Pax River Quilters' Guild

The name of this organization shall be the PAX RIVER QUILTERS' GUILD, hereafter, the "Guild."

Section 1. The purpose of the Guild shall be:

1. to promote cooperation and exchange of ideas among those persons interested in or engaged in quilting.
2. to exchange continuing interest, evaluation, and growth in all areas of quilting; to promote the highest standards of creativity, design and workmanship; and to further the education and skill levels of the members of the Guild.

Section 2. The Guild is not organized for private gain or any person. All activities of the Guild shall be conducted in such a manner that no part of the net income benefits any individual member, except that a member may be contacted for services by the Executive Board.

Section 3. No substantial part of the activities of the Guild shall consist of the publication or dissemination of materials with the purpose of attempting to influence legislation. The Guild shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office or for or against any cause or measure being submitted to the people for a vote. The Guild shall not, except in an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes described above.

Section 1. The principal office for the transaction of business of the Guild is located at P.O. Box 768, California, Maryland 20619. The principal place of business may be changed by the Executive Board.

Section 1. Membership of the Guild is open to anyone regardless of race, creed, sex, or national origin who is interested in furthering their knowledge of quilting.

Section 2. Annual membership dues shall be established by the Executive Board and submitted to the membership for approval by majority vote.

Section 3. Membership Year

1. Membership year shall be from June 1 through May 31. New membership dues will be prorated according to the months remaining in the calendar year for persons joining the Guild after December 30.
2. Members may pay dues semiannually in January and June.

Section 4. The Executive Board is authorized to establish an appropriate numerical limitation on the size of the membership in order to maintain an effective organization.

Section 1. The elected officers of this Guild shall be President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by these bylaws and the parliamentary authority adopted by the organization.

Section 2. Election of Guild officers shall be conducted as follows:

1. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed by the President during the month of February with the following representatives:
1. The Parliamentarian,
2. One member of the Executive Board (excluding the President).
3. Three members from the Guild membership.
2. It shall be the duty of the Nominating Committee to nominate one candidate for each office to be presented to the guild membership at the general meeting in April, after which the election will take place in May, with installation of officers in June.
3. Additional nomination may be made from the floor with the prior written consent of the nominee.
4. Voting shall be by acclamation, unless there is more than one candidate for an office. Then voting shall be done by ballot.
5. No person shall be nominated to serve as President who has not first served one term on the Executive Board or General Board.

Section 3. The term of office for elected officers shall be from June 1 through May 31 or until their successors are installed.

Section 4. The Executive Board shall fill Executive office vacancies by appointment.

Section 5. No officer shall be eligible to serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same office.

Section 6. No member shall be eligible for election to the executive board who currently holds an executive level position in another quilt guild or group.

Section 1. The Executive Board shall consist of the President, First Vice President, the Second Vice President, the Secretary, and the Treasurer.

Section 2. The Executive Board shall have the authority to transact any and all necessary business between meetings, providing a quorum of three(3) Executive Board members are present.

Section 3. A general planning meeting of the Executive Board will be held monthly at a date and time set by the Executive Board.

Section 1. The General Board shall consist of the Executive Board, the Chairpersons of the Standing Committees, and the Parliamentarian.

Section 2. The Standing Committees shall be: Block of the Month, Friendship Groups, Fund Raising, Historian, Hospitality, Librarian, Chesapeake Quilt Network, Membership, Monthly Mini, National Quilting Association (NQA), Newsletter, Office on Aging (OOA), Opportunity Quilt, Philanthropy, Publicity, Secret Pals, and Show and Tell.

Section 3. The Special Committees shall be named in the Standing Rules and appointed as needed.

Section 4. The Chairperson of each Standing and Special Committee shall attend the monthly meeting of the Executive Board.

Section 1. It shall be the duty of each Executive Officer to maintain a record of all transactions, financial or otherwise, for her office. All records pertaining to the Guild are the property of the Guild and will be transferred to the newly elected officer.

Section 2 . The President shall:

1. Preside over the Guild and Board meetings;
2. Coordinate relationships between committee;
3. Appoint committee chairpersons of Standing Committees, Special Committees, and Parliamentarian;
4. Be ex officio member of all committees, except Nominating Committee.

Section 3. The First Vice President (Programs & Workshops) shall:

1. Perform the duties of the President in her absence;
2. Arrange for Guild meeting programs and workshops with the approval of the Executive Board;
3. Handle contracts and communications with speakers and teachers.
4. Oversee the mechanics of the general meetings of the Guild;
5. Oversee the mechanics of workshops operations.

Section 4. The Second Vice President (Facility & Special Events/Projects) shall:

1. Perform the duties of the First Vice President in her absence;
2. Make arrangements for facility for general meetings and workshops; coordinate with OOA Liaison as necessary;
3. Coordinate us and/or storage of Guild assets;
4. Oversee the mechanics of all Guild-sponsored special events and projects.

Section 5. The Secretary shall:

1. Keep a record of all the proceedings of the Guild in the form of minutes;
2. Post minutes of the Guild and Executive Board meetings at the start of each general meeting;
3. Maintain record book(s) in which the Bylaws, special rules of order, standing rules and minutes are entered, with any amendments to these documents properly recorded, and have the current record book(s) on hand at every meeting;
4. Conduct correspondence of the Guild and sign all certified copies of acts of the Guild;
5. Maintain a current record of the procedural instructions for each Standing and Special Committee.

Section 6. The Treasurer shall:

1. Record and maintain financial transactions, equipment inventory, and financial records of the Guild;
2. Post a monthly Treasurer's Report at each general meeting;
3. Chair the Budget Committee and present the budget.
4. Sit on the Fund Raising Committee.

Section 1.It shall be the duty of each Standing Committee chairperson to maintain a record of all transactions, financial or otherwise, for her office. All records pertaining to the Guild are the property of the Guild and will be transferred to the newly appointed chairmen.

Section 2. The Block of the Month committee shall:

1. Prepare a copyright-free pieced or applique pattern to be published in the monthly Guild newsletter. Copyrighted patterns must have the written permission of the hold of the copyright.
2. Oversee the mechanics of the Block of the Month drawing at each general meeting.

Section 3. The Friendship Group committee shall:

1. Maintain a directory of all Friendship Groups;
2. Act as liaison between Friendship Groups and the general Guild;
3. Maintain a list of members interested in forming new Friendship Groups and assist in the formation of new groups.

Section 4. The Fund Raising Committee shall conceive and coordinate fund raising activities of the Guild under the direction of the Executive Board.

Section 5. The Historian shall:

1. Maintain a written and photographic record of the activities of the Guild including, but not limited to, the monthly newsletter, general meetings, special events, births, deaths, awards, honors.
2. Funds will be provided in the annual budget to cover the cost of maintaining such records and the cost of photographic film and developing.

Section 6. The Hospitality committee shall:

1. Solicit the membership for refreshments at each regular Guild meeting and at special events at the request of the Executive Board.
2. Paper supplies and beverages will be purchased with Guild funds. Donations will be greatly appreciated.

Section 7. The Librarian shall:

1. Maintain and store the contents of the Guild library and transport selected materials to and from meetings;
2. Annually publish a comprehensive list of the contents of the Guild library, with updates published in the newsletter as new items are acquired;
3. Maintain a record of items loaned and their due dates;
4. Provide to the Membership Chairperson, at the December general meeting, a list of all members with overdue library items and/or outstanding fines.

Section 8. The Chesapeake Quilt Network(CQN) representative shall:

1. Act as liaison between the Guild and the CQN;
2. Keep the Guild informed of local and regional quilt-related events and news.

Section 9. The Membership committee shall:

1. Keep up-to-date membership records;
2. Oversee new membership and membership renewals;
3. Greet and register members and guests at the Guild's meetings;
4. Collect fines for lack of name tags;
5. Publish semi-annual membership directory and publish the names of new members in the newsletter on a monthly basis;
6. Prepare a brief information packet for new members and guests;
7. Solicit and organize door prizes for Guild meetings.

Section 10. The Monthly Mini committee shall:

1. Solicit the membership for small quilts to be donated to the Guild for the purpose of fund raising;
2. Oversee the mechanics of the Monthly Mini fund raising event.

Section 11. The National Quilting Association (NQA) representative shall:

1. Act as liaison between the Guild and the NQA;
2. Keep the Guild informed of local and national quilt-related events and news.

Section 12. The Newsletter committee shall:

1. Coordinate the editing, publishing, and mailing of a monthly newsletter;
2. Sell advertising space in the newsletters.

Section 13. The Office on Aging (OOA) Liaison shall:

1. Coordinate with the Second Vice President as necessary for arrangements for facility for general meetings, workshops, and additional use of the facility for Guild purposes;
2. Be responsible for maintaining the integrity of the rental agreement with the Loffler Center and assist in resolving questions regarding the rental agreement;
3. Coordinate with the OOA Program Officer to provide instructors and helper as needed for Senior quilting classes.

Section 14. The Opportunity Quilt committee shall:

1. Oversee the organization, implementation, and mechanics of the Opportunity Quilt under the direction of the Executive Board;
2. Coordinate with the Guild Treasurer in drafting a budget for all financial transactions required for the event;
3. Provide monthly statements to the Executive Board;
4. Encourage and solicit Guild members' participation in the planning and display of the quilt;
5. Present a final report to the Guild no later than 60 days after the winner of the quilt is drawn, consisting of, but not limited to, the winner's name and a financial report detailing all expenditures and income.

Section 15. The Parliamentarian shall:

1. Advise the President and other officers, committees, and members on matters of parliamentary procedures;
2. Chair the Nominating and Bylaw Review committees.
3. The President shall select an appointee from those who have previously served as President of the Guild.
4. If any past President does not wish to serve as Parliamentarian, the President shall be free to appoint on in whom she has confidence.

Section 16. The Philanthropy Committee shall:

1. Supervise the disbursement of funds allocated for philanthropy;
2. Investigate potential recipients for philanthropy;
3. Organize special events and/or workshops for the purpose of furthering the Guild's philanthropic effort.

Section 17. The Publicity Committee shall:

1. Submit news releases to the media;
2. Arrange for and coordinate interviews, pictures, etc., with the media;
3. Prepare an informational packet representative of the Guild for dissemination.

Section 18. The Secret Pal Committee shall:

1. Maintain a list of Secret Pals;
2. Encourage the Guild membership to participate and provide special incentives/ideas for the exchange of gifts and services.

Section 19. The Show and Tell Committee shall:

1. Oversee the mechanics of the Show and Tell presentation during the regular Guild meeting;
2. Encourage and solicit Guild membership participation.

Section 1. The general meeting of the Guild shall be held on the second Monday of the month unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Board.

Section 2. To conduct business at a general meeting, a quorum of 33-1/3 percent of the membership must be present.

Section 3. Special meetings of the Guild may be called by the President of a quorum of the Executive Board. Any group constituting 33-1/3 percent of the membership may request a special meeting of the Guild by presenting their request to the President or the Executive Board. Members of the Guild must have 10 day advance notice of any special meetings.

Section 1. If an Executive Board member does not perform her duties as prescribed in the Bylaws, the matter will be brought before the membership at a general meeting for a vote to rescind the election of the Board member.

Section 2. Two-thirds of the quorum is required to rescind the election of an Executive Board member.

Section 3. If a Standing or Special Committee chairperson does not perform her duties as prescribed in the Bylaws, quorum of three (3) Executive Board members may remove her from her position.

Section 1. In the event of dissolution, assets remaining after payment of all debts and liabilities, or provision for payment, shall be distributed to a non-profit fund, foundation, or organization.

Section 2. No funds or assets shall inure to the benefit of any of the Guild's members.

Section 1. The rules contained in the Ninth Edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this organization in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

Section 1. Any proposed change to the Bylaws and Standing Rules can be made by a motion at a general meeting. The proposal will be published in the following newsletter. The proposed change will then be voted on at the next consecutive general meeting.

Section 2. Approval of a change in Bylaws must be made by 2/3 vote of the members present, provided the quorum is met.

Section 3. Approval of a change in the Standing Rules may be made by simple majority of the members present.

Standing Rules

1. General Meetings
1. Members should be prepared to show their current membership card or know their membership number and must check in at the membership table.
2. Guests are welcome; there will be a $2.00 guest fee. Children over the age of 10 are considered guests.
3. There is NO SMOKING at any time.
4. Use of cameras and/or tape recorders is by permission of the guest speaker only.
5. Members or guests who must engage in private conversations during the business meeting and/or program will remove themselves from the guild meeting room. Crying or disruptive children must be removed immediately.
6. No member can engage in any financial or business transactions at or during the Guild meeting that contributes to the member's personal gain. All such transactions must be accomplished away from the Guild meeting place. Members may promote their businesses and services through the purchase of newsletter advertising or the distribution of business cards and/or flyers at the meeting.

2. Equipment
1. The Guild shall maintain a post office box as a permanent mailing address. It is the responsibility of the President to distribute keys to the post office box as she deems appropriate.
2. Permission to reproduce the Guild logo in any form by anyone requires written permission of the Executive Board.
3. All officers and committee chairpersons are to maintain a procedural notebook to be passed on to their successors.
4. All capital Guild property shall be labeled "Property of PRQG."
5. Guild property may be loaned to other interested quilting organizations at the discretion of the Executive Board and the committee chairperson whose purview is such property.

3. Membership
1. The established yearly dues for membership will be $20.00. For prorated dues, see Article IV, Section 3a.
2. Newsletter subscriptions shall be $12.00 per year.
3. Notice of annual renewal will be printed in the newsletter for a period of at least two months prior to renewal date. No other notice of renewal will be sent. Members who have not renewed dues by the beginning of each membership year shall be removed from the membership list.
4. Name tags are to be worn at each general meeting. A fine of 25¢ will be levied for missing name tags.
5. The President has the executive privilege of inviting guests to the Guild to general meetings at no fee.
6. The President, either by nomination or at the direction of the Executive Board, may award a lifetime membership to current members who have reached age 70 at no cost.

4. Board
1. Expenses incurred by Board members and Special Committees to conduct business of the Guild are reimbursable, provided they are approved beforehand by the Executive Board.
2. Requests for reimbursements from the Treasurer must be accompanied by itemized receipts.
3. The Treasurer may withhold reimbursement for questionable items in order that she may consult with the Executive Board.
4. The Guild will pay membership dues on a yearly basis to the National Quilting Association.
5. The immediate pas President of the Guild shall chair the committee for the current year's President's Quilt. Sufficient funds will be allocated in the budget to cover expenses.

5. Programs and Workshops
1. The First Vice President is responsible for arranging speaker and/or instructor hospitality, cost of the speaker's meal pre- or post-program will be paid with Guild funds.
2. Contracts made with teachers and lecturers must be explicit as to:
1. Fee for lecture and/or workshops;
2. Additional fees;
3. Cancellation privileges;
4. Time limits;
5. Travel arrangements (airfares and ground transportation);
6. Housing and dining provisions;
7. Use of photographic and recording equipment or any other required equipment (quilt frames, slide projector, etc).
3. Workshops with low sign-ups may be cancelled by the Executive Board and fees paid will be refunded.
4. Workshop fees are to be paid in advance and are not refundable except in the event of cancellation.
5. Members who have paid for a workshop and cannot attend may sent someone else in their place.
6. Workshops will be open to non-members at an additional $5.00 fee, subject to space availability.

6. Special Committees
1. The following are Special Committees and are to be appointed as necessary by the President:
   Budget, Bylaws Review, Nominating and Quilt Show.
2. It shall be the duty of each Special Committee chairperson to maintain a record of all transactions, financial or otherwise, for her office. All records pertaining to the Guild are the property of the Guild and will be transferred to the President for use by the next committee chairperson.
3. The Budget Committee shall:
1. Prepare the next year's budget for the operation of the Guild's activities on a yearly basis, and publish the proposed budget in the newsletter.
2. Present the budget to the members at the February meeting:
3. Set the annual newsletter subscription rates for non-members and set advertising rates for the newsletter.
4. The Bylaws Review Committee shall:
1. Be appointed by the President and shall consist of the following:
1. The Parliamentarian, who shall serve as chairperson;
2. At least two members from the Guild membership.
2. Accept all written proposals for changes to the bylaws, choose the proposals they feel are in the best interest of the Guild, and submit the proposals, clearly annotating said changes, to the Board and the membership one month prior to voting on the changes.
3. At the next consecutive meeting, the chairperson shall read each proposal, limiting discussion when necessary, before calling for a vote.
4. Approval for change must be made by two thirds(2/3) vote of the members present, providing a quorum is met.
5. For duties of the Nominating Committee, see Article V, Section 2.
6. The Quilt Show Committee shall:
1. Oversee the organization, implementation and mechanics of the Guild-sponsered quilt show within the framework of the general purpose of the event and under the direction of the Executive Board;
2. Prepare a quilt show budget to present to the Board nine months in advance of the quilt show date;
3. Prepare a time-line of events and report to the Executive Board each month on the progress of the show. Immediately bring to the attention of the Executive Board any significant deviations from the timeline that may impact the successful implementation of the quilt show.
4. Maintain written records of the progress of the show and report to the Executive Board meeting;
5. Coordinate with the Guild Treasurer any and all financial transactions required for the event and provide monthly financial statements to the Executive Board.
6. Encourage and solicit Guild membership participation in the planning and display of the show;
7. Maintain a procedures notebook which will include, but not be limited to, all written records pertaining to the show, all financial records, copies of forms used (originals), addresses of contacts and vendors and any other information which may be helpful to the succeeding (co-)chairperson.
8. The Quilt Show Chairperson may appoint or request a Co-chair to participate on an equal basis in the planning and implementation of the quilt show.
9. The position of Quilt Show (co-)Chairperson may be held from the time of appointment through the completion of the quilt show and the presentation of the final report.
10. A final report on the quilt show will be presented to the Guild no later than 60 days after the date of the quilt show and will include, but not limited to, a presentation of the show, Viewer's Choice Awards, and the financial report detailing all expenditures and income.

7. Library
1. Library materials loaned to members will be for a period of one month and must be returned during or before the general meeting.
2. Overdue books and magazines will be fined at the rate of $2.00 per item per month.
3. Overdue videos will be fined at a rate of $5.00 per item per month.
4. Items other than books or videos (i.e. stencils, patterns) will be fined at the rate of $1.00 per item per month.
5. Lost or severely damaged items must be replaced or the replacement cost reimbursed. Membership cannot be renewed until outstanding fines or costs are cleared with the library and materials are returned.
6. Money collected from library fines will be used to purchase items for the library.

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Updated 02/19/2003