Back in the 1960s, during the Mad Men era on New York’s Madison Avenue there was a famous, and even a little controversial, ad campaign. It was for Levy’s Jewish Rye Bread and its award winning advertising slogan was “You don’t have to be Jewish to love Levy’s real Jewish Rye.”
The ad worked spectacularly, introducing people of all ethnicities to the joys of Jewish Rye Bread and winning all kinds of awards for the agency, Doyle Dane Bernbach, which created the ad.
Each poster had the same simple copy, only the photograph changed every few weeks, showing ordinary people - an Asian child, a Native American elder, an African-American woman - all grinning from behind a slice of Levy’s rye bread. Each photo of the person was quite incongruous with the ethnic concept of the product.
I’m borrowing that 60-year-old ad to make a point here. How many times have you flipped through this newspaper, seen a press release or an ad for something presented by CAMP Rehoboth Inc. and thought “that’s not for me,” and flipped the page.
Well I’m here to tell you that, just as you didn’t have to be Jewish to enjoy that rye bread, you don’t have to be gay (although there’s nothing wrong with that, as Seinfeld would say) to enjoy and take advantage of the many wonderful programs presented by CAMP Rehoboth.
In its community center building on Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth or at other venues like Rehoboth Beach Convention Center or local meeting rooms, the programs offered by CAMP Rehoboth are open to the whole community.
Did you know that CAMP sponsors art shows and receptions, as well as art auctions by remarkably talented local and regional artists? Several theatrical performances, musical evenings and films have been shown at the Baltimore Avenue community room. Naturally, some events have diversity themes or are of special interest to the gay community, but many, many events, like recent productions of Jerry’s Girls, performance by musician Tret Fure, a cabaret night and the Molly Ivins show Red Hot Patriot have had universal appeal.
CAMP rents out the community room to local organizations and individuals for events of all kinds (music recitals, homeowner meetings, seminars) and welcomes weddings (gay and straight) and celebrations of all kinds to its gorgeous 37 Baltimore Avenue facility.
As part of its mission, CAMP offers health testing (partnering with Beebe Medical Center), free flu shots, and all manner of support groups at their CAMPus, and these meetings are welcoming to all - from 12-step programs to grief counseling, financial seminars to poker lessons, CAMP offers quite a lot. CAMP recently worked with the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition for the very successful Broadwalk on the Boardwalk and more.
I am sure there are some events that non-gay community members will have no interest in attending. After all, it would be rather a waste of time to attend a gay speed dating event if you aren’t gay. Likewise, a late night disco party with thundering music and blinding light shows might break down not so much by gay or straight, but by young and not-so-young.
But CAMP Rehoboth is the heart of the community in downtown Rehoboth. Our two buildings, connected by a beautiful courtyard, boast a terrific furniture store, Boxwood’s Lori’s Oy Vey Cafe for amazing food and drink; Ward Ellinger’s art gallery featuring art for every taste; and even Community Pride Financial for professional money management.
As for our own publication, Letters from CAMP Rehoboth, it features award-winning columnists and news from just about every business in the area - not just the gay-owned places.
So my message is clear. Please don’t flip over our stories and ads, automatically assuming we aren’t talking to you. We’re talking to everybody. CAMP wants to be the heart of the community, providing a welcoming place in the midst of town, a front office to provide referrals and answer questions, an organization that works hand in hand with almost all the other nonprofits in town, and a place to see and hear great art, theatre and music.
You don’t have to be Gay to love CAMP Rehoboth!
Fay Jacobs
board member, CAMP Rehoboth Inc.
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