June 6th, 2015
Lunching with Little Pink Houses of Hope, Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association, Dewey Beach, Delaware, Breast Cancer Families Enjoy Delaware Beaches
“The ocean is a central image. It is the symbolism of a great journey.” enya
Eleven families, 10 states, 32 children, volunteers…all in all, about 73 people. When they arrived in Bethany Beach, they were complete strangers. In no time they became a united front with a common bond…Breast Cancer.
All women were, presently, being treated for breast cancer. Almost all were in their 40s. One was 60 years old.
Little Pink Houses of Hope provides week long beach retreats for breast cancer families. They have been coming to Bethany Beach for several years, but you can also find them in other parts of the country. Home is North Carolina. The Founder & President is Jeanine Patten-Coble. For more information, please visit http://www.littlepink.org. Find them on Facebook, as well. Once they arrive…everything is free of charge.
Breast cancer does not only affect the person, it impacts the whole family in many ways. To be able to spend a week at the beach, relaxing and rejuvenating is always….priceless!! The outpour of donations from the Delaware Beaches; residents, commercial establishments…awesome!
Organizing it all were Stacy Shepps and Ann Raskauskas.
Every day, they had plenty of activities and also time to chill out. We live at the beach and enjoying the outdoors is always a must. Mother Nature, of course, did not cooperate. Don’t get me wrong, it did not “dampen” anyone’s spirits.
Lunching at Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association, after a morning of sailing….Well…the setting at RBSA is gorgeous. This sailing association has been in existence since 1963. The first photo would have been the ideal situation, but the second shows the reality of how the weather was; windy, rainy, chilly.
Debbie Dyer, who is one of my partners in crime “volunteered” to help me organize the lunch at Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association. RBSA is located south of Dewey Beach at 38767 Rehoboth Bay Sailing Association Lane. Tel. 302-227-9008. Website? http://www.rbsa.org. This sailing club is for beginners to racing enthusiasts. In the summer they offer a Junior Sailing School and Adult/Junior Clinics. Those are starting next week. If interested, please give them a call. Those programs are open to the public. Also, please note that the 2015 Sunfish Women’s North American Championships will be September 19th and 20th.
We had food to feed an army. Leftovers were sent with the Little Pinks to enjoy the next day.
And a big thank to Carol Cairo for her delicious cookies….Yum!!
Just before serving lunch, prayers of thanks!!
Now they could eat. The Water Cooler Ladies were serving drinks…the rest were serving lunch.
One of the volunteers was telling me that he first went to a Little Pink retreat about 6 years ago. He had lost spirituality when his wife had been diagnosed. It was so good for him that he has been volunteering ever since. His wife is doing well, by the way.
Another volunteer, she is right there on the photo with the stripe sweater….she has been a survivor for 3 years. She had cancer in her family left and right. She said she would have been shocked not to have cancer.
Some started to play games, enjoying the company of new friends.
Last year I spent a day with Little Pink Houses of Hope. Heartwarming and Uplifting? You bet!
It was time to gather the troops. Volunteers were getting their assignments. Each volunteer has a family assigned to him or her. Some of these volunteers have been participants in previous beach retreats.
Regardless of the weather, Debbie and I had a great day. It also brought memories of years past when preparing food for lax games….you take this, I take that. Who brings the water? How about the snacks? Don’t forget the paper towels. And, the many Teacher Appreciation Lunches…Susan Lynch, you were a pro, just as Shelley Martelo was a pro with her electric knife. The good old days, right?
Until next time…have a good one.
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