Community Briefs 10/18/23

Toddler playgroup meets at St. Peter’s parish hall

St. Peter’s Community Playgroup invites parents and caregivers to bring little ones for indoor play time from 9 to 10:30 a.m., each first and third Tuesday of the month during the school term. Adults can enjoy conversation with others as the toddlers build their social-emotional skills. All are welcome; no registration is required.

The group meets in St. Peter’s Episcopal Church parish hall at 211 Mulberry St. in downtown Lewes. Attendees can enter by the side door on Mulberry Street or via the patio double doors for greater handicap accessibility.

For details, contact Jessica Potter at 302-645-8479 or jessica@stpeterslewes.org.

Girls’ Night Out fashion and philanthropy event set Oct. 19

A Girls’ Night Out event to benefit the Harry K Foundation is set for 7 to 9 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 19, at Schellville, Rehoboth Beach. The evening of fashion, food, friends and philanthropy will support the foundation’s work to defeat childhood hunger throughout Delaware. There will be cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, raffles and a continuous fashion show with shopping at participating boutiques.

Tickets are $40 per person.

For details about participating boutiques and to purchase tickets, go to HarryKFoundation.org or call Robyn at 301-807-2304.

Human trafficking awareness program set Oct. 19

The Village Improvement Association will sponsor a program on human trafficking from 1 to 2 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 19, at Rehoboth Beach Public Library in the upstairs meeting room. Light refreshments will be served at 12:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Human trafficking, the exploitation of individuals for labor or commercial sex, has been the subject of increased media attention in recent years. The Delaware General Assembly passed comprehensive legislation in 2014 designed to prevent and penalize human trafficking, and to provide protection for victims. A human trafficking unit was created by the Delaware Department of Justice in 2022 to specifically address and handle human trafficking investigations.

Deputy Attorney General Caroline Brittingham will present information about human trafficking in Delaware. Yolanda Montgomery, executive director for Zoe Ministries, a nonprofit organization that provides a home to juvenile victims of sex trafficking, will speak about the resources available to victims in the local community.

The Village Improvement Association of Rehoboth Beach is a women’s civic and charitable organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service.

RD 20 Dems to meet Oct. 19

The Delaware 20th Representative District Democratic Committee will meet at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 19, at the Lewes Diner, 1201 Savannah Road, Lewes. An informal social gathering for Dutch treat dinner starts at 5 p.m. 

The guest speakers will be Sen. Sarah McBride, D-Wilmington, a candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives, and state party Vice Chair Debbie Harrington, a candidate for Delaware lieutenant governor. Both will be discussing their campaigns and issues that are important to voters.

Any registered Democrat in Delaware is welcome to participate in RD20’s social hour and business meeting. 

For more information, go to rd20deldems.com or find Delaware’s 20th RD Democratic Committee & Friends Group on Facebook. 

To be placed on RD20’s email list, email rd20.deldems@gmail.com.

RD20 is the local Democratic Party organization for Lewes, Milton, Nassau, Pinetown, Belltown, and sections of Harbeson and Georgetown.

Submerged aquatic vegetation is Oct. 20 meeting topic

The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee will meet via Zoom from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., Friday, Oct. 20.

The agenda includes updates on the Environmental Monitoring Plan, Habitat Plan and Wastewater Planning Subcommittee; an overview of the 2021 State of the Bays technical report; and several presentations on the history, restoration and condition of submerged aquatic vegetation in the Inland Bays.

The public is welcome to attend by going to udel.zoom.us/j/93505183899 and using passcode “science.” To join by phone, dial 1-646-876-9923 and enter meeting ID 948 6177 6056.

Genealogical society to meet Oct. 21

The Sussex County Genealogical Society will meet at 10 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 21, at Lewes Public Library and via Zoom. All are welcome; to request a Zoom invitation, email programs@scgsdelaware.org.

Guest speaker Rhoda Miller, EdD, CG, has been a certified genealogist since 1998, specializing in Jewish research and Holocaust studies. She will present “An Introduction to Jewish Genealogy.” For more information, go to scgsdelaware.org.

Milford Museum to host ghost walk tours Oct. 21

The Milford Museum will host ghost walk tours, an unforgettable evening of spine-tingling thrills and chilling tales, Saturday, Oct. 21. The first tour will begin at 5:30 p.m., at the Towers Bed and Breakfast, 101 NW Front St., with tours continuing at 30-minute intervals. The last one will begin at 8:30 p.m., and all end at the Causey Mansion, 2 Causey Ave., Milford. Participants will immerse themselves in the haunted history of Milford as expert guides lead them through the darkened streets and eerie corners of the town. Attendees will experience the supernatural side of Milford while exploring haunted landmarks and sharing eerie stories of ghosts, legends and mysteries that have shrouded the town for centuries.

Since it will be dark, visitors are asked to bring a flashlight or use a cellphone flashlight. Costumes and masks are encouraged.

Tickets are $20. To buy tickets, go to eventbrite.com and search Milford Museum's Ghost Walk Tours.

For more information, contact the Milford Museum at 302-424-1080 or tom@milforddemuseum.org.

PAWS for People event set Oct. 21 in Newark

The PAWS for People WAG & Walkathon fundraiser will count the National Dog Show among its featured sponsors Saturday, Oct. 21, when the annual event culminates with the PAWS Furry Fall Festival at Glasgow Park in Newark. 

The WAG & Walkathon features family-friendly fun, entertainment, food, vendors, doggie games and contests, with National Dog Show officials distributing free Purina-branded merchandise from their booth throughout the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. activity schedule. 

The month-long WAG & Walkathon virtual marathon kicked off Sept. 21. Supporters have been walking with their dogs during the month to garner financial pledges from friends and relatives to raise money for PAWS For People’s pet therapy programs in Delaware and beyond. Learn more about the event at pawsforpeople.org/walkathon. The Oct. 21 PAWS Furry Fall Festival is open to everyone and will take place rain or shine. Event wrist bands cost $5, and licensed, well-behaved dogs are welcome.

The Unitarian Universalists of Southern Delaware will hold an in-person and livestreamed service at 10 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 22, 10 a.m., with the topic, “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Aging (but Mostly Good).” UUSD members Jean Charles, Deanna Duby and some others will share their perspectives on aging, along with common questions like: What gets you up in the morning? What makes aging a little gentler, easier, and more manageable? Vaccine-eligible individuals must have received the COVID vaccine to attend in-person services. For information, go to uussd.org.

Words That Bleed horror book club to meet Oct. 22

Browseabout Books announced the inaugural meeting for its new horror book club, Words That Bleed, is set for 3 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 22, at 133 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach. The club will discuss “Kill Creek” by Scott Thomas. The group will be moderated by staff member, horror master and published author Kelly Lidji. No registration is required. For more information, go to browseaboutbooks.com.