Bylaws of Apollo-Spring Church Sportsmen, Inc.
ARTICLE I
This organization shall be a non-profit group, incorporated under a Non-Profit Corporation Charter to be known as “The Apollo Spring Church Sportsmen, Inc.” (hereinafter called “The Club”) united and organized for the promotion of sports such as hunting, fishing, and competitive shooting and to cooperate in the maintenance and promotion of better sportsman’s laws by the legislative bodies and commissions of this Commonwealth, and to cooperate with proper authorities for strict observance of the fish, game, forestry, and trespassing laws of the state.
ARTICLE II
Section 1
The elected officers of The Club shall consist of a president, vice-president, recording secretary, assistant recording secretary, treasurer, assistant treasurer, and three trustees.
Section 2
All elected officers shall be nominated at the regular February meeting and elected at the regular March meeting. Term of office shall be one year. One trustee shall be elected each year and serve a term of three years.
Section 3
All elected officers of the The Club shall be eligible to serve succeeding terms.
Section 4
The official term of an elected officer shall begin with new business of the regularly scheduled March meeting of his elected year and expire with old business of regularly scheduled meeting of the following March.
Section 5
To be eligible to run for office, a person must be a member in good standing.
Section 6
If a vacancy occurs in one of the elected offices, a special election shall be held at the next monthly meeting to fill such vacancy except for president, recording secretary, treasurer, or county league delegate. The assistant to such office shall assume the duties of the vacated office immediately upon verification that such vacancy exists and the special election shall be for the assistant’s office.
Section 7
All elected officers shall receive free membership for their term of office. Committee Chairmen will also receive free membership during their Chairmanship.
ARTICLE III
Section 1
The president shall preside at all regular meetings, all official board meetings, preserve order, and enforce the constitution and by-laws of The Club. He shall cast the deciding ballot in case of a tie. He shall appoint all committees. He must cosign all checks of payment of obligations of the organization. The order of business shall conform to Robert’s Rules for conducting business meetings. The president shall appoint a nominating committee at the January meeting.
Paragraph 1
Members desiring to address the meeting shall address the chair and be recognized by the chair before proceeding. The president may at any time extend special invitation to non-members to attend and address the meeting for purposes of interest and benefit to the organization or the community.
Paragraph 2
ORDER OF BUSINESS
1. Pledge of Allegiance
2. Conservation Pledge
3. Reading of minutes of regular and special meetings
4. Treasurers Report
5. Communications and action thereon
6. Reports of officers
7. Reports of committees and conservation officers
8. Unfinished business
9. Nomination and election of officers
10. Installation of officers
11. New Business
12. Remarks for the good of the organization
13. Adjournment of meeting
Paragraph 3
STANDING COMITTEES- Chairmen appointed by and who serve at the pleasure of the President
1. County League
2. Rifle and Pistol Range
3. Trap
4. National Rifle Association
5. Hunter-Trapper Education
6. Indoor Archery
7. Indoor 22 Cal. Rifle
8. Grounds and Game
9. House
10. Newsletter/Activity
11. Lake and Fish
Such other committees as the President may deem necessary
All current rules relating to the use of club facilities such as, but not limited to, the rifle, pistol, trap ranges, the lake, and house, shall be made available to all club members upon request.
Section 2
The recording secretary shall maintain the minutes of regular meetings and special board meetings and conduct all official correspondence for The Club.
Section 3
The treasurer shall maintain a record of all deposits and expenditures made by The Club. He shall co-sign all checks in payment of obligations of The Club and maintain such records as are necessary to his office and turn same over to his successor upon close of the annual audit.
Section 4
The assistant treasurer shall accept payment of all membership dues, maintain records of membership, and notify members by the direction of the president when dues are in arrears. He shall also be responsible for all keys of admittance to club facilities and grounds.
Section 5
The trustees shall be custodians of all property pertaining to The Club. In emergency cases between meetings the trustees shall act in the name of the Apollo-Spring Church Sportsmen, Inc. They may authorize expenditures up to $500.00, more in extreme emergencies, between any two meetings without sanction from The Club if they deem it essential. A Trustee shall act as sergeant-at-arms. He shall check membership cards, pass out all ballots, and, if necessary, eject any unruly members or guests, and maintain a guest book.
Section 6
The House committee shall oversee proper maintenance of the building fixtures and equipment and shall make all recommendations for repair, exchange, or purchase of equipment for the clubhouse. All committees using the clubhouse for any function pertaining to The Club shall work in conjunction with the house, committee. The House committee, the Ladies Auxiliary, and the president shall have general control and supervision of the renting of the clubhouse. They shall make all rules and regulations and set the rental rates subject to the approval of The Club. A copy of rules and rental rates shall be posted in a conspicuous place in the clubhouse.
Section 7
The Grounds and Game committee shall oversee proper maintenance for the grounds, winter feeding of game, and equipment outside the clubhouse and shall make all recommendations for repairs, changes, or purchase of equipment for the grounds.
Section 8
The Newsletter and Activity committee shall oversee publication of The Club newsletter and the advertisement of club activities.
Section 9
The Lake and Fish committee shall oversee the fund raisers for the purpose of buying fish, stocking the lake, and general maintenance of the lake.
Section 10
The Indoor 22 committee will oversee and organize the indoor 22 shoots, maintain the indoor range and assist the outdoor shoot committee.
Section 11
The Indoor Archery committee shall be in charge of organizing the indoor archery shoots, maintaining the targets, and assisting the Outdoor Archery committee.
Section 12
The Rifle and Pistol Range Committee shall be in charge of maintaining and upgrading the ranges, control the use of the ranges, and organize any activities which uses the ranges.
Section 13
The Trap committee shall be in charge of the trap field, events, and equipment.
Section 14
The NRA committeeman shall coordinate all activities between the NRA and The Club.
Section 15
The County League committeeman shall coordinate all activities between The Club, the County League, and the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsman’s Clubs.
Section 16
The committee chairmen shall be authorized to spend up to $100 without a vote by the members of The Club.
Section 17
A list of all Officers and Committee Chairmen shall be posted in the clubhouse at all times by the recording secretary.
ARTICLE IV
Section 1
Regular meetings shall be held on the second Tuesday of each month unless otherwise authorized by The Club. Special meetings may be called by the president and his executive board.
Section 2
Membership period shall run from January 1 to December 31. Any member’s dues not paid by April 1 will be assessed $5.00 additional costs and shall lose all membership privileges until his or her dues are paid for that year. Any member not paying dues for 2 years will be required to rejoin The Club including initiation fee.
Section 3
Paragraph 1
Initiation fee for an adult member shall be $50.00 plus the amount of the yearly dues in force at that time. All new members must be sponsored by a member in good standing. Any person joining in October, November, or December shall also receive the following year’s membership.
Paragraph 2
Any person aged under 18 shall be eligible for junior membership upon payment of annual dues of $1.00 if sponsored by an adult member. Junior members do not have voting privileges and must abide by all other club rules and regulations concerning junior members. There all be no initiation fee for junior membership. A junior member turning 18 shall be entitled to all adult privileges upon paying the difference between a junior membership and an adult membership. A junior membership must belong to two (2) years immediately preceding age 18 to be eligible for adult membership without initiation fee.
Paragraph 3
Membership cards shall be issued only when application for membership is completed with payment, and presented at a regular monthly meeting, or mailed to the membership chairman at the club’s mailing address.
Paragraph 4
The proposed applicant shall be accepted as a member if voted upon favorably by ballot. If any new applicant receives three or more rejections, his application shall be reviewed by the trustees. The president shall inform the Trustees to be present at the clubhouse for a special meeting. He shall inform the membership of the meeting and request that the rejecting members be present to state their reasons for rejection. The trustees shall determine if these reasons are valid. If it is determined the reasons are invalid or if the members do not appear to state their objections, the rejections shall be considered invalid and the applicant shall be reviewed as a member in good standing. An applicant who is rejected cannot resubmit an application for membership for a period of one (1) year.
Paragraph 5
All new applicants must be present when his or her application is voted upon. The applicant will take the loyalty oath, receive his membership card and his copy of the by-laws. Exceptions can be made at a regular meeting, if approved by a majority of members present.
Paragraph 6
Members of the organization may be male or female.
Paragraph 7
Any adult member who has retired at or after the age of 62, providing he has been a member in good standing for at least fifteen (15) years immediately preceding his retirement, shall be awarded a life membership.
Paragraph 8
Any adult member who has been retired because of a disability and has been a member in good standing for at least fifteen (15) years immediately preceding his disability, regardless of age, shall be awarded a life membership.
Paragraph 9
Any member who has been determined as unruly for unsportsmanlike conduct for any act shall go before a grievance board of not less than six (6) members, appointed by the president, to determine the seriousness of the violation. If the grievance board decides the member was unsportsmanlike, his membership shall be taken away temporarily or permanently as determined by the grievance board.
Paragraph 10
Any member entering regular armed services shall be eligible for free membership while in the service if he has notified the assistant treasurer before his dues become delinquent. He must also notify the assistant treasurer yearly while serving in the armed services. This also includes any and all reserve members called to active duty.
Paragraph 11
All new members have to attend two regular meetings and participate in 3 work functions within one year, after becoming a member, to keep their membership active. The initiation fee will not be returned if obligation is not met.
Paragraph 12
All new members cannot obtain a card key until the commitments described in Paragraph #11 are satisfied and they have been a member in good standing for a minimum of 6 months.
Paragraph 13
Upon death of any adult member, the surviving spouse has the option of retaining his or her membership by keeping up with the annual dues. It is the responsibility of the surviving spouse to notify any club officer of the death to exercise this option.
ARTICLE V
Section 1
Changes, additions, or modifications of the by-laws of The Club organization must be presented from the floor at any three (3) regular consecutive meetings and be voted upon by the paid members in attendance before any such changes become part of the by-laws. A two thirds (2/3) majority of those in attendance is necessary to carry such a motion.
ARTICLE VI
LOYALTY OATHS
OFFICERS:
I solemnly promise to abide by the Constitution and By-laws of the Apollo-Spring Church Sportsmen, Inc., and to do all in my power to enforce them. I also promise to faithfully discharge the duties of the office to which I have been elected and will by the faithful performance of my duties, try to repay the confidence of those who have so honored me. I further promise never to allow personal feelings to sway my judgement in dealings with my fellow members in matters pertaining to The Club and shall at all times work for the good of The Club.
MEMBERS:
I solemnly promise to abide by the Constitution and By-laws of the Apollo-Spring Church Sportsmen, Inc., and shall endeavor to uphold them. I also promise to pay all dues levied against me. I further promise to faithfully discharge any duties assigned me to the best of my ability and shall do all in my power to make the members of the club feel that they have done right in accepting me as one of them.
I also understand that I must participate in 3 work sessions and attend 2 monthly meetings during my first year in order for my membership to be renewed.