How it started

For Memorial Day 2024, Larry and Denise Seckel hosted a picnic for their friends and neighbors. Among the people there were Bruce Montgomery, Ray Neel, and Roy Bergquist. One of the results of the picnic was people getting to know each other, since many of those attending were newer residents in Alleghany County. During a conversation between Bruce and Roy, Roy mentioned a men’s club he had formed in Mooresville, NC (Central Lake Norman Golden Boys) for the purpose of helping men meet and network with other men and share common interests. Bruce liked the idea, thinking it would be fun and of value to men in Alleghany County. So they agreed to create such a group. Roy included Bill Bewley, a friend of his, to be part of this effort. Thus five men — Bruce Montgomery, Roy Bergquist, Ray Neel, Larry Seckel, Bill Bewley — became the founders of the group which eventually named itself Alleghany Gentlemen.

The Growing Process

The process started slowly with some group lunches at local restaurants where each of those in the group were encouraged to invite additional men they thought would be interested and be in a similar situation. There was nothing formal, it was merely guys getting together and becoming friends. The get-togethers were held at various restaurants to spread our business around. Over time and as the number of participants grew, it became difficult to have effective conversations and hear our speakers in restaurants crowded with lunchtime customers. The one location that had a separate meeting room with audio-video equipment was Muddy Creek, so it became the chosen meeting place. The other value of always meeting in the same place was that participants didn’t potentially end up in the wrong place.

The Speakers

One of the benefits men had as they attend the lunch meetings is the information they gain from the speakers Bruce arranged. These speakers cover a large range of subjects many of which include local public and business people in the community. Beyond the meeting discussions, the group has had the opportunity to tour numerous facilities that are not normally available to the general public. This is an advantage to long time Alleghany residents as well as those men who have recently moved into the county. 

Organization

Early in the process, four of the five founding members (not Larry Seckel, who is in Florida a good part of the year) formed a “Steering Committee” to guide and improve the growing group of men’s meeting. One of the first things they did was to define the “Purposes” of the meetings. These purposes became the guidelines for how the group would go forward. The Steering Committee continues to meet periodically, to keep the ship on course and look for ways to make the get-togethers informative and interesting. To assure the continuity, the Steering Committee defined the functions that needed to be performed and divided the responsibilities into traditional administrative positions (see the job descriptions on our website). The descriptions help the volunteers who are helping to operate Alleghany Gentlemen understand what is expected of them.

The Logo

With the growing number of men attending the lunches, the Steering Committee thought it would be fun to create a group logo to create some identity. Ray Neel took on the task of getting people to submit designs for a logo, with a vote to select the best. Ultimately, Larry Van Hoose’s submission won and is the logo the group uses today.

The Web Site and Becoming a “Club”

In order to support the growing communications needs, the Steering Committee decided a web site would be a real advantage and, to support the cost of a website, we should transition from an informal lunch group to a formal men’s club with a small dues payment for membership. Thus in January 2026, the official Alleghany Gentlemen was born. Ray Neel’s technical background enabled him to volunteer to create the website. Wild Apricot became our website provider of choice, which has proven to have been a good decision. Not only does the website have the ability to support club communications, but it is effective in administering the club’s functions such as treasury, membership, and communications. It also allows for a platform for the various interest groups to share their activities and information.

Interests and Interest Groups

Long term, one of the most important purposes of the club is bringing men together to pursue common interests. Activities are normally enjoyed most when they are shared. As men join the club, they are asked what hobbies they like to spend time pursuing. By listing those activities for each member, it allows the men to know who they might want to contact. Interests can be shared information or shared time in the activity. Interest groups are formed when someone is enthused enough to initiate get-togethers and is willing to lead a group on some regular basis. Model sailboat racing, shooting, and bee keeping have been the most active groups to date, with a number of men discussing cars, woodworking, motorcycles, hiking, and photography.