Article I - Name and Location
This organization shall be known as the Evergreen Piecemakers Quilt Guild.  The headquarters shall be in Kent, Washington.

Article II - Purpose 
The purpose of the organization is:

1. To promote the art of quilting and quilt making by workshops, lectures, and exhibitions offered to members and the general public.

2. To preserve the heritage of quilt making and quilt appreciation.

3. To provide an informational base for those interested in quilt making and related arts and encourage excellence in those areas.

4. To provide a source of inspiration and fellowship for quilt enthusiasts.

5. To enrich our lives by the commitment of donations related to quilts and other fiber arts (i.e. quilts, scholarships, time or efforts) to deserving organizations, hospitals, groups or individuals.

Article III - Membership

1. Membership is open to those persons who are interested in the purpose of this organization regardless of sex, age, race or creed.

2. The amount of the annual dues shall be established by the Executive Board upon approval of the membership.  Dues will be pro-rated for partial year membership as determined by the Executive Board.

3. Membership is based on the fiscal year beginning January 1 and ending December 31.

4. Members are welcome to bring guests to any meeting.

Article IV - Officers

The officers of the organization shall be President or Co-Presidents.  Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.  They shall be elected by the general membership.

1. President or Co-Presidents - The President or Co-President shall be responsible for presiding at all Executive Board and General Membership meetings.  The President or Co-Presidents shall be charged with the general management and supervision of the Evergreen Piecemakers Quilt Guild.  The President or Co-Presidents shall be the ex-officio member(s) of all committees and shall perform all other duties as may be incidental to the office or as may be required by the Executive Board.  During the absence or inability of the President or Co-Presidents, the duties and powers may be exercised by the Vice-President or in the absence of such a person, as the Executive Board shall select.

2. Vice President - The Vice President shall assist the President or Co-Presidents in matters necessary to the functioning of the organization and shall assume the duties of the President or Co-Presidents in the absence of that officer or those officers, shall serve as the program chairperson, assuring that programs and workshops of interest to the membership shall be offered and shall perform all other duties as may be incidental to the office.

3. Secretary - The Secretary shall keep minutes at all general membership and Executive Board meetings, shall present these orally at respective meetings as applicable, shall perform other duties as incidental to this office and are properly required.  The Secretary shall maintain a file system of all minutes for future reference.

4. Treasurer - The Treasurer shall have charge of all funds of the Evergreen Piecemakers Quilt Guild, deposit receipts, and disburse money upon authorization of the Executive Board, shall make reports at the general and Executive Board meetings as to the status of the treasury, shall receive and maintain reports as necessary to file tax returns if required, shall perform other duties as incidental to this office and are properly required.

Article V - Elections and Term of Office

1. A nominating committee shall be selected by the Executive Board for the purpose of selecting nominees for the offices of President or Co-Presidents, Vice-President, Secretary, and Treasurer.

2. The nominating committee shall post names of candidates for each office in the November newsletter.  The committee shall present the names of the candidates for each office orally on the 2nd Monday of November to the general membership. Nominations from the floor shall be accepted at this time.  Following nominations from the committee or from the floor, the election of officers will be held by secret ballot.  These ballots for the election of officers will be accepted from paid members only and will be tabulated by the nominating committee.  Election of the officers shall be determined by a majority vote of membership attending.

3. The terms of office shall be from January 1st to December 31st.

4. No member shall hold more than one (1) office concurrently.

5. Officers may serve no more than two (2) consecutive terms in office.

Article VI - Executive Board

1. The Executive Board shall consist of the President or Co-Presidents, Vice-President, Secretary and the Treasurer.  These officers shall sit on the Executive Board concurrently with the terms of office.

2. The Executive Board shall make recommendations to the general membership via the President or Co-Presidents.

3. Executive Board meetings may be called as necessary for the management of the organization. One (1) week's notice should be given whenever possible.  Any member may request a meeting with the Executive Board.

4. The Executive Board shall have the authority to make decisions as necessary without the vote or approval of the membership as long as those decisions are in the best interests of the organization, especially for the completion of pertinent business. Any expenditures by the Executive Board without the vote of approval of the general membership shall not exceed $200.00.

5. Any vacancy occurring on the Executive Board shall be filed by appointment by the Executive Board until a general meeting of the membership, at which time the members shall elect said officer to serve the duration of unexpired term of office.

Article VII - Audits

1. The Executive Board shall appoint two (2) members, neither of which shall be officers, to make annual audits of the financial records.

2. The annual audit shall take place in December, prior to the Treasurer taking or continuing in office. Audits may be called at any time necessary for such reasons as vacation of office during a term of office of for any suspect reasons as deemed by the Executive Board.

Article VIII - Committees

Committees shall be established as required to satisfy the programs and needs of the Evergreen Piecemakers Quilt Guild for orderly and timely implementation by interested members. Committee activities will be based upon budgeted items and will require Executive Board approval for additional expenditures.  Members may serve on more than one committee, but a Chairperson may head only one committee.  Committee activities shall be supervised by the Executive Board.

1. Committee chairpersons shall be selected by the Executive Board.

2. Committee chairpersons shall administer their respective activities and be responsible to the Executive Board.

3. In case of a committee vacancy, the Executive Board shall select a new chairperson.

Section 2 - Conference

1.  When a conference is to be held, the committee shall consist of a Chairperson, Co-chairperson and a Registrar.  The committee may be supplemented as needed.

2. All funds collected shall be held in a separate account from the organization's general fund. Signers on the account shall be the President or Co-Presidents, Chairperson, Co-chairperson with two (2) signatures required for all expenditures.

3. This account shall be maintained by the Chairperson and be audited following the close of the conference.

Section 3 - Block of the Month

1. Participants in the Block of the Month must be members of Evergreen Piecemakers Quilt Guild.

2. Any member participating in the Block of the Month must be issued the "Rules for Block of the Month" and agree to said rules.  Click Here for Rules.

3. The Block of the Month committee shall keep complete records.  These records shall be audited in December as an annual audit.

Article IX - Meetings

1. Meetings shall be held semi-monthly on the second (2nd) and fourth (4th) Mondays of the month.  The first meeting of the month shall be the business meeting with Show and Tell.  The second meeting of the month shall be a program.  These meetings may be switched at the discretion of the Executive Board to allow for scheduling desired programs with date conflicts.  Meetings may be canceled due to holiday conflicts.

2. Planning meetings may be called by the President and Co-Presidents before a regular business meeting or by the Executive Board as deemed necessary for the management of the organization.

3. Passage of a business item shall be declared by a majority vote for the members present.

4. Fees for program nights shall be determined by the teacher/speaker providing the program.  Members providing programs will be paid an applicable rate with a minimum of $35.

Article X - Workshops

1. Workshops shall be scheduled by the Vice-President and offered to the membership first and then the general public when space is available.

2. Fees for the workshop will be determined by the cost of the instructor and space to hold the workshop.

3. Attendance at the workshop requires full payment of the fees to the workshop organizer by mail or at the Guild meeting following a signup.  A waiting list will be maintained if demand is greater than class space, so a paid participant can find a replacement if the paid participant must cancel.  However, it is the responsibility of the paid participant to find the replacement, and there will be no refund.

Article XI - Amendments

1. This organization shall have the full power at any regularly scheduled business meeting to amend these By-Laws by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

2. The amendment shall be proposed to the Executive Board in writing at not less than one regularly scheduled business membership meeting prior to that at which it is to be placed before the general membership for a vote on adoption.

3. All members must be notified of the proposed amendment at least one (1) month prior to the vote for adoption of the amendment, either orally or via newsletter.

Article XII - Dissolution

1. Should the Evergreen Piecemakers Quilt Guild be dissolved, all monetary assets remaining after payment of outstanding debts shall be donated to an agreed upon charitable organization.

2. Physical Assets shall be auctioned to the general membership with proceeds going to said charitable organization.

Original By-Laws adopted on February 24, 1981

Amended on January 14, 1985

Amended on November 14, 1988 (complete By-Laws)

Amended on February 15, 1989 (Article IX)

Amended on June 10, 1996 (Article X, Paragraph 3)

Amended on November 10, 2003