I want to reiterate a point that came up a few times at the panel discussion in San Diego.
The most important thing is for you to be aware of the laws that apply in your location. Different states, possibly counties or cities, will have different regulations that you need to keep tabs on. What works for one locale will not necessarily work in another, there is no cookie-cutter solution. One club in my area incorporated as a 501(C)3 to protect the officers, while my club got event insurance that covers us for a year for only $650.
You can get help, but ultimately you've got to work it out for yourselves.