Lake Gaston Association Executive Director

The LGA added the Executive Director position to its staff on July 1, 2005. It is the only paid LGA position, part time at 20 hours/week, and was established primarily to provide continuity of effort and resident expertise for the Board of Directors who, as volunteers, experience considerable turnover. Moira Underwood has held the Executive Director position since its inception and is considered the glue that holds the organization together on a daily basis. Early into her tenure, she established a permanent LGA office in the Town Center in Littleton, NC giving the LGA its first ever base of operations. From there, she is effectively able to respond to queries and concerns from members and other lake property owners, as well as administer her many other duties and responsibilities. She was also able to eliminate the need for a separate Communications Committee by assuming responsibility for publication of the bi-monthly LGA Bulletin, oversight of the organization’s web site, and providing timely communication with the LGA’s members through pertinent emails, letters, a monthly newspaper column, and numerous public service announcements. Additional duties include oversight of the membership data base, preparation and mailing of member renewal letters and reminders, preparation and mailing of solicitations for new members using county tax listings, preparation of displays for use at meetings and area festivals, development and administration of member surveys, and administrative and advisory support of the LGA Board and its Committees. The Executive Director reports directly to the President in the execution of her duties. She may be reached (252) 586-6577 or toll free at 1-888-586-6577, or at email address execdir@lakegastonassoc.com or info@lakegastonassoc.com.

Moira was born and raised in England, where she met her husband Jack at her work location at IBM’s Hursley Laboratory. They subsequently married, and she emigrated to the US in 1982 as Jack returned from assignment. They continued their careers with IBM in Raleigh. Both worked with colleagues who talked (especially Monday mornings) about their weekend homes on Lake Gaston. Moira saw the movie ‘On Golden Pond’ and she had to see Lake Gaston. They became weekenders in 1983, full-timers in 1995 and Moira joined Jack in retirement. A year later with time on her hands Moira answered an ad for a columnist with The Littleton Observer, a weekly newspaper in Littleton. After two columns, she took the offer to become a reporter, and started her second career! Besides writing her column, news and feature stories, covering bake sales etc, her duties included typing copy, laying out the newspaper on boards with wax, and subsequently becoming editor of the newspaper. She was enjoying a second retirement when the LGA opportunity presented itself. Moira has been a performer at Lakeland Theater Company, Mosby Ave., Littleton since 1997; has had a weekly radio program called “Moments with Moira” on 90.1 & 90.5 FM since 2000 thanks to her air sponsor Lake Gaston Supply; volunteers at the John 3:16 Center as the after school piano and guitar teacher; and when she met Jack in England, Moira was still competing in track and field events – discus and shot put.

From the Desk of the Executive Director...
 

For me, it seems that no sooner have we put one bi-monthly Bulletin out, it’s not long before we start the next one. I have to say I do enjoy the task of pulling each Bulletin together but it is a team effort with the committee chairs who share where they are with the work their committees do

We have six committees that meet monthly and the Nominating committee meets as needed. You can find out about their activities on our website ...

• Education
• Government Relations
• Lake Environment
• Lake Clean-Up
• Marketing & Membership
• Nominating
• Safety

It’s amazing the activities each committee is involved with. So far this year Education has held a Lakeside Learning Day, as well as provided in school presentations. Government Relations hosted our 10th Five County Forum with Commissioners & Supervisors from NC: Halifax, Northampton & Warren/VA: Brunswick & Mecklenburg counties. We are preparing for Virginia elections in the fall. Lake Environment’s Fall Survey results determined where weed treatments would occur this year, as well as sites where revegetation would take place in June. Marketing & Membership achieved the most renewals and new members in recent years. Safety is following the Eaton Ferry Bridge project, helping us be prepared for thunderstorms & Hurricane season, how to stay safe in our communities, updated E911 card, and lots more.

Each committee has a LGA director as the chair and their team members are made up of LGA directors and other LGA members who actively participate. Try one or two committees and see if there is a fit for you. The list of when the committees meet are in the grid below. They all meet at the Littleton Food & Spirits restaurant in Littleton, except for the Lake Environment committee that meets at the Kitchen Table in Gasburg.

 

When I first started volunteering back in 1982, I was at work at IBM in Raleigh when the United Way organization came to kick off that year’s campaign. I sat there and listened to the many opportunities we could take part in, like building wheel chair ramps, pathways in local parks, and other projects. But, what has always stuck with me was United Way’s advice that there are so many opportunities out there to volunteer that you should find your niche. Some volunteer opportunities might not be for you. You may not realize that until you are in that opportunity – you’ll know when you’ve found that niche.

So... what about considering trying one of our committees, or more than one, to see if there is a niche for you? Just a thought, no pressure intended.

 

Moira