The Original  Strawberry Cloggers

The Strawberry Cloggers 1977-1983   Strawberry Cloggers Reunion, 1998 Laura Hilburn, Beverly Melvin, Candace Hammonds,  Rick Davis, Sandy McCarter, Angie Thompson, Chris Yates, Georganna Frink, Dennis Burney, and First Leads, Grace Shaw and Greg Thompson (kneeling). Greg Thompson, Grace Shaw, Tom Buffkin, Sandy McCarter, Rick Davis, Chris Yates, Candace Hammonds, Beverly Melvin, Sterling Koonce, Peaches Grantham, Reuben Weaver, Karen Walton, Roy Shade Thompson, Kenny Barnes, Jeff Hilburn, Laura Hilburn, Rhonda Stephens, Denise Roberts, Roy Kohler, James Kohler, Georganna Frink, Amy Williamson, Stephanie Blake, Charles Ward and mascots: Amy Stephens and Darryl Hammonds  Alternate: Angie Thompson Then came....Andrea Peck, Chris Stanley, Shelley Blake, Kelly Page, Laura Dickerson, Mark Hill and after that is was..... Samantha Thompson, Dennis Burney, Chris Thompson....more to come! The Strawberry Cloggers were created in 1977 under the direction of Greg Thompson, who had learned how to clog from his brother, Mike.  Mike was on a team at Mars Hill College, The Bailey Mountain Cloggers. Greg asked Grace Shaw to help him teach and 'lead' the team.   Jimmie Sue Ward was asked to be Sponsor. The team rehearsed over the summer of 77 and in October, they 'wowed' the mountain folk at The Bascom Lamar Lunsford Festival in Mars Hill.  They couldn't believe that a group of "flatlanders" knew how to clog so well. The Strawberry Cloggers were invited back every year after that. The team went on to make numerous television appearances and even performed for Governor Jim Hunt on three occasions, including his inaugural parade in 1980, (he specifically asked for them). The team revamped in 1982 to include members from all over Columbus County and Bladenboro, NC.  Now under the helpful guide of Cheryl Moore, the team represented Columbus County at the 1982 World's Fair in Knoxville, TN where they performed 40 routines that day.  The Strawberry Cloggers disbanded in 1984 when Greg moved to Florida and his co-director, Tom Buffkin was involved in college.  The team had their 20 year reunion in 1998 and are planning on having more reunions at festvals in the future.