BYLAWS AND ARTICLES OF ASSOCIATION OF THE SOUTHEASTERN/CENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA TRENTINI/TYROLEAN CLUB [CIRCOLO TRENTINO DELLA PENNSYLVANIA SUDEST/CENTRALE]

Southeastern/Central Pennsylvania Trentini-Tyrolean Club

Circolo Trentino della Pennsylvania Sudest/Centrale

Bylaws and Articles of Association

Article I - Name

The name of this club shall be the Circolo Trentino della Pennsylvania Sudest/Centrale

Article II - Purposes

The purposes of this club shall be to function as a non-profit, educational, social, cultural, humanitarian and historical club for the common benefit of its members by providing historical information about its members’ Trentino ancestry, heritage and migration to the United States and to Pennsylvania. In addition, the club will strive to:

· both create and maintain awareness of our ethnic heritage,

· promote both the Italian language and culture,

· encourage exchanges between the United States and Italy,

· establish and maintain contacts with other Trentini organizations, including, however not limited to:

o I.T.T.O.N.A., the International Trentino- Tyrolean Organization of North American,

o Trentini nel Mondo, the international organization for Trentini located in Trento, Italy,

o N.A.Y.T.O., the North American Youth Trentino-Tyrolean Organization

o other Trentino Clubs worldwide,

o and Trentino towns and villages of our club members’ ancestors.

· Finally, the club will provide a social environment for the mutual exchange of ancestry, culture, heritage, language etc. Special emphasis will be placed upon our most important members: our youth and senior citizens.

Article III - Members

Section I. Full-fledged membership in the club shall be restricted to persons of either Trentino birth or ancestry and to their immediate families. Honorary membership may be granted to any other persons who will promote the purposes of this club enumerated in Article II hereof. All members must have attained the age of at least eighteen (18). There are no geographic limitations on membership; Pennsylvania residency is not a prerequisite. No person shall be denied membership or otherwise discriminated against based on race, gender, national origin, religious or spiritual beliefs and creed, political affiliation or sexual orientation.

Section II. Membership shall be obtained by submitting an application for membership at a regular meeting of the club and by a majority vote approval of the members present at said meeting.

Section III. All members admitted to the club shall be entitled to all club privileges accorded to members already existing.

Section IV. Membership dues shall be established by a majority vote of the membership present at a regular meeting.

Section V. Members failing to pay dues within thirty (30) days of due date will lose all club privileges, cease to be members of the club and may reapply for membership upon payment of back dues.

Section VI. Members shall subscribe to all standards of conduct for fraternal organizations and uphold both the Constitution and obey all laws of the United States of America, Pennsylvania and political subdivisions thereof.

Article III - Officers

Section I. The officers of the club shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary, Honorary Parliamentarian and Treasurer.

Section II. Election of officers shall take place biannually at the regular meeting.

Section III. In case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice President shall fill the office for the unexpired term and a special election shall be called to elect a Vice President for such term. In the case of vacancy of other offices, the President shall appoint one to fill the unexpired term.

Section IV. The President shall function as the presiding officer of the club, shall plan and pursue policies which will promote the mutual welfare of the club, shall keep the membership fully advised of activities, shall preside at all meetings, and shall be authorized to countersign all checks.

Section V. The Vice President shall assist in the matters concerning of the Club’s governing. The Vice President shall assume all the duties of the President in her/his absence, including countersigning all checks.

Section VI. The Treasurer shall receive, issue receipts for and keep account of all the monies received or disbursed for the club, deposit monies in the bank, and render account at all meetings and as requested to do so by the President. The Treasurer shall be authorized to sign all checks covering expenditures for the club.

Section VII. The Secretary shall keep all official records of meetings, shall keep the By-Laws up-to-date, keep the official rosters up-to-date, notify members regarding all meetings and be authorized to cosign checks.

Section VII. The Honorary Parliamentarian shall ideally be an elder, who acts as a mentor, mediator and advisor, especially when difficulties occur, and whose acquired wisdom and insight shall assist in both maintaining harmony and avoiding any discord or discrepancies among members. Said Elder shall be part of the Assembly, i.e. have voting rights, however, shall not be officially considered an Officer, for maintaining both objectivity and neutrality.

Article IV – Directors

The Board of Directors shall consist of the President, the Vice President, Treasurer, Honorary Parliamentarian and the Secretary. Such directors shall be elected at such: time and manner as well as for such terms as set forth for said officers in Article IV, Section II and Section III. The Board of Directors shall have control and management of the club's activities, determine all policies and generally supervise the Club’s affairs.

Article VI - Committees

The President shall appoint such committees as warranted to assist in executing the purposes of this club, and the members of such appointed committees will select their chairperson by majority vote.

Article VII - Meetings

Section I. Board-of-Director meetings shall be held once each quarter at such time and place as the majority of said Board of Directors shall decide.

Section II. Membership meetings shall be held at least twice a year at such time and such place as shall be decided by majority vote of the membership present at a regular meeting and may be held by special call of the President.

Section III. All members of the club shall be notified of the date, time and place of all regular meetings and specially called meetings.

Section IV - A minimum of five (5) members must be present at any regular or called special meeting of the membership to constitute a quorum.

Section V. Robert's Rules (see http://www.rulesonline.com/ ) shall be used to conduct all meetings.

Section VI. The regular order of business shall be:

1. Call to order.

2. Roll call of officers.

3. Reading of the minutes of previous meeting.

4. Communications.

5. Treasurer's report.

6. Introduction of new members.

7. Committee reports.

8. Unfinished business.

9. New business.

10. Adjournment.

Article VIII - Amendments

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the members notified and assembled for that purpose. All amendments must be submitted in writing. The Secretary will make copies of the amendments and send a copy to each member at least two (2) weeks prior to the meeting called to consider the amendments. At said meeting, the submitted amendments shall be read to the members, discussed and voted upon. Two-thirds of the members at said meeting voting in favor of adoption of the submitted amendments shall be required for adoption.

Article IX - Dissolution

The Club may be dissolved by following the steps set forth in the Pennsylvania Code’s NPCL of 1988 § 15 Pa. S.A. Section 5306. In the event of the Club’s dissolution, any funds in the treasury shall be donated to a non-profit, tax-exempt corporation with similar purposes, e.g. either I.T.T.O.N.A. or N.A.Y.T.O.

Article IX - Dissolution

by the Club Officers and founding members:

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