Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 36, No. 1

MAKE AN IMPACT TODAY

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

I proudly support CAMP Rehoboth because they make our community feel safe and welcoming for everyone. Their mission isn’t just about programs and services—it’s about making sure every person feels embraced for who they are. That takes resources, and it’s the member-driven donor system that keeps the lights on and the mission moving forward.

I donate because I believe in CAMP Rehoboth’s ability to create a stronger, more inclusive community for all of us here in Delaware.

—

Dennis Diaz

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

CAMP Matters

BY KIM LEISEY, PHD

A Long and Winding Road

As I retire and leave my role as Executive Director, I find myself reflecting on quiet moments—early mornings unlocking the doors, difficult phone calls, and the joy of watching people feel seen and safe in our space. When I accepted this role in 2023, I did so with a deep sense of responsibility, not just to lead, but to protect. To protect the mission at a fragile moment, to protect a staff and community experiencing distrust, and to protect the dignity of people who too often are asked to defend their right to exist.

CAMP Rehoboth’s work has helped to change much of southern Delaware’s culture from hate to affirmation; we know there is more to do. We continue to have a bold mission.

During my tenure we expanded our programs and partnerships to serve more people, in more places, with greater depth and dignity—whether that meant showing up for someone navigating rejection from their family, or creating spaces where LGBTQ+ veterans could, often for the first time, simply breathe and feel belonging. We professionalized our operations, strengthened our governance, and invested in data and evaluation so we could prove what we always knew: that our work changes lives. We diversified our funding base, weathered economic uncertainty, and emerged more resilient. Most importantly, we centered on the voices of those most affected by the issues we address, ensuring that our solutions were shaped not for communities, but with them. We have built trust, which is crucial for success.

None of this happened because of one leader. It happened because of a community. I think of staff members who put in long hours day after day, Board members who asked hard questions when it would have been easier not to, and volunteers who quietly showed up week after week without recognition. Donors who trust us not just with their

resources, but with their values. Partners who walk alongside us, even when collaboration may be difficult. Together, you turn intention into impact.

At the core of my work has always been a simple instinct: to stand between harm and the people most likely to bear it. That instinct shaped how I led, why we chose integrity over expedience, inclusion over comfort, and long-term change over easy wins. In moments when it would have been easier to narrow our vision, we widened it. In moments when fear threatened to shrink us, we leaned into hope. Our commitment—to fairness, to evidence, to humanity—has been our north star.

Today, we find ourselves in a difficult political climate. The issues at the heart of our mission have become politicized, contested, and in some cases deliberately misunderstood. Resources are more uncertain. Rhetoric is louder. Fatigue is real. I won’t pretend these are easy times for nonprofits or for the people we serve. But I will say this plainly: this is exactly why CAMP Rehoboth exists.

Nonprofits were never meant to be comfortable. We were created to stand in the gaps when systems fail, to speak truth when it is inconvenient, and to protect the dignity of people when it is under threat. Progress has never been linear, and justice has never been inevitable. Every gain we have made has required persistence, courage, and community. This moment is no different.

To our supporters, I offer both a thank you and a challenge. Thank you for believing that change is possible and for proving it through your generosity and advocacy. And my challenge: do not pull back now. Do not wait for calmer waters to recommit. The people who rely on this organization cannot afford pauses or hesitation. Your support—financial, vocal, and moral—is not a luxury. It is a lifeline. Leadership will change, as it should. New voices will bring new ideas, new energy, and new strategies. That is a sign of a healthy organization. What must

not change is the collective resolve to protect CAMP Rehoboth’s mission. Institutions endure when communities claim them as their own. CAMP Rehoboth belongs to all of you.

Progress has never been linear, and justice has never been inevitable.

People sometimes ask why I chose to work at CAMP Rehoboth, especially when it has been difficult. The honest answer is that I am, at my core, a protector. I believe in creating shelter where there has been none, in standing watch when others are tired, and in making sure people are not left to face hostility alone. CAMP Rehoboth gave me a place to live that calling every day.

As I retire, I do so with deep confidence. Confidence in the team who will carry this work forward. Confidence in the Board’s stewardship. And confidence in you, the supporters, who have shown, time and again, that when the stakes are high, you do not look away.

Thank you for the honor of serving. Thank you for the trust, the partnership, and the shared belief that a more just and compassionate future is worth fighting for. I leave this role changed—more hopeful, more humbled, and forever grateful for the privilege of serving a community that taught me what courage and compassion look like in practice. ▼

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

THIS ISSUE

EDITOR: Marj Shannon

EDITORIAL ASSOCIATE: Matty Brown

DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Mary Beth Ramsey

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Tricia Massella

Impact Report Show Up, Show Out

Community Connections

Honoring the Founders’ Circle VINCENT DELISSIO

55 Volunteer Spotlight SHAE WAGNER 56 CAMPshots OUT in the Cold and Somewhat Holidazed!

VOLUME 36, NUMBER 1 • FEBRUARY 6, 2026 ON THE COVER “Roxy Heart” Photo by Murray Archibald

60 Gimme a “Q”!

We’re Here, We’re Queer… STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

62 Frosty the Snowman

A Jolly, Happy Soul TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

66 CAMP Arts

LOGAN FARRO, MARY JO TARALLO, JOE GFALLER

69 Booked Solid

74 The Real Dirt Cool-Season Annuals

76 CDC’s Queer Icon Dr. Demetre Daskalakis CHRIS AZZOPARDI 84 Sea Salt Table Tex-Mex Pulled Pork ED CASTELLI

86 Musings A Fine & Private Place RUSSELL STILES

88 Reflections The Power of Friendship PATTIE CINELLI

90 We Remember

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth welcomes submissions. Email editor@camprehoboth.org. Photographs must be high resolution (300 dpi). Documents should be sent as attachments in Microsoft Word®. Deadline for submissions is two weeks prior to the issue release date. Letters to the Editor (up to 300 words) are published at the discretion of the Editor on a space-available basis. Letters may be edited for length or clarity.

DISTRIBUTION: Mark Wolf

CONTRIBUTORS: Ann Aptaker, Chris Azzopardi, Rich Barnett, Matty Brown, Ed Castelli, Pattie Cinelli, Sandy Clark, Michael Cook, Vincent DeLissio, Logan Farro, Clarence Fluker, Michael Thomas Ford, David Garrett, Joe Gfaller, Fay Jacobs, Leslie Ledogar, Kim Leisey, Tricia Massella, Christopher Moore, Eric Peterson, Mary Beth Ramsey, Stephen Raskauskas, Nancy Sakaduski, Terri Schlichenmeyer, Marj Shannon, Beth Shockley, Kathy Solano, Russell Stiles, Mary Jo Tarallo, Shae Wagner, Eric Wahl

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

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

© 2026 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved by CAMP Rehoboth. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of the editor.

CAMP REHOBOTH

MISSION STATEMENT AND PURPOSE

MISSION

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

VISION

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

VALUES

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

From the  Editor

PRESIDENT Leslie Ledogar

VICE PRESIDENT Polly Donaldson

SECRETARY Pat Catanzariti

TREASURER Kevin Ussery

AT-LARGE DIRECTORS

Lorne Crawford, David Garrett, Jenn Harpel, Rachel Hershe, Michelle Manfredi, Teri Seaton, Hope Vella, Joe Vescio

DEPUTY DIRECTOR Mark McDaniels

CAMP REHOBOTH

37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 tel 302-227-5620

email editor@camprehoboth.org www.camprehoboth.org

CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to CAMP Rehoboth are considered charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes and may be deducted to the fullest extent of the law. A copy of our exemption document is available for public inspection.

BY MARJ SHANNON

Welcome to our first issue of 2026—I’ve missed you! It’s good to be back in touch.

We have lots to be in touch about. For one: Our Flash Fiction contest is up-and-running; it’s open for submissions through February 28. Writers’ guidelines are available at camprehoboth.org—we’d love to see your story!

For some others: It being February, you know we have something on the month’s notable dates: Nancy Sakaduski brings us Groundhog Day, Beth Shockley reflects on Valentine’s Day, Clarence Fluker speaks of love, and Mary Jo Tarallo’s Health & Wellness column was inspired by American Heart Month. There are less well-known commemorative days in the month, too (National Ukulele Day, anyone?); see Sandy Clark’s column for a round-up.

We have loads more to read and enjoy, too. Terri Schlichenmeyer gets us up-tospeed on snowmen (she lives in a frigid clime, so who better?), Michael Thomas Ford invokes Pogo, Eric Peterson fills us in on the romance genre as it manifests in (fictional) hockey (yes, really), Fay Jacobs is back in town and brings us highlights of her snowbird (well, snowflake) adventures, and David Garrett introduces us to two local men who celebrate every season (much to their neighbors’ delight).

There’s also lots of CAMP Rehoboth news in this issue: turn to our centerfold for a great infographic, summarizing many areas in which our organization had significant impact during 2025. (We’ll bring you more about that in an upcoming issue, too.)

On page 50, you can read about the new Founders’ Circle list we’ll begin to publish annually, honoring those visionary people whose support enabled the creation of the CAMP Rehoboth Community Center.

Looking for a way to while away some chilly hours? There’s a terrific exhibit opening at the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery. Drop by (February 7-April 2) to see Best Shot!, featuring outstanding photos by Coastal Camera Club members. See CAMP Arts for a preview. While you’re in the section, read about this issue’s CAMP Artist—Yona Zucker, who works in stained glass—and read about the process Clear Space Theatre is wrapping up as it casts the rest of its season. Also in CAMP Arts: Logan Farro, CAMP Rehoboth’s Visual Arts Coordinator, is one of the Delaware Division of the Arts’ 12 Emerging Artist Fellows for 2026—yay, Logan!

And of course, if this is February, that must be Women’s+ FEST looming on the horizon! This is FEST’s 25th anniversary year; plan now to be part of the FESTivities. See page 46 for more info on those.▼

MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Do More 24

Do More 24 is the area’s largest annual 24-hour online fundraiser, powered by United Way of Delaware and Spur Impact. In 2026, Do More 24 will run from 6:00 p.m. on March 5 to 6:00 p.m. on March 6. Along with other local nonprofits, CAMP Rehoboth will be participating in this fundraiser.

Keep CAMP Rehoboth in your giving plans, and check CAMP Rehoboth’s social media and website for more information on how donations during this upcoming 24-hour period can make a difference. ▼

Celebrating Kim Leisey’s Legacy

On Thursday, January 15, the CAMP Rehoboth community gathered to honor former Executive Director Kim Leisey and to celebrate her well-earned retirement.

The party celebrated Leisey’s tenure, vision, and indelible impact on the CAMP Rehoboth community. The room shared an outpouring of love, and Kim shared the love right back with all community members who make the mission of CAMP Rehoboth possible each day.

After remarks by Board President Leslie Ledogar, Kim was joined by founding donors Chris Lay and Dr. Mari Blackburn to present the Kim Leisey, PhD, Professional Development Fund. Speaking to the spirit of inclusion and creating a community with “room for all,” the donors created this fund to empower CAMP Rehoboth staff to grow, learn, and thrive—advancing their skills and professional development.

Protecting Progress: Continuing the Conversation

On Wednesday, January 7, CAMP Rehoboth hosted “Protecting Progress: Continuing the Conversation” with over 60 attendees in its Elkins-Archibald Atrium. Returning for the second year, the event featured panelists Mike Brickner, Delaware State Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, and Delaware State Sen. Russell Huxtable. The panel shared 2025 updates (including legislation passed because of last year’s forum), what priorities lie ahead for 2026, and how to stay engaged in local advocacy. ▼

L-R: CAMP Rehoboth Board President Leslie Ledogar,

There’s still time to share in the spirit of Kim’s legacy! By making a donation at give. camprehoboth.org, your generosity honors Kim’s passion for education and mentorship while strengthening CAMP Rehoboth’s mission to build a safer, more inclusive community.

Congratulations to Kim on her retirement, and to Kim and Kathy as they look ahead to an exciting new chapter together! ▼

Honoring the “Heart of CAMP Rehoboth”

On Friday, December 12, CAMP Rehoboth honored outgoing board member Wesley “Wes” Combs with the first-ever “Heart of CAMP Rehoboth” Award. Combs served on the CAMP Rehoboth board for six years, with three of those years as Board President. The award honors Combs’s unwavering commitment, compassion, and indelible impact, reflecting the very heart of CAMP Rehoboth.

“Wes’s impact is immeasurable. Whether through leadership, advocacy, giving, or quiet behind-the-scenes support, Wes’s tenure strengthened the trust in CAMP Rehoboth, expanded our reach, and made a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve,” said Kim Leisey, PhD, Executive Director at CAMP Rehoboth.

Alongside remarks by Leisey and Board President Leslie Ledogar, Delaware State Senator Russell Huxtable presented Combs with a tribute that will be preserved by Delaware Public Archives. US Congresswoman Sarah McBride addressed the reception via video to honor Combs’s inspiring leadership.

In his acceptance, Combs attributed the impact to the “it takes a village” philosophy, sharing the distinction with his fellow board members, CAMP Rehoboth staff, volunteers, and the many supporters who bring the vision of CAMP Rehoboth to fruition. ▼

CAMP Rehoboth Awarded Grant

CAMP Rehoboth was awarded $45,000 by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield BluePrints to expand LGBTQ+-affirming behavioral health services for youth and families in Sussex County. In 2026, this grant will help ensure LGBTQ+ youth can access care that affirms who they are, strengthening their sense of safety, resilience, and support. The initiative contributes to a stronger, more connected, and more resilient LGBTQ+ community.

“We’re grateful to Highmark BCBSD BluePrints for recognizing the importance of accessible, affirming mental health support and for investing in the well-being of LGBTQ+ youth in our community,” said Kim Leisey, PhD, Executive Director at CAMP Rehoboth. CAMP Rehoboth also extends special thanks to Rebecca Tam and Nick Caldwell for their grant-writing support. ▼

ON THE COVER: ROXY OVERBROOKE

Con-drag-ulations to Rehoboth Beach’s very own drag icon, Roxy Overbrooke! In January, Roxy represented Delaware at the annual Miss Gay America (MGA) pageant in Little Rock, Arkansas. The renowned drag diva placed in the top 10 for MGA 2026, out of over 60 competitors.

Donning her stunning signature red dress, worn during the Evening Gown category, Roxy graces the first cover of the year, and is ready to share her pag eant pride with Rehoboth Beach.

MATTY BROWN: What are you taking away from your time at MGA 2026?

ROXY OVERBROOKE: So much! For starters, a ton of new connections and sisters. There’s something so special about being surrounded by so many like-minded people with the same goal. Also, I have a lot of pride in my self. I watched no less than 90 percent of the competition, and making it into the top 10 this year was no easy task! I’m very proud of what my team and I produced.

Lastly, [I believe] being Miss Gay America is a possibility. I’ve always believed it was some thing I could achieve, but now I feel a duty to see it through.

MB: How does it feel to repre sent Delaware on the national stage?

RO: Everywhere I go I feel as

though I’m an ambassador for our amazing state. It was an honor and pleasure to be one of our representatives this year. I believe so much that we have some of the best talent in the country—it was fantastic to be able to prove it!

MB: As we celebrate Black History Month and especially honor Black excellence, who are some Black LGBTQ+ icons you draw inspiration from?

In no particular order: Cynthia Erivo, Alvin Ailey, Colman Domingo, Marsha P. Johnson, Tommie Ross, Tasha Long, Billy Porter, Queen Latifah, Wanda Sykes, Nell Carter, Alice Walker, TS Madison, RuPaul, and so many more!

MB: Self-Promo Slot! Where can readers catch you and see you perform?

The Blue Moon reopens for our 45th season on February 10 and I’ll be back hosting Tuesday Bingo, The Spotlight Show on Fridays, performing in Legends on Saturdays, and hosting Bingo Brunch on Sundays. Look for my cabaret, “A Night with Roxy,” to return in the spring and you can catch me here and there at the Purple Parrot on Sunday nights. ▼

Annual Toy & Clothing Drive Sets Record

During the holiday season, CAMP Rehoboth partnered with the Rehoboth Beach Bears and the Kiwanis Club of Coastal Delaware to host a community toy and winter clothing drive. With the drive concluding on December 12, this year set a record with over 1,200 donations.

Community member Paul Christensen kickstarted the drive in 2008, and it’s grown to bring cheer to hundreds of local families and organizations in need. The CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) organized donations to this year’s beneficiaries, which included the Boys & Girls Club of Rehoboth Beach, Community Resource Center, La Esperanza, Orgullo Delaware, and West Side New Beginnings.

“Our community showed up for each other, sharing the profound gift of joy this holiday season for our neighbors. Thank you to everyone who donated, and to our partners for making this drive such a resounding success,” said Kim Leisey, PhD, Executive Director at CAMP Rehoboth. ▼

President’s View

2026—A Year of Celebration

Since the February edition of Letters is the first edition of the year, this is my first opportunity to wish Letters readers Happy New Year! We are entering 2026 with a full cadre of staff, a budget that exceeds $2 million for the first time ever, and partnerships and collaborations with individuals and organizations throughout the state. We are mission driven and values oriented like never before, having successfully executed on the first half of our five-year strategic plan. And the physical space is renovated, renewed, and refreshed. At times, 2025 was exhausting, but as I detailed in my December 2025 column, we accomplished much and had much to celebrate.

Looking forward to 2026, we will be marking two milestones for our organization: 35 year of community service and programming, and the 25th anniversary of Women’s FEST, now Women’s+ FEST. We shall celebrate both of these milestones yearlong, as we strategically make a difference in the world during 2026.

True to the celebratory tone we are setting for 2026, in January we marked the fact that CAMP Rehoboth has completed its transformation into a truly professionally-run organization, thanks to the steadfast and thoughtful leadership of outgoing Executive Director, Kim Leisey, PhD. Together, Kim and the Board have expanded our organization’s capacity, maturity, and competence, and we have diversified our funding sources, and embarked on numerous and valuable collaborative partnerships, all while undergoing extensive renovations to our physical space.

A fitting exclamation point on Kim’s brilliant two-and-a-half years of service is the establishment of the Kim Leisey, PhD Professional Development Fund, underwritten by the generosity of Chris Lay and Dr. Mari Blackburn. This fund will allow staff and Board to gain and sharpen the tools they need to help

CAMP Rehoboth continue on its upward trajectory.

We certainly will miss Kim (she retired at the end of January) and we wish her the best of luck in her new endeavors. We are grateful, however, that although retired, Kim assures us she will not be very far away!

…our staff is a group of deeply committed individuals who value belonging, safety, and our community.

Now as we kick off February, we are expecting a whirlwind of activity. In addition to our regular programming, we will have at least two special programs, including CAMP Rehoboth Chorus’s concert, “I am Woman,” (February 13-14, 7:00 p.m. & February 15, 3:00 p.m.), and the CAMP Rehoboth Poetry Jam (February 27 at 7:00 p.m. and February 28 at 3:00 p.m.).

In addition, the Board will be spending much of February completing the final phase of the search for the next Executive Director. Our search firm, Cooper Coleman, informs that the candidate pool is very strong for two reasons: 1) the strength of CAMP Rehoboth and 2) the huge and talented pool of professionals in our region. I am looking forward to the

BY LESLIE LEDOGAR

intense interview process on which we will be embarking next month. I can’t wait to meet the finalists and ultimately select the next Executive Director.

I am also mindful that February includes celebrating Valentine’s Day, which is just around the corner. In keeping with February’s theme of love, the word cloud formed by staff as they spent some time during a recent retreat getting in touch with “why we do the work we do,” is incredibly touching and compelling. That’s why I am including it in the center of my first President’s View column of 2026. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reminded us that meaningful change requires courage, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to justice, even when the path forward feels difficult or uncertain. Clearly, as demonstrated by this word cloud, our staff is a group of deeply committed individuals who value belonging, safety, and our community. And that is also a cause to celebrate.

We used to joke that we wanted to do our job so well that we would put ourselves out of business. While that is still a goal to which I personally continue to hope will one day come true, in this moment of uncertainty and unprecedented harm, during which members of our community are being attacked and vilified, it is clear that we will be in business for the foreseeable future. However, that is not all bad, because I prefer history to smile on us, rather than frown on us for keeping our mouths shut.

Here at CAMP Rehoboth Community Center, we understand that progress happens when we show up for one another and stay engaged, even when the work is hard. I look forward to a sparkling, thoughtful, and deeply engaging 2026 as we continue to work together to grow a community “where there is room for all.” ▼

Leslie Ledogar is CAMP Rehoboth Board President.

BY KATHY SOLANO

Inspires a Love Letter

She has set CAMP Rehoboth up for future success…with her vision of how CAMP can best serve the overall expansive community.

February is known as the month of love. A month to show love and appreciation in all forms of expression. As we enter this month, I want to share my love letter to a retiring leader, Kim Leisey, Executive Director of CAMP Rehoboth.

You might say, of course you’ll have nice things to say about Kim—you are her spouse. Full disclosure, this does put me in a unique position to know Kim well. However, Kim and I were colleagues at UMBC well before we came together as a couple 30 years ago. And, it’s over these past 30 years that I’ve seen her professional commitment, dedicated work ethic, high moral character, and passion for her work up close and personal. I’m glad our community got to see this as well, in her tenure at CAMP Rehoboth.

A profound Machiavellian quote on leadership has always sat on my various working desks, one that applies to Kim’s leadership, as well: “There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things.”

Kim has done this, and more. She embraced the founders of CAMP

Rehoboth, staying true to the original vision and mission. She faced the present challenges of running a nonprofit, cleaned up what needed attention, and created a working culture of inclusion and worth with her staff. She has set CAMP Rehoboth up for future success, as well, with her vision of how CAMP can best serve the overall expansive community.

I know when Kim was deciding to take this job, after retiring from UMBC, she didn’t need more titles on her resume, nor more accomplishments to add to her career in higher education. When we talked, she did share with me that she had more to give, that she still had a purpose and a need to serve. And serve she has, in a graceful and humble manner. And, in sharing her accomplishments with her staff and colleagues, she exhibited her style as a shepherd leader. She never needed the attention on herself, always best to put it on the mission.

So, Kim, you get to retire! Relax. Reflect. Renew. Refresh. I know sailing, kayaking, biking, long beach walks with Carly, the arts, and music will be in your future. I also look forward to more personal growth for you and us as a couple. I admire you and love you very much! ▼

Chroma: Trans and Nonbinary Peer Group Sets Interest Meetings

CAMP Rehoboth is excited to launch a new support and social group called “Chroma”! Chroma will serve as a space for any person who identifies with a gender other than their assignedat-birth gender. This peer-led group welcomes all transgender, nonbinary, gender expansive, and questioning adults ages 21 and over.

Chroma will be a safe, inclusive space where attendees can form meaningful connections with others, find ongoing support, and build a strong sense of belonging and unity.

Join other queer folk to share your voices and help shape this emerging program. As a new group, the first few meetings will help gauge interest and will meet on different days and times until a regular schedule is established. Interest meetings are currently scheduled for February 7, February 18, and March 7. Email programs@camprehoboth.org for more information and to register. ▼

Welcome, Kel Marquez!

CAMP Rehoboth welcomes Kel Marquez (she/her) to its team! As a senior at the University of Delaware, Kel joins CAMP Rehoboth as the first-ever Fay Jacobs Communications Intern and will support a variety of multimedia projects through early 2026.  ▼

AARP Brings Tax-Aide & Workshops to CAMP Rehoboth

CAMP Rehoboth is once again partnering with AARP to bring a slate of winter programming, including Tax-Aide—which provides tax assistance free of charge for taxpayers—and workshops on fraud and caregiving.

TAX-AIDE ⊲ This program is available weekly on Thursdays, beginning in February and concluding March 26. Time slots are on the half hour, beginning at 9:30 a.m., with the last appointment beginning at 12:30 p.m. Appointments are for up to 60 minutes.

The program is open to e-file (simple) tax preparers. Taxpayers schedule an appointment to meet with an AARP volunteer to review and submit (e-file) their tax form. All AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained and IRS-certified.

Appointment Scheduling: To schedule, change your appointment, or if you have any questions, please call 302-402-3724. All appointments are being managed by AARP Tax-Aide; do not call CAMP Rehoboth to schedule your appointment.

CAREGIVING: CARING FOR YOUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND LOVED ONES ⊲ Caring for a family member or loved one is one of life’s most important roles. Everyone’s caregiving journey is unique, and regardless of where one’s role falls on the wide spectrum of caregiving tasks and responsibilities, AARP is here to help make it easier. At this March 2 (10:00 a.m.) session, attendees will have the opportunity to connect with other family caregivers to exchange support, tips, and advice.

FRAUD BASICS: THE SCAM LANDSCAPE AND STAYING SAFE ⊲ The AARP Fraud Watch Network is working to empower community members in the fight against scams. Join this free event on Monday, March 16, at 10:00 a.m., to learn the latest data on fraud trends and receive tips and resources to protect yourself and your family. ▼

CAMP Rehoboth Hosts Second Annual Poetry Jam

CAMP Rehoboth Theatre Company, along with producer/director Kelly Sheridan, will host its second Poetry Jam on Friday, February 27, at 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, February 28, at 3:00 p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth’s Elkins-Archibald Atrium. Tickets are $20.

A gathering of spoken word, creativity, and connection, the Poetry Jam will feature dynamic poets sharing their personal stories, powerful verses, and unique voices. Each performance will captivate and inspire.

A celebration of diversity, identity, and the beauty of community, CAMP Rehoboth’s Poetry Jam will feature poets/performers Deb Bricker, Judith Crandell, Irene Fick, Jackie Goff, Shelley Grabel, Jane Klein, Ellie Maher, Craig Roberts, Coca Silveira, Guillermo Silveira, Chrissy Stegman, and Sharon Wright. ▼

NEW: Memoir Writing Class at CAMP Rehoboth

CAMP Rehoboth will host a memoir writing class on four consecutive Tuesdays, March 3-24, from 2:00-4:00 p.m. The class will be taught by David DeWitt, who spent 18 years as an editor and writer for the New York Times and has taught writing classes at six colleges or universities. Each class will cover some of the foundational skills of creative nonfiction, including the power of a writer’s individual voice and the importance of specific scenes and anecdotes. The four sessions chiefly will operate as workshops where writers can develop and make progress toward their own projects. Throughout, the class will explore what LGBTQ+ people might especially have to offer the world through stories. Participants will also have the option of getting written feedback from the instructor. (The workshops likely will be fun, too!) ▼

CAMP Rehoboth’s Poetry Jam and Memoir Writing Class are 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.

Diana Ross • Dolly Parton Carly Simon • Alicia Keys

Katy Perry • Carole King Adele • Cyndi Lauper

Aretha Franklin • Beyoncé

$ 30 adult • $ 15 student • tickets at camprehoboth.org Introducing WomenKind j

Bette Midler • Helen Reddy

FEBRUARY 13-14 @ 7PM

FEBRUARY 15 @ 3PM winter 2026

epworth united methodist church • rehoboth beach, delaware

doug yetter • artistic director david zipse and the camp chorus band

Aging Gracelessly

North or South, Joy to the World

Iused to be a snowbird, but now I’m just a snowflake.

For years we spent the whole winter in Gulfport, Florida, where the girls are. But this year we traveled first to West Palm Beach to see my elderly stepmom, Joan, and then on to Ft. Lauderdale’s Wilton Manors, where the boys are (cue Connie Francis), specifically, a lot of the Rehoboth boys. And we all spent Christmas and New Year’s Eve together, plus a few weeks into January. Hence, just a snowflake.

Here’s the thing about the holidays down South: It feels peculiar to this Northerner. It’s 75 degrees at 8:00 p.m. and I’m up and waving my hands at an outdoor concert by a tribute band called Almost ABBA, or Nearly ABBA, or Not Particularly Close to ABBA.

The band pumps “Mama Mia” and “Money, Money,” into the warm night as lighted palm trees shine with red and green lights high above an audience wearing shorts, tees, and Santa hats. We sit and enjoy the balmy night in a field of beach chairs brought by the audience. For an aging dancing queen, the incongruity plays with my head.

Two nights later we enjoyed a holiday concert at the beautiful retirement community where Joan resides. I was uncharacteristically warm in my short-sleeved shirt, sandals, and three-quarter pants—or trousers formerly called pedal pushers for the mid-century modern among us.

But the weirdest thing was that somehow, someone had enticed my painfully shy stepmom to join this chorus in the first place. In the half-century we’ve been related, I’d never heard her hum, much less sing, so this whole episode was jarring. And here she was, among her peers, smiling and singing in this sweet concert.

You want jarring? Here’s my mom, a 95-year-old Jewish lady, singing “Oh come let us adore him” about Jesus. Surely a first for both of us. I was absolutely giddy, in a good way, as she launched into “Fall on your knees…Oh night when Christ was born….” If it were any more incongruous, they would have been doing ABBA.

On balmy Christmas Eve, our boyfriends took us in their convertible, Christmas music blaring, to tour all the fabulous neighborhood homes lit up for the season. Not only was it 76 degrees at 10:00 p.m. but the next day, no surprise, there was no white Christmas.

On balmy Christmas Eve, our boyfriends took us in their convertible, Christmas music blaring, to tour all the fabulous neighborhood homes lit up for the season.

To make up for that, one of our hosts, who is known to have every electronic device ever invented, cranked up his actual snow machine and provided gently falling flakes outside the dining room window.

Following Santa’s visit the night before, we snowflakes lounged by the pool, then congregated in downtown Wilton Manors. Quite hilariously, the bars and restaurants buzzed with big crowds exactly like every other evening.

The sole clue it was Christmas consisted of adorable twinks wearing twinkling Christmas lights as necklaces and well-muscled bearded men in gym shorts sporting elf hats.

We’d put our Santa suits in the car, hoping for another chance to amortize

BY FAY JACOBS

them with a second annual wearing past Rehoboth’s Santa Crawl. That we would have suffocated quelled the urge.

I’m certain there were also many traditional at-home family and friend celebrations, with big dinners and discarded wrapping paper galore all over town— not so different, I might add, than what probably took place at dinner tables all over Rehoboth.

And I’m certain that back home at the Purple Parrot, Freddie’s, or Aqua, things were hopping too. Only up North, people wore a lot more Eddie Bauer squall wear.

After all, gay bars everywhere have had a long tradition of being open and welcoming for those in the LGBTQ+ community needing a friendly place to hang out on family holidays. Whether warm in Florida or chilly in Delaware, it’s a tradition.

As for New Year’s Eve, our hosts invited a small group for cocktails and finger foods around the pool, with folks coming inside just in time for the 2026 countdown by Andy and Anderson. Our hearts went out to the frozen masses in Times Square.

So really, those traditions are similar here and there, and getting out of the cold for winter is what motivates us snowbirds and snowflakes. And also, for me, seeing and hearing mom Joan singing “Glory to the newborn King” was a special treat.

But despite the thrill of enjoying an outdoor Absolutely Not ABBA concert in December and wearing my Rehoboth Room for All t-shirt without a coat in January, I longed to come home to our Rehoboth family of choice. Even if here it was 22 degrees, feels like 7.

After all, my ankles were starting to retain vodka and there’s really no place like home Auntie Em. ▼

Fay Jacobs is a freelance writer, storyteller, and author of six books of (mostly) comic essays. She has written for the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, The Advocate, the Washington Blade, Delaware Beach Life, and—for 30 years.

Morgan Stanley is proud to congratulate

Named one of Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams

Being named to Forbes’ 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams list is a testament to your experience, focus, and dedication to your clients’ financial future.

Thank you for the work you do each day and for carrying forward the standard of excellence at our firm.

The Brandywine Group at Morgan Stanley Jenn Harpel, CFP®,ChFC®,CLTC® Vice President, Financial Advisor Financial Planning Specialist, Portfolio Manager 55 Cascade Lane Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971 302-644-6620

Jennifer.Harpel@morganstanley.com

Source: Forbes.com (Awarded January 2026) 2026 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams. This ranking was determined based on an evaluation process conducted by SHOOK Research LLC (the research company) in partnership with Forbes (the publisher) for the period from 3/31/24-3/31/25. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors paid a fee to SHOOK Research LLC for placement on its rankings. This ranking is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team’s best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations, and quantitative criteria, including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research LLC and may not be representative of any one client’s experience; investors must carefully choose the right Financial Advisor or team for their own situation and perform their own due diligence. This ranking is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not affiliated with SHOOK Research LLC or Forbes. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com.

Words Matter

BY CLARENCE FLUKER

Reflections on Love, Chocolate, and Being Ready

Toni Morrison was a genius. I am willing to debate, argue, and perhaps find myself in fisticuffs with anyone who thinks otherwise.

My nightly ritual before bed often includes taking a bite of chocolate. Many evenings, that is literal. I take just a little bit of chocolate and savor it. I insist that the flavor and sensation just before closing my eyes helps me to sleep better and have sweeter dreams.

On the nights that I choose to forego unwrapping gold foil paper to take a bite, I have taken to reading Toni Morrison quotes. Figurative chocolate. That action brings about the same feeling and effect as the tasting of the chocolate I’ve purchased from the store or been gifted by someone who understands me. Reading her words helps me sleep better, and not only have sweeter dreams, but also move me to explore them more. Oh, so sweet dreams.

There is one quote that I’ve read no less than one million times that causes me to bite my lip and shake my head each time: “Love is never any better than the lover.”

A car runs only as good as the gas you put in it. A meal tastes only as good as the ingredients used to prepare it. A building’s longevity is tied to its materials and foundation. How could it also not be true that a love is never any better than the lover? The quote penetrates and the question it provokes in me lingers. I close my eyes to explore as I sleep. A sweet dream.

Through books, media, and conversations with friends, we’ve been encouraged to give a lot of thought to the type of person we want to be in a relationship with. It isn’t uncommon for people to write detailed lists of their ideal mate. I’ve sat in front of a computer, opened a Word document, and typed one out myself in hopes that would help me to manifest him—the love of my life, suited just for me.

It is a good idea to give thought to the person you’d like to partner with, beyond

Chocolate before bed is a treat.

Morrison before bed is a gift.

physical attributes or social markers. Looks fade. Economic status shifts. A strong understanding of the types of values and qualities that align with you are the things that truly matter so long as you are looking for a partner, not a prop. What I appreciate about the words of Morrison is that they pushed me to reflect more deeply not just about who I wanted my lover to be, or how I wanted him to show up in the world, but who I wanted to be and how I wanted to show up for him in our bond. It is easy to make a list of what you want from, or in someone else. It requires a different level of reflection to make a list of who and what you want to be for someone else. And if you’re really honest, it’ll cause you to see your current shortfalls and areas where you know you need to grow in order to lean into and live up to the best version of you as a partner to someone else.

I can’t expect to have a good lover when I’ve not done the work to make sure that I can be a good lover. It wouldn’t be fair to him, and it would be selfish of me. The challenging thing about love isn’t always the other person; sometimes it is that you are not ready or willing to evolve. Acknowledging that growth can be hard. Ms. Morrison offered that, “Love is divine only and difficult always. If you think it is easy you are a fool. If you think it is natural you are blind.”

A few weeks ago, one of my dear friends called to express some anxiety about a budding relationship with a guy she’d recently met. She described every one of their dates as a scene out of a Hallmark movie. In so many ways, he was the guy that she’d always wanted to get to know and spend time with.

I asked her if she was prepared for what she’d prayed for. She didn’t answer immediately. Moments passed while she collected her thoughts and unpacked the things she’d learned about herself from her last relationship and the work she’d been doing to address previous patterns and versions of herself. Her response was a hesitant yes which meant there was still more work to be done.

After all, Ms. Morrison also offered in her elegantly plain wisdom, “Love is or it ain’t. Thin love ain’t love at all.”

Chocolate before bed is a treat. Morrison before bed is a gift. Indulge my love. I promise it’ll help you sleep better, dream sweeter, and explore more. ▼

Clarence J. Fluker is a public affairs and social impact strategist. Since 2008, he’s also been a contributing writer for Swerv, a lifestyle periodical celebrating African American LGBTQ+ culture and community. Follow him on Instagram: @Mr_CJFluker.

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It’s My Life

Annhezus

One of the more peculiar cartoon strips in the papers when I was a kid was Pogo, written and drawn by Walt Kelly. It centered around the titular Pogo, a possum who lived in the Okefenokee Swamp, and a large cast of supporting characters who were also almost entirely animals. The stories frequently satirized American society and politics, and the strip was an inspiration for later ones like Doonesbury and Bloom County Pogo ran from 1948 to 1975, so I caught only the last few years of its original appearance. I was too young to really understand the people and events that it was satirizing, and Kelly’s frequent use of a made-up vernacular meant I often didn’t know what the characters were talking about at all. But the beauty of well-drawn comics is that the visuals clue you in, and although I didn’t appreciate the deft skewering of certain political figures until l re-read Pogo as an adult, I nonetheless liked the adventures the animals went on.

Pogo was the source of several moments of real-world excitement. Pogo Possum ran for president in 1952 and 1956, and the slogan “I Go Pogo” (a spoof of Republican Dwight Eisenhower’s “I Like Ike” campaign) was a popular reference to being dissatisfied with all candidates running for office. In May of 1952, an appearance by Kelly at Harvard College aroused such enthusiastic response that it resulted in what police called the Pogo Riot and the arrest of 28 students.

Perhaps the most familiar contri bution Kelly made to popular culture was a poster he drew to celebrate the first Earth Day, in 1970. Depict ing Pogo looking mournfully at a mountain of trash littering his beloved

swamp home, the image was accompanied by the words, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” A daily strip in 1971 repeated the theme and phrase, which in typical Kelly style is a play on Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry’s, “We have met the enemy and they are ours” reference to defeating the British Royal Navy during the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

I’ve been thinking a lot about Kelly’s version of the phrase recently. Regardless of political leanings, I think most of us can agree that we’ve reached an absurd level of political theater in our country. The antics are sideshow-worthy, and the daily game of “What Now?” has become exhausting, frustrating, and embarrassing. Things that once would have been seen as outrageous and utterly unbelievable are now routine.

At the center of all this, of course, is Donald Trump. At this point, even the people I know who voted for him and supported him are suspecting that perhaps it wasn’t the best idea. And the ones who never wanted him in office grow more and more frustrated, waiting for Something to Happen.

I of course share in our collective frustration. But I also firmly believe that Trump is serving a purpose that many of us don’t want to acknowledge: He is a mirror. He’s reflecting back to us the worst of ourselves, the worst of our collective tendencies, the worst of what we can be when given free reign. He is the real-world version of The Great ’s Tom Buchanan or One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’s Nurse Ratched, a living, breathing object lesson about the dangers of unchecked moral weakness. Trump was initially elected because he was seen as an alternative to typical politicians. According to his fans, he supposedly represented the voices of “real Americans.” And, apparently, he did represent enough of them

BY MICHAEL THOMAS FORD

that they forgave him even the worst of his behavior and elected him a second time. The rest of us shook our heads, wondering how this could happen here.

It happened because, like it or not, Trump apparently still represents the feelings of a significant part of American society. And that’s the thing that really terrifies those of us he does not represent. When we look at his face, we see the face of attitudes and beliefs we thought were long gone. But they’ve apparently been there all along, waiting for a time when they could feel safe enough to reveal themselves.

As frustrating and enraging and scary as these times are, there’s part of me that is thankful for what’s happening. I’d rather know what I’m facing than feel it lurking beneath the surface. With Trump, it’s true that what you see is what you get. It’s true that he’s not like typical politicians, hiding behind smooth talking and fake smiles. He’s a clumsy, predictable, inept buffoon. As the British say, “it does exactly what it says on the tin.”

Someday, he will be gone. But rather than breathe a sigh of relief and, as too many people keep saying, “go back to how things were,” I hope we use this long look in the mirror to acknowledge the worst of ourselves and do the work to do better, both as individuals and as a collective society. Because like it or not, Trump is one of us. He’s a Made in America product, and we cannot write him off as merely an aberration in the assembly line. We need to figure out where we went wrong in making him, in finding him fit for purpose when he’s really a factory second that should have been discarded.

It’s been more than 50 years since Pogo and his friends showed us who we were. Now, it’s time to look at who we are. ▼

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

health+wellness

You Gotta Have Heart

It’s American Heart Month and— before it is too late—it is wise to know the causes and signs related to heart attacks. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), followed closely by cancer.

The AHA notes that a heart attack strikes someone about every 34 seconds in the US. It occurs when blood flow that brings oxygen to the heart muscle is severely reduced or cut off completely. This happens because the arteries that supply the heart with blood can slowly narrow from a buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances.

Heart attack deaths in the US are part of broader cardiovascular disease statistics, with about 700,000 deaths occurring annually from all heart disease. Deaths from acute heart attacks have decreased significantly due to medical advancements, but about 805,000 Americans experience heart attacks annually. High blood pressure and obesity are major risk factors for heart disease. Other contributors include controllable risk factors such as smoking, poor diet, high cholesterol, and stress, as well as non-controllable ones such as advancing age and family history. Diabetes significantly raises the risk of coronary artery disease.

The AHA has some recommendations for healthy lifestyle options that can help minimize heart attack risk:

• Visit one’s physician for a “heart healthy” check-up.

• If you smoke—QUIT! The risk of coronary heart disease will be reduced 50 percent within one year.

• Aim for at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (like brisk walking) or 75 minutes of vigorous activity (like jogging), or a combination of both. It’s also good to include moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activities, such as resistance or weight training, at least twice a week.

• Include fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, low-fat or fat-free dairy, nuts, and seeds in your diet. Limit

BY MARY JO TARALLO

processed foods, added sugars, sodium, and alcohol.

Heart attacks in women are frequently misdiagnosed because women experience significantly different symptoms than men. For example, unlike the classic “Hollywood heart attack” with crushing chest pain, women’s symptoms often appear gradual or non-classic, developing over hours or even days. They may also occur at rest or during sleep v. during the stereotypical vigorous exercise.

These differences stem from women’s smaller blood vessels and hormonal factors, leading to issues like microvascular disease. Plus, women tend to downplay symptoms, resulting in atypical presentations.

Some of the less-dramatic symptoms of a heart attack include:

• chest discomfort or discomfort in other areas of the body, including the arms (one or both), back, neck, jaw, and stomach

• shortness of breath (with or without chest discomfort)

• breaking out in a cold sweat

• nausea

• rapid or irregular heartbeat

• feeling unusually tired

• feeling lightheaded

Women should be particularly mindful of these symptoms, resisting a tendency to chalk them up to less life-threatening conditions.

At a November 2025 workshop hosted by Golden Gay Girls Villages, Denise C. Pecora, CRNP, MSN, told workshop attendees that many women “are

Heart attacks in women are frequently misdiagnosed because women experience significantly different symptoms than men.

more likely to dismiss or attribute their symptoms to everyday issues like stress, sleep changes and anxiety, fatigue, indigestion, or gastrointestinal problems. This critical delay in recognizing symptoms and seeking care leads to higher rates of complications and worse outcomes.”

The workshop also examined psychological factors that can contribute to a heart attack. Dr Gail Atchison, PhD, explained how and why the brain impacts the heart. She explained the ramifications of grief on the human body and the fact that bereaved individuals have a greater risk of heart disease, cancer, and stroke. “Complicated grief can bring about difficulty concentrating, memory issues, sleep disturbances, and a feeling of being overwhelmed,” she explained. “These symptoms can cause stress hormones to increase….”

Two workshop attendees, who prefer to remain anonymous, offered real life experiences.

“Lisa” was home when she had her heart attack, and she was “pretty sure” she was having one. She had arm pain, gripping chest pain, she started to sweat profusely, and she thought she was going to vomit. She had the good sense to call 911 and then a friend. Emergency medical professionals checked her out and took her to Beebe. Since then, she says she has learned to manage stress, exercise more, work normal hours, and play more. “My heart attack was the gift of a new perspective. It has taught me how to live my life as I should have been living it. I am incredibly grateful.”

“PT,” who prides herself on being physically active, also knew she was having a heart attack while on a local Delaware beach with friends. She immediately told her friends that she thought she was having a heart attack. “Please call 911 and get me off the beach,” she told them. “They picked me up under my arms and got me in my truck and drove me off.” They waited at the park entrance for a few minutes but heard no approaching siren, so went to the Rehoboth Beach fire department, where there is a defibrillator, then the police department right next door. It was a Sunday evening and there was no response.

Luckily, they spotted a parking meter attendant. He used his walkie-talkie to alert the police who arrived almost immediately and summoned an ambulance. By this time PT’s pain had subsided, her coloring was back, the intense sweating was gone, and she felt better. The event was over by the time she arrived at the hospital.

PT strongly advocates maintaining a healthy lifestyle. For her, that means fitness training, cycling, hiking, and other

LET’S STAY CONNECTED!

All of CAMP Rehoboth’s programs, services, and events are listed here: camprehoboth.org/ events-calendar/. Please visit the site often to ensure you have up-to-date information on what is being offered—and when.

forms of activity, plus a heart healthy diet—all of which she practiced prior to her heart attack. She advises everyone to see a cardiologist and get a calcium score*. “Get your blood work at a minimum annually, coupled with regular exercise, a low-fat, low-salt diet, and lots of fruits and veggies,” she says.

While neither woman had a history of heart issues themselves, both have heart disease in their families. Lisa and PT credit their friends for helping to save their lives.

No matter how healthy one feels, the safe bet is to take precautions that can prevent or minimize a heart attack, especially if heart disease runs in the family.

The AHA publishes a document called “21 Tips That Can Help Save Your Life.” It is available free and can be downloaded at heart.org.

For another approach to saving lives of heart attack victims: The AHA, along with many other health-related nonprofit organizations and medical institutions, offers CPR training. Being near someone with CPR experience can be a lifesaver for someone who is experiencing a heart

health+wellness

attack. The receipt of “bystander” CPR, especially if started within the first few minutes following the heart attack, can potentially double or triple someone’s likelihood of survival (raising it from ~4-10 percent to 10-20 percent). ▼

*Per the Mayo Clinic (mayoclinic.org): A [calcium score results from] a coronary calcium scan, done to check for calcium in the arteries that supply the heart. It can help diagnose early coronary artery disease.

A coronary calcium scan uses a series of X-rays to take pictures that can see if there’s plaque that contains calcium.

A coronary calcium scan is not recommended as a general screening test for those known to be at high risk for heart attacks. It also isn’t suggested if you have had a heart attack, a heart stent, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery—because other tests or procedures that are done for those events show the heart arteries. Ask your healthcare team if a coronary calcium scan is right for you.

Mary Jo Tarallo is a former journalist and public relations professional for various non-profits including a ski industry trade association. She won a Gold Award for a United Way TV program starring Oprah Winfrey.

Youth Crisis Support: Crisis intervention services for children under 18. Parents and caregivers are connected to a crisis clinician. Available 24/7. Call 800-9694357 or text DE to 741-741.

988: Free, confidential support and resources for anyone in distress. Available 24/7. Call 988.

Delaware Hope Line: Free coaching and support. Links to mental health, addiction, and crisis services. Available 24/7. Call 833-9-HOPEDE (833946-7333).

Changing Approach; Enduring Commitment

In 2026, CAMP Rehoboth is restructuring its approach to sexual health services, transitioning away from in-house HIV and STI testing and placing a greater emphasis on education, resource referral, and community support. For several years, the organization’s CAMPsafe program has served as a trusted touchpoint for testing and counseling in Sussex County. As partnerships with broader health networks expand, CAMP Rehoboth is redefining how it supports community members in navigating their sexual health needs.

CAMP Rehoboth continues to champion HIV prevention and sexual health awareness by directing individuals to affirming and accessible resources. Community members seeking HIV or related health services are guided to trusted providers who are well equipped to deliver clinical care. The CAMPsafe webpage now serves as a central hub for essential information—sexual health education materials, information on prevention tools

such as PrEP and PEP, contact information for community partners, and links to HIV testing and health services available throughout Delaware.

CAMP Rehoboth believes individuals seeking medical care, including HIV or STI testing and treatment, are best served by working directly with licensed healthcare providers. These providers remain the only professionals able to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted infections, and community members are encouraged to begin conversations about their sexual health within trusted clinical settings whenever possible.

At the same time, the organization recognizes that accessing healthcare can be challenging or uncomfortable for some individuals. To help bridge these gaps, CAMP Rehoboth highlights cost-effective and accessible service providers across the state. The Delaware Division of Public Health offers limited STI screen-

Delaware HIV Consortium provides free at-home HIV test kits through its Milford office, along with services such as PrEP navigation, case management, housing assistance, and emergency aid for eligible clients. AIDS Delaware also offers free point-of-care rapid HIV testing at its Sussex County location in Georgetown, in addition to mental health services and HIV care coordination.

Through continued partnerships, CAMP Rehoboth reaffirms its commitment to ensuring community members are aware of accessible, affirming pathways to sexual healthcare. By focusing on education, navigation, and referral, the organization continues to serve as a connector and advocate—helping individuals remain informed, supported, and linked to a broader network of professionals. ▼

Vincent DeLissio is Membership and Program

The Audacity of Tropes

It’s been a rough year. And by “rough year,” I naturally mean last week. And don’t worry; this won’t be a (very) political column. I won’t even try to list the particular headlines I’m reading as I write this, as they will be terribly dated by the time this goes to print, replaced by another series of just as horrifying transgressions at the hands of our leaders.

Instead, I want to talk about one weirdly bright spot, at least according to my social media feed, which can be a never-ending doom scroll of crimes against human decency and the US Constitution. But it is occasionally pre-empted by people downright fixating over two gay hockey players in love.

If you haven’t seen Heated Rivalry, the Canadian series (available on HBO Max for those of us unfortunate enough to live south of that border), you’ve likely heard about it. For many of my friends, it’s become nothing short of an obsession. For weeks, my group chats with the boys were nothing but observations about the lives and loves (and hot bodies) of the main characters.

The show is based on Game Changers, a series of “male/male spicy romance novels” by Rachel Reid. The entire series (six books with a seventh releasing in September 2026) features love stories between men in and around the world of professional hockey.

Before I say any more, I’m going to try to keep this fairly spoiler-free, although I’ve already given away a lot, just by writing the words, “romance novels.” If you’re not familiar with the genre, romance novels are a different kind of fiction than most other books.

First of all, while a lot of authors try desperately to avoid clichés, romance authors (and their readers) actually embrace them, referring to them as “tropes.” These can include Enemies-to-Lovers, Friends-to-Lovers, Second-Chance-Romance, Forced-Proximity, or Grumpy-versus-Sunshine. Readers have their favorite tropes and authors gladly share the tropes they’ve used in a particular story

while marketing a book.

Romance writers give their readers exactly what they want, which brings me to the second distinction. When reading a romance novel, there’s not much tension as to how it’s all going to end up. As a rule, a romance novel must end happily, either “happily ever after” or “happy for now” (which is happy but leaves room for potential sequels). As a genre, romance writers and readers

Heated Rivalry is a lovely fantasy. No hobbits or dragons, but it takes place in a world where your cool, aloof, on-andoff hookup will one day declare his love…

are often derided for this, but they don’t much care. Romance is (and has been) the best-selling genre in publishing, accounting for 23 percent of book sales last year.

And Heated Rivalry is true to its source material in all of that. It’s a classic Enemies-to-Lovers trope, about two hockey players who begin the series as the two most talked-about rookies in their first season. For the first couple of episodes, they’re already meeting for hot sexual encounters, but there’s not a lot of pillow talk afterwards. The whole thing has more of a “wham, bam, thank you man” vibe, leading quite a few viewers to abandon the show early.

But remember, this is all based on a romance novel, and while it first resembles a soft-core adult film, there’s a SlowBurn (another popular trope) love story cooking as well. There’s also a B-story here, cribbed from Reid’s first book in the Game Changers series, featuring the opposite trope, Insta-Love. Scott and Kip are the focus on Episode 3, and their

BY ERIC C. PETERSON

story reaches peak Grand-Romantic-Gesture in Episode 5.

Oh, and did I mention the sex? There’s a lot of hot sex in this show. I don’t know if intimacy coordinators are eligible for Emmy Awards; I hope so, because whoever choreographed these scenes deserves one. There’s no “fade to black” coyness in this show; we see the sex begin, we see it middle, and we see it end; there’s never a question as to exactly what’s happening.

Heated Rivalry has received a lot of deserving accolades from fans. They praise the way the show sidesteps the clichés of gay suffering, death, and disease that often accompany our love stories. This is a show where men practice consent, talk about their feelings, and choose vulnerability in the end (is it any wonder that straight women can’t get enough of it)?

As for myself, I liked the show but didn’t love it. And that’s not because the show did anything wrong; it’s just that I like some of the darker corners of life that romance novels want to steer me away from. Heated Rivalry is a lovely fantasy. No hobbits or dragons, but it takes place in a world where your cool, aloof, on-and-off hookup will one day declare his love (he won’t). It’s a world where baristas at your local smoothie bar have six-pack abs (they don’t) and pro hockey players can come out in spectacular fashion in front of a stadium full of fans and not hear a single “boo” (they wouldn’t).

And I get the appeal. It’s why I enjoyed the show. For a moment, it distracted me from [gestures wildly at everything], and for that I’m very grateful. If you need a lovely fantasy in your life, with a side of sex scenes just this side of pay-per-view, you could do a lot worse. ▼

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

Letters from CAMP Rehoboth etters f r rom

THE BASICS

Deadline for Submissions:

► Original fiction, 300 to 1,000 words

► Timely submitted to flashfiction@ camprehoboth.org

► Target audience: adult or young adult readers

THE REWARDS

► Monetary awards (ranging from $1,000 to $250) to First-, Second-, and Third-place winners, plus two Honorable Mentions

► Publication in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth

THE DETAILS

Go to camprehoboth.org/letters for Writers’ Guidelines

THE FINE PRINT ► Members of CAMP Rehoboth sta , its Board of Directors, and the Readers Panel are not eligible to compete.

Two Men for All Seasons

Celebrate! Celebrate!

Their front yard is a year-round celebration of seasons and holidays. If you happen to drive past their house, there is no mistaking that this is the place where two men in love reside. Month after month, holiday after holiday, Tom Graham and Scott Forman spend their time not only sharing their love for one another but also sharing their love of holidays with the broader community around them.

Before we examine their passion for decorating their yard all year through, let’s take a step back and discover how they got to this point in the first place. Both are Jersey Boys, having grown up in South Jersey for three decades. They met in the Gay Softball League in Philadelphia in 1992.

Their coming-out experiences took place in their early 20s. Scott was 22 when he came out to his family. Tom came out at age 24 to his parents, who were accepting and supportive. Now both retired, Tom and Scott have been part of the Rehoboth Beach scene since their early twenties. Their careers took Tom onto the IT path and Scott spent his years as a physical therapist.

When Tom and Scott first moved to this resort area, they happily experienced condo living. They began to fine-tune their holiday decorating there, maximizing their indoor condo decor, due to the very limited exterior space. But their desire for a real home was growing within them. They helped design their beautiful

Tom’s and Scott’s passion for each other and for sharing the joy of holidays with the community at large is evident to all who drive past their home.

residence on Hebron Road in West Rehoboth. Their two French bulldogs, Diesel and Tonka, make their home complete.

With this new house, more opportunities arose to satisfy their passion for holi-

BY DAVID GARRETT

day decorating. Scott had the foundation of decorating established by his mother, who would always transform their home according to the change of seasons and change of holidays through the years.

Tom’s and Scott’s passion for each other and for sharing the joy of holidays with the community at large is evident to all who drive past their home. They are amazed by the outpouring of appreciation by the community. Many people take the time to stop and thank them for their commitment to celebrating yearround. They have been the recipients of unexpected gifts of cookies, candies, gift baskets, thank-you cards, and pictures of their home.

There is one young man who holds a special place in Tom’s and Scott’s hearts.

His name is Aaron and he and his father, Ron, would drive past the house on Aaron’s way to preschool week after week. Aaron loved all the decorations and regularly convinced his father to stop, so he could run around the yard and see them all. Aaron’s visits remind Tom and Scott that everyone, no matter their age, are kids at heart. This makes Tom and Scott the two men for all seasons! ▼

David Garrett, a CAMP Rehoboth Board member, is a straight advocate for equality and inclusion. He is also the proud father of an adult trans daughter. Email David Garrett at davidg@ camprehoboth.org

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Too Early for Flapjacks?

It’s Groundhog Day (Again)

By the time this issue of Letters is published, Groundhog Day will have passed. But as you know, or should know, Groundhog Day repeats itself over and over and over again through the magic of the movie Groundhog Day.

On the off chance that you’ve been in a Turkish prison since 1993 and have never seen one of the greatest movies of all time*, Groundhog Day is about a Pittsburgh TV weather forecaster named Phil (played by Bill Murray) who travels to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities. While there, he gets stuck in a time loop (fortunately for him it’s with Andie MacDowell) and must relive the same day over and over. Initially, he becomes frustrated and then angry, particularly once he grasps that he’s going to have to listen to Sonny & Cher sing “I Got You Babe” every day for eternity.

But then it occurs to him that because he will always start the day over again, he can do whatever he wants without repercussions. This allows him to fully explore both his already robust inner jerk and creative ways to try to kill himself, none of which work. Finally, he realizes that he can make meaningful use of his time, beyond just coming up with new and more creative ways to try to nail Andie MacDowell. He begins to evolve into a decent person, a concept totally new to him.

Meanwhile, the real Phil, Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinary (his official name) is in his own time loop. On February 2 every year since 1887, Phil emerges from his home on Gobbler’s Knob** and determines, based on whether he sees his shadow, if there will be an early spring or six more weeks of winter. We’re told it’s been the same groundhog every year since the late 19th century, a feat made possible by Phil imbibing a cocktail referred to as “elixir of life” at the annual Groundhog Picnic. This special concoction, made from a secret recipe, has

sustained Phil’s longevity and youthful good looks for the past 139 years. I’d say more about the drink, but I don’t want to drift into Rich Barnett’s lane.

According to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club (groundhog.org), Groundhog Day began as the Christian religious holiday Candlemas Day. February 2 was the day when Christians took their candles to the church to have them blessed. This, they felt, would bring spiritual favor to their household for the remaining winter.

The lyrics of an English folk song provide the weather prediction:

If Candlemas be fair and bright, Come, Winter, have another flight; If Candlemas brings clouds and rain, Go Winter, and come not again.

Germans introduced the idea of a hibernating animal as the meteorologist. They used bears initially, which probably livened things up quite a bit, and then wisely switched to badgers, which are smaller and less likely to snatch the children. When the German settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, they discovered it was next to impossible to find badgers (or good bratwurst, for that matter), so they made do with groundhogs and scrapple.

The hardest part of the whole thing is figuring out what the groundhog (or bear

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

This special concoction, made from a secret recipe, has sustained Phil’s longevity and youthful good looks for the past 139 years.

or badger) has to say. Here we are in luck because the snappily tuxedoed president of the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club understands Groundhogese (not available from Duolingo) and can translate Phil’s prediction, which he then reads from an official scroll. This event is widely televised, or you can follow Phil on Instagram (punxsyphil).

If all this has made you rodent-curious, consider joining the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. Membership is open to all and includes benefits such as a photo of Phil, a copy of the scroll, and the impressive distinction of being a “Faithful Follower of Phil.” ▼

*This isn’t just my opinion (although that should be enough for you). The script for Groundhog Day is so great that it’s used as a teaching example in screenwriting classes. And if even that’s not enough, Buddhist, Christian, and Jewish scholars have analyzed the film as a religious allegory. (I didn’t make that up—Wikipedia did.)

**Brits, feel free to chuckle at “Gobbler’s Knob.” After proudly presenting a lovely bottle of Knob Creek bourbon to a friend I was visiting in the UK, I learned both the British meaning of the word knob and just how red the face of a Scotsman can get.

Nancy (Day) Sakaduski is an award-winning writer and proud ally who has provided writing services to CAMP Rehoboth for 14 years. She also serves on the Lewes Public Library Board of Commissioners and the Delaware Art Museum’s Sussex County Advisory Council.

My Unlikely Valentine

In these darker and uncertain times, it is critical to find some joy. For me, I find joy in many places—seeing my kitty boys, all of us watching birds at the backyard feeders, and most delightful of all: spending days with my newly-retired wife. Enjoying these things also reminds me how fortunate I am and reminds me to be grateful. And gratitude, despite the state of the world, is another thing that helps fortify me.

It’s so joyful waking up leisurely together with no alarm clock. Lingering over coffee and conversation. Meals when we’re hungry. Lots of time for her to catch up on years of lost sleep, which is what I spent my first month of retirement doing.

We’ve already taken a day trip to the beach and there are plans for many more visits there as well as other little fun day trips. There are so many places near and far. Maybe some bigger trips down the road. But the best part is just having more time to spend together. Some married people hit a crossroads when they retire. Some find they can’t stand each other. Others take long breaks from each other. Most are somewhere in-between. But I love spending time with my wife, and we both have looked forward to us having this time together for a long time.

We’re spending Valentine’s Day doing nothing special this year. After more than 16 years of marriage, this is more common for us, but no less joyful. I think about how unlikely it seemed that we would ever be together.

We should never have been together, in fact. But we were always a force of nature. The odds were against us. She was married and I had a girlfriend when we met (again) in 2005 after 27 years apart since first meeting. The first time we met was in 11th grade art class in 1976 in Salisbury. I grew up there; she had moved there from Baltimore. We were fast friends but drifted apart and went our separate ways during our senior year in high school.

But through high school graduation

and college, and over the years after that, I always wondered what happened to her. Finally, in 2004, I reached out to her using the precursor to Facebook,

I wouldn’t want to be living through these troubling times with anyone else.

Classmates.com. Lo and behold, and so unlikely, she had a profile there. Turns out she had put it up just a month before I searched. So I sent a message and she eventually saw it and returned it. She hadn’t changed at all. Her beautiful eyes were the same, just with a few crow’s feet added for character. The same “11s” she had between her eyes as she had in 1976. In our subsequent emails and then visits (I was living in Brooklyn at the time and she was in Delaware) we rediscovered the bond that brought us

BY BETH SHOCKLEY

together so strongly the first time. It was as if no time had passed and we would talk into the night until we heard the birds chirping. Fortunately, we were still young enough to function in our jobs despite being utterly exhausted after a visit. Falling in love will do that to you.

We did not expect to fall in love. It was certainly never my conscious intent. But we did, and it was quite problematic at first and logistically impossible and, and, and—she was married and I was in a committed relationship. But that force of nature thing intervened and made us as inevitable as we were unstoppable.

We had to live and breathe through her divorce and me leaving my relationship. We had to find ways to be together living 165 miles part. We had to survive the agony of being apart after those way-too-brief visits were over. We both looked for jobs, me in Delaware and her in New York City. I got lucky and landed a job first and made the move to Delaware with my soul kitty, Lucy, in the backseat of her mom’s car.

Four years later, and with my father and her mother living with us, we eloped to a Yankee state and got our marriage license in the same department as the hunting, fishing, and dog licenses— always good for a laugh.

We never should have happened. But I am forever so thankful that we did. I wouldn’t want to be living through these troubling times with anyone else. This Valentine’s Day we find joy in being together and with our kitty boys, probably relaxing by the fire after a homecooked meal. And it is my hope that everyone can find joy this Valentine’s Day and beyond. ▼

Beth Shockley is a retired writer and editor, and shares life with her wife and kitty boys.

Going, Going, Gone…

Ten Years Later

It was the last thing I expected to be discussing at 8:00 a.m. on a Friday morning.

My brother had called, and I could tell immediately—this wasn’t a check-in, a favor, or a passing thought. Something in his voice made me stop what I was doing and pay attention. It was a good thing I did, because what he said next knocked the air out of me.

“I think it’s time we did something with Pop.”

The sentence landed heavier than it should have, considering how long Pop— our father—has been dead. Ten years, to be exact. He died right after Christmas 2015. Since then, his cremains have lived on a dark green credenza, inside an antique box, in the house where we grew up. They’ve become part of the room— present, silent, and oddly permanent. Easy to live around. Easy not to disturb. It feels important to say that Pop disliked Christmas and always found new ways to inject chaos into the holidays. So, true to form, he died in his sleep on December 28. Even in death, he managed to make a point.

If this all sounds casual, it’s intentional. He would have loved the story of his own passing. If it had happened to anyone else, he would have taken pleasure in retelling it, sparing no detail. He was sharp, irreverent, and allergic to pretense. That sensibility shaped how my brother and I learned to talk about his death— plainly, without ornament, without asking grief to perform.

Over time, that settled into two parallel truths: we miss him deeply, and we don’t romanticize the loss.

In the beginning, grief made itself impossible to ignore. It arrived loud and uncontained, sometimes braided with anger sharp enough to cut, other times sinking into sadness that felt bottomless. As time passed, it didn’t disappear—it adjusted. These days, it arrives sideways and without warning. In grocery store aisles. In yoga classes. In dreams so ordinary it takes a few seconds after waking

to understand why my chest hurts.

That quiet persistence is probably why, years ago, my brother and I thought we were ready to “do something” with his cremains. We imagined scattering him during our own travels, turning motion into ceremony. I was about to jet off to some island and felt certain the timing was right to pack up a piece of Pop and take him with me. That confidence lasted until we opened the box.

The fine gray powder erased every plan we’d made. One look at each other was enough. We sealed the box back up and returned it to the credenza without a word.

That moment would have delighted our Pop. He would have enjoyed our discomfort, our hesitation, the way we suddenly became children again. What wouldn’t have amused him is how long it’s taken us to circle back—how grief kept

BY CHRISTOPHER MOORE

inserting itself into ordinary moments, refusing to resolve on cue or move according to plan.

Grief continued to show up unannounced and uninvited. Sometimes it was small—a passing memory tipping into melancholy, a tightness in my chest on his birthday. Other times, it was impossible to hide. Tears came without warning or clear cause, unsettling me long before I understood what they were asking of me.

Before he died, I wasn’t much of a crier. Whatever emotional containment I’d built cracked open and never fully closed again. Now, I’m a professional crier—concerts, commercials, greeting cards—all fair game. I cry in public, at work, at fancy dinners, and even on the dance floor of a gay bar. I no longer know whether the tears are made of sorrow or joy, and I no longer feel the need to decide.

Once, during a yoga class, I cried so

“I think it’s time we did something with Pop.”

hard in shavasana that people on nearby mats quietly got up and laid down around me. No one asked questions. No one tried to fix anything. They simply formed a soft perimeter of bodies on a sweaty studio floor and stayed there. I didn’t know any of them, but I didn’t need to. In that moment, I felt understood without having to explain a thing.

That kind of understanding took time with my father, too. Our relationship wasn’t easy at the start. I was headstrong, defiant, ornery—exactly like him. The resemblance must have been exhausting. But as I grew up and settled into myself, we found our rhythm. He was, much to my surprise, unbothered by my queerness. If anything, he was annoyed that I’d told my mother first.

Adulthood gave me access to all of him—the humor, the stubbornness, the loyalty, the contradictions. I loved every version. By the time he died, it felt like we had finally arrived at the relationship we were meant to have. The timing of that still stings.

What followed his death wasn’t just absence. We inherited his entire life,

including a school bus business—which my brother now runs. There must be something surreal about managing fleets, contracts, and paperwork while trying to understand how someone can be so gone and so present at the same time. I am especially in awe of my brother for this—and he of all people knows that responsibility can’t pause for grief.

Which is why his phone call on that Friday morning was so heavy. When he said it might be time to do something with Pop, I finally heard an acknowledgment that 10 years have passed—and that not deciding is still a decision. We’ve carried him with us long enough to know this isn’t about letting go. It’s about choosing how to keep going.

When spring comes, we’ll bury him with his parents. There will be a cheeky line carved into the back of their headstone—something unmistakably his. It feels right for a man who never did things the expected way, even in death. Not closure, exactly, but placement. A way of saying: you belong here, and we carry you forward from this spot.

The years without him haven’t erased

anything. They’ve rearranged it. Memory no longer moves in a straight line; it arrives in fragments, layered over ordinary days and extraordinary moments.

The credenza.

The school busses.

The island I never scattered him on.

The dreams where he’s alive.

The strangers on the yoga mats.

Ten Christmases without him.

Taken together, they all point to the same truth: he isn’t coming back. And tomorrow—no matter how carefully planned—isn’t promised.

Ten years later, that realization feels less like a warning and more like instruction.

If grief offers a reminder, then the answer has to be living—deliberately, imperfectly, awake to the moment already in front of us.

Not someday. Not later. Right now. ▼

Christopher Moore is a writer, a teacher, and a lover of NPR, yoga, abandoned shopping malls, reproductive freedoms, and a man who lives in Toronto. His email is moore.cc@gmail.com.

BY SANDY CLARK

February Is My Month

Red and pink hearts are everywhere, and people await the arrival of spring by asking a giant rodent to be an accurate meteorologist. It must be February! Woo-hoo! Please excuse my excitement. I’ve only recently learned to love February. I used to find it depressing. It’s a cold, dark month when the number on your bathroom scale is high and the balance in your bank account is low, both thanks to the over-indulgences of the holidays. But I’ve realized that February is my month. Things celebrated this month are important themes in my life.

For instance, February 11 is National Guitar Day! Ok, so maybe this isn’t something everyone gets excited about but the guitar, and music in general, is an important part of who I am.

In the mid to late 1960s my family lived on an Army post in Hawaii. In school, all the kids in fourth grade were taught how to play the ukulele. I was pretty excited about that until I found out that we were moving back to the mainland right after I finished third grade. I was devastated. I was a big fan of the Monkees and the Beatles and playing music seemed like the coolest thing ever. I mean, look at all those girls chasing them!

Before we left Hawaii, my mom surprised me with a ukulele and an instruction book she picked up at the post exchange. That afternoon, I stayed in my bedroom with my new instrument and by dinnertime I could play three songs for my parents. Did I mention that National Ukulele Day is also in February? Coincidence? My theory is that the ukulele is a “gateway instrument” to guitar addiction. Not that I have a problem or anything.

Eventually, I outgrew the ukulele and got my first guitar, along with a John Denver songbook, as a Christmas present. It had nylon strings, and neck that seemed as big around as a tree trunk. I learned how to play every song in that book and then started trying to play along with songs on the radio. My grandfather played the guitar. When I showed him

My theory is that the ukulele is a “gateway instrument” to guitar addiction.

my guitar that Christmas, I handed it to him and he played “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles” for me. Could my affinity for the guitar be genetic?

In school a teacher saw my interest in music and suggested I play in the band. I tried and failed to play the flute. I couldn’t get enough air and got dizzy a lot. I also found it impossible, due to a learning disability, to read music.

But I could read tablature and chord diagrams like nobody’s business. Strumming and picking did not require any extra breathing. Guitar was definitely my instrument. It was cool, comfortable, and casual. It fit right in with my jeans, t-shirt, and flannel shirt wardrobe. I didn’t have fans chasing me, but I was definitely rock star material. Not so coincidentally, February 10 is National Flannel Day. Also, February 20 is National Women in Blue Jeans Day. There’s a day I can absolutely get behind.

In 1976, I was the new kid in school again. I was drawing in art class. The main subjects of all my drawings back then were either horses or guitars. That day I was drawing a Gibson Les Paul with humbucking pick-ups and a sunburst finish just like Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin played. This red-headed girl in the class saw what I was drawing, came over, and said something like, “Nice guitar. Do you play?”

I have no idea what I said, but I found out she played too and had a Martin O-18 guitar that was a gift from her dad. I asked her if she knew how to play “Hotel California.” A short conversation about music and a few minutes later she volunteered to teach me the song and we became fast friends.

Not long after, I went over to her house for my guitar lesson. We talked about music and school and guitars and all the places I lived. I never did learn to play “Hotel California.” Thirty-three years later we got married. Words cannot express how grateful I am to the guitars that helped that happen. I love February! So many hearts! February 14 is Valentine’s Day. Also, my guitar-playing grandfather’s middle name was Valentine.

Still not convinced that this is my month? Spunky Old Broad’s Day is February 1. It’s National Bird Feeding Month— please don’t ask me how much money I spend on bird feed. It’s also Library Lovers Month and I taught myself to read when I was three.

February is the shortest month of the year. Did I mention I’m 5’1”? ▼

Sandy Clark, retired and living in central Delaware with her wife and two cats, loves sharing her humorous observations on the weirdness of life.

$330 MILLION IN SALES.

345 PROPERTIES SOLD.

408 SATISFIED CLIENTS.

THE ONE NAME IN REAL ESTATE AT THE BEACH. 2025

26 Things I’m Watching in 2026

The future gets very popular this time of year. Everyone is resolving, predicting, forecasting, and even consulting Nostradamus, whose murky quatrains have survived five centuries largely because they can mean anything to anyone.

Me? I’m not a prophecy guy. But I do enjoy giving thought to things that catch my attention as the new year gets underway. Not as a forecast—more as a wry side-eye.

So, what am I watching in 2026? Fried chicken, to start with.

Yes, fried chicken. One of my favorite foods. Folks around here have noticed Royal Farms chicken pieces have shrunk lately. (1) Could this be the year RoFo potato wedges outsize their chicken thighs? (2) And will RFK Jr.’s push to “make frying oil tallow again” mean I can use beef fat to fry chicken and moisturize my face?

I’m asking because yours truly has hopped on the GLP-1 bandwagon this new year. Not because of the fried chicken—though that might be a pleasant side benefit—but to give an extra boost to my diet and exercise regimen. (3) Of course, I’ll be monitoring the side effects. Wondering too (4) whether my embrace of the juice means I’ll be reclassified as a wolf, otter, or dolphin.

And speaking of body types, (5) are dolphins the new “it” animal in the gay zoo, much the way (6) Cab Franc seems poised to be the “it” wine of 2026? Or am I simply behind the times with gay slang? (7)

One thing I’m decidedly more up on is politics. (8) Of course, I’ll be following the midterms and gubernatorial races closely this year. I’ll also be paying attention to (9) whether Democrats are willing to go tit for tat to keep pace with GOP redistricting efforts. (10) I’m specifically watching you, Governors Spanberger and More.

(11) Can Democrats also craft a compelling agenda that satisfies the

anti-Trumpers while also appealing to voters who see affordability as the magic bullet for victory? (12) And will they elevate a new generation of serious, inspirational, and principled fighters? Not Trump imitators. More Mark Carney than Gavin Newsom.

I’m mildly embarrassed to admit (13) I’m also paying attention to something that’s become strangely ideological: makeup. Which leads me to wonder (14) whether JD Vance gets a little professional assistance with those smoky eyes. MAGA does love a look. Acolytes like Laura Loomer and Kristi Noem have perfected the heavy foundation, dramatic dark eyes, contoured cheeks, and pufferfish lips known as the “Mar-a-Lago face.” It ain’t pretty, but it is consistent. (15) Is it merely cosmetic—or a loyalty test?

The aesthetic has spread. Young MAGA men are “looksmaxing” their way into a hyper-masculine fantasy, and (16) I wouldn’t be surprised if more of the older GOP creeps follow suit. Looks harden into uniforms faster than we think—brown shirts, Mao suits, red hats…. Still, styles change when movements weaken. (17) If MAGA is truly starting to crack (as some pundits claim and I’m not sure I believe), will the makeup crack too? (18) Will the ugliness soften or just get louder?

…will RFK Jr.’s push to “make frying oil tallow again” mean I can use beef fat to fry chicken and moisturize my face?

RICH BARNETT

What fascinates me most is how close this all looks to drag. Tell me JD Vance wouldn’t pass as a drag king. (19) Will MAGA ever recognize the irony?

Drag queens have become favorite MAGA targets—and some of its most effective critics. (20) Will the queens keep reminding us that sometimes the most potent response to hate is standing out, standing tall, and speaking the truth?

Turning an eye to Rehoboth…I do love a lunar event. Big ones in 2026 include a Blood Moon and eight Super Moons. (21) But might we also see a new Blue Moon rise over Rehoboth?

And despite the recent upending of the food pyramid, (22) can we really handle any more “hamburger nights?”

No watch list would be complete without a tech item. I’m intrigued—not with ChatGPT—but with a handful of web apps using map technology to reinvigorate gay cruising culture: Sniffies, BKDR, and Motto. (23) Does this mean the beach and trails at Gordon’s Pond might get busy again?

And speaking of cruising, did you know Lowe’s now sells Carhartt clothing? According to GQ magazine, the brand has transcended its workwear roots to become street-ready cool. (24) Will Rehoboth gays begin working the racks to look stylishly butch without breaking a sweat?

Comprehensive Legal Guidance for Real Estate Matters

As we near the end of my watch list, I want to change the tone and get to the most important things I’ll be paying attention to in 2026.

(25) Will people of all stripes appalled by a deviant and corrupt president who does whatever he wants—laws be damned—finally rise up and say enough is enough? I wonder because outrage is easy; commitment is not.

Which leads to the most critical question I’ll be asking myself: (26) how much time, comfort, resources, and attention am I willing to give to turn my outrage into action?

Honestly, it feels daunting. But so did the idea of Indiana University, one of the historically worst football programs, winning the 2026 college football national championship.

The nattering nabobs of negativity said it couldn’t be done. But, with unwavering belief, unrelenting work, resources, and discipline, the Hoosiers turned what seemed impossible into reality.

So that’s my last watch for 2026 and beyond—whether I, along with others, can practice those same fundamentals not just once, but repeatedly, in the face of a full-blown crisis that requires outrage AND the stamina to sustain it. Not perfectly. Not heroically. But deliberately. Because if we don’t, who will? ▼

Rich Barnett’s column just celebrated its 20th year in Letters. He is the author of two books and is an occasional contributor to Delaware Beach Life. His short stories have appeared in a variety of publications, most notably in Saints and Sinners annual LGBTQ fiction anthology. He can be reached at richbarnettwriter.com.

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Historical Headliners

Brilliance and Courage

Dr. Sara Josephine Baker

It’s great to be back.

Because a serious health crisis kept me from contributing to recent issues of Letters, I think it’s only fitting that I honor the medical team that pulled me through by featuring a brilliant doctor and her lesbian life: Dr. Sara Josephine Baker, MD, PhD.

Baker was born in 1873 in Poughkeepsie, New York. In 1889, when Sara was 16 years old, her brother and father died of typhoid. Their deaths affected Sara deeply, leading to her decision to become a doctor.

She eventually enrolled in the Women’s Medical College of the New York Infirmary in 1894, joining the first generation of women to attend medical school. Baker thrived in this environment of intellectual women and powerful female faculty.

Upon graduating in 1898, Baker secured a year’s internship at Boston’s prestigious New England Hospital for Women and Children, where she worked in the outpatient clinic, a facility which served many of the city’s poorest citizens. It was here that Baker first became aware of the connection between poverty, ill health, and death from various diseases, including typhoid, the same killer that claimed the lives of her father and brother. This realization led Baker to concentrate her energies on pursuing a social medicine practice, focusing her attentions on the women and children of the poor, whose disease and death rate was substantially higher than that of Boston’s more privileged citizens.

In the summer of 1908, Baker organized a team of nurses to go into New York’s filthiest slums, especially Hell’s Kitchen, and educate the population—especially young mothers of infant and toddler children—on basic hygiene and other healthful and cleanliness practices. According to the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation and other sources and health records, the program was so successful that by August of that summer the infant

mortality rate in the city’s slums declined sharply.

Baker was instrumental in identifying Mary Mallory, known as Typhoid Mary, a young woman who carried the disease but who suffered no symptoms or distress herself. Mary was responsible for infecting scores of people, and was eventually confined to living quarters for the rest of her life in order to prevent her from spreading the disease by any social contact.

Baker’s successful programs among New York’s poor gained her recognition among the city’s health officials and others in the political class. She was thus appointed director of New York’s first Bureau of Child Hygiene. She also went on to found and serve as president of the Children’s Welfare Federation of New York. Respect for her work resulted in recognition not only in New York, but internationally as well. She was offered jobs in France and London, but she eventually accepted the offer in the United States to serve as Assistant Surgeon General, the first woman to hold the position.

Despite Baker’s hectic professional life, she found a place in her personal life for a long-term relationship with the Australian novelist, Hollywood screenwriter, and essayist, Ida Alexis Ross Wylie. Together Baker and Wylie were an intel-

BY ANN APTAKER

Baker was instrumental in identifying Mary Mallory, known as Typhoid Mary, a young woman who carried the disease but who suffered no symptoms or distress herself.

lectual powerhouse, hobnobbing with the city’s coterie of influential women. With their friend Louise Pearce, they belonged to the Heterodoxy Club, a feminist organization whose members met bi-weekly, usually for luncheon, to discuss feminist issues, among other topics. Most of the members of the group were lesbian or bisexual.

In 1935, Baker and Wylie, along with Louise Pearce, moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where they lived until Baker’s death in 1945 at the age of 71.

Today’s practitioners of socially motivated medicine owe a tremendous debt to Dr. Sara Josphine Baker. Her pioneering efforts in identifying the causes of certain diseases and working to educate the population most affected by those diseases not only improved the health of that population, but Baker’s ideas continue to affect our health today. Her revolutionary social medical practice contributed to the development of modern medicine, a development for which I am deeply grateful. ▼

Ann Aptaker is the author of short stories and the Lambda & three-time Goldie award winning Cantor Gold series. Her latest in the series—Gold for the Dead—was released in October 2025.

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“We

PLANNED GIVING OPTIONS

Bequests

Name CAMP Rehoboth in your will or trust

Retirement Accounts & Life Insurance

Designate CAMP Rehoboth as a beneficiary.

IRA Charitable Rollover

If 70½ or older, give up to $100,000 tax-free from your IRA.

Appreciated Stock & Bonds

Donate securities to maximize impact and reduce capital gains tax.

Gifting Real Estate or Personal Property

You may leave your home or other property to CAMP Rehoboth through your will or a charitable trust. Consult your legal and tax advisors to determine the best way to structure your gift.

envisioned CAMP Rehoboth as the heart of the community. CAMP Rehoboth became a gift to the community around us.”

—Murray Archibald, CAMP Rehoboth Co-Founder

Contact our Development Manager, Laurie Thompson, at Laurie@CAMPRehoboth.org to learn more about these ways to give. CAMPRehoboth.org/PlannedGiving EIN # 51-0331962 © CAMP Rehoboth 2025

Celebrity Interview

Kennedy Davenport Delivers…

Excellence

&

Accolades

NBY MICHAEL COOK

with WOW Presents Plus’s The Kennedy Davenport Center Honors!

o matter when she has taken the stage, Kennedy Davenport delivers her own distinct regal excellence to not just RuPaul’s Drag Race, but to the world of drag itself. Now, The Kennedy Davenport Center Honors (streaming on WOW Presents Plus) is awarding that very excellence to a galaxy of deserving drag legends. I sat down for an exclusive chat with Kennedy to dish on the brand-new show, her own drag career (and what is left to accomplish), and the superstars being honored at The Kennedy Davenport Center Honors!

MICHAEL COOK: What does it feel like to have the brand-new WOW Presents Plus show, The Kennedy Davenport Center Honors, named for you and celebrating queer excellence?!

KENNEDY DAVENPORT: Well, I think more things should be named after me (lol)! But seriously, as silly as it is, it is also a real honor. It’s taken a lot of perseverance and drive for me to remain relevant in this industry. And for so long, “pageant queens” weren’t necessarily taken as seriously as other girls. So it’s really amazing to see not only myself, but my culture and art form celebrated on a global scale.

MC: The awards are so amazingly clever, named for things like “The Eyeroll Award.” What does it take for someone to be awarded one of the Kennedy Davenport Center Honors?

KD: Anybody that’s gonna get an award from me better be able to take a compliment and a read. That’s just how we express love to each other in my drag family. We are always reading and carrying on. So I’d say you have to have a good sense of humor in addition to obviously being excellent at your craft.

MC: Were there any queens that you instantly knew had to have a Kennedy Davenport Center Honor bestowed upon them?

KD: Jasmine Masters is always right at

the top of my list. She is a real friend and a sister, and she is most definitely the meme queen so there was no one else for that category. But Latrice (Royale), Alexis (Mateo), Mistress (Isabelle Brooks)—all of those were no brainers, too. They always have something to say because it’s always the girls, but I love them anyway.

MC: In times like today, do you think it’s crucial that we celebrate queer art and excellence now more than ever before?

KD: Of course it’s more important than ever. We are under such scrutiny, and we really do have to try to put our best foot forward in every circumstance. And when so much of the country is arguing about us and telling us we’re bad or the enemy or something, we have to

I’ve said before that doing drag is a calling, and that’s especially true right now.

cheer for each other even louder so we remember who we are and what we’re supposed to be doing. I’ve said before that doing drag is a calling, and that’s especially true right now.

MC: You recently had such an outpouring of support from fans after the house fire at your home. What was it like to get that kind of support from your fans?

KD: There’s not really words to even describe how it feels. It’s never easy or fun going through these real-life situations, especially when you’re in the public eye. But sometimes it’s in those moments when you get to see how loved you really are. My fans and friends have not only gotten to know me over the years, but a lot of them know my family, too. Or at least they know about them.

And when so much of the country is arguing about us and telling us we’re bad or the enemy or something, we have to cheer for each other even louder so we remember who we are and what we’re supposed to be doing.

I can’t express my gratitude enough for the people who have offered all kinds of support to my family and me. I have always been a hard worker, and I will keep doing what I love because I know I have so many people counting on me and believing in me.

MC: You have had such a storied and accomplished career; what is the one honor that has eluded Kennedy Davenport?

KD: Well, there’s not just one, (lol). There are a few titles I would still love to claim. Miss Black Universe is definitely on the list, as well as Universal Show Queen and All-American Goddess. I’m such a fan of all forms of pageantry, so I’d like to continue to show my range and diversity. But of

course, the biggest honor that I’ve never received is winning RuPaul’s Drag Race, so whenever y’all wanna just go ahead and give me that crown, I sure would appreciate it.

MC: One important question: The last time we saw Wintergreen, she was presenting at the very first Kennedy Davenport Center Honors. Any chance she will make a glamorous return to the ceremony?

KD: Unfortunately, Wintergreen was booked at Club Tentacles the day of filming this time, and we couldn’t secure her availability. But rest assured, even though there may have been some transition at the actual Kennedy Center, Wintergreen is still serving as President of The Kennedy DAVENPORT Center Honors, making sure

everything stays as gay and queer and fabulous as possible! She’s been taking a more behind-the-scenes approach lately. But I’m sure as time goes on, we will see her again, if her hectic touring schedule permits. ▼

The Kennedy Davenport Center Honors is streaming now on WOW Presents Plus

Follow Kennedy Davenport on Instagram: @kennedyddoftx

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

Medical Foundation

“ Everyone at Beebe was wonderful and so eager to assist—they went above and beyond their responsibilities.

After having concerns about pressure in his chest, Richard Ambrose scheduled an appointment with his primary care physician who referred him to a cardiologist. After a cardiac catheterization it was determined surgery was the best option.

Beebe Cardiothoracic Surgeon Steven Marra, MD, who has more than 20 years of experience, completed the surgery with no complications. With a smooth discharge plan through Beebe Home Health, Rich is now healthier than ever and enjoying life.

Tell Your Doctor You Want a Beebe Surgeon. beebehealthcare.org/surgeons

Scan to learn more about Rich's story

Women’s+ FEST Turns 25

BY NANCY SAKADUSKI

A Celebration Too Big for a Single Weekend

Women’s+ FEST has been a special event from the start, in 2001, when some brilliant folks at CAMP Rehoboth came up with the idea of holding a women’s conference. It’s grown and expanded over the years, turning into one of the Mid-Atlantic region’s largest and most important events for all those on the spectrum of the feminine spirit.

This year, Women’s+ FEST is celebrating its silver anniversary. It’s a time to reflect. A time to honor. A time to celebrate. Women’s+ FEST is, and has always been, a special, safe space with a sense of belonging that goes beyond dances and entertainers, auctions and sporting events, and has attendees starting to miss it the moment the closing event ends.

Women’s+ FEST Weekend, April 9-12 ⊲

The keystone for Women’s+ FEST will always be the spring weekend when everyone gathers for several days of activities and celebration. This year, the most popular events are back, starting with the beloved Georgette Krenkel Welcome Dance, the traditional way to kick off FEST, and the Closing Social, the place to relive FEST experiences and make plans for next year. As always, the four-day weekend will be packed with sports events, from pickleball to cornhole, and bowling to golf.

Friday night will showcase international headliner Mina Hartong, comedian, storyteller, and founder of Lez Out Loud. Mina is the fun lesbian aunt you always wanted. She’s headlined for Olivia Travel in Tahiti and Greece aboard the exclusive Windstar and Amazara Cruise Lines, and toured New York City, Los Angeles, and Palm Springs. Local humorist Fay Jacobs will serve as emcee, and you won’t want to miss this year’s live auction. The event will close with a dance; music provided by DJ Peggy Castle.

Saturday night will feature Yoli Mayor, who has mastered a fusion of sounds as multicultural as her hometown of Miami. The 26-year-old singer first gained her

“Creating space for LGBTQ+ Women to gather and celebrate has always been at the heart of Olivia’s mission. CAMP Rehoboth has done exactly that for decades. As Women’s+ FEST celebrates its 25th anniversary, we’re proud to support a community that continues to uplift women and remind us how powerful we are when we come together.”

Judy Dlugacz, President and Co-Founder of Olivia

voice through The Magic City’s burgeoning underground music scene, quickly becoming a regular at community events, open mics, and intimate venues. Her trademark Latin-Pop sound earned the attention of award-winning publications; Downtown Magazine (NYC) dubbed her “The Cuban Adele.” Later, dance to tunes selected by DJ Peggy Castle. Be sure to wear some bling to celebrate the silver theme—bedazzled boots, sequined tops, silver studs and charms—bring it all!

If you need accommodations and haven’t already booked, contact annual sponsor Hampton Inn or hotel partner Atlantic Sands and mention Women’s+ FEST.

Anyone Can Be a Sponsor ⊲ Sponsorship is an ideal way for companies, organizations, AND individuals to show their support for women and inclusivity. Businesses can align their brand with values that resonate deeply with a diverse and engaged audience. Individuals can make meaningful donations while getting recognition and value. Choose from five sponsorship levels, from $10,000 Diamond Level to $600 Supporting Sponsor Level. Each sponsorship level offers tailored benefits that provide visibility and opportunities for digital, print, and on-site branding. Showcase your support for CAMP Rehoboth and Women’s+ FEST while making an impact. Contact Shae Wagner at swagner@camprehoboth.org or call 302-227-5620 for sponsorship details.

CAMP Rehoboth’s Women’s+ FEST strives to create and maintain an inclusive and accessible environment that empow-

ers all people, including people with disabilities. If you or your companion have any needs related to accessibility, please contact accessibility@camprehoboth.org. Check camprehoboth.org and the Women’s+ FEST Facebook page for continuing updates. Tickets will be available in mid-February. ▼

A Year of Festivities

For the first time, CAMP Rehoboth Women’s+ FEST 2026 will offer a year-long selection of multifaceted Women’s+ FEST programming focused on the feminine spirit.

ALREADY SCHEDULED:

• CAMP Rehoboth Chorus will present “I Am Woman,” February 13-15, at Epworth United Methodist Church in Rehoboth

• WomenKind (new CAMP Rehoboth Chorus a-cappella group) will present “Life, Love, Laughter,” April 18-19, at West Presbyterian Church in Rehoboth

• CAMP Rehoboth Women’s+ Golf League will run throughout the summer at American Classic Golf Course in Lewes

• Women In Circle will host discussion groups on the first and third Saturdays of each month

• Chroma (new gender expansive discussion group) will meet, dates TBD

Stay tuned. There is more to come! ▼

MINA HARTONG

Comedian, Storyteller, named as “One of America’s Funniest Women”

YOLI MAYOR

Captivating singer, known as “The Cuban Adele”

Show Up, Show Out

Throughout 2025, CAMP Rehoboth showed up and showed out in its mission to create a more positive environment for folks of all sexual orientations and gender identities in southern Delaware and beyond. Through its vision for communities where all LGBTQ+ people thrive, CAMP Rehoboth offers vibrant programs, services, and events to advocate for the health, safety, and belonging of LGBTQ+ residents.

Thanks to CAMP Rehoboth’s transformative legacy and impact in the community, the landscape has evolved and LGBTQ+ people enjoy a strong footprint in southern Delaware. The Williams Institute reports that as of 2021, 7.5 percent of Delaware adults identify as LGBTQ+ compared to 5.5 percent nationally. Delaware has the third-highest percentage of LGBTQ+ residents in the nation, per capita, and 70 percent of same sex couples in Delaware live in Sussex County. As the queer population’s presence grows, so too does CAMP Rehoboth’s proud promise to forge a community of understanding, well-being, and cooperation for all.

Stay tuned for more 2025 impact highlights from CAMP Rehoboth’s programs and services in an upcoming issue of Letters

Putting Pride in Progress: With CAMP Rehoboth’s five-year strategic plan in action, note below how our programs and services work towards our strategic plan’s outcomes of health, safety, and belonging.

SUSSEX COUNTY COUNCIL

Community Connections

Honoring the Founders’ Circle

Though it may be hard to imagine, it was not so long ago that CAMP Rehoboth was just an idea—a dream that rested in the minds of a select group of Rehoboth Beach locals. Today, the organization recognizes this group of dreamers as the “Founders’ Circle”—the 500+ individuals and groups who raised money to acquire and build a brick-and-mortar community center. With determination and endless passion, the Founders’ Circle helped to actualize a central theme of CAMP Rehoboth’s mission—to be the heart of the community.

The Founders’ Circle traces its origins to the early 2000s, when CAMP Rehoboth launched a five-year capital campaign to fund the creation of the now-beloved community center on Baltimore Avenue.

Enthusiastic supporters pledged toward a bold goal of $1 million.

Those early supporters may still recall the seven pledge levels: Members, Friends, Supporters, Contributors, Patrons, Builders, and Founders—all of whom make up the Founders’ Circle. Indeed, early campaign reports noted that Founders’ Circle members had pledged more than $630,000 by the third year of the campaign, exceeding projected goals.

CAMP Rehoboth’s facility stands today as a vibrant center for health, cultural events, advocacy, and fellowship—a testament to the Founders’ early leadership and dedication. The capital campaign not only secured a building, but solidified CAMP Rehoboth’s role as a focal point for inclusive community life.

And so, in its 35th year of operation,

BY VINCENT DELISSIO

CAMP Rehoboth launches a new way to honor its Founders’ Circle members, a group whose generosity helped build the physical heart of the organization: Members of the Founders’ Circle will now be recognized annually in a dedicated list in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth—distinct from the regular membership acknowledgements that appear periodically.

The names of the Founders will appear as they do on the Founders’ Wall Memorial in the Community Center, assigned to their original pledge level. This list honors their unique legacy and provides a meaningful, visible tribute in the publication that has chronicled CAMP Rehoboth’s journey since its founding. Further, it reinforces the organization’s everlasting gratitude to those who helped create an inclusive space “with room for all.” ▼

FOUNDER

$15,000+

Anonymous

Kathleen Bailey & Inez Conover

Ronald Bass & George Robbins

George Benes, MD & Michael Mallee, EdD

Stuart Comstock-Gay

Bernie Delia - In Memory of Douglas S. Sheorn

Stephen Elkins

Joseph John Filipek Jr. In Memory of Glenn W. Gadsen

Randall A. Godwin - Nomad Village

Suzanne Goldstein & Dana Greenwald, DDS

Dan Goren & Peter Robinson

Judith B. Gorra, MD & Stephani R. Allison, MD

Jeff Haslow

The Robert V. Hauff & John F. Dreeland Foundation

Allen Jarmon & Ward Ellinger

Susan Jimenez & Cathy Benson

Nancy A. Kaiser & Mary R. McElhone

Curtis J. Leciejewski, DDS

Bruce Majors/Re/Max Capitol

Domenic J. Mannello & Terry Knoy

Joseph E. McMahon - In Memory of Douglas D. Romaniak

Bruce R. Miller & Dean D. LaVigne

J. E. Newton, Jr. Charitable Trust

John E. Newton, Jr. & Mowry I. Spencer

Bruce A. Pfeufer Foundation In Honor of Raymond O. Kraft, Jr.

Deb Qualey & Karen Gustafson

Michael Schlechter & Kevin Sharp

Rose Schmidt & Carolyn Horn

Evie Simmons & Barb Thompson

Jeffrey Slavin/Sanford & Doris Slavin Foundation

Leonard H. Smith, Philip L. Flint, Philip A. Collier

Splash Dance

Starburst Gayla CommitteeCathin Bishop, Joan Glass,

CAMP Rehoboth Founders’ Circle

Natalie Moss, Maggie Ottato, Roni Posner & Laura Simon

Libby Stiff & Bea Wagner

Cassandra Toroian

Jennifer Walker

Alexander G. Yearley

BUILDER

$10,000 - $14,999

Mark A. Aguirre & Wayne Gleason

Andrea F. Andrus & Margaret S. Shaw - In Memory of Heidi L. Marx

Drs. Jeri L. Berc and Roni D. Posner

Barbara Hines & Nancy Froome

Holly Horn & Kathleen Garrity

Ted LeFevre, Keith Wiggs & Their Sons

LOVE Benefit

Howard Menaker & Patrick Gossett

Natalie Moss & Evelyn Maurmeyer

David P. Nelson & William F. McManus Splash ‘06

PATRON

$5,000 - $9,999

Patricia A. Antonisse - In Memory of Patty Cramer

Susie Ball MD & Susan Delaney

Jane Blue & Louisa Watrel

Carol J. Bresler & Carolyn A. Billinghurst

P. Alan Bulliner & H. Michael Weinert

Matthew Carey & Eddie Major

Teresa Cason & Lynda Schepler

Sandra Chinchilla

Beth Cohen & Fran Sneider

Robert C. Crocetti & Scott Steedman

Michael S. Driscoll - In Memory of Richard D. Driscoll

John J. Farley, Jr

Ellen J. Feinberg & Lesley K. Rogan

Paul Florentino & Chris Pedersen - In Memory of Donnie Mallace & Dennis Teti

Cynthia Flynn & Deirdre Boyle

Gayla, Inc.

Shirley Gilmer & Linda Balatti

Jackie A. Goff

Frederick Harke, Jr.

Howard Hicks & Stephen Carey

Chris Holt & Emory Bevill

Jackie & Mac Ignacio

Melissa W. Kaufman - In Memory of Michael W. Brossette

Maureen Keenan - In Memory of Peter & Mary Keenan

Charlie Lee

Thomas McGlone & Andrew Meddick

Mermaid Splash - Lauren Romig, Lisa Myers, Judy Turner, Cindy Johnson, Inez Conover & Mary Brett

Todd A. Miller & Michele Frame

Mary Morgan & Beth Fitton

Robert Nowak & David Bergman

Tim Patterson & Harvey Sharpe

Marion Ridley & Mark Lundy

Sandra L. Roberts - In Memory of Barry N. Roberts

Roy Rollins & John Konchesky

Gary Seiden

Frank J. Sterner

Christine Strauss - In Honor of Mary Anne Miller and Debra Ivanor

The Hon. Henry E. Thomas IV and John-Kevin Litschgi

Dr. Otto F. Tidwell & Dr. Mark W. Fisher

Jon Worthington

Robert & Betty Wright - In Memory of Tom Wilson, Lewes Artist

CONTRIBUTOR

$2,500 - $4,999

Brenda C. Abell - In Memory of Nancy Kettell

Greg Albright & Wes Combs

Teresa L. Adkins - In Memory of Christina M. Gelnett

Murray Archibald & Steve Elkins

Sondra N. Arkin

Dr. John Batchelor & Randy Brammer, RN

Cathin Bishop & Laura Simon

Donna & David Bowman - In Memory of Glenn C. Bowman

John F. Brady & Joshua B. Davis

Charles L. Browne III & Rod Cook

Tony Burns

Michele Campisi & Julie A. Slick

Kathy Casey & Jean Burgess

Jay Chalmers & John Potthast

Amy Clouse and Betty Long

Coleen Collins & Berdi Price

Michael Cornell & Paul Henning - Power Payment Solutions

Lois Cortese & Jill Stokes

Bill Cross & David McCall

Kathy Davison & Ruth Dickerson - In Honor of Kathy & Ruth’s 20th Anniversary

Arthur Dochterman

Sue Early

Mark S. Finkelstein & Michael Zeik

Keven Fitzsimmons & Jeff Stroud

Richard B. Green

Bill Gunning & Joe Greoski - In Honor of Bill’s & Joe’s 25th Anniversary

Larry Hooker & Robert Gold

Fay Jacobs & Bonnie Quesenberry

Ken Johnson - In Memory of Tom Daughtry

Jocelyn Kaplan - In Memory of Dr. Eugene S. Kaplan

Maryl A. Kerley & Pat Sagat

John Bittinger Klomp & Joseph Paul Brannen - In Honor of Randall Snyder

Milton and Hattie Kutz Foundation

Ladies 2000 - Betty Costanza & Diane Lusk

Peter J. Lanzaro & Frank Bodsford

James Lemly & Thomas Brown

Duwayne R. Litz

Becky Lyons & Ebie Hamrick

Patricia Magee & Anita Pettitt

Norma V. Martin

Kathleen McCormick and Elizabeth A. Fish

John Messick

Sheree L. Mixell & Margaret Moore

Marc Nasberg & Howard R. Nelson

Al Naylor & Frank Miller

Cindy Necaise & Debbie Cole

Lee Ann Nelson

Janet Newkirk & Stefani Deoul

Mark Niehaus & Brooks Honeycutt

Pamela Notarange & Lana Warfield

James O’Dell and Henry Capuozzo

Madelyne Ottato

Bud Palmer

Emilie J. Paternoster & Monica L. Parr

Don Peterson & Jeff Richman

Mark Owens & Stephen Pleskach

Janet Redman

John & Keith Riley-Spillane

Chris Rinaldi & Brian Powers

Joel B. Robbins & Michael A. Linder

Rob Robertson & Carlos Taylor

Thomas A. Rose & Thomas Sechowicz

Judy Rosenstein & Elva Weininger

Ski Rowland & Gary Mosher

Debbie Sciallo & Elaine Horan

Sandra Skidmore

Ken Skrzesz & Doug Yetter

William E. Snow, Jr. & Richard D. Pagnotta

Frank Surprenant, DDS & Chris Wisner

Ed Turner & Steve Baker

Beverly L. Vogt & Waneeta F. Mack

Kenneth E. Walz & Robert G. Ward, Jr

Garold B. Wampler

Carl R. Wetzel & Brian L. McKlveen

Keith Wilkinson - In Memory of William Keen

Donna L. Wilson & Laurie R. Levin

SUPPORTER

$1,000 - $2,499

Guy Abernathey

Ros Abitbol & Helaine Zinaman

Dale Aultman & Paul Gibbs

John D. Baker

Curtiss O. Barrows

John Berdini & Kelley Harp/ Cloud 9 Restaurant

Sherry Berman & Deb Hamilton

Peter A. Bish & Keith G. Anderson

Ann Black & Kaye Wachsmuth

Robert Bonitati

Continued on page 52

CAMP Rehoboth Founders’ Circle

Joy Boone & Marina Simmers

Michael Boyle & Greg Murphy

Jim Brady & Mike Hays

David W. Briggs & John F. Benton

Wendy Bunce & Sara J. Cavendish

In Memory of Thomas W. Buck

Carol L. Burnett

James Byrnes Café Solé

Chris Cahill

Jim Carlo

Justine Carpenter/Venus on the Half Shell

Lisa Carrol & Deb Dubois

Jean L. Charles & Anne Pikolas

Billy J. Christian

Norma K. Clark

Randall T. Clayton

Gary A. Colangelo & Gerald J. Duvall

Tom and Becky Craft

Pamela Cranston

Frederick Dean, Jr. & Steven F. Swierzy

Franklin Setzler Dell’Aquila - In Memory of Mark Ravel & Edward R. Delbrugge

Henry & Marcia DeWitt

Julie Dickson & Helene Guilfoy

Paul Dradransky - In Memory of Paul Robinson

Gene Dvornick & Wesley Rogers

Allen Fred Fielding & James T. Renna

Charles Flanagan & George Whitehouse

Mary Ford & Judy Hedrick

Phil Fretz

Lynn A. Gaites & Faye L. Koslow

Don S. Gardiner & Lee Wayne Mills

Charles George & Dennis Rivard

Joan Glass

Grifasi-Holloway Eyecare and Optical, Inc.

Joseph Gritz

Wendy J. Grooms & Barbara L. Fishel

John Hall & Tom Childers

Sharon L. Hansen

Mark Hare & Mike Newman

Fred Hertrich - In Memory of Henry Eagle

Howard C. Hines, MD

Harris Holden

Holland Jewelers

In Memory of James T. Hopkins

Bob Hotes

Steve Hoult & Rick Bane

Thomas Ingold

Claire Ippoliti

Geoffrey Jackson & Will Delany

Sharon R. Janis

Stephen Janosik & Richard Snell

Richard Jolly & Charles Ingersoll

Tom Jones - In Memory of Anyda Marchant and Muriel Crawford

Wayne Juneau

Kevin P. Kaporch & Timothy Gualdoni

Anne Kazak & Chris Coburn

Michael Kelly

Lloyd Kingswell & Frank Rogers

W. Russell Koerwer & Stephen F. Schreiber

Robert Kovalcik & Bob Howard/South Pacific Florists

Kevin W. LaBarge

Kathy LaVelle - In Memory of Brad Laux

Christine A. Lay

Marsha Levine & Susan Hamadock

Robert E. Long & William A. Lytle

John (Jack) P. Maher

Stephen Manos - In Memory of Robert E. Stewart

In Memory of Anyda Marchant

James Mastoris

Joseph McNally & Terry Jones

Chuck McSweeney & Michael Clay

Meg Morgan and Susan Lynham - In Memory of Our Parents

Andrew K. Moss & Richard Blevins

Rick Mowery & Joe Conn

Mary Murdoch & Lois Carson

Marie Murray & Deb Ward

Kim Nelson & Lori Simmons

Darrell Netherton & Robert Wheeler - In Memory of

Brian G. Miller

Judy Olsen & Joanne Kempton

Missy Orlando & Patty Violini

Jeffrey & Lisa Osias/DiFebo’s Café & Deli, Inc.

Sandra Pace & Barbara Passikoff

from page 51

Sally Packard & Dina Reath/ Packard Reath Gallery

Ellen Passman and Barbara Lilien

Timothy Price

Sam Profeta

Rob Ramoy - In Memory of Milton Ramoy, My Dad

Randy Reed & George O’Brien

Craig A. Rocklin

Timothy D. Rodden

Gene Roe

Ed & Deborah Rose

Peter D. Rosenstein

Steve Sage & Thom Swiger

Jacob L. Schiavo & Ronald L. Tate

Dr. Ellen Schiff & Susan Eig

Jaime Schneider & Glenn Randall

Craig Schwartz & William Pullen

Michael Shaffer & Benjamin Wilson

Dale Sheldon & Pat Coluzzi

Leslie Sinclair & Debbie Woods

Sandra SommerfieldIn Memory of John Sommerfield

Andy Staton & Peter Karsner

Christy Steer

Dr. Lois T. Strauss

Team Rehoboth Beach

Thomas Tibbetts

Manny Tortosa

Rosalind A. Troupin - In Memory of Barbara Washburn

Matt Turlinski & Jerry Sipes

Vacation Video, Inc.

Frank A. Vitrano

Patrick Wadsworth & Mike Converse

Michael E. Ward

Ellen Watkins

Cal Weible & Daniel Halvorsen

Liz Wheeler

James E. Yiaski & David G. Gold

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FRIEND

$500 - $999

Jim Affonco - In Memory of Gregory Alan Derringer, M.D.

All Saints’ Parish Thrift Shop

Alan Anderson & Jack Ackerman

Rev. Dr. Tom Bohache & Tom Laughingwolf Simmons

Laura L. Borsdorf, Ph.D.

Nancy Bouse & Norma Morrison

Tony & Carol Boyd-Heron/ Peninsula Gallery

Kevin Brown - Klub Services, Inc.

Timothy B. Bush

The Buttery - Lewes

Shirley Carpenter & Mary Coldren

Steve Champion & David DeVargas/TravelPride Gay Vacations

Dr. Harvey J. Chasser

Mike Chateauneuf

Dennis Wayne Chupella & Rob White

Jeffery A. Coover

Donna Couy & Paula Grubbs

Mark Cunningham & Ken Tattersall

William T. Darley

Eric Davison

Delaware Beach Life magazine

Fred Di Bartolo

Diamond Edge Foundation

David & Lizann Dockety

Peg Dolan & Mary McDevitt/ Dolan & McDevitt Business Services, LLC

Dotti Outland & Diane Mead 1985

Eden

ELBoW Productions, LLC

Rick and Kathy Fischer

Monica Fleischmann & Lona Crist

Robert T. Freeman & Thomas M. White

Larry Gee & Brian Boyle

Gary Gillard

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In Memory of Robert Gold

Teresa Gordy & Barb Ford

Carol Gross

James Gross

Gerard M. Haley & George D. Zahner

Cynthia Hall

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Bill Hillegeist

Janel Hino & Patricia Ann Scully

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Hunter Kesmodel - In Memory of Jim Graves

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Ellen Hopkins Leighton - In Memory of James T. Hopkins

Richard Looman & David Herchik - JDS Designs, Inc.

Joseph Maggio & Bill Shields

Eric A. Matuszak

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Mary Monismith - In Memory of Chris Monismith

William Moore

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Mark Owens & Stephen Pleskach - In Memory of John A. Johnson

Michael Palmer

Peninsula Rehab & Sports Medicine, Inc.

Deena Pers

Eric C. Peterson

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Neale

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Frank A. Silverio

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John Stassi & Chris Israel

Lisa Stewart

Micaela Tedford

Dave Thomas - In Memory of Tom Nicholson

Bruce Uliss

Elyse Wander

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Susan R. Weimer - In Memory of Patrick Lewis

R. Stephen White & C. Wayne Williamson

Kathy Wiz & Muriel M. Hogan

Larry L. Zeigler

Lisa Zimmerman

MEMBER

3-YEAR $250

James J. Andrews

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Cape Gazette/Beach Paper

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Brad Davis - In Honor of Dr. Philippe Dupont

Marsha Davis

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Dignity/Washington

Dolphin Dreaming, Inc.

Paul E. Dwyer - In Honor of Eddie & Velma Dwyer/Gay Community Center Waco, TX

Frank Edwards

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In Memory of Robert E. Stewart - Stephanie & Reber

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MEMBER

1-YEAR $100

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Kenneth Backer & Tom Curry

Jeri Berc

Timothy J. Bernadzikowski - In Memory of Heidi Bernadzikowski

Thomas Biesiadny

Catherine Birk

Boire’s Hair Design & Day Spa

Susan Borke - In Honor of Anyda Marchant & Muriel

Crawford

Susan Borke - In Honor of Marion McGrath

Carole Bradt & Barbara Keck

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Crysti & Bill Briedis - In Memory of Jennifer Hammer

Jack Carver - In Memory of Anyda Marchant & Muriel

Crawford

Coastal Cruise Club - Chet

Elder

Robert E. Coine

Computer Associates

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Shannon

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Gusdanovic

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Nan Flesher & Joie Rake

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Matt Gaffney - In Memory of Bea Kelly

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Daniel Goff - In Memory of Robin N. Jarvis, RN

Marian Goold

Kate Green & Chris Benvenuto

Betty Grekas

Judith A. Grello

Katie Handy & Gwen Osborne

Joyce Hastings/Queenz

Quizine

Robert E. Heath

CAMP Rehoboth Founders’ Circle

Bryan Hecksher

Terry Hornbeck - In Memory of Henry Eagle

Carole L. Hugg

Carol Hughes

December Hughes

Allen Jarmon - In Memory of Timothy McNeil Campbell

Tom Jones - In Honor of Murray’s 50th Birthday

Jon A. Kaplan & Joel Pearson

J. Michael Kearns & Dennis Fitch

Melissa & Mike Keenan

Janice Keppler - In Memory of Kay Robinson

Ned Kesmodel & Matt Gaffney - In Memory of Karen Carlson & Sally Tribull

Beth Kramedas-Thomas

Mathilda Laschenski

Ted Lewis & Alex Yearly

David Litz & Jason Rock

Kevin Logghe - In Honor of His Traces of Red Exhibit

Joyce A. Lussier

Cathy Lutz

Nancy A. Maihoff, Ph.D.

Robert A. McCamley - In Memory of Joseph H. Murtha

Gwynne G. McDevitt

Karen McDonnell - The Golden Hound

John E. McGaw - In Honor of John McLaughlin

Marion McGrath - In Honor of Steve & Murray - For All That You Do

Angie Watkins - Kathy McGuiness Team Realtors

Michael B. Menaker & Mary A. Mulcahey - In Honor of Howard Menaker

Thomas L. Miglino

Amy E. Munson

Tom Natan

Keith Neale

Don C. Niehus

Janet K. Nosal

Richard F. O’Malley

Marta Ortiz

Layne Owens

Peggy & Mary Paul

Meyer Persow & Daniel Meloy

Elisabeth S. Poole

James L. Pressler

Robert Rahamin & Stephen J. Schilly

Debbie Reed Team, Inc.

Pat Renninger & Tammy Plumley

Tom Ridgeway & Larry Johnson

Sal Rinaudo

Larry & Leah Rood - In Memory of Frank Riddel

Barb Rowe & Pat Hansen

RSVP Vacations

Kennie Russell/Kennie Russell & Company Show

William A. K. Ryan

Savannah Wicker

Ben Schaibly

Jim Schutt

Carol Schwartz

George Schwinn

Joan E. Smiley - In Memory of Rose Smiley Gross

Teri & Kathleen Smith-Jones

Sue Soderberg - In Honor of

Terri King

Lisa A. Soens

Anne Marie Sopko

Mary Spicer

Darlene M. St. Peter

Brian M. Stacey

Rev. and Mrs. Thomas C. Starnes

Caroline Stites

John F. Swift

Joan Thompson/Anything Goes

Delaware Valley Legacy Fund

Judy Turner & Cindy Johnson

Marianne Walch

Anthony Warren - In Honor of Steven H. Adams

Sharyn Warwick

Terry Wilkerson

Kenton C. Williams & Brian

Stacey

Phillip Williford

Ted Wilson

David C. Young

CAMP REHOBOTH MEMBERSHIP

Join today to support our mission!

CAMP REHOBOTH RAINBOW MEMBERS RECEIVE:

• Advance access to ticket sales for CAMP Rehoboth events

• Invitations to member-only events and updates

• Recognition in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth (3 times per year)

• Rainbow Member window cling

• Weekly What’s Happening at CAMP Rehoboth email

INDIGO & PURPLE MEMBERS RECEIVE:

• All Rainbow Member benefits, plus: Private invitations to special events, including VIP receptions and donor appreciation events

FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE MEMBERS RECEIVE:

• Annual recognition in Letters from CAMP Rehoboth PAY ANNUALLY or MONTHLY

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

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

☐ BLUE LEVEL ☐ $900 annual or ☐ $75 monthly

☐ GREEN LEVEL ☐ $600 annual or ☐ $50 monthly

☐ YELLOW LEVEL ☐ $300 annual or ☐ $25 monthly

☐ ORANGE LEVEL ☐ $180 annual or ☐ $15 monthly

☐ RED BASIC ☐ $50 annual or ☐ Basic Dual/Family, $85 annual

☐ YOUNG ADULT (18-25 years old) ☐ $25 annual

VOLUNTEER spotlight

Meet

Larry Rosen!

BY SHAE WAGNER

SHAE WAGNER: When did you start volunteering at CAMP Rehoboth?

LARRY ROSEN: According to my calendar, my first volunteer shift at CAMP Rehoboth was in January 2018. I provided tech support for a Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington’s cabaret, which was a fundraiser for both CAMP Rehoboth and the chorus.

SW: Who’s someone you’ve met through CAMP Rehoboth that’s made an impact on you?

LR: Working as a production manager with the CAMP Rehoboth Chorus since the fall of 2016, the chorus’s artistic director, Doug Yetter, has been very impactful. Doug continually challenges the production team to help realize his artistic vision for each concert, including lights and sound, video presentation, costumes, props, etc. I find it especially enjoyable when I’m tasked with solving a production issue and am successful in doing so.

SW: Best year of your life and why?

NAME PARTNER/SPOUSE NAME

EMAIL 1 CELL 1

EMAIL 2 CELL 2 HOME PHONE

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

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

SIGNATURE DATE

EXPECTED

LR: This year is the best year of my life. Many gay men of my generation didn’t have the chance to grow old. I am grateful to have survived, maybe even thrived, and still enjoy life.

SW: What’s your favorite way to unwind?

LR: I love spending time in the kitchen cooking and, especially, baking. I’ve made everything from a Charlotte Royale (from The Great British Bake Off) to blintzes to dog biscuits.

SW: What are you most thankful for?

LR: I continue to be thankful for my family and friends, and the love and support I receive from them.

SW: What advice would you give to a new CAMP Rehoboth volunteer?

LR: My advice to a new CAMP volunteer is to try whatever interests and challenges you. The Wednesday Volunteer Needs email always has ways that volunteers can get involved in helping CAMP Rehoboth further its mission of Creating A More Positive Rehoboth. Whether as a CAMPcierge, concert usher, event bartender, courtyard cleaner, or numerous other opportunities, there are many ways to be of help. And along the way, you’re liable to make new friends and learn new things. ▼

ShaeWagner is Event and Volunteer Coordinator at CAMP Rehoboth.

CAMPshots

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

OUT in the Cold and Somewhat Holidazed!

Warm Winter Social, Heart of CAMP Rehoboth Award, RB Santa Bar Crawl, Community Unity Dinner, Naughty Santa, Coastal Beach Buddies and More!

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1 ) at Warm Winter Social at CAMP Rehoboth: Tracey Hepner, Tammy Smith, RB Police

Chief Keith Banks, Evan Miller, Guillermo Silveira, Coca Silveira, Joe Illardi, Kim Leisey, Bruce Brown, Russell Stiles, Patricia Stiles, Kathy Solano, Kevin Pelland, Maggie Ottato, Matty Brown, Terri Seaton, Lissa Dulany.

OPPOSITE PAGE 2) at Warm Winter Social at CAMP Rehoboth: Shae Wagner, Vincent DeLissio, Mike Zufall, Robb Mapou, Russ Koerwer, Steve Schreiber, Brenda Dunn, Karen Anderson, Kathy Wiz, Muriel Hogan, Polly Donaldson, Phyl Dillinger, Mary Jo Tarallo; 3) DE Coastal Beach Buddies Happy Hour at Diego’s: Roger Valentine, Mike Kluk, Steven Sweirzy, Michael Finley, James Gallo, Dale Robertson, Max Dick, Glenn West, James Villareale.

More CAMPshots page 58

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 57)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Kim Leisey Retirement Party at CAMP Rehoboth: Kim Leisey, Kathy Solano, Joe Hengel, Eloy del Toro, Kris Aulenbach, Sherri McGee, Richard Gamble, Paul Lindsey, Mary Jo Tarallo, Laurie Thompson, Shawn McHugh, Kevin Pelland, Rick Buske, Chris Yochim, Matt Castrina, Bill Fuchs; 2) Blue Moon: Ashley Williams, Autumn Schneider, Kristen Hughes, Randy Hanney, Tim Ragan.

OPPOSITE PAGE: 3) at Heart of CAMP Rehoboth Award Reception: Debbie Wood, Sheila Bravo, Leslie Sinclair, Howard Menaker, Patrick Gossett, Chris Beagle, Wes Combs, Murray Archibald, Leslie Ledogar, John Hackett, Bashir Amanat, Tom Newton, Will Freshwater, Derrick Johnson, Kathy Solano, Teri Seaton, Kevin Ussery, Pat Catanzariti, Robert Patlan, Gordon Tanner, David Streit, Scott Button; 4) Oil and Water Art Reception at CAMP Rehoboth: Kyle Toler, Sparrow LeJeune, Renata Price, Congresswoman Sarah McBride, Sona Nathan.

(More CAMPshots page 80)

We’re Here, We’re Queer…

Few words in our community are as divisive as “queer.” It’s either a proud unifier of diverse identities, or an insult that should’ve been retired ages ago.

So let’s talk about it. How has the word evolved, and what does queer mean today?

Long before queer referred to sexuality or gender, it simply meant “strange” or “unusual.” It first popped up in print sources in the 1500s. Only in the late 19th and early 20th centuries did it become slang for men who didn’t fit expectations of masculinity. At first, queer could be used as a coded euphemism to discuss someone’s gender or sexuality, but it evolved into hate speech.

Queer was shouted from passing cars, scrawled on lockers, muttered by employers and police. It was often paired with humiliation or violence. For many LGBTQ+ people, that memory still lives in the body.

At the same time, language doesn’t stay frozen in time.

As early as the 1950s, the term queer started to become self-affirming, and some men self-identified with the label queer. During the AIDS crisis of the late 1980s and early ’90s, activists reclaimed the term with even more gusto. Groups like Queer Nation rejected respectability politics and instead embraced confrontation, popularizing the slogan, “We’re here. We’re queer. Get used to it.” In other words: if society insists on calling us queer, we can transform it into resistance and empowerment.

At the same time, academics began talking about queer theory and queer studies as ways to question rigid categories of sexuality and gender. Reflecting these debates, many universities with existing “Women’s Studies” departments renamed them to “Gender Studies,” and soon, “Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.”

In theory and in practice, the word queer grew to be less about a single identity and more about a shared experience of living outside cisgender, hetero-

sexual norms. For many people today, particularly younger generations, queer offers something other labels don’t. It can encompass lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, nonbinary, and questioning.

For others, queer is both an umbrella term and a specific form of sexual and gender expression. Many individuals identify as queer specifically to describe their fluid, evolving, or non-normative gender

When people gather under umbrellas, both literal and metaphorical, we have protection together.

BY STEPHEN RASKAUSKAS

or sexuality. Declaring that you’re queer is about creating more possibility, rather than boxing yourself into a rigid identity.

And of course, queer isn’t the only word to change meaning. Dictionaries describe how words have been used, but communities ultimately decide how words function every day. Meanings change because people change. Language is descriptive and not prescriptive. If meanings couldn’t change, everyone in the world would still speak the same language the same, static language used since the dawn of human history.

Queer has changed, but the term still remains contested. Some lesbians, gay, and bisexual-identifying people argue that

queer can feel too vague, as some claim it erases identities and histories of subcommunities.

But here’s the difference between inclusion and erasure. An umbrella doesn’t replace the identities underneath it. When people gather under umbrellas, both literal and metaphorical, we have protection together. And, at least with linguistic umbrellas, no one has to get forced out into the rain. We can make room for all in the continued fight for basic freedoms.

And yet recently, we’ve seen louder efforts to separate lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from our trans and nonbinary family members, often under the guise of protecting history or women’s rights. Trans-exclusionary rhetoric treats inclusion as a threat.

Maybe you’ve come across content online with creators feeling compelled to express their disdain for the term queer. Or you’ve seen videos of gay, lesbian, and bisexual folks hurling anti-trans rhetoric. Perhaps you’ve even heard it in person from your peers.

Trans-exclusionary movements are not just disagreements about labels; they are part of a broader ideological attack. These attitudes dismiss the realities of trans and nonbinary people and can reinforce patriarchal ideas about exactly who gets to define womanhood and humanity itself.

These movements often target gender-affirming care, participation in sports, access to bathrooms, and legal recognition by insisting only sex assigned at birth should determine rights and identity. In doing so, they only repeat longstanding patterns of policing gender that are rooted in internalized misogyny. In short, trans-exclusionary movements weaken the broader fight for women’s LGBTQ+ liberation.

Right now, LGBTQ+ visibility is under threat. Recent data from the Human Rights Campaign’s Annual LGBTQ+ Community Survey found 47.5 percent of LGBTQ+ adults in the United States report

Continued on page 64

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY

OLIVIA IS THE PROUD PRESENTING SPONSOR OF WOMEN'S FEST April 9–12, 2026

Olivia is donating a trip for two on our 2026 BORDEAUX: FROM VINE TO TABLE RIVERBOAT CRUISE!

AUGUST 18–25, 2026

Visit olivia.com to learn more about this exciting cruise.

Congratulations to Laure Larkin & Anita Matson (Reading, PA/Rehoboth Beach, DE) on winning the 2025 CAMP Rehoboth SUNFESTIVAL Trip Donation for two on Olivia's ALASKA IN SPRING CRUISE (Apr 26–May 3, 2026)

UNICO Hotel Riviera Nayarit I & II | Oct 8–15 & Oct 15–22, 2026

Balkans on the Danube Riverboat Cruise | Apr 5–12, 2027

Amsterdam to Switzerland Riverboat Cruise | Apr 13–20, 2027

Cancún, Mexico Resort | May 8–15, 2027

Portugal Douro River Cruise | May 12–19, 2027

Wild Alaska Adventure Cruise | May 29–Jun 3, 2027

Barcelona to Lisbon Luxury Cruise | Jun 8–16, 2027

Norwegian Fjords Luxury Cruise | Jul 12–19, 2027 A Taste of France Riverboat Cruise | Jun 29–Jul 6, 2027

Polar Bear Photography Safari | Nov 10–16, 2027

Visit Olivia.com for a full trip calendar

Frosty the Snowman…

A Jolly, Happy Soul

Shoveled, driven over, brushed, cleared, stomped through, and sworn at.

You’ve filled your shoes with, slipped in, kicked off, and wrung out a lotta snow so far this year. You might’ve even thrown some of it, in anger or a fit of whimsy. Or (lucky you!) you looked at it from afar, longingly, or uber-happy in the knowledge that you didn’t have to do any of the above.

But have you harked back to the days of your childhood and played in it? Specifically, when was the last time you built something in the snow in your own image?

Nobody knows for sure when the first snowman was built because the first time it ever snowed on Earth was nearly twoand-a-half billion years ago and they lost the notes somewhere since then. Believe it or not, there are scientists who study this stuff and their best guesses suggest a likelihood that very early snowmen were created by clever cavekids or, more likely, by adults who wanted to make serious icons of some sort. Scientists have also pointed out the similarities between so-called “Venus” fertility statues created in antiquity and well-known in Egyptian art, and the balls-stacked-on-one-another snowmen we would recognize.

For sure, snowmen were a drifting notion around 1,400 years ago, when ancient Chinese scribes mentioned snow as permissible material for creating religious icons. By the Middle Ages, according to historian Bob Eckstein, making snow sculptures was a popular fad, festivals were held, and big-name artists sometimes used snow as a medium. People of different social strata each had their own style of snowman, and walking tours with snow sculptures as attractions were popular pastimes then. Eckstein says there’s at least one indication in manuscripts from the 1300s that snowmen were used for satire or to make nasty fun of entire groups. On that note, history suggests that pornographic snow sculptures were created in the early 1500s in Brussels, as frosty comment

By the 1870s, around the time Santa made his debut in pop culture here and in Great Britain, snowmen were media darlings…

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

against the Holy Roman Empire. Needless to say, snowmen were not icons of fun and jolly times then, and they were certainly not tied to Christmas.

By the late 1700s, making snowmen was definitely child’s play, although adults might continue to build snow statues to lampoon people of stature or to comment on politics. As they were two centuries prior, folks could be a bit cheeky, and seeing a detailed snow sculpture in someone’s yard was unremarkable, as was seeing one with…um, snow appendages. Talk about being cold in bed. Or, well, never mind.

By the early 1800s, snowmen were so embedded in childhood that they became popular literary characters in gift books and fairy tales, and the subject of how-to books. Kids were obviously not too savvy, since many of those books offered printed instruction for making the best snowballs for schoolyard weapons and for building creatures other than humans out of snow. Snowmen were sometimes treated as allegory in serious tales meant to instruct and to foster good character in children; later, snowmen were found in romances and in stories that hint of homosexuality.

All that changed in the mid- to late-Victorian years when the Christmas holiday with all its foofaraw and fun swept the rotund, frozen creations up in the Yuletide celebration. Then, as now, you almost couldn’t think of a snowman without thinking of Christmas. By the 1870s, around the time Santa made his debut in pop culture here and in Great Britain, snowmen were media darlings, too, found in drawings, paintings and other artwork, decorations, magazines, new-fangled Christmas cards, and advertisements of the time.

The snowman trundled into the 1900s and was granted a top hat, two coal eyes, and a carrot nose sometime before World War I. Soldiers in almost all the wars created snowmen, complete with weapons and tanks to amuse themselves and the folks back home. Princes, principals, and ball players made them; you could find them on sidewalks, side yards, and ski slopes. If there was enough snow to roll a large snowball, if there was room on a billboard, page, storefront window, or ad, it didn’t take long before a snowman appeared. As if they weren’t before, the invention of plastic made snowmen ubiquitous. By the 1950s, they stepped

Continued on page 64

DON’T MISS THIS SPECIAL EVENT

Jam Poetry CAMP REHOBOTH

February 2026

Fri. 27, 7pm & Sat. 28, 3pm

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

Gimme a “Q”! Continued from page 60.

being less out somewhere in their lives over the past year compared to last year, whether that be at work, health care settings, or other environments.

And frighteningly, our fears about discrimination, loss of rights and protections, and personal safety are valid.

In early 2025, The Trump administration removed the vast majority of LGBTQ+- and HIV-related information and resources from the White House website and has also deleted similar content from several major federal agency sites. At the same time, a wave of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation flooded state and federal systems. (Please, please, please make a habit of visiting the ACLU’s online database of bills targeting LGBTQ+ rights!!!)

Words matter—what we say, and what we don’t say. Silence can be just as harmful as a slur.

And of course, not everyone has to use the word queer. Identity is deeply personal, and language should be used respectfully, acknowledging individual histories and preferences.

But dismissing queer outright as only harmful stubbornly misses its powerful potential. A simple word can bring us together when we need to stand up for our rights now more than ever.

Whatever words you choose, be intentional, and use them to speak up and speak out! ▼

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

Frosty

the Snowman Continued from page 62.

into our living rooms on TV and movies and into our heads with songs on the radio.

In 2011, snowmen were granted their own day: World Day of the Snowman is held annually on January 18, a day chosen because the “1” represents a broomstick and the “8” can remind you of a snowman’s shape.

Okay, so you say you’re inspired? Just know that it takes an estimated ten million individual snowflakes to make an average-sized snowman—so start counting. Take your time; building a snowman burns a little over 200 calories per hour. There are businesses that will bring snow to you, for a fee, if you don’t have enough of the white stuff to roll decent snowballs.

If you’re ambitious, you can travel the world to catch a snowman festival or enter any of several snowman-building contests, including the largest one in Japan. See if you can outdo the World’s Largest Snowman, which was over 122 feet tall. Just don’t mention snowmen to a golfer, and don’t dream about snowmen because psychologists say doing so suggests that you’re a cold-hearted person.

But what if you’re stymied and plumb out of icy ideas? Grab your cell phone and check out any of the thousands of How to Build a Snowman videos online. Then bundle up, find your best mittens, and watch your time melt away….▼

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

SPOTLIGHT ON THE arts

CAMP Rehoboth Puts Art at the Heart of Our Community

Best Shot!

February 7-April 2, 2026

Opening Reception: Saturday, February 7, 3:00-5:00 p.m.

What happens when more than 20 photographers are asked to share one image—their best shot? The result is a dynamic and wide-ranging exhibition that celebrates both individual vision and the collective strength of a creative community.

Best Shot! brings together standout work by members of the Coastal Camera Club in a vibrant, club-wide exhibition at the CAMP Rehoboth Gallery. From thoughtfully composed fine art photographs to striking images of nature, wildlife, and everyday life, the exhibition highlights the diversity of styles, subjects, and perspectives that define this accomplished group of photographers.

The exhibiting artists are Lyle Allan, Nancy Allen, Scott Becque, Carol Bell, Debbie Blair, Earl Blake, Kathy Campos, William Cheadle, George Hessler, John Hoyt, George Hudson, Don James, Susan Jordan, Suzanne Kricker, Leslie Lesko, Deb Payette, Lorraine Quinn, Dennis Roberts, Bonnie Roll, Leslie Sinclair, and Douglas Strande.

Based in Lewes, Delaware, the Coastal Camera Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the art and practice of photography. Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026, the club has grown from a small gathering of enthusiasts into a thriving community of more than 250 members, ranging from passionate amateurs to highly experienced photographers. Through education, collaboration, and community engagement, the club fosters photographic excellence and enjoys sharing its work with the broader community.

The public is invited to meet the photographers and celebrate the opening of Best Shot! at a reception on Saturday, February 7, from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at CAMP Rehoboth, 37 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach.▼

CAMP Rehoboth Gallery typically is open Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. You can call ahead to confirm: 302-227-5620.

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

BY MARY JO TARALLO

CAMP REHOBOTH ARTIST PROFILE ⊲ Yona Zucker

The art of stained-glass dates back centuries. According to the Stained Glass Association of America, the earliest known manmade glass was in the form of Egyptian beads from between 2750 and 2625 BC. Artisans made these beads by winding a thin string of molten glass around a removable clay core.

Stained glass comes in three basic forms: leaded (assemblies held in place by lead, copper, or zinc strips soldered together), faceted (a medium that involves thick slabs of glass), and art. Ancient glassmakers thrived during the 7th century making stained glass windows for religious structures, probably the most well-known form of stained glass. But it was the art genre, made popular by Louis C. Tiffany, that captured the attention of popular local stained-glass artist Yona Zucker.

As a young adult she always loved the colors and textures of glass, and she would buy a piece of stained glass whenever she could afford it. Professionally, her degree in biology, specializing in medical technology, led her to work and teach in the medical field, primarily in a Pennsylvania hospital, until she retired.

Yona met her now-wife Renata Price in 1988. When Renata was transferred by her employer to Northern Virginia, Yona took lessons in making stainedglass art at the nearby Torpedo Factory Art Center. She caught on quickly and midway through the course she was working independently rather than on the instructor-guided projects.

Yona has been making stained-glass art for about 17 years. She acknowledges that this art form well suits her ability to work with her hands, a skill that she partially credits to her career as a medical technologist.

“There are many steps for a finished product; they include making a pattern, picking the glass (usually the most difficult step for me), cutting, grinding, foiling, soldering, and finally polishing the finished product,” she explained. “I

am fortunate to have an artist wife who makes my patterns and helps me pick the colors of glass.”

Yona adds that the collaboration runs both ways: “I share my thoughts on projects that Renata is doing. Toward the end of a painting, I can sometimes pick out a detail needing refinement more easily than she can after spending many hours looking at the painting. I feel that we complement each other in our respective art forms.”

She says she is inspired by the geometrics of Piet Mondrian and the Prairie style of stained glass often associated with Frank Lloyd Wright. She points out that the latter’s influence is evident in her lanterns, transoms, and window hangings.

Yona’s love for art spills over into other aspects of her life as well. Whenever she and Renata travel, they make it a point to visit art museums, galleries, and shows. “Our taste in art is similar and runs toward the old masters and representational contemporary art. We both appreciate light and shadow in art,” she says.

Art is just one aspect of Yona’s life. Although she admits she is not an athlete like Renata, who participated in several sports, Yona took up golf so they could play together. “For a while, I barely hit the ball far enough to warrant getting back in the cart. Now at least

I am better and do get to ride,” she confessed. When in Rehoboth, they play at King’s Creek. During their winters in Palm Springs, they play with the local Stonewall Golf Group and at a variety of courses throughout the Coachella Valley. Yona says, “I will never be a good golfer as that is not a priority. But I do enjoy the exercise, the beautiful outdoors, and my time with Renata.”

In addition to her stained glass and golf, Yona loves the ocean, walking on the boardwalk, and spending time with friends. “We are blessed to have the best of two worlds—the beach in the summer and the desert in the winter,” she says.

Yona works out of her home studio in Rehoboth Beach; she and Renata have lived in Rehoboth full time for 13 years. “We absolutely cannot think of a better place to live, because of the community and our wonderful friends,” she says. Yona displays at local craft shows, including CAMP Rehoboth’s annual Block Party, and is a member of the Artist Roster at the Rehoboth Art League.

Yona encourages any artist in any medium to keep at it. “Persistence is key and is rewarded. In stained glass, patience, attention to detail, and practicing good solder lines are rewarded,” she says. “Hand-cut stained glass will never be perfect; the imperfections are what give the piece warmth and life.” ▼

The Alchemy of Casting a Show And Building Community, One Artist at a Time

In the two years I’ve now called Rehoboth Beach home, one thing has become increasingly clear: coastal Delaware is a place that theater artists want to work.

Our community is filled with artists who have lived here their whole lives, alongside many who have come here as part of their next chapters: performers who previously have worked on Broadway or in major national tours, designers who have costumed for the stage or television, and stage managers and directors who split their time, with one foot in New York and the other here at the beach. In addition, every year artists from around the country audition for the opportunity to perform at our region’s theaters.

Clear Space Theatre Company and Milton Theatre both regularly cast productions with a combination of great local performers and talented artists from elsewhere who, for a few weeks or a few months, make our communities their home.

The synergy that comes from bringing artists together is a wonderful thing. In every rehearsal process, artists learn from each other once they begin their work together. The more new and different artists gathered in a room, with unique experiences and varied training

in their craft, the more they collectively experience the opportunity to grow. After enough experiences performing in our region, a few of those out-of-town artists start to call coastal Delaware home.

Recently, we wrapped up the season audition tour for Clear Space—and it made me wonder: of all the artists we are seeing on the road, which might we cast who might be the next to decide that Rehoboth Beach could become their home, too?

For a little background on our audition tour: Clear Space holds in-person auditions in Rehoboth Beach, Washington DC, and New York City each year and accepts virtual submissions from folks who cannot attend those auditions in person. This year, we had close to 400 audition slots across the three cities, which all filled within 36 hours of posting. An additional 1,058 virtual submissions came through before the submission deadline. For the remaining seven productions in our season, there are a total of 105 roles to cast.

Our auditions unfold in several parts. First, we see about 20 people each hour performing a 32-bar cut of an audition song. This tells us a lot about a performer’s talents as a singer, i.e., whether they have a pleasing voice and can act

through a piece of music to tell a story. Then some members of that group are invited to a dance call. (It’s important to note that if a director is considering someone for a role that doesn’t require dancing, they might not call an actor back to dance.) After that, directors for each production make their decisions about callbacks. Callbacks might be in person with other actors, virtual, or a combination of the two, all depending on a director’s preferences. Sometimes they involve reading scenes from the play; sometimes they involve more singing.

Each step of the process provides a director with more information to use in narrowing the scope of artists they are considering. But then comes the hardest piece of the puzzle: casting. Or, distilling all that information to decide which actors will receive offers.

It is a joyful and daunting process— and one that is just getting underway as this month’s column is getting filed.

But the fact that over 1,400 performers have now told us that Rehoboth is a place where they’d like to spend part of their year working is a huge testament to our reputation as a community. That is something wonderful we can all take pride in.

By the time you are reading this, we’ll have finished casting some of those seven shows—and we’ll know better which artists might be the next ones to discover firsthand the delights of sharing a small part of their year with all of you arts-going readers! ▼

Logan Farro is CAMP Rehoboth’s Visual Arts Coordinator and a Delaware Division of the Arts 2026 Fellow. They may be reached at logan@camprehoboth.org.

Mary Jo Tarallo is a former journalist and public relations professional for various nonprofits including a ski industry trade association.

Joe Gfaller is Managing Director of Clear Space Theatre Company.

BY JOE GFALLER

BY TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

BOOKED SOLID Congratulations Logan!

CAMPRehoboth is excited to celebrate Logan Farro’s selection as one of the Delaware Division of the Arts’ (DDOA’s) Individual Artist Fellows of 2026! Logan, who serves as CAMP

Rehoboth’s Visual Arts Coordinator, is one of just 12 Emerging Fellows selected.

The DDOA Fellowships recognize artists for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards. For 2026, the Division received 246 applications from Delaware choreographers, composers, musicians, writers, and visual artists. Twenty-seven artists were awarded fellowships: one Master Fellow, 14 Established Fellows, and 12 Emerging Fellows. Learn more about each of the winners at: arts.delaware.gov. ▼

Images (Clockwise): Sloth, Lust, Pride, Wrath

Money Proud: The Queer Guide to Generate Wealth, Slay Debt, and Build Good Habits to Secure Your Future by Nick Wolny © 2025, Wm. Morrow, $24, 320 pages

Before you came out, you didn’t talk about it.

Everything was hush-hush, zipped mouth, change the subject. But then you started to share, a little here, a little there with people you trusted. Before that, though, no discussions. Same thing with your finances: you didn’t talk about them, either, and so you didn’t learn—but the new book Money Proud by Nick Wolny fixes all that.

Once upon a time, Wolny says, he avoided thinking about his money. He was “living what felt like a great queer life,” but he often noticed that there was never enough cash in his pocket and thoughts of security nagged him. What if there was ever an emergency, and he needed serious funds, fast?

Like so many gay people, he says, understanding his sexuality, coming out or staying in, was the focus of “every waking second of my adolescence…” and that took precedence over money matters. Because of it, he never really learned how to be money savvy.

And “yes, being queer affects your money.”

Being financially illiterate, Wolny says, is an LGBTQ+ issue because of the heavy mental toll that debt and lack of knowledge can have. Also, he points out, “queer people have a long history of enduring economic discrimination,” plus, “politics are downright diabolical these days.…”

To begin seizing your best financial life, Wolny offers seven “Homophobic Thought Patterns to Unlearn,” including avoidance as normal, and “comparison culture.”

Learn how to map your expenses, so you know where you sit. Understand why you’re in debt and remember that not all debt is bad, then learn the “snowball method” of eliminating what you owe. See how easy it is to build wealth without feeling sad or restricted. Learn how to avoid “traps” in spending and in making more money—and on that note, find tips on ways to raise your income. And finally, learn what you need to know about investing, because you might not need an expert to do it.

Does all this sound like common sense? It is—until author Nick Wolny explains it from the POV of a gay man. That’s when Money Proud becomes sharply relevant to millions of LGBTQ+ people who need this info.

Using this book is like taking a class on money management. Wolny starts out easy, with the very basics that are more psychological than they are financial. He moves through each category of wealth management and debt elimination, slowly but with an appropriate amount of gentle scolding so that readers understand the importance of what they’ll read, without getting mired down or lost. Plain-talk sidebars of “Tea” (drag slang for “truth”) will help you decipher financial terms and acronyms, and easy-touse charts and prompts serve as guides to make you confident and smart about the moola you make.

And if your wallet’s a bit thin, well, open it up and invest in Money Proud. You’ve spent all this time silent about your finances. Now’s the time to read up and talk about them. ▼

The Real Dirt

The Joy of Cool-Season Annuals

Delaware’s planting zones— 7a and 7b—offer a generous window for cool-season gardening. With relatively mild winters, cool springs, and a long autumn, gardeners can enjoy months of color, texture, and productivity from cool-season annuals. These plants thrive in temperatures between 40–70°F, often performing best when summer heat would stress warm-season flowers. By choosing the right species and timing, cool-season annuals can anchor spring displays, extend fall interest, and even provide winter greenery in protected sites.

What are they? Cool-season annuals complete their life cycle in one year but prefer cooler temperatures. Many tolerate light frosts, and some even improve in color and form after exposure to chilly nights. In Delaware, they are typically planted in early spring (March-April) and again in late summer to early fall (late August-September) for fall and winter interest. While most decline in sustained summer heat, their ability to bridge seasons makes them invaluable in ornamental and edible landscapes.

Pansies and violas are among the most reliable cool-season annuals for Delaware. Hardy to temperatures in the low 20s, they bloom continuously through spring and again in fall, often overwintering successfully in zone 7b. Violas tend to have smaller flowers but greater cold tolerance and a longer bloom period. Both prefer full sun to light shade and moist, well-drained soil.

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) add vertical interest and a cottage-garden feel. Modern cultivars are surprisingly cold-tolerant and can be planted as early as March. In fall plantings, they often overwinter and burst into bloom the following spring. Snapdragons prefer full sun and benefit from protection from harsh winter winds.

Calendula, also known as pot marigold, thrives in cool weather, producing cheerful yellow and orange blooms. Unlike true marigolds, calendula prefers

One of the greatest advantages of cool-season annuals in zones 7a and 7b is their ability to extend the gardening season.

spring and fall temperatures and often self-sows. It performs well in full sun and average soil and has the added benefit of edible petals.

Sweet alyssum (Lobularia maritima) forms low, fragrant mats ideal for edging beds and containers. It thrives in cool weather, tolerates light frost, and attracts beneficial insects. In Delaware, it excels in early spring and fall but may fade during peak summer heat.

Many cool-season annuals double as edible crops, blending beauty with function. Lettuce, spinach, and arugula grow quickly in spring and fall, tolerating frost and even light snow. These crops prefer full sun but appreciate some afternoon shade during warm spells. Ornamental kale and cabbage are standout fall and winter plants, prized for their colorful rosettes of purple, pink, and cream. While technically biennials grown as annuals, they thrive in cool weather and intensify in color after frost. They are ideal for mass plantings, containers, and mixed borders.

BY ERIC W. WAHL

Peas, particularly snap and snow peas, can be planted very early in spring, as soon as soil can be worked. They flourish in cool temperatures and enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation, making them excellent companions in eco-conscious gardens.

Most cool-season annuals prefer full sun (at least six hours daily), though many tolerate partial shade. Well-drained soil is essential, especially in winter when waterlogged soils can cause root rot. Amending beds with compost improves drainage, fertility, and soil structure.

For spring plantings, soil temperatures around 45-50°F are sufficient for many species. Fall plantings should be timed so plants are established before hard freezes—typically six to eight weeks before the first expected frost in Delaware (mid- to late-October). Mulching helps regulate soil temperature and moisture while protecting roots during cold snaps.

Although many cool-season annuals are not native, they play a valuable role in sustainable landscapes. Early-blooming species like pansies and alyssum provide nectar for emerging pollinators when few other flowers are available. When integrated with native perennials and shrubs, they help fill seasonal gaps, suppress weeds, and maintain visual interest year-round.

One of the greatest advantages of cool-season annuals in zones 7a and 7b is their ability to extend the gardening season. With thoughtful selection and succession planting, Delaware gardeners can enjoy vibrant beds from late winter through early summer and again from fall into early winter. Whether used in containers, borders, or mixed vegetable gardens, cool-season annuals are an essential tool for maximizing beauty, productivity, and ecological value in the Mid-Atlantic landscape.

Have fun and let’s garden together. ▼

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

BY CHRIS AZZOPARDI

Why Dr. Demetre Daskalakis Left a Broken System

After years of fighting for queer health from inside the system, Daskalakis says he had to walk away— and speak out— when politics started rewriting science.

After years of fighting for queer health from inside the system, Daskalakis says he had to walk away—and speak out—when politics started rewriting science.

In the world of queer health advocacy, few figures are as instantly recognizable—or as unapologetically committed—as Dr. Demetre Daskalakis. Whether he’s shaping public health policy, calling out institutional failures, or guiding the LGBTQ+ community through the mpox outbreak, Daskalakis leads with both expertise and authenticity. He doesn’t just understand that who you are is inseparable from how you serve—he’s been living it.

“I am what I am and you get what you get,” he says with a smirk. “And I happen to be a really good infectious disease doctor and a really good public health person. If you don’t like that I am married to a man and know how to pull a look, then too bad.”

That kind of bold, take-it-or-leave-it honesty has made the infectious disease physician and gay health activist a hero to many in both LGBTQ+ and medical communities— and why his very public resignation from the CDC last year sent shockwaves. Following President Trump’s firing of CDC Director Susan Monarez, Daskalakis, who served as director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention for two years, was one of three top agency leaders who resigned in August 2025, alongside Debra Houry,

deputy director and chief medical officer, and Daniel Jernigan, director of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases.

“Having worked in local and national public health for years, I have never experienced such radical non-transparency, nor have I seen such unskilled manipulation of data to achieve a political end rather than the good of the American people,” Daskalakis wrote in his resignation letter.

Daskalakis didn’t leave quietly. His letter was a mic drop in a career full of them—a direct challenge to what he calls ideological interference and attacks on science from outside the institution.

“I had two versions of the letter,” he says. “I had the very quick, ‘Thanks, this is awful, I resign’ version. And I had the ‘Let me tell you why’ version.”

He sent the latter. The final letter, which included the phrase “enough is enough,” quickly went viral. The reaction, Daskalakis says, has been overwhelming—in both uplifting and terrifying ways

“I had to file a police report because of threats, and I had to meet with Homeland Security,” he says. “There’s definitely folks who want to see this ‘Make America Healthier Again’ sort of vision come to fruition, even though it’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Still, for all the conservative backlash, there’s been an equal—and far more powerful—wave of gratitude.

“People [whose opinions] I care about right now are actually being very supportive,” he says. “The people who don’t want to have anything to do with anything that I want to do with, they’re already not very supportive, so I’m not surprised that I have attacks from folks who have that baseline and axe to grind because of who I am and what I’ve done.”

‘NO’ AS A PUBLIC HEALTH STRATEGY

One of the most profound ideas Daskalakis brings up is the concept of saying “no”—not as retreat, but as rebellion.

“The most American thing to do is to quit—and make it big—and say, ‘I dissent,’” he says. “Also, I’m Greek. There was a little group of Greek guys and they just said, ‘Οχι,’ which is the word for no. And that was the way they did it.”

His “no” echoed that same legacy—a refusal to stay complicit.

“I gotta be punk rock about this one,” he adds. “If I’m leaving, I’m leaving and telling truth to power.”

Daskalakis is quick to make one thing clear: The problem isn’t the scientists at the CDC. It’s the political forces constraining them. “The scientists are being held hostage there,” he says. “They’re not able to do their work in a fully realized way, because the ideology is holding them captive.”

During his time at the CDC, Daskalakis distributed yellow enamel ribbons to the leadership team—a gesture of solidarity and a recognition of how his medical colleagues were, in his view, hostages within their own institution. He explains that political leadership during the Trump administration—particularly those appointed to health agencies—“are really trying to make every day that they go to work traumatic and everything that they do in science difficult,” he says. “People need to know that.”

Behind the scenes, he says he was seeing “crazy stuff” with the flu vaccine and thimerosal, a key ingredient that health organizations said is safe. Ultimately, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), under the supervision of RFK Jr., removed the preservative from the vaccine.

“What we've seen these last couple of days, and some of the actions over the last several weeks, is a deliberate effort to distract from the facts and instill fear about vaccines,” said Sean T. O’Leary, chair of the AAP Committee on Infectious Diseases (COID). “The strategy relies on cherry-picked data and junk science to confuse the public and erode trust in immunizations.” Daskalakis emphasized those thoughts, adding that HHS forced the change “just because they wanted

to do it, and it was an axe they were grinding for 20 years.”

And then came that very public September 22 press conference—Trump, on camera, pushing a false link between Tylenol use and autism. To Daskalakis, it was surreal, but also predictable.

“I got asked by media, like, what do you think about this Tylenol thing?” he recalls, laughing. “And I was like, please see my letter—I told you so a couple of weeks ago.”

Daskalakis is quick to make one thing clear: The problem isn’t the scientists at the CDC. It’s the political forces constraining them.

Though the Tylenol claim was well outside his direct purview, the way it unfolded was eerily familiar: “You have people who’ve had an axe to grind for 25 to 30 years,” he says, “and now they’re using that ideology to change health policy.”

To Daskalakis, this was a moment when science wasn’t just being ignored — it was being rewritten. “The FDA letter that went out to providers, in effect, was a nothingburger. It said nothing,” he adds. “It was like, ‘Use Tylenol judiciously.’ And you're like, ‘You mean like people have been for the last 40 years?’”

“When you see Trump talking about Tylenol, and then that preview of vaccine stuff, where he went over all the completely incorrect stuff around vaccines—that’s how he’s being briefed by RFK Jr.,” he says. “It’s Orwellian. It’s right out of ‘1984.’”

Cherry-picked data. Soundbites posing as policy. A refusal to share internal data even with top CDC officials. “I asked for it,” he says. “I was like, ‘You’re going to change COVID vaccine recommendations—where are the data?’ And they said, ‘We’re not going to give it to you.’”

That moment, he says, affirmed his decision to leave. The Tylenol press conference—where Trump mispronounced

acetaminophen while pushing a scientifically debunked autism link—only reinforced it.

“Ta-da!” he says. “I mean, if anyone read my letter and then saw that press conference, they'd go, ‘Yeah. That’s what he meant.’”

LEAVING TO LEAD

Daskalakis isn’t done leading—he’s simply shifting where and how he does it. His departure from the CDC wasn’t a flippant decision; it was about preserving integrity in a system that, to him, no longer felt salvageable from the inside. It followed months of watching science lose ground in political fights and seeing firsthand how that loss affects real people’s health.

“One of the things that’s great about being an infectious disease doctor and a public health person is that you can take a stand,” he says. “There’s this line of humans who are interested in doing this work that is starting to diminish. Why would I go into public health or infectious diseases when it’s ignored at best, vilified at worst?”

His resignation was as much a protest against systemic dysfunction as it was a call to action for the next generation. “That’s the legacy,” he says. His commitment to showing up—not just in policy discussions, but in clinics, queer spaces, and even for this interview—is central to who he is.

“So much of what led me to public health had to do with seeing what happened when a system didn’t support the health of people and how their health was compromised,” he says. “Being a part of communities that have had their health compromised, it was a pretty important mission for me to make sure that I brought my whole authentic self to the table.”

His path toward medicine and public health began in college, driven by concern for how HIV was impacting gay and queer men, including friends who died of AIDS. In 1991, while living in New York, then a major epicenter of the epidemic, he experienced the crisis up close. “You definitely saw some death and destruction,” he says. Later, as an undergrad at Continued on page 78

Columbia University, he helped create a student-made AIDS memorial quilt.

“I wanted to do medicine, but didn't know what that meant until I was in college and started to do work in the HIV space,” he says. He recalls people coming in “crying and mourning” those they had lost. When the memorial quilt was finally displayed, he remembers watching individuals who seemed barely strong enough to stand making the effort to see it. While at Columbia, he had a moment of clarity: “I want to make sure that whatever I do is in medicine. I don't want people to get infectious diseases or suffer from them. And at that point, it was all about HIV, but then my career has gone all sorts of places, where I've been able to have impacted HIV, but also a couple of other really important infectious diseases.”

In 2022, Daskalakis was widely praised by the LGBTQ+ community for his leadership as White House National Monkeypox Response Deputy Coordinator. Before that, in 2020, he joined the CDC’s Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now, he’s deeply aware of how his visibility in public health affects queer and trans medical students and early-career professionals—many of whom have long felt out of place in the system. “I don’t know any other way but to be myself,” he says. “And I don’t really apologize for it.”

And people notice. “When I meet a med student and they’re like, ‘I’ve been following your career,’ I’m like, ‘Really?’” he says, laughing. “It doesn’t really dawn on me that the things I’ve had the privilege of doing, both outside and inside government, have been impactful to people.”

WRITING THE NEXT CHAPTER

After leaving the CDC, Daskalakis began writing—documenting the behind-thescenes of his time in public health, from HIV and mpox to the White House and the CDC. He says the memoir might be “depressing in the middle, but it gets good at the end.” And for someone who’s lived through the darkest moments of the AIDS crisis and helped lead the charge against mpox, he knows how

essential the ending is.

“The light is always brightest in the darkest places, right?” he says.

What gives him hope, even now, is the people—the community stepping up where institutions are falling short. “When you lose science, and there’s no political will, the only thing left is community,” he says. “And we’ve been here before.”

He’s witnessed some alliances taking shape that give him hope: LGBTQ+ advocates, immigrant rights groups, mainstream medical associations—even insurance companies—uniting to push back against ideology-driven science policy.

“I have a lot of faith that we’re only in a temporary state,” he says. “And I believe that spark is there—that spark that’s going to create the brightest light and get rid of the dark. But we’re not there yet.”

Now, in this in-between moment—no longer inside the institution, not yet fully settled into what’s next—Daskalakis is still doing the work. And he’s even finding moments of humor in it all: “I’m the busiest unemployed person that you’ll meet,” he says.

“I happen to be a really good infectious disease doctor and a really good public health person. If you don’t like that I am married to a man and know how to pull a look, then too bad.”

But in February, he'll have a new title to match the pace: chief medical officer at Callen-Lorde Community Health Center in New York City. It’s a homecoming of sorts—Callen-Lorde is where Daskalakis began his public health career providing affirming care for the LGBTQ+ community. The organization calls his return “a new era,” one that promises to deepen their work on health equity.

“At Callen-Lorde, I learned the true meaning of service: to uplift and protect the very community I hold most dear,” he noted in a statement. “I witnessed a safe space based in science, a mission lifted by and for community.” ▼

Chris Azzopardi is the Editorial Director of Pride Source Media Group and Q Syndicate, the national LGBTQ+ wire service. He has interviewed a multitude of superstars, and his work has appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, GQ and Billboard. Reach him via X @chrisazzopardi.

MARCH

MARCH

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 59)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at RB Santa Bar Crawl: Ryan Vargas, Joe Parkany, Andrew Whitescarver, Duane Albertinas, Kelly Doyle, Linda Wildasin, Karen Anderson, Brenda Dunn, Tara Bending, Andrea Gagliardi, Fran Marti, Charles Vandergrift, Mark Shaw, Paul Frene, Jonathan Rothrock, CJ Mitchell, Sharon Jann, Amelia Riley, Scott Silber, Tom Streeper, Dosu Carrera, Al Drulis, Todd Mosko, Arty Velazquez, Xaymountry Hess, Aaron Smith, Amy Magil.

OPPOSITE PAGE 2) at RB Santa Bar Crawl: Nan Martino, Tama Viola, Lori WaldeeWarden, Sandra Waldee-Warden, Michael Finley, James Gallo, Grant Ingalls; 3) RB Community Unity Dinner: DE State Senator Russ Huxtable, Diane Baerveldt, Tom Johnson, Jerry Filbin, Jen Carroll, Mariah Calagione, Carolyn Diefenderfer, Suzie Martin; 4) at RB Bears Happy Hour at Diego’s: Dave Hixon, Nick Pirulli, Jeff Donovan, Tim Mullen, Peter Pizzolongo, Mark Kehoe; 5) at RB Leather Happy Hour at Diego’s: Mark Shaw, Charles Vandergrift, Adam Gold, William Gestole.

(More CAMPshots page 82)

SCENES FROM REHOBOTH BEACH

(Continued from page 81)

THIS PAGE (left to right) 1) at Naughty Santa at Aqua: Adam Gold, Jeff Donovan, Katie Lydell, David Weidner, JyAire Smith, Blair Goslin, DJ Justin Case, Scott Shaughnessy, Mark Tonkovic, Angelo Tabbita; 2) at Wreaths Across America at Epworth Cemetery: Patrick Gossett, DE State Representative Claire Snyder-Hall, Vicki Gordy-Stith, Jennifer Varone, Bonnie Quesenberry, Fay Jacobs, Kim Leisey; 3) at Mid Atlantic Symphony at Cape Henlopen High School: Carla Burton, Marj Shannon, Fran Sneider, Beth Cohen.

OPPOSITE PAGE 4) at Aqua Seasonal Closing Party: Joe Coates, Steve Falchek, Johnny Offidani, Michael Taggart, Angelo Tabbita, Tom Newton, John Hackett, Tim Murray, Robert Simpon, Tim Murphy, Clarence Pineda, Joe Matassino; 5) at Purple Parrot: Eric Englehart, Chris Beagle, David Clark, Ron Butt, Steve Cannon, Roxy Overbrooke, Miss Mann, Amethyst Diamond, Magnolia Applebottom. 6) Women In Circle Holiday Potluck at CAMP Rehoboth: Diane Schwarz, Ellie Maher, Mary Jo Tarallo, Susan Leathery; 7) at Eden: David Scuccimarra, Dorothy Fedorka, Mark Hunker, Jeff McCracken, David Cordell, David Franco. ▼

The Sea Salt Table

Tex-Mex Pulled Pork

Ihave a freak flag and know how to twirl it. There’re things about me that differ from most everyone. Take winter. You likely hate it. Meanwhile, I love it. And dare say, look forward to it.

The holidaze are over, so commitments are few. Days are short, but naps are long. Snow’s on the ground (hopefully), cuddling is mandatory, and binge-watching is guilt free.

I especially love winter at the shore. Long beach walks before thawing by a hot fire. And off-season dinner specials with walk-right-in seating.

Meanwhile, January back home is when Pennsylvania hosts a spectacular indoor Farm Show. Acres of animals, contests, and a massive food court of locally-sourced offerings. It’s where my husband and I went on our second date 31 years ago. And where we’ve gone every year since.

And it’s in winter that I really cook with gas, attempting recipes with involved or longer steps. You see, I read cookbooks for fun. The old-timey ones with covers and stained pages you must physically lift and turn. How quaint! And there’s no better time than when it’s cold outside to deep dive a dish I haven’t made before.

Is it really necessary to add one egg at a time? Would the bay leaf be missed? Does the meat really have to be seared? Are there steps that can be combined or skipped altogether?

I ask myself these questions merely

for the sake of simplifying. Not because I’m lazy. But it’s a win if I can whittle down a recipe, while maintaining (or improving) the flavor and texture. In this way, I’m more likely to add the dish to our not-winter rotation.

My interest in the construction of a recipe goes way back. When I was just starting to cook, I sat with my mom to learn how she made treasured meals. Things like her chicken soup, chili, and meatloaf.

Honestly, it was frustrating. We had a hard time getting them written down. So much of her cooking was by feel. A palm’sworth of onions. A pat of butter. A smidge of this, Eddie, but two smidges of that.

Try as I might, my early attempts fell very short. But I’ve grown. Through a lot of trial and many errors, I slowly learned things like how she stretched two tablespoons of tomato paste into a light sauce that permeated all the stuffed cabbage.

And I’ve realized the answer to “is it soup yet?” is not always yes, the recipe’s complete. Sometimes a dish has to continue simmering. A tweak of this or that, and the magic does eventually happen. And in winter, we have all the time in the world to play with our food.

So, this month I’m highlighting my recipe for Tex-Mex Pulled Pork. It’s easy to prep, cooks all day, and fills the house with wonderful aromas. And there’s a finishing step that makes this dish out of this world.

Let’s get started, shall we?

BY ED CASTELLI

… there’s no better time than when it’s cold outside to deep dive a dish I haven’t made before.

STEPS

 Trim excessive fat from a 5-pound, bone-in, pork shoulder roast. Then rub it with the following:

• 2 tsp garlic powder

• 2 tsp ground pepper

• 2 tsp chili powder

• 1.5 tsp kosher salt

• 1 Tbl ground oregano

 Line a slow cooker with a finely sliced red onion. Place pork on top with whatever is the fattiest side up. Cook on low 9 to 11 hours until the meat is fork-tender.

 Remove the bone. Then shred the pork on a cutting board before putting it back in with the onions and juices for at least 15 minutes.

 Portion what you want to serve onto a baking sheet, including some juices and onion.

 Broil in the oven until the pork crisps a bit. Squeeze on some fresh lime juice before enjoying in bowls, sandwiches, and tacos.

TIPS

• The goal with trimming fat is only to remove large or thick pieces. Leave a thin layer here and there for moisture.

• The magic is the broiling, giving you restaurant-quality taste and texture.

• You can add more spices after shredding. Use a light hand, as they will be very prominent and “raw” at this point.  ▼

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.

Musings

BY RUSSELL STILES

A Fine & Private Place

Recently, I was visited by two friends. My wife and I have known Margery and Diana for a number of years—volun teering at CAMP Rehoboth, protesting on Route 1, helping at a food bank. They are older than we are but they make up for it with amazing energy and a passionate love for each other.

After a few glasses of wine and sharing Christmas and Hanukkah stories, they became rather serious. At my age, when light conversation turns more serious, I immediately think of an illness or the family issues that we’ve often encountered since our move to Rehoboth Beach and involvement at an LGBTQ+ community center.

Margery went first. “I have loved that Japanese red maple tree in your back yard since I first met you. Diana and I have made a decision about our end-of-life plans: we want to be buried in pods next to that tree. With your permission, Diana and I would be buried under two additional beautiful Japanese red maple trees, no markers or stones, just the newly planted trees.”

I took another sip of wine and paused for moment. My wife and I loved these two women, and I could see that they were serious. Diana added, “Margery and I will leave a fund to cover maintenance of the trees and only a handful of our friends and family would know about the burial.”

For just a moment, I looked into their beautiful and well-travelled faces. I thought about my own mortality, and the decisions my wife and I still have to make.

What an honor and blessing to have these souls of pure love, resting under trees in my yard! I opened another bottle of red wine and smiled. ▼

Russell Stiles and his wife live in Rehoboth Beach; he has volunteered at CAMP Rehoboth for 10 years. A director, playwright, and activist, he has produced and directed numerous LGBTQ+ theater productions including the US premier of Irish playwright Karen Cogan’s play, Drip Feed.

A TREE POD BURIAL uses a biodegradable container to place cremated remains in the earth, with a tree planted above it, creating a living memorial. Cremation pods are available as eco-friendly green burial alternatives. This method offers a connection to nature, replaces traditional headstones with a living tree, and reduces environmental impact compared to conventional burials. There are options available in dedicated memorial forests or potentially on private land with permission. Cremation pods are legal in the state of Delaware; Delaware passed Bill HB162 in May 2024, making human composting legal.

Reflections

The Quiet Power of Friendship

When a disaster in my house sent me into a downward spiral, it was a friend three hours away who lifted me out of the pit of despair and self-pity. She soothed my nerves daily through phone calls that pulled me back into the safe spot where everything will eventually be okay once again. Her advice was spot on—almost four months later, my house is looking better than ever. I survived the disaster thanks to the emotional support, experience, and open ear of my friend. She let me rant, yell, and be frustrated. She let me be without judgment or criticism.

John Lennon and Paul McCartney got it right with their song, “With a Little Help from My Friends.” Friends regulate our nervous system in ways nothing else does. Safe, authentic connection settles the body. A friend I can exhale with restores me faster than willpower or discipline ever could.

We humans are wired for connection, and it’s been proven scientifically that strong bonds aren’t just vital for our emotional wellbeing. They can prolong the length and quality of our life as well. Friendship offers profound benefits that impact physical health, emotional resilience, and overall longevity. Research shows that older people with extensive social networks can live approximately 22 percent longer than those with fewer connections. Deep friendships provide health benefits equivalent to quitting smoking and exceed the protective effects of regular exercise. Regular social interaction also helps keep our brains sharp.

Friends are the family you choose. My father didn’t understand that concept. As a teenager, I regularly was yelled at because my friends were the center of my life. We talked and talked on the phone; we listened to the same music and had lots of similar interests. My friends never criticized, picked on, yelled at, or ignored me as members of my family did.

Friendships are emotional oxygen for me. They offer me something uniquely

powerful. Friends can absorb stress that might otherwise overload a partner, a work environment, or family. Several of my friendships have endured through jobs, deaths, moves, and divorces.

I spend a lot of time chasing independence, resilience, and self-reliance. Yet repeatedly, it is connection that saves me.

I go deep into my friendships and feel I’d do most anything for my buds. My ability to pick the finest humans to hang out with has served me well throughout the years. When I moved to Lewes from Capitol Hill, I had exciting plans about the direction my life would take at the beach. I had my exit from the Hill planned meticulously—hire movers to pack the POD, then pack the remaining stuff into my SUV with my two dogs and drive to the beach for closing the next day. To paraphrase Scottish poet Robert Burns, “The best laid plans often go awry,” and mine did. My POD wasn’t big enough and neither was my SUV to hold all my leftover possessions. I panicked and thought, ‘It’s a Sunday. What can I do?’ I hyperventilated. Without asking, two best buds loaded their vans and drove my stuff to my new house. Within two months of moving, the world shut down. The pandemic had

BY PATTIE CINELLI

enveloped us in fear and uncertainty. My soul companion, a mini-goldendoodle, was a huge part of my plans for my new life at the beach. When my beloved 15.5-year-old canine showed signs of decline, I couldn’t bear to see him suffer. I wrangled a neighbor I had just met to drive me to a veterinarian’s office where I said goodbye.

The days and weeks after that catastrophic event left me in a daze. I sat on my new couch alone, choking on my own tears, gagging on my grief, not knowing how I would keep going.

Despite the dire warnings about COVID, it was again my friends who defied authority, traveled to my new state, and saved me. They sat with me, soothed me, distracted me, and were just quiet with me. They knew what the loss of my dog meant and made those first few weeks without him bearable. It was my friends who propped me up.

Friendship has never been a side character in my life. It has been the steady hand on my back, the borrowed strength when my own ran thin, the reminder that I don’t have to muscle my way through grief, chaos, or change alone. Friends show up when plans collapse, when the house floods, when the dog dies, when the world shuts down.

I spend a lot of time chasing independence, resilience, and self-reliance. Yet repeatedly, it is connection that saves me. In a culture that often ranks romance, family, and productivity above all else, friendship remains undervalued, and its importance underestimated. But for me, it is essential. It is how I heal. It is how I endure. It is how I thrive.

When life hiccups—as it inevitably does—I hope I can be for someone else what my friends have been for me. They have given me a safe place to land, a calm voice in a storm, and a flash of sunlight through the clouds. ▼

Pattie Cinelli is a journalist and fitness professional who loves the freedom friends give her to be herself. Contact Pattie at: fitmiss44@aol.com.

We Remember

Theresa

Marie Pugh

Theresa Marie Pugh, 67, passed away peacefully at her home in Lewes, Delaware, on Friday, January 16, 2026, surrounded by her loving wife, June Sellers, and her beloved four-legged family of rescued companions— her fierce canine protector, Rosie, and her cherished kitties, Rocky and Shadow.

Theresa was born on August 12, 1958, in Baltimore, Maryland, to the late Thomas and Kathleen Pugh. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her brother, Michael Pugh.

She is survived by her wife of nearly 20 years, June Sellers; five sisters, Kay Daspit, Margie Spicer (the late Jim Spicer), Anne Thomas, Marian Pugh, and Carol Morris (Dan); and two brothers, Tom Pugh (Nancy) and Joe Pugh (Dennis). She is also lovingly remembered by her many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and a wide circle of dear friends. Theresa was deeply committed to learning and lifelong education. She earned a degree in Recreation Leadership from Prince George’s Community College; a degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, College Park; a master’s degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Maryland; and a degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

Following her graduation as a physical therapist, Theresa worked for seven years at National Rehabilitation Hospital. She

James C. Stefanelli

James C. Stefanelli, 67, left this earth peacefully Thursday, January 1, 2026, with his loving husband by his side. Born April 1, 1958, in Tiffin, Ohio, Jim was the beloved son of Joseph Stefanelli and the late Janet M. (Robenalt) Stefanelli. In 2004, Jim met Allan J. Doonan, and on December 7, 2013, he married his constant companion and the love of his life, Allan, at their townhouse in Rehoboth Beach.

A longtime resident of Bowling Green, Ohio, he built his first home there and worked 26 years for Henry Filters Inc. Jim spent most of his time with the

then spent the next 28 years providing compassionate home health care throughout the Maryland and Washington, DC area with Potomac Home Health Care, Gentiva, and Johns Hopkins. She truly loved her work and took pride in helping others regain independence and improve their quality of life. Her warmth, professionalism, and dedication left a lasting impact on countless patients and colleagues.

A lifelong sports enthusiast, Theresa excelled at nearly every sport she tried, especially softball, flag football, running, and golf. She was also a PADI-certified divemaster with a deep fascination for ocean life. Theresa enjoyed watching almost any sport on television, particularly DC-area teams, and the Olympic Games.

At home, Theresa found joy in gardening alongside June, cooking meals using the herbs and vegetables they grew together, and creating a welcoming home that became a frequent gathering place for family and friends. Her vibrant personality, sense of humor, and generous heart filled every room she entered.

A memorial service celebrating Theresa’s life will be held on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, 2nd Street, Lewes, Delaware 19958. Family and friends are invited to visit beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The family requests that any charitable contributions in Theresa’s memory be made to one of the following organizations: The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (AFTD), 2700 Horizon Drive, Suite 120, King of Prussia, Pennsylvania 19406 (theaftd.org), or Brain Support Network. PO Box 7264, Menlo Park, California 94026 (brainsupportnetwork.org).

Theresa’s fun-loving spirit, laughter, and radiant smile will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved her. Visit her Life Memorial page at parsellfuneralhomes.com to share memories and condolences. ▼

company as a project manager.

In 2017, Jim and Allan retired to Rehoboth Beach and became active volunteers and members of All Saints’ Episcopal Church. For several years, Jim volunteered, working in the church garden and surrounding grounds. They also volunteered with Humane Animal Partners, working with the animals and assisting with several building projects.

Jim is survived by his devoted husband, Allan; his faithful rescue dog, Oakley; his father, Joseph, of Pemberville, Ohio; his siblings, Judy (Bob) Baldwin, John (Barbara) Stefanelli, Jeff (Dawn)

Stefanelli, Janis (Philip) Kokinakes, and Joseph M. (Debra) Stefanelli; and his mother-in-law, Janet Doonan, of Lewes (the late James Doonan).

A Celebration of Life took place January 20, at All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Rehoboth Beach. Memorial contributions may be made to All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 18 Olive Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971, Humane Animal Partners, 18675 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach, Delaware 19971, or Delaware Hospice, delawarehospice. org. Jim’s Life Memorial webpage is at parsellfuneralhomes.com. ▼

We Remember

Walter Charles Hudson

Walter Charles Hudson, 93, of Rehoboth Beach, passed away peacefully Friday, December 5, 2025. Born January 13, 1932, and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, Walter was the beloved, only child of the late Anna Marie Hudson and Walter Leroy Hudson.

A proud veteran, Walter served in the US Navy for four years during the Korean War, carrying with him a lifelong sense of dedication, discipline, and honor. He made Delaware his home for more than 20 years, becoming a cherished and active presence in the Rehoboth Beach community.

Walter built a rich and meaningful life grounded in love, generosity, and quiet strength. For 55 years, he shared his life with his devoted partner, Arthur Moskal. In 2022, they joyfully married, celebrating a bond built on deep companionship and devotion. Walter and Arthur remained inseparable until Arthur’s passing in May 2025.

Known as a gentle soul with a quick, sharp wit and warm sense of humor, Walter touched countless lives. He served on the board of Cape Henlopen Senior Center, always eager to give his time, insight, and capable hands. He enjoyed working with his hands and took pride in every task he undertook.

Walter had an adventurous spirit and a deep love for travel. He found joy in theater, cruises, and visits to St. Augustine, California, New Orleans, and Cape May. Whether near or far, he embraced each experience with curiosity and gratitude.

At home, Walter shared his days with his cherished cat, Rosie. A lifelong lover of cats, he found comfort and companionship in their presence—Rosie especially brought him joy, warmth, and unwavering affection.

Those who knew Walter will remember him as exceptionally giving, generous, and kindhearted. A sweetheart in every sense, he left a lasting impression through his sincerity, humor, and gentle strength. His legacy is one of love, service, and the many friendships he nurtured with care.

Services will be private. Memorial donations are recommended to Cape Henlopen Senior Center, capehenlopenseniorcenter. org/donate. Walter’s Life Memorial is at parsellfuneralhomes.com. ▼

Mark Worosilo

Mark Worosilo, 75, passed away Thursday, December 18, 2025, in Lewes. He was born on October 31, 1950, in Bayonne, New Jersey, to the late Walter and Margaret Worosilo.

Graduating from Kean University in 1972, Mark embarked on a rewarding career as a dedicated teacher who inspired countless students over the years. He was a proud member of Sigma Beta Tau fraternity.

Mark’s commitment to fostering education was rivaled only by his involvement in his community, notably serving as the president of the Camelot Meadows Homeowners Association. In this role, Mark championed significant initiatives such as linking lot rent increases on manufactured homes to inflation and securing the rights for the transfer of 10-year leases to new buyers. His efforts also brought a clubhouse and pool to the Camelot property, much to the delight of the residents.

Mark was an enthusiastic supporter of charitable causes and dedicated considerable time and energy to raising thousands of dollars for Bear Hugs for Babies, an organization close to his heart. He was also a longtime member and supporter of CAMP Rehoboth.

Mark’s love for life extended to the creation of an elaborate Christmas light show at his home, a spectacle that brought joy to many during the holiday season. His passion for music was evident in his work as a DJ at nightclubs in Central New Jersey, where he enlivened the nights with his energy and taste in music.

Travel was another joy in Mark’s life, and he cherished exploring new cultures and sights with his beloved husband, Thomas Negran. They shared many adventures on cruises and held a special fondness for the vibrant town of Sitges, Spain. These experiences added to the tapestry of a life fully embraced and enjoyed.

In addition to his parents, Mark was predeceased by his sister, Sharon Worosilo; and his brother-in-law, Robert Negran. He is survived by his devoted husband, Thomas Negran; his in-laws, Elaine and Lowell Burgin of Monroe, New Jersey; beloved friends James Bowers and Liz Raes; and many extended family. Mark will be remembered for his kindness, generosity, and adventurous spirit. He touched many lives and will be deeply missed.

A funeral service was held December 29 at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes. Memorial donations may be made to the American Diabetes Association. Mark’s Life Memorial webpage is at parsellfuneralhomes.com. ▼

Leaving a Legacy

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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES MEETING

Join us on Wednesday, February 25, at CAMP Rehoboth, for our quarterly Volunteer Opportunities Meeting! We’re kicking off the season by unveiling the exciting volunteer roles available for Women’s+ FEST—this is your chance to be part of the magic! Whether you’re brand new, looking to jump into Women’s+ FEST, or just need a quick refresher on CAMP Rehoboth and general volunteer training, this gathering is for you. Come connect with fellow volunteers, learn where you can plug in, and enjoy dinner on us. We can’t wait to see you there!

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The CAMP Rehoboth Outreach Program (CROP) is constantly working to cultivate community and strengthen relationships and the connections between us all. Check the site for monthly volunteer opportunities.

Sign up at camprehoboth.org/volunteers.

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

THANK YOU

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CAMP REHOBOTH COURTYARD CLEAN UP

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To all the CAMP Rehoboth Volunteers for the period: Dec. 5, 2025 - Jan. 23. 2026

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Mary Ann Wangemann

THIS MONTH IN QUEER HISTORY

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TOY AND CLOTHING DRIVE SORT

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