I am a lifelong resident of Sussex and Surry County Virginia. I graduated from Tidewater Academy. In 1976 I married my wife and high school sweetheart, Peggy.
After 23 years in a family retail furniture business, I changed course and have enjoyed selling cars and trucks at Owen Ford, for the past 19 years.
My hobbies include fishing, cooking, working in our yard, shagging and listening to Beach Music. Peggy and I have been shagging for the past 5 or 6 years. We’re not great shaggers, but we enjoy trying and WE LOVE BEACH MUSIC!
We are members of the Richmond Shag Club and the Hopewell Moose Family Center.
Five years ago I was approached to consider running for the Board of Officers in the Moose Lodge. I did so and was elected. At my very first board meeting, the topic of discussion was “What can we do to motivate lodge members to participate and enjoy lodge activities?” The entertainment events currently being held were not being supported. As the newly appointed entertainment chairman, I suggested trying some beach music djs on Friday in the social quarters. That was a huge success. I persuaded the officers to try a prominent beach music band in the ballroom. We hired the Holiday Band and wow, what a success! We began
taking on new membership and we rekindled a lot of existing members. The demand for beach music in central Virginia is strong enough for us to successfully host a major beach music band at the lodge every month.
Peggy and I became members and supporters of the Central Virginia Junior Shaggers from the beginning. In 2014, I was asked to serve on the board of Virginia Junior Shaggers, Inc. and I accepted the invitation. Peggy and I realize that the only way to preserve and perpetuate the music, the dance and the lifestyle that we have all come to love, is to introduce and promote it to our next generation and their children.