CONSTITUTION
THE OLD GUARD OF CAMP GLEN GRAY
ARTICLE I
NAME AND PURPOSE
SECTION 1. This volunteer body of
workers for Camp Glen Gray (the Camp), known as The Old Guard of Camp Glen
Gray, aims to promote the best interests of the Camp, located primarily within
Mahwah, New Jersey; owned by the County of Bergen, New Jersey; and managed by
the Friends of Glen Gray (FRIENDS); to uphold the traditions and develop the
ideals of the Camp; to render service to the Camp with strict observance of the
camp rules and regulations; and to offer to its members an opportunity to
continue their interest and activity in the cause of environmental conservation
and outdoor education and appreciation.
SECTION 2. The Old Guard is organized exclusively for
charitable purposes, including, for such purposes, making distributions to
FRIENDS, or other organizations with goals consistent with those set forth in
Article I, Section 1, that qualify as an exempt organization under section
501c3 of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future
tax code.
SECTION 3. No part of the net earnings of the Old Guard
shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, trustees,
officers, or other private persons, except that the Old Guard shall be
authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered
and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth
in Article I, Section 1 hereof. No
substantial part of the activities of the Old Guard shall be the carrying on of
propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Old Guard
shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or
distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of or in
opposition to any candidate for public office.
Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the Old Guard
shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage in any activities or
exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the purposes of the Old
Guard.
SECTION 4. Upon the dissolution of the Old Guard,
assets shall be distributed to FRIENDS, or its successor, or other
organizations with goals consistent with those set forth in Article I, Section
1, for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501c3 of the
Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax
code; or shall be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local
government, for a public purpose.
ARTICLE II
MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1. Membership shall be divided into three categories: Honored,
General, and Ex-officio.
SECTION 2. Honored membership in
the Old Guard shall be limited to those persons duly elected to membership in
the past and those so elected in the future, except as otherwise provided
herein. Honored membership is a lifetime honor.
SECTION 2A. Any person associated
with Camp Glen Gray shall after a minimum of two years of such association be
eligible to be considered for Honored membership. To be considered for Honored
membership, a person must have made definite contributions to Camp Glen Gray
keeping with the goals and purposes of the Old Guard, deemed appropriate by the
Membership committee and acceptable to the Honored members. Such contributions
may encompass, by actions and deeds over and above that occasioned by any
monetary consideration, an ability and willingness to continue service to Camp
Glen Gray.
SECTION 2B. Honored membership shall
be by invitation of the Honored members of the Old Guard and shall require a
favorable vote of those members. A vote shall be favorable unless the members
cast three or more dissenting votes at the time of voting. A member may abstain
from voting and should do so if unfamiliar with the candidate. If those
abstaining are a majority of those present and able to vote on a candidate,
that candidate shall be referred to the membership committee for future
consideration. Notification of election shall be by the traditional
"Calling of the Old Guard."
SECTION 2C. Honored membership
shall be divided into two classes: active and inactive. Any member who
contributes a minimum of current dues shall be an active member.
SECTION 3. General Membership in
the Old Guard shall be open to anyone who is willing to pay dues and uphold the
purpose of the Old Guard. General members shall enjoy all Old Guard privileges
except voting on candidates for Honored membership, voting on nominees for
elective offices, voting on constitutional amendments, the ability to hold an
elected position, and permanent membership.
SECTION 4. Ex-officio members
shall enjoy all Old Guard privileges except the voting rights listed in Section
3 above, the ability to hold an elected position and permanent membership. A
professional staff member designated by FRIENDS, the Director of the Glen Gray
Summer Camp and the Ranger or Caretaker of Camp Glen Gray shall be members of
the Old Guard Ex-officio.
ARTICLE III
OFFICERS
SECTION 1. The elected officers of the Old Guard shall be the President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and five (5) Trustees. They shall hold office from the time of their election and inauguration until successors are elected and inaugurated.
SECTION 2. The President shall be
the chief administrative officer and chairman of the General Committee. The
President, with the General Committee, shall interpret and enforce this
Constitution and the By-Laws of the Old Guard.
The President shall preside at all meetings of the Old Guard and of the
General Committee; shall appoint temporary, officers and special committees;
and shall call meetings of the General Committee when necessary. The President
shall neither chair nor sit ex-officio on the Nominating Committee. The
President may sit ex-officio on all other committees.
SECTION 3. The Vice-President shall
advise and assist in the discharge of the President’s duties and, in the
absence of the President, shall perform the duties of that office. The
Vice-President shall be subject to the same restrictions and enjoy the same
privileges as the President, and shall be assigned specific functions to assist
in the operation of the Old Guard.
SECTION 4. The Secretary shall
carry on all correspondence of the Old Guard and shall keep a record of all
meetings of the Old Guard and of the General Committee. The Secretary shall keep a file of all
papers relating to the business of the Old Guard and deliver it to the
Historian at the end of the term of office.
The Secretary shall keep a correct roll of the members with their
addresses; shall send one notice to all members each year; and shall serve as
Secretary of the General Committee.
SECTION 5. The Treasurer shall be
responsible for all Old Guard funds, including the collection of dues and
maintenance of a checking account and/or reserve account. The Treasurer shall
pay all approved expenditures promptly and present a report of the financial
status at each regular meeting. The Treasurer shall be the signatory on all
checks and the custodian of all accounts. The Treasurer’s alternate shall be
the Secretary with full power of the Treasurer, should the Treasurer be
unavailable.
SECTION 6. The Historian shall
prepare and maintain a history of Camp Glen Gray, including its founding,
growth, improvements, landmarks, customs, and the persons responsible
therefore; shall record reminiscences and personal experiences of persons
associated with Camp Glen Gray; and shall recommend to the Old Guard projects
for the restoration and preservation of landmarks and relics pertaining to the
Camp. In conjunction with the
Secretary, the Historian shall prepare and maintain a roll of the membership of
the Old Guard with their addresses and dates of admission to the Old Guard. The
Historian shall present a report at the Annual Meeting.
SECTION 7. The board of five (5)
Trustees shall be elected for overlapping five (5) year terms, requiring the
election of one new trustee each year. The Board of Trustees shall serve to
facilitate the training of officers, and as an auditing body at all levels
deemed necessary, empowered to assume administrative direction and support
under emergency conditions to ensure the performance and effective continued
operation of the Old Guard.
COMMITTEES
SECTION 1. The standing committees of the Old Guard shall be: General Committee, Service Committee, Ritual Committee, Nominating Committee, Membership Committee, Activities Committee, and Cabin Committee. Chairs and members of the Standing committees shall serve from their appointment until the appointment of their successors.
SECTION 2. Special committees
shall be appointed by the President whenever necessary and shall serve until
discharged by the President.
SECTION 3. Chairs and members of
the standing committees other than the General Committee shall be appointed by
the President with the approval of the General Committee. The Membership
Committee shall be appointed at least thirty (30) days prior to the date
scheduled for the traditional “Calling of the Old Guard”. The Nominating Committee shall be appointed
at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of the Annual Meeting, and the
names of the members of this committee shall be distributed to the Old Guard
membership by written and/or electronic means.
SECTION 4. The General Committee
shall consist of the elected officers of the Old Guard, the chairs of the
standing committees and two members appointed by the President. Chairs of
special committees may participate as ex-officio members of the General
Committee. Consideration should be given to age and geographical location in
appointments made by the President. The President shall be the Chair and the
Secretary of the Old Guard shall be the Committee Secretary. The General
Committee shall be the general administrative body of the Old Guard and shall
require that all activities conform to the Constitution and the By-Laws of the
Old Guard, and the By-Laws of FRIENDS. The General Committee shall have the
supervision of matters requiring action by two or more committees. It shall
decide all matters arising between regular business meetings and requiring
immediate action, and shall make a complete report of such matters at the next
regular business meeting.
SECTION 5. The Service Committee shall consist of a chair and four other members and shall arrange for the Old Guard a program of objectives and activities in the service of Glen Gray and shall be responsible for that program. The Committee shall study the material needs of Camp Glen Gray and, after consultation with the General Committee, shall discuss those needs with the proper authorities of FRIENDS.
SECTION 6. The Ritual Committee
shall consist of a chair and three other members, one of whom shall be the
Historian of the Old Guard. The Committee shall, with the approval of the
General Committee, establish ceremonies based on the traditions of the Old
Guard and shall be responsible for their proper use. The Committee shall record
the traditions and customs of Camp Glen Gray and of the Old Guard and shall
encourage their preservation and proper observance. The Committee shall, with
the approval of the General Committee, determine the flags, badges and other
emblems to be used and worn by members of the Old Guard and the methods of
wearing and using them, and shall be responsible for their proper use.
SECTION 7. The Nominating Committee shall consist of a chair and not less
than two other members, none of which shall be proposed for nomination. Members
of the Nominating Committee must be of Honored Member status and the majority
of the committee shall not consist of members currently holding an office in a
governing body of Camp Glen Gray. The Committee shall prepare a list of
nominees for officers to be voted upon at the Annual Meeting, and shall present
the list at the meeting.
SECTION 8. The Membership
Committee shall consist of five, seven or nine members of the Old Guard. It shall be the duty of the Membership
Committee to canvass thoroughly the field of prospective members and to select
from them a list of candidates that it shall present and sponsor for election
at the Election Meeting. The Membership Committee shall also investigate any
other prospective candidates who have been recommended by written petition of
five or more members prior to the final meeting of the Membership Committee.
The Committee shall present the names of candidates together with the results
of its investigation at the Election Meeting. The final meeting of the
Membership Committee shall take place at least three days prior to the Election
Meeting. The Membership Committee may,
at its discretion, prepare a list of prospective candidates of members to be
retained in confidence by the Secretary of the Old Guard and delivered to the
Membership Committee the following year for its consideration.
SECTION 9. The Activities
Committee shall consist of a chair and at least two other members and shall be
responsible for all arrangements for the annual banquet, barbecues, or other
indoor or outdoor activities held for Old Guard members or sponsored by the Old
Guard.
SECTION 10. The Cabin Committee
shall consist of a Chair and at least two other members and shall have
responsibility for the development of policies and actions regarding the use,
control, maintenance, and improvement of the Old Guard cabin known as
"Sleepy Hollow" at Camp Glen Gray., within the rules of the FRIENDS
operating Camp Glen Gray and the Bergen County Department of Parks.
ARTICLE V
SECTION 1. Previous to the Annual Meeting, the Nominating Committee shall prepare a list of nominees for the elective offices and obtain the consent of each candidate to serve if elected. Only Honored members of the Old Guard may hold an elective office. Notices of the Annual Meeting shall announce the on site availability of the list prior to the election at that meeting. The list shall be prominently posted at the Annual Meeting location for voting member review before election proceedings begin. The Nominating Committee shall report the proposed slate and/or vacancies to the Secretary not less than ten days before the Annual Meeting, and the Secretary shall distribute this information to the members by appropriate means.
SECTION 2. At the Annual Meeting,
the list of nominees shall be read to the membership. The Secretary shall then
read any further nominations that have been presented in writing, and signed by
five Honored members in addition to those persons nominated. There shall be no
further nominations, unless an office remains without a nominee, in which
instance the Chair shall ask for duly sponsored nominations from the floor. The
Honored members present shall then vote for the several offices, a plurality
vote for any candidate being sufficient to elect.
SECTION 3. If the President
determines that balloting by the members is necessary or if a motion to require
balloting is passed by the members present, the President shall appoint an
Election Committee of three members to supervise the election, count the
ballots and announce the results.
SECTION 4. The new officers shall
take their offices as soon as the election results have been announced and the
Inauguration Ceremony completed.
SECTION 5. Special elections that
may be required to fill offices that become vacant between Annual Meetings
shall follow the same procedure as prescribed for the regular election at the
Annual Meeting.
SECTION 6. If the position of an
officer becomes vacant, the President shall have the power to continue the
vacancy until the next Annual Meeting; to fill it by temporary appointment, or
by special election; or by any combination of these methods with the
concurrence of a majority of the Trustees. If the position of President or a
trustee becomes vacant, the remaining trustees may appoint a temporary
replacement until the next general election or special election; or, if no less
than three (3) trustees remain, they may function alone until the next general
election.
ARTICLE VI
SECTION 1. The Annual Meeting of the Old Guard shall be held within one month of the new calendar year, for receiving the reports of the officers and chairs of standing and special committees; the election and inauguration of officers; and such other business as may be brought before it. Notice of the Annual meeting will be distributed by mail and/or other appropriate means not less than ten days prior to the meeting.
SECTION 2. The Spring Meeting
shall be held during the month of March or April of each year for the
preparation of plans for promoting attendance at and enlisting support for Camp
Glen Gray and for such other business as may be brought before it.
SECTION 3. The Summer meeting
shall be held at Camp Glen Gray in July or August for the election of new
Honored members. Only Honored members of the Old Guard may attend and vote.
SECTION 4. The Public Ceremonial
Meeting shall be held at Camp Glen Gray on the night of the close of the summer
camping season or other time established by the General Committee, and shall
include the "Calling of the Old Guard" and the investiture of the new
Honored members.
SECTION 5. Special meetings may be
called by the President when necessary.
SECTION 6. Notice of all regular
and special meetings shall be given by the Secretary not less than ten days in
advance of such meetings. Such notice may be given by electronic and/or written
form, but must be distributed to all members for which such address is
available. Notices and any informational
materials for such meetings should also be posted in advance on the Old Guard
Internet web page. Notices of special
meetings shall state the purposes for which they are called.
SECT1ON 7. The time and place of
all meetings, where not definitely specified herein, shall be fixed by the
President and shall be stated in the notices of the meetings sent to all active
members.
SECTION 8. Fifteen members shall
constitute a quorum at all general meetings. A quorum of six shall be required
at all meetings of the General Committee. Members may participate via
teleconference or other such technologies where all members may hear and speak
with one-another.
ARTICLE VII
SECTION l. A proposed amendment(s) to this Constitution shall be prepared in writing, signed by at least five (5) members and delivered to the Secretary. The Secretary shall present it to the General Committee, which may, with the consent of the proposers, revise it or amend it.
SECTION 2. At the next regular
business meeting or at a special meeting called for the purpose, but in no case
sooner than one month after its original delivery to the Secretary, the
proposed amendment(s) shall be read to the members by the Secretary and tabled.
SECTION 3. At the next regular
business meeting, or at a special meeting called for the purpose, the proposed
amendment(s) shall be read by the Secretary, discussed by the membership and
voted upon. A favorable vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the Honored members present
shall be necessary for adoption. The amendment(s) shall be effective as soon as
adopted, unless otherwise provided for in the amendment.
ARTICLE VIII
RATIFICATION
This Constitution shall become effective
when approved by the signatures of fifty (50) members.
October 8, 1952
This is the Constitution of the Old Guard
of Camp Glen Gray effective as
Amended: June 14, 1999, and August 2000,
January 2004, May 2004.