LAC Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What does LAC do?

• LAC provides its Members and Visiting Non-Member Guest Event Registrants with a variety of options that are thoughtful, risk-aware, consensual, and non-exploitative in any and all forms, including:       
  
  1. Information on alternative arts, culture, life and living; and
  2. Support-related resources and solutions; and
  3. Exposure through demonstrations and performances; and
  4. Education options that are focused on styles, practices, techniques, and modalities; and
  5. Experience in a location where guided practice and hands-on practical applications can better hone skills in a manner that is conducive to putting alternative arts to living form as safely as possible; and
  6. Socializing at our facility and functions that will provide opportunities to interact and network with others who have similar interests; and
  7. Opportunities to promote or be exposed to a variety of alternative arts, culture, life and living supportive businesses that may benefit our LAC Members through special programs, discounts or offerings.

2. What types of LAC memberships are available?
   
   1. Full, Platinum or Platinum Plus Individual, Couple, or Family membership options are available with a monthly membership dues recurring payment plan through the payment processor of your choice on a secured server. There are also couple, family and distance discounts, so the further away you live, the less your monthly membership dues are. LAC even offers an out of state membership option.
3. What discounts are available for an LAC membership?
   1. Couples and Family Options are discounted;
   2. If you live outside of Palm Beach County there is a distance discount; and
   3. Some discounted TEMPORARY Hardship (disability/medical emergency/unemployed), as well as Full-Time Student membership discounts are available each year (limited to 10 in total).
4. Why did you set up the LAC membership dues at the costs that you did?
   1. We have a $4,000.00 per month minimum operating overhead for our facility lease and utilities, as well as monthly averaged garbage collection, annual taxes, licensing and insurance.
   2. We targeted 100 members at $50.00 per month to cover basic operating overhead costs.
   3. We looked at the average price to attend one alternative lifestyle function per month being an average of $15.00 to 40.00 for an individual.
   4. We wanted to build a member value/benefit for the cost of monthly pay plan annual membership dues that would be a minimum of 5 times greater in value/benefit than an individual would get by attending one alternative lifestyle function per month.
   5. We offer the only non-smoking, non-alcohol, private membership community center venue in the State of Florida. LAC is not a dungeon, fetish or swing party nor is it a professional lifestyle services facility.
5. If I’ve signed an acknowledgment, release and waiver, as well as shown a copy of my legal photo identification for another organization that holds functions at LAC (like SILK, WOLF, SPICE or NLA), is that good enough to attend LAC functions?
   1. NO. LAC must address its own liabilities and risk, as well as that of its members, visiting guests and sponsors. Please see Item #7, below.
6. Whether I’m a LAC Member or Visiting Non-Member Guest, why do you need that acknowledgment, release and waiver (whether that is Member or Visiting Non-Member Guest versions)?
   1. Please see Item #7, below.
7. Why does LAC require visual verification of my legal photo identification for their records versus just seeing a copy like other organizations?
   1. Hi, everyone.  My name is Melissa and I am an active member of the Florida Bar Association.  I am lifestyle friendly and am one of the attorneys for LAC.  Some of you may know me and I look forward to meeting others. I am writing this in order to address some concerns regarding the LAC policies for member and guest record keeping.
   2. First of all, as one of the attorneys for LAC, I will be assisting with the maintaining of legal documents for LAC. Visual verification of photo identification and age helps us protect our members and guests by confirming that to the best of our knowledge, you are who you say you are and the age you say you are (meeting a minimum age of 19). The membership, visiting non-member guest and sponsorship legal documents are kept under lock and key in a secure location and will not be accessible to anyone without a court order.  The exception is that the Director and Event Hosts of LAC must have access these records for administrative purposes, like event check in or transferring an individual or company’s status from a Visiting Guest to an active LAC Member.  All information is kept in complete confidence.
   3. Second, I want to explain a bit about why such records must be maintained by LAC.  As most of you know, there have been politically motivated attacks around the US on various alternative lifestyle groups.  Keiki can cite a specific instance for you that she knows of and was impacted by directly. As a result, it has become necessary for alternative lifestyle organizations, like LAC, to take additional steps to protect both themselves and their members.  One outcome is that many organizations now opt to maintain hard copies (ie:  photocopies) of legal identification in case there is ever an accusation that the organization permitted under age activity.  This affords both the organization in question, as well as its members, visiting guests and sponsors, a layer of protection against such an accusation. 
   4. Third, the fact that LAC has an official policy to only VISUALLY VERIFY identification and age does not allow them to prove that it did so is what enables members, visiting guests and sponsors to reasonably rely upon the belief that any person with whom they may interact with at one of LAC's functions is at least the minimum adult age of consent and that such reasonable belief can help form a legal defense for any member, visiting guest or sponsor that may be accused of interacting with someone underage at an LAC function.  Additionally, the fact that LAC has an official policy of checking identification and can prove that it did so would makes it potentially a less desirable target than other alternative lifestyle groups which have fewer checks in place and a harder time showing compliance with all necessary local, state and federal laws.
   5. Organizations in Georgia and Illinois have already led the way in adopting this practice and we anticipate that other organizations will soon follow suit. LAC may go to an expanded policy sometime again in the future just should we believe that this the best method to best provide optimum protection of its members, visiting guests, sponsors and the organization itself.
8. What does LAC do with the initialed/executed acknowledgement, release and waiver documents (whether that is Member or Visiting Non-Member Guest versions), as well as the copy of my legal photo identification?
   1. Please see Item #7, above.
9. What happens to the initialed/executed acknowledgement, release and waiver documents when I go from a Visiting Non-Member Guest status to a LAC Member status?
   1. Please see Item #7, above. The copy of your Visiting Non-Member Guest docs is converted to the Membership Docs; you do not need to provide another copy. AS A TIMESAVER - and as long as you initial the acceptance of a transfer of executions and agreements.