News Around the Club

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news—the Lake Gaston Shag Club has its very own official domain name. It’s lakegastonshagclub.org!

Our new website address (also known as a URL) is https://lakegastonshagclub.org.

This is a major milestone for our club, marking a new era in how we connect and share our passion for Carolina Beach Music and shag dancing.

Why is having a domain name such a big deal? Here are five reasons:

• Professionalism: Our own domain name makes us look more official and credible.
• Easy to Remember: No more abstract or hard to remember web links—our name says it all!
• Centralized Communication: It’s the go-to hub for everything about the club. This is especially important for those who don’t use Facebook.
• Improved Visibility: Search engines (Google, Yahoo, Bing) love domain names, meaning more people can discover us.
• Future Growth: We now have the flexibility to add email addresses using lakegastonshagclub.org domain name.

This is just the beginning of an exciting digital journey for the Lake Gaston Shag Club. Join us as we dance into the future—visit us now at https://lakegastonshagclub.org!

It’s A New Year

As we turn the page to a brand-new year, the Lake Gaston Shag Club is ready to begin writing another amazing chapter.

Reflecting on 2024 fills us with gratitude and pride – we celebrated a year where our family of members and guests grew stronger and more connected.

Together, we shared unforgettable moments

• Enjoying each other’s company
• Indulging in delicious dishes, some from treasured family recipes
• Grooving to our favorite tunes
• Dancing the nights away

Club Funding

Memberships

The club gets a portion of its funding through selling memberships. January is an important time for us as we focus on renewing memberships (also referred to as “Re-Uping”) and bringing in new members.

Other Income

We get additional income through

• Dance admissions ($8/per member, $12/per guest)
• Selling 50/50 and raffle tickets

Club Expenses

So where does the money go?

It’s no secret that our club has financial and community obligations, such as

• Making donations to worthwhile causes (the club donated $500 towards the Hurricane Helene disaster recovery)
• Annual membership fee to the Association of Carolina Shag Clubs (ACSC)
• Club Insurance
• Office Supplies
• Renting the Lake Gaston Lions Club
• DJ services
• Venue decorations
• Event necessities (paper products, cups, plasticware, bottled water, ice

Volunteerism

The heart of our club beats strongest with the spirit of volunteerism. It’s truly inspiring to see the selflessness of our members, who give their time and effort without expectation of pay.

Here are just a few examples of their dedication

• Our Board of Directors and Chair positions are entirely volunteer-run. Meaning there are no paid positions in the club.
• Performing required administrative tasks (secretary, treasurer, membership, communications)
• Information Technology (IT) services
  • Managing our website and Facebook page
  • Providing basic Windows and Mac technical support
• Supporting event activities
  • Conducting the free shag lessons
  • Running the sign-in and 50/50 table
  • Decorating the Lions Club
  • Capturing memories through photos and videos
  • Creating slideshows and photo galleries
  • Bartending
  • Providing side dishes for each event
  • Running out to purchase items needed for an event

Thank You – To You (our members and guests)

Every time you attend a club event, your presence is deeply appreciated and never taken for granted.

You are the reason this club thrives and flourishes.

You are the reason this club has been so successful.

You are the reason our members and guests keep coming back time and time again.

Thank you for being the heart and soul of the Lake Gaston Shag Club!

Sincerely,

Marshall Beacham

President, Lake Gaston Shag Club