ARTICLE 1
Membership

SECTION 1. CLASSES OF MEMBERSHIP:
Active Membership
An Active Member is one who is entitled to all rights and privileges of the Club; who pays full yearly dues; who actively participates in Club activities; who attends at least (5) meetings within the Club year unless excused (refer to Section 4--Membership Requirements and Suspensions); and who fully supports financially all Club projects.

Part-Time Active Membership
A Part-Time Active Member is one who is entitled to all the rights and privileges of the Club; who pays full yearly dues; who actively participates in Club activities; and who fully supports financially all Club projects. This member shall not be required to fulfill the meeting obligation. She shall be required to participate in one project and serve on one committee per year. A Part-Time Active membership shall be available to an Active Member of two (2) or more years standing who is working or is a student. Written request for this classification shall be subject to Board approval. Request for this classification must be renewed annually by March 15.

Associate Membership
An Associate Member is one who is entitled to all rights and privileges of the Club except the rights to hold office and to vote; who pays full yearly dues; who supports financially all Club projects; but who is not required to actively participate in the Club. Associate Membership is available to a member who has been an Active Member for ten (10) years.

On Leave Membership
On Leave Membership is available once, upon written request, for any reason to an Active Member for a period of one year, during which time she pays Club dues. At the end of this time she must return to Active Membership, request Associate Membership status, if eligible, or resign.

Non-Resident Membership
A Non-Resident Member is one who no longer lives in Pierce or adjacent counties and finds it impossible to carry out Club responsibilities. She is entitled to all rights and privileges of the Club except the right to vote, hold office or endorse membership applications.

Honorary Membership
Honorary Membership may be conferred for life on a member who has become unable to participate in Club functions through extended illness or infirmity. Honorary Membership shall be conferred after recommendations of the Board and by a unanimous vote of the members present at the meeting at which the proposed Honorary Member’s name is presented.

Limitations
Active Membership together with Part-Time Active Memberships and On-Leave Memberships shall not total more than one hundred (100) members.
An exception can be made when a previously resigned member in good standing requests reinstatement. Reinstatement request will be reviewed by the membership committee and presented to the board of directors for approval.
Associate Members and Non-Resident Members desiring to return to Active membership are exempt from this limitation.
There is no numerical limit to the number of Associate, Non-Resident and Honorary Members.

SECTION 2. ADMISSION TO MEMBERSHIP:
The name of the prospective member shall be submitted to the Membership Committee before March 31, on an application form signed by two members, who shall be considered her sponsors. Having acquainted the prospective member with her responsibilities as a member as stated (Article 2, Section 1, of the Constitution) they shall furnish the Membership Committee with the completed Questionnaire for New Members.
The Membership Committee shall vote upon the application of the prospective member during the month of April.
The Corresponding Secretary shall then issue a letter of welcome to the New Members.
Membership Committee Chairman shall meet with the New Members prior to the first regular meeting of the Club for the purpose of acquainting them with their responsibilities as members.
The New Member shall be presented by her sponsors at the first regular meeting of the club year.

SECTION 3. CHANGES IN MEMBERSHIP:
Application for change to another class of membership or resignation shall be made in writing to the Membership Committee prior to March 1.
Request for reinstatement must be submitted in writing on the Request for Reinstatement form and may be reviewed by the Membership Committee for immediate consideration.
Changes shall become effective upon the approval of the Board of Directors. Members granted reinstatement will return as a member with all previously completed years in good standing (see Article 1, Section 4) of membership.

SECTION 4. MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS AND SUSPENSIONS:
All dues, hostess fees and project assessments shall be payable by October 31. If such monies are not paid by March 1, membership shall be forfeited.
All Active Members shall attend at least five (5) meetings within the Club year unless excused. Meetings shall include all regular meetings, Day of Recollection, the Lenten Retreat, May Luncheon and Club Projects for working members of Project Committees. Only those members who work on the May Luncheon and Club Projects can include them in the attendance requirement.
Any Active Member who fails to honor a luncheon reservation without due cause shall be liable for a fine to be determined annually by the Board of Directors.
All Active and Part-Time Active Members are required to carry out their committee assignments. In the event a member is unable to do so, she must find a replacement.
Members who fail to comply with the above requirements forfeit their membership in the Club.

ARTICLE 2
Finances – Dues – Fees – Assessments – Audit

SECTION 1. INITIATION FEE:
Those admitted to membership must pay an initiation fee of twenty-five dollars ($25.00).

SECTION 2. ACTIVE AND PART-TIME ACTIVE MEMBER DUES:
Active and Part-Time Active Members must pay annual dues, not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00), a hostess fee to be determined by the Board, and the annual projects assessment.

SECTION 3. ASSOCIATE MEMBER DUES:
Associate Members shall pay annual dues not to exceed twenty-five dollars ($25.00) and the annual projects assessment. Payment of the hostess fee is optional.

SECTION 4. NON-RESIDENT MEMBER DUES:
Non-Resident Members shall pay annual dues of fifteen dollars ($15.00).

SECTION 5. HONORARY MEMBER DUES:
Honorary Members pay no dues.

SECTION 6. TIME OF PAYMENT:
All dues, hostess fees and project assessments shall be payable the first regular meeting of the Club year and shall become delinquent the following October 31. Membership shall be forfeited if payment is not received by March.

SECTION 7. COLLECTION AND EXPENDITURES OF ALL MONIES:
All Club monies shall be deposited in a federally insured bank or saving institution. The President and Treasurer shall be authorized to sign checks or savings withdrawals. Any expenditure of monies not budgeted must be approved by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 8. AUDIT:
An audit of all financial records of the Club shall be made by the Audit Committee by June 15 of each year. The Committee shall attest to the accuracy of all records.

ARTICLE 3
Duties of Officers and Board of Directors

SECTION 1. PRESIDENT:
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Club and the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee. She shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the nominating committee. She shall make all appointments and shall generally perform such duties as pertain to the office. The President shall not hold office for two consecutive years.

SECTION 2. PRESIDENT-ELECT:
The President-elect shall familiarize herself with the duties of the President and with the works of the Club, and shall preside in the absence of the President. She shall be Chairman of the Hospitality and Membership Committees. She shall keep the Attendance Roll.

SECTION 3. CORRESPONDING SECRETARY:
The Corresponding Secretary shall conduct all Club correspondence; notify new members of their election to the Club; send out notices; send out copies of the Yearbook and Annual Budget and copies of any proposed changes in the Constitution and/or By-Laws to all Club Members.

SECTION 4. RECORDING SECRETARY:
The Recording Secretary shall record and read the minutes of each meeting of the Club and Board of Directors. She shall make out from her minutes an order of business for the use of the President. She shall put in the minute book a copy of any changes in the Constitution and/or By-Laws and a copy of the Annual Budget after it has been accepted by the membership.

SECTION 5. TREASURER:
The Treasurer shall collect all Club monies; shall be custodian of all Club funds; shall keep an accurate record of all receipts and expenditures; shall keep an accurate list of the membership as to payment of obligations. She shall make a report at each regular meeting and a full report of Club finances at the May meeting.

SECTION 6. HISTORIAN:
The Historian shall chronicle all events of historical interest pertaining to the club and shall make a report of the same at the annual meeting. She shall be the custodian of the Club papers and records. She shall keep a scrapbook of all club activities.

SECTION 7. BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
The Board of Directors shall serve as an advisory board and in that capacity shall discuss and make recommendations to the membership on all matters that come before it. The Board shall have the authority, subject to a vote of the membership, to annually adopt standing rules.

ARTICLE 4
Elections

SECTION 1. NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
The five (5) two year Board Members shall constitute the Nominating Committee. The President shall appoint a Chairman of the Nominating Committee from this group.

SECTION 2. VOTING:
The Nominating Committee shall present at the annual meeting the slate of candidates for offices and for directors. Nomination may be made from the floor, and the election shall proceed. The candidates receiving the highest number of votes for the respective office shall be elected.

SECTION 3. DIRECTORS:
Five Directors shall be elected each year for a two-year term. The immediate Past President shall automatically become a member of the Board of Directors for a period of one year.

SECTION 4. VACANCIES:
In case an elected officer should resign or be unable for other reasons – death or illness – to continue, her place shall be filled:
In vacation months by appointment by the President with the consent of the Board.
During the Club year by appointment by the President with the approval of a majority of the members attending the meeting.
In the event that the President resigns, or is unable to act for any reason, the President-Elect shall fill the vacancy of the office of President.

ARTICLE 5
Standing Committees

The President shall appoint the following Standing Committees: Audit, Budget, Constitution and By-Laws, Planning, Membership, Nominating Committee, Parliamentarian, Program and Education, Technology, Telephone, Visiting, Welfare, and Yearbook.

SECTION 1. AUDIT:
The Audit Committee shall consist of two members appointed by the President to examine all financial records of the Club and attest to their accuracy.

SECTION 2. BUDGET:
The Budget Committee shall consist of the Treasurer and five (5) members appointed by the President. It shall be the duty of the Committee to:
Prepare an annual budget allocating the estimated funds of the Club for its various activities.
Present the annual budget to the membership for its approval at the first regular meeting of the Club year. Provide in the budget for a fund of nominal amount to be used for necessary expenditures during the months when there are no regular meetings. The Budget Committee Chairman shall determine that all Club funds, other than this nominal amount, have been expended prior to Audit.
Examine the budget during the Club year to determine if adjustments are necessary and make recommendations to the membership. The Budget Committee shall meet prior to the April regular meeting to make final recommendations.
Provide a copy of the proposed budget to the Yearbook Chairman for inclusion in the Yearbook.

SECTION 3. CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS:
The Constitution and By-Laws Committee shall consist of two members appointed by the President to assist in the preparation of any proposed changes to the Constitution or By-Laws.

SECTION 4. PLANNING COMMITTEE:
The Planning Committee is made up of three members and is under the auspices of the President-Elect. This committee shall provide for places of regular meetings, Day of Recollection, the Lenten Retreat, and May Luncheon and shall secure hostesses and committees for same; shall secure Chairmen for projects approved by the Club for the purpose of raising funds. This committee will work with the chairman of the Program and Education Committee, and the new scheduling goes to the yearbook chairman by June 15. One member will remain on the committee for continuity the following year.

SECTION 5. MEMBERSHIP:
The Membership Committee shall consist of the President-Elect, who shall be Chairman, the President and Board of Directors serving a one year term, such that no member of the Board of Directors shall serve more than one year as a member of the Membership Committee. The Membership Committee shall meet at a time other than the regularly scheduled meeting of either the Club or the Board of Directors. Each member of the Membership Committee shall vote on all qualified applicants, except the President who may vote only in case of a tie vote. All members of the Membership Committee are expected to attend the Membership Committee meetings. If a member is unable to attend, a legitimate excuse must be presented. In that event, the President shall be empowered to appoint a substitute member.

SECTION 6. NOMINATING COMMITTEE:
The Nominating Committee shall prepare a slate of candidates for election to all elective offices.

SECTION 7. PARLIAMENTARIAN:
The Club shall have a competent parliamentarian to be appointed annually by the President.

SECTION 8. PROGRAM AND EDUCATION:
The Program and Education Committee shall prepare the programs for the regular meetings. It is the responsibility of this Committee to provide information on topics related to the aims of the Club.

SECTION 9. TELEPHONE:
The Telephone Committee shall have charge of contacting the members of the Club whenever necessary.

SECTION 10. VISITING:
The Visiting Committee shall keep the Club informed about members who are ill and visit same when advisable. They should contact the President in case of the death of a member or immediate relative, and shall arrange for a Mass to be offered for a deceased member.

SECTION 11. WELFARE:
The Welfare Committee shall annually identify a Community need for which the membership can provide assistance.

SECTION 12. YEARBOOK:
The Yearbook Committee shall assist the President in compiling and printing the Yearbook.

SECTION 13. TECHNOLOGY:
The Technology Committee, under the direction of the President-Elect, shall compile and manage the membership database, including the handling of email communications to the membership in coordination with the Telephone Committee and the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE 6
Meetings

SECTION 1. CLUB YEAR
The Club year shall extend from June 1 to May 31 of the following year.

SECTION 2. MEETINGS:
The regular meetings shall be held on the second Wednesday of each month from September through May at a time determined by the Board of Directors.

SECTION 3. ANNUAL MEETING:
The Annual Meeting, at which meeting the officers and directors shall be elected, shall be held on the second Wednesday of April.

SECTION 4. BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
The meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at least four times each year.

SECTION 5. QUORUM:
Twenty-five (25) members shall constitute a quorum in meetings of the Club for the transaction of business. Nine members shall constitute a quorum in meetings of the Board of Directors for the transaction of business.

SECTION 6. FUNDS:
Catholic Woman’s Club members may not use the Club to raise or promote funds for any other organization, parishes, or individuals. Members may not sell tickets or products at meetings. Any fund-raising projects for the Club must be submitted in writing to and authorized by the Board.

SECTION 7. GUESTS:
Members of the Club have the privilege of bringing out-of-town guests to the regular meetings. Members of the Club may also bring a prospective member to one meeting during the course of the club year and are responsible for notifying the meeting chair of the guest’s attendance.

SECTION 8. MAY LUNCHEON:
The Planning Committee with the approval of the President and the Board shall set the date, time, and location of the May Luncheon.

SECTION 9. RETREAT:
The members of Catholic Woman’s Club are encouraged to attend the Day of Recollection in November and the Lenten Retreat.

 ARTICLE 7
Order of Business

• Prayer
• Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag
• Reading and approval of minutes
• Report of Treasurer
• Communications
• Report of Standing Committees
• Report of Special Committees
• Unfinished Business
• New Business
• Program
• Prayer