PENNSYLVANIA STATE HANDBOOK Adopted: Pennsylvania State Board Meeting Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians Carlisle, PA September 8, 2000 PRESIDENT Presides at all meetings from opening to adjournment using a written agenda. Calls the meetings to order on time. Uses parliamentary procedures. Announces in proper sequence the business prescribed in order as per Ritual procedure for Meetings. Recognizes members who are entitled to the floor. Keeps control of the meetings and enforces the laws of the Order. Disseminate information to members on all LAOH matters, share correspondence, etc. Appoints Committees for the good and welfare of the Order. Process and signs all official documents and papers of the Order. Promotes growth in membership. Transfers records and files to successor. VICE-PRESIDENT Preside at all official meetings in absence of the President or whatever she leaves the Chair. Organize Junior Divisions and promote their growth. Assists the President in every way possible. Assumes off ice President if vacated. Prepares records for transfer to her successor. RECORDING SECRETARY The job of Recording Secretary is a busy one. As one might expect it requires the taking of minutes at State Board Meetings and distributing them to the State Board in a timely fashion. As in many secretarial positions, this office also handles any correspondence which maybe required. The two biggest jobs of the Secretary are Annual Reports and Convention credentials. Annual Report Forms are sent out in November to all Counties and Divisions. The State Secretary must compile all these reports and forward them to the National Secretary. These reports are important because they give a complete report to National regarding finances and membership. In the summer the Call to Convention, National or State, is sent out to all Divisions and Counties. Based on the membership of each County or Division, the number of Delegates is determined. Names of Delegates must be submitted to the State Secretary Thirty (30) days prior to the Convention. Credential cards are then issued. The deadlines for Annual Reports and Convention Credentials make this a hectic job, but it is also rewarding. TREASURER The Treasurer maintains custody of all moneys. Keep necessary books and records of all financial transactions by itemizing accounts and using good bookkeeping methods. Maintains files for bills, receipts, statements, etc. and deposits all moneys received to bank accounts in the name of the LAOH. Disburses payment of bills, etc. by check as authorized. Maintains up to date records by balancing each month with bank statements. Prepares Treasurer's Report for all meetings. (Receipts-Disbursements-Balance on Hand). Transfer all moneys and properties of the Order to her Successor. FINANCIAL SECRETARY Keeps an accurate record of membership. Collects all dues, fees, assessments and fines. Maintains accurate records and books. Remits to Treasurer all moneys collected. Send bill or notices for dues when delinquent. Reports at each meeting on status of paid-up membership. IRISH HISTORY Promotes and encourages the study of Irish History as well as current matters and issues. Reports at each meeting on an Irish History Topic. Promotes and publicizes the Irish Writing Contest. Selects the best essay in each category to be sent to the next level of competition-Division or County to State to National. Keep records for reference and submission to her successor. Updates the history of her Division, County or State. OFFICE OF MISSIONS AND CHARITIES The role of this office is to collect and track donations to the designated national charities of the LAOH. The primary charity of our organization is the Columban Fathers Missions. The LAOH has supported them since 1935 through donations and Mass enrollments. Every division should have a supply of Columban Father's Mass cards available at each meeting for members to have on hand at home when needed. Members should be encouraged to support the works of the Columban Fathers. At the Biennial National Conventions, recommendations for charities in addition to the Columban Fathers are solicited. Nominations for charities should include complete and detailed information on the charity, as well as a copy of their detailed information on the charity, as a copy of their financial or annual report, is possible. This information must be submitted, through the State Office Missions and Charities, at least forty-five (45) calendar days prior to the National Convention. The recommendations are brought before the convention delegates and generally, two or three charities, in addition to the Columban Fathers, are chosen to receive contributions for a two-year period. All donations to the designated National Charities must be sent from the division to the County to the State. All checks must be made payable to LAOH Office of Missions and Charities. Donations sent directly to the designated National Charities will certainly be appreciated and put to good use, but not credited to the LAOH. Donations to all charities, other than those designated as the National Charities, are reported through the Office of Catholic Action. CATHOLIC ACTION Encourages participation in all forms of Christian Charity and volunteer work in the name of the LAOH. Disseminates correspondence and information. Initiates action on anything derogatory or demeaning to the Irish race or Catholic Faith. Completes the Catholic Action report forms and sends to next level. Serve as coordinator for Pro-Life activities. Serve as coordinator for Project St. Patrick. PARLIMENTARIAN Reinforce that: The Constitution shall govern our laws and the Ritual shall govern our procedure at meetings, elections, installations and exemplification of the degrees of our Order. All State, County and Division by-laws must be in harmony with the Constitution. Protocol should be followed at all times. "Robert's' Rules of Order"- Newly revised shall govern the method of parliamentary procedure in the absence of National Constitution provisions. MISTRESS-AT-ARMS Assists President in preserving order. Acts as escort for special guests and new members. Performs duties as assigned by President. SENTINEL Guards the entrance of meeting room for admission of only members and clergy. Performs duties as assigned by the President. CHAPLAIN Each State, County and Division must appoint a Chaplain who is to be consulted on anything relative to morality or religious. They will exercise spiritual supervision. FREEDOM FOR ALL IRELAND Duties: Be aware of the situation in Ireland via news media, Irish publications, e-mails and Internet sources. Report human rights violations in the North of Ireland internally and externally through meetings, e-mail and letters. Communicate to your elected officials at all levels through mail, telephone, e-mail, and petitions and in person. Establish and support all appropriate Freedom for All Ireland appeals. Verify all information's accuracy. Support the Mac Bride Principles, dependents of Irish Political Prisoners, families in danger of deportation and the mailing campaign for political prisoners. HOLIDAYS St. Brigid - February 1 St. Patrick - March 17 Our Lady of Knock - August 21 Comm. John Barry - September 13 Holy Innocents - December 28 PROJECTS * Trinity College Lillian E. Fay Scholarship For year partial Scholarship for a LAOH member attending Trinity College in Washington DC * Notre Dame Hibernian Fund Established a Chair for instruction, research, publication and collection of archival materials. Assistance scholarships are given to sons and daughters of members attending Notre Dame. DEGREE TEAMS Claddagh Degree Team - Allegheny County Tara Degree Team - Philadelphia County MEETINGS Division - Monthly County - Quarterly ANGEL FUND The Angel Fund is an account established by the State Board to pay the per capita taxes of our elderly, in-firmed members who are in danger of being dropped from membership without such assistance. The candidate for assistance must be a non-active member who is over 65 and be homebound or residing in a nursing home. Assistance request forms will be sent to each Division with the Annual Report forms. Requests should be sent to the State Secretary for consideration prior to the completion of the Annual Reports. IMMEDIATE PAST STATE PRESIDENT CHAIRPERSON ANNA MALIA RUDDY AWARD The Pennsylvania State Board, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians, at the Biennial State Convention, presents the Anna Malia Ruddy Award. This prestigious Honor is bestowed on one woman who exemplifies the true Hibenian Spirit. Her outstanding accomplishments and achievements within the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians as well as to her community are recognized. Applications are sent to all County and Division LAOH Presidents, in January of the State Convention Year with Candidate Qualification Form responses due by April1st of the same year. Anna Malia Ruddy, who was from Pennsylvania, was our First National President. STATE MENTORING PROGRAM This program was presented to the PA State Board and approved by them on July 20, 1998. The State Board Officer geographically close to a new division and every existing division should keep in contact by telephone and by visit to a division meeting with their approval. For a new division, this would have to be worked out on a schedule of maybe three to four visits the first year, one or two visits thereafter and upon request afterwards. For existing divisions, at least one visit per year is recommended. Purpose: Give members and officers confidence and to build strength in their group to follow the Ordered Constitution and arrive at innovative ideas to do so, while keeping within the guidelines of the State by-laws. This visit is not meant to analyze a division, but to offer assistance in any form requested. The State Board Officer should prepare a report after each visit to a division meeting to be submitted to the Mentoring Chairperson, with a copy to the State President, keeping a copy for their files. Any problems developing in divisions should be addressed to the proper State Officer and to the State President for resolution. Changes to this program should be presented at a State Board meeting for vote and approval. All reports need to be sent to: Alice Henry Past State President/Mentoring Chairperson MEMBERSHIP - LAOH 1. Regular - Practicing Roman Catholic 2. Irish or Irish decent through either parent or by adoption OR Wife or Mother of a member of AOH OR Mother of a member of a Junior Division 3. 16 years of age or over 4. Completion of written application 5. Certification by her sponsor as a practicing Catholic JUNIOR 1. Practicing Roman Catholic 2. Irish Ancestry 3. 6 - 16 years of age NATIONAL LIFE LMEMBERSHIP Conferred by the National Board to a member who has performed services to Hiberniasm, her State and Community for 25 years. Recommended by 2/3 vote of Division and passed on through County, State to National. The National Board has the discretion as to the number of awards given. CHARTERS A new Division organized shall apply for a Charter through the County to the State Secretary to the National Secretary. Where no County exists, applications must be made through the State Secretary to the National Secretary. All applications must be on approved forms furnished by the National Secretary.