Beebe, Rehoboth Art League present Best of the Beach

Beebe Medical Foundation’s 22nd Annual Best of the Beach Art Auction and Dinner Dance will take place at 6 p.m., Saturday, June 11, under a tent on the grounds of Beebe Medical Center’s Beebe Health Campus on Route 24 in Rehoboth Beach.

The annual Best of the Beach fundraiser galvanizes community support for both Beebe Medical Center and the Rehoboth Art League. This important fundraising event becomes more exciting each year, and well deserves its top billing as the most enjoyable evening of the summer season.

This year Big Fish Grill will cater, and the ever-popular Love Seed Mama Jump will keep partygoers on the dance floor. Local painter Barbara Petterson will be the featured artist in the live auction with her colorful acrylic, “Reflection,” that depicts a small boat docked in Lewes Harbor. Petterson is known for her use of bright, crisp colors and rich textures. There also will be the traditional silent auction featuring art and gift items.

The proceeds from this year’s event will support the purchase of a second radiation therapy system for the Tunnell Cancer Center, as well as the programs of the Rehoboth Art League.

The new radiation therapy system will allow Tunnell Cancer Center to meet the community’s growing need for cancer treatment. The Radiation Oncology Department treats from 40 to 50 patients a day, which already has led to radiation treatments having to be delivered into the evening hours. At the current pace, it is anticipated that the number of patients will increase this year alone by 10 percent. A second system will mean that all patients will be scheduled during daytime hours when it is safer for elderly patients to travel. Also, there will be no interruption in treatment schedules if one of the systems needs maintenance or repair.

“At Tunnell Cancer Center, our goal is to continually improve and expand the medical services we deliver to our patients,” said Brian Costleigh, MD, a radiation oncologist and medical director of Radiation Oncology who is also this year’s honorary event chair. “The new linear accelerator will allow us to offer more treatment options to our patients, and to keep up with the increasing demand for up-to-date and quality cancer care.”

The Rehoboth Art League is a member arts organization with the mission to teach, inspire and encourage the artistic spirit in the region. Though the majority of its programs take place on its historic campus in Henlopen Acres, others, most notably the visual arts summer outreach program, are presented in communities throughout Sussex County. Though it has a strong focus on visual arts, the RAL has also brought numerous cultural opportunities to southern Delaware including art classes, exhibits, events, lectures, film, poetry and more.

Beebe Medical Foundation has numerous partnerships with local organizations, including the Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival. Beebe Medical Center will sponsor a performance by the Rippingtons Wednesday, Oct. 12. Tickets for the Rippingtons concert are available at rehobothjazz.com.

Proceeds from this Rehoboth Beach Jazz Festival concert will support the healthcare services provided by Beebe Medical Center.

Tickets are still available for the 22nd Annual Best of the Beach Art Auction and Dinner Dance. For ticket or sponsorship information, call Beebe Medical Foundation at 302-644-2900 or order online at www.beebemedicalfoundation.org. The foundation is at 902 Savannah Road, Lewes, DE 19958. The Rehoboth Art League is at 12 Dodds Lane and can be reached at 302-227-4121 or online by visiting www.rehobothartleague.org.