF WASHINGTON—

JUDY!

Robert Arner

Pat Catanzariti

Karen DeSantis

Stu Goldstone

Carl Horosz

Lamar Kellam

Jennifer Rubenstein

James Schmidt

Diane Scobey

Margaret Tobin

GRANTS COMMITTEE

Leslie Calman

Kate Cauley

David Garrett

John Roane

Leslie Sinclair

HOLIDAY HANDMADE MARKET

Joe Benshetler

Rick Buske

Bob Croker

Mark Eubanks

Lamar Kellam

Shawn McHugh

Jim Mease

Dennis Otten

Doug Sellers

Hannah Simone

IGNITE THE LIGHT: ART RECEPTION

Linda Defeo

Debbie Woods

LETTERS

DISTRIBUTION TEAM

Todd Hacker

Glenn Lash

Jim Mease

to all the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center volunteers for the period: December 2, 2022 – January 27, 2023

LETTERS MAILING TEAM

Nancy Hewish

Grant Kingswell

Vicki Martina

Stephen Palmer

Russell Stiles

Linda Yingst

MEMBERSHIP TEAM

Jane Blue

Ann Evans

TOY, HAT, GLOVE, COAT COLLECTION

Paul Christensen

Brian Cox

Karen DeSantis

Kenny Mahan

Beverly Miller

Dennis Morgan

Leslie Sinclair

Lorraine Stanish

Debbie Woods

WOMEN’S FEST COMMITTEE

Liz Aranza

Mary (Lulu) Beach

Anita Broccolino

Mary Ann Dellinger

Lissa Dulany

Connie Fox

Peggy Hughes

Karen Laitman

Leslie Ledogar

Kathy Lehmann

Michelle Manfredi

Marcy McCollum-

Martin

Deb Quinton

Cindy Sanders

Teri Seaton

Kelly Sheridan

Hannah Simone

Kim Smitas

Hope Vella

VOLUNTEER DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

Liz Aranza

Chris Beagle

Jim Mease

Kim Nelson

Rina Pellegrini

Leslie Sinclair

John Michael Sophos

Debbie Woods

BARCLAY FARMS - Camden. 2BR/2BA 2006 Ritz-Craft w/ 1-car garage. 2,024sf. Living rm, family rm, dining rm & breakfast rm. Mins to Dover. 55+ $178,000 (DEKT2016204) Lot Rent $539/mt

HOLLY OAK - Lewes. New Construction – Late Winter Delivery. Double 1-acre lot. 3BR/2BA home is a 1,506 sq. ft. one-level rancher w/oversized 2-car garage. Open concept floor plan. Great room opens to the kitchen and dining area. There is also a sliding glass door out

to thebig 12’x16’ deck

Main bedroom suite has a walk-in closet & elegant bath with a 5’x4’ tiled “curbless” shower. Split bedroom plan with a tub/shower in 2nd bath. Bamboo floors. Stainless steel kitchen appliances. W&D included. Low HOA. $490,000 (2029152)

COLONIAL EAST - Rehoboth Beach. 2006 3BR/2BA w/ screened porch. 1,344sf. New roof 2018. Community pool & just 4 miles to the beach. $165,000 (2034130) Lot Rent $523/mt.

SANDY BEACH - Dagsboro. 2019-built 3BR/3BA home is 2,048 sq. ft. with an additional 1,120 sq. ft. in the full, unfinished basement. Luxury vinyl plank flooring on the main level with 9’ ceilings. Living room opens to the kitchen, which has quartz countertops & stainless

appliances. The kitchen adjoins formal dining area. 1st-floor main BR suite. Other 2 bedrooms are upstairs next to the family room. 13 miles to Bethany Beach. Boat slip leases are available *ask for details* $473,500 (2029962) +$5,000 Seller Assist Credit at Settlement

CAMELOT MEADOWSRehoboth. 1973 2BR/2BA is 1,488sf. Sunroom & enclosed porch. Fencing & shed. 3.5 miles to beach. Community pool. $150,000 (2027780) Lot Rent $827/mt

COFFEE RUN -Hockessin. 1974 3BR/2BA 3rd-floor condo in an elevator building. Pool views from the balcony & all rooms! Giorgi Kitchens of Wilmington designed this condo’s kitchen & main bath. Condo dues of $650/mt. include water, hot water, heat, AC, and cable/Internet. $299,000 (DENC2031966)

POT-NETS CREEKSIDELong Neck. Nicely remodeled 1985 2BR/2BA home is +1,300sf. Big kitchen. Fenced yard. Shed w/elec. So many amenities! $174,900 (2031668) Lot Rent $689/mt.

THERESA CAPPUCCINO REALTOR ®

609-515-5820 cell email DelawareBeach@yahoo.com

LOCHWOOD - Lewes. New ConstructionDelivery TBD. The Cedarwood is 3BR/2BA 1,634 sq. ft. home. Popular open floor plan. Gas fireplace. Kitchen will feature stainless steel appliances & granite countertops. 0.23 acres. 10 miles to beach. Low HOA fees$280/year. $484,900 (2027444)

SILVER VIEW FARMRehoboth. 2007 3BR/2BA

14’x76’. Nice kitchen Split bedroom plan. 12’x30’ deck. Shed. Furnished. Pool & 3 miles to beach. $129,000 (2032724) Lot Rent $646/mt.

*A/C