BY LOUIS C. WARD, TIMES CONTRIBUTING WRITER
THE VILLAGES – Vernon Haley, the outgoing president of The Sophisticated Gents of Florida(SGOF), recognized individuals who worked compassionately to make the SGOF a very effective, resourceful, social organization of veterans and professional retirees with very much appreciated bottles of wine as gifts at his last official meeting Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at Golden Coral on County Road 466 in The Villages, Florida.
Serving Lake, Marion, and Sumter Counties for over twenty years, SGOF’s new leadership, including Glen Lomax, president, Shawn Wethington, vice president, and Lawrence Howard, treasurer, was standing and ready to take over.
“I was enthused with doing the work for the SGOF, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary on January 5, 2025,” said Vernon Haley, who served two terms as president of SGOF from 2014 to 2018. “It kept me active; it was good for me, and I enjoyed it.”
Vernon was a responsible leader, who got the members to buy in with their support for his projects and get things done so much so that he was asked to re-up for a third term in 2022, which ends December 31st. But this is Vernon’s last go-round. “I’m pulling out my bucket list projects and my wife and I will be on our way to the Caribbean in early 2025.”
As with many organizations, there are not too many people willing to step up to leadership positions, especially those organizations that have a membership of mostly retirees and senior citizens. So, it is with the SGOF. When Glen Lomax decided to seek the presidency of SGOF, Former President Vernon Haley and the research committee thought he was a good choice. “He was well vetted and he had a plan,” said Vernon. “And, the reality was that we didn’t have many options.”
A major recruitment drive with a goal of a ten percent increase in membership; an impassioned initiative of identifying and implementing other resources of fundraising, and broadening SGOF’s base are some of the immediate objectives of President-elect Glen Lomax, who said, “I am honored to have been chosen to lead an organization of professionals who have done a lot of good for the community.”
Lomax, a former broadcaster for radio station WUST in Washington, D.C., has already been approved to produce a newsletter, highlighting SGOF membership professionalism. “These brothers still have the tools,” President-elect Lomax emphasized. We need them to call somebody and ask them to be a part of the legacy so we may continue to move forward in excellence.
Shawn Wethington, SGOF’s Vice President-elect, said he will focus on recruiting younger males, those who received scholarships from the SGOF. An entrepreneur with several businesses, Vice President Wethington wants to acclimate the college graduates into a young SGOF contingent, who will possibly partner with local chambers of Commerce.
“This initiative will create growth and a pathway for younger gents to learn the importance of giving back to the community. “Most importantly,” said Vice President-elect Wethington, “it can be a catalyst to stabilize the SGOF membership.”
The Sophisticated Gents of Florida (SGOF) was started by two Villages residents: Nelson Bigsley and Lawrence Parker in 2005. SFOG was established and maintained in The Villages in Central Florida. It is organized exclusively for charitable, community outreach, educational, and emotional fellowship.
Retired veterans and professionals from business, education, health, law enforcement, and media compose SGOF’s membership. Since 2005, the membership has grown to over 150 members and has provided more than $400,000 in college scholarships to local high school graduates. Community outreach projects include Adopt a Precinct, Adopt a Highway, voter registration, mentoring high school students, and many other community outreach endeavors.
