License plates, special; issuance of those bearing legend: SHAG DANCE CLUBS OF VIRGINIA. (HB1427)

Introduced By

Del. Manoli Loupassi (R-Richmond)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Special license plates; shag dance clubs of Virginia. Authorizes the issuance of special license plates bearing the legend: SHAG DANCE CLUBS OF VIRGINIA. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/14/2008Committee
01/14/2008Presented and ordered printed 083503606
01/14/2008Referred to Committee on Transportation
01/18/2008Assigned Transportation sub: 3
02/07/2008Continued to 2009 in Transportation

Comments

Jane Renger writes:

Good morning.

The Richmond Shag Club does more than teach folks to dance, meet to dance twice a week, and have socials for our members throughout the year. We have a feeling of family, that I have not experienced with another social club. Last year, our family raised over $16,000 for our charity which sends kids with cancer to summer camp. Last fall, more than 100 of our club members traveled to North Myrtle Beach for a week long reunion of Shaggers.

We are well organized, we work hard, and when we set a goal, we achieve it. I am confident that with our club leading the way, we will be able to obtain at least 350 paid applications from Shaggers throughout the Commonwealth. We will do the heavy lifting, if you will give us the opportunity.

Best regards,

Jane Renger
RSC Communications Chairperson

Sonny Tinsley writes:

My wife, Pam, and I support this bill also. We are members of the Richmond Shag Club, enjoy the social interaction with other members, and support all activities to benefit the designated charity of our club.

Kevin Byrnes writes:

Shag dancing provides good fun and recreation for young & old. Between the 10 shag clubs in Virginia, there are a couple thousand Virginians that actively participate in the dance. More importantly, each of these dance clubs perform many fund-raising programs that generate thousands of dollars each year to benefit various charitable programs in Virginia. Recognition of their efforts and promotion of their cause is an appropriate use of the custom tag program.

Bill Vogel writes:

We in the Richmond Shag Club want to share our fun on the dance floor and share our love for others. Whether we give free dance lessons each week, cook and sell Brunswick stew, organize golf tournaments or orchestrate other fund-raising events we'll have a greater impact with our creative and attractive license plates. I know. I've shown these plates to strangers in parking lots, restaurants and other public places. "What do you think?." Surprise! Delight! Questions! And often, "Dancing? Free? Sounds like fun! I want to learn more. Can I join you?" We will increase our membership and increase our contributions to Camp Fantastic, a premier camp for children with cancer. (See website http://www.speciallove.org). Our club has donated more than $166,000 to date, the largest benefactor of all contributors. Let's do more! General Assembly, we ask you to open the door to help us be more effective.

Beverly Dillard writes:

We would welcome the interest a shag tag would create with the opportunity to tell others about our great organization. Our Richmond club is benevolent, hard working, and fun. Our RSC family and the others of Virginia like we are, is a great outlet for adults to learn and experience one of the greatest and oldest forms of exercise and social opportunity known to man. We would be proud to join the other southern states that have their special shag plates.

Charlotte Ashby Savoca writes:

Please support this bill. Thank you.

Janet Richards writes:

Colonial Shag Club, serving the Virginia Peninsula, also welcomes the interst and opportunity a shag tag would generate for promoting shag dancing. Our club is 175 members and growing, and we strongly support this effort. The shag dance community is indeed a well organized, benevolent and fun-loving group of dancers that also work hard and successfully in support of local charities - in our Club that is Menchville House (a local battered women's shelter).

Joan McKinney writes:

The Northern Virginia Shag Club has several hundred members. Our membership has held steady for many years. There's also a growing, new shag club in the Fredericksburg area - Battlefield Boogie Club.I feel that these hundreds of shaggers in our region support a shag tag, and many would order it.
Virginia shaggers are a statewide community, with many close friendships and a shared love of dnace and music. Our clubs also have a shared agenda of civic activities. Our own club has raised almost $200,000 for Hospice.
The Virginia shag clubs also nurture and support young dancers. In fact, Virginia has produced a long line of Junior shag champions and national-level Junior competitors. These young dance champions are from Virgina Beach, Richmond, Burke and Manassas. They have carried a positive image of Virginia to audiences in the Carolinas, Atlanta, California, New York and elsewhere. All of our young shag champions also have been outstanding high school and college students, and one of them recently returned from service in Iraq. We are so proud of our juniors, and we feel that Virginia shag clubs had at least a small part in helping these "kids" grow into superb young adults.

Joyce Seargeant writes:

Please support this bill. It's time that Virginia was recognized for supporting shagging.

Jim McBride writes:

I ask that this bill be passed in order that it will show to all that The Commonwealth of Virginia reconizes organizations of quality that support the proper values of recreation and liesure activities. The members of The Richmond Shag Club are some of the finest people I have ever had the extreme pleasure of being involved with. We are proud of our organization and all of the other shag clubs in Virginia are just as proud of theirs because we all represent a very large group that know how to properly have fun while at the same time, supporting and giving to charitable organizations that support THE special needs of others. It is in this light that I ask The Commonwealth of Virginia to issue these special license tags.

Heather Jennings writes:

I am a member of the Battlefield Boogie Club (Fredericksburg) and the Northern Virginia Shag Club. There are several thousand shaggers throughout Virginia and that number continues to grow. I feel extremely confident this group will be able to obtain the required number of applications as they have proven to be a resilient bunch by raising thousands of $$ over the years for local charities as well as providing lessons, dancing and fun for all ages in their respective communities. Having a "shag tag" will give our clubs another vehicle for shag dance awareness.

Cindy Black writes:

As a Shag Dance Enthusiast, teacher, supporter, DJ, a Virginia Shag Tag would be a GREAT way to show support of Shag Dancing and Beach Music. DMV offers a variety of interest tags. I strongly suggest this bill for a Shag Dance Clubs of Virginia DMV Tag to be passed! Virginia is the proud home of several National Shag Dance Champions and Pro Competitors. South and North Carolina already have Shag Tags. Let Virginia join them!

Jan Weakley writes:

I have been a member of the Virginia Beach Shag Club since it's inception in 1985. Our club has close to 400 members. We love to share are love for the dance called SHAG and beach music. Our club is a member of "Association of Carolina Shag Clubs" representing over 100 clubs up and down the east coast. Each club also supports a charity of there choice and encourages young people to learn the dance. I highly encourage you to pass this Bill for a Shag Dance Clubs of Virginia DMB tag.

Tricia Michael writes:

I strongly support the passing of the Shag Tag for Virginia. This enthusiastic, friendly and encouraging group of shaggers have been a wonderful support system for me. They all bring a great deal of attention from elsewhere in the US to the shag community in Virginia.

Sara Kestler writes:

I support HB1427. Virginia shag dancing is more than just a dance in the south. Virginia Shag Clubs promote an outlet for healthy recreation for all ages and support chairitable causes in communities throughout the Commonwealth. Dancing is fun. Please pass this bill!

Dave Finley writes:

I suport hb1427 best group of people I have been associated with in any club or other group. There are a lot of people that want to preserve this dance tradition from the 60's a truly American Classic dance form.

John Gilstrap writes:

The Danville Shag Club has 172 members and at our board meeting unanimously voted to support Virginia Shag Tags. We also already have 32 members committed to purchasing tags and I am sure more will follow.
John

debra dockery writes:

We would purchase 2 if this passes

Greg Howell- The Shaggin DJ writes:

As a member of the Colonial Shag Club in Newport News, Va., I would like to add my voice in support of this bill for special Virginia Shag Tags. As a dancer and also a DJ, I have been fortunate to see the great friendships, the willingness to work together for a common goal, and the genuine love for the dance and the music that EVERY shag club member exibits! When one club has an event to support their charity, many OTHER club's members come in support as well. The values these people stand for and promote in their everyday lives in the Commonwealth deserve to be recognized. Having these special Virginia Shag Tags on our vehicles will help to promote the Shag Dance, Beach Music, and the love and service to others that membership in these clubs embodies. Thanks for your support!
Greg Howell

Marilyn Holt writes:

The Lynchburg Area Shag Club is excited about the opportunity to purchase Virginia Shag Tags.

Thanks for your support

Audrey Borja writes:

I strongly endorse HB 1427 relating to a proposal for a Virginia Shag licence plate. The shag clubs of Virginia were surveyed and enthusiastically support the proposal. The members believe having Virginia display the shag dance on our license plates would give a positive message of old and new. The shag is a long-standing tradition in the Carolinas and over the past numerous years the dance has come to Virginia capturing thousands of followers. The dance denotes good health in mind and body for all ages. The spirit and tradition of our culture are exhibited in the smooth style of the dance and we would like to think that the music of the shag enriches our soul. It is truly a journey of our history in dance and culture of our music. To display the shag dance on Virginia license plates would show that Virginia embraces that level of spirit.
Thank you for your support of the legislation.

Margo Murphy writes:

I support this bill and look forward to having another way to show I am involved with the shag world by this license plate.
The Lynchburg Area Shag Club has 165 members and 35 are interested in this tag. Shaggers are a caring group of individuals proud of what they do and having a license plate is a symbol for all to see.
Thank you

Kay Hughes writes:

We will definitely order two tags. Shag dancing has provided us with many wonderful friends and hours of healthly, fun, creative exercise. The Danville Shag Club provides financial support for numerous local charities and worthy projects that provide a very satisfying connection with our community. Mark & I will be proud to display our connection with this big-hearted family of fellow shaggers.

Harry Walthall writes:

As 2008 President of Colonial Shag Club, I support HB 1427 Bill for the creation of a special license plate to promote shag dancing in Virginia. Our club has 175+ members and growing. We enjoy and support Shag Dancing and beach music. We also have shag events to raise funds to help support our local charity, The Menchville House in Newport News, VA, which provides battered women a temporary home.

Charlotte Batchelor writes:

My husband Allen and I support this bill. Shaggers are fun-loving people who travel extensively to dance events all over the Southeast. We will proudly display these plates as good-will ambassadors for the beautiful State of Virginia. Thank you for your support.

Shirley Gough writes:

We would welcome a shag tag to Virginia. This is a non-profit organization clelbrating over 20 years of fun for this dance. We are connected to a National group of 20,000 members. Of the ten clubs in VIrginia we attract many traveles to the Virginia area. We offer free lessons to beginnigs and encourage juniors to our clubs that our love for shag will continue. Thanks for the opportunity to have a shag tag.
Shirley

Bob Person writes:

I, along with scores of Virginia Beach Shag Members, support the issuance of a Shag license plate. Shag clubs through out the south provide a source to improve the physical, mental and relationship health of the participants. The Shag Dance (often regarded as the Dance Of The South) brings people together from all walks of life. Many more will purchase this Shag Tag than originally subscribed to it. Thank you for supporting this positive cause.