ByLaws
of the
DESCENDANTS OF AMERICAN REVOLUTION PATRIOTS
Founding Fathers
Charter Chapter
Established April 30, 2012
ARTICLE I MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the Descendants of American Revolution Patriots, hereinafter called the “DOARP,” will be granted to male and female members in good standing of current American Revolutionary Societies. Certificates from any National, State, or Local Society will serve as qualification for membership.
Section 2. Application for membership shall be processed through the appointed Registrar/Genealogist of the DOARP on the forms approved by the DOARP.
Section 3: DOARP Membership Application Fee shall be set at $10.00 for any applicant holding current Certification in another American Revolutionary Society. Membership Application Fee for new ancestral documentation shall be set at $50.00.
Section 4. Spouses of Descendant members are eligible to be Auxiliary Members of the DOARP.
Section 5. Any child under the age of eighteen of a DOARP member shall be eligible to be a Junior Member of DOARP, promoting to Full Membership at age eighteen.
Section 6. DOARP Annual Dues shall be set at $20 and due prior to December 31 for the next ensuing year.
Section 7. Changes to Membership Dues and Expenditures will be decided by simple majority of members voting. Response must be within 10 working days of notice date.
ARTICLE II MEETINGS
Section 1. THE DOARP shall hold quarterly meetings. The President shall determine the meeting date, time and location. The quarterly meetings shall be held in February, April, July, and October.
Section 2. The President shall call Special Meetings as his/her discretion.
Section 3. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee no later than October of each election year. This committee shall make its report no later than the November following. A Special Meeting will then be scheduled where an election of officers for the upcoming year shall be conducted, as per procedures in Article III, Section 2, of the Bylaws. These new officers shall be installed at the Annual Meeting in February. The newly installed officers shall take office immediately after installation.
ARTICLE III OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the DOARP, who shall serve following their installation and until their successors assume office shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary/Historian, Treasurer, and Registrar/Genealogist. The elected officers are the President, Vice President, Secretary/Historian, and Treasurer.
Section 2. No later than October of each Election Year, the President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of three (3) members, one of whom shall be named the Chairman. The committee shall nominate candidates for office from active participants of the DOARP that have worked to further the society’s interests and goals, and shall make a report of such nominees at a Special Meeting in November. The Nominating Committee shall obtain from each nominee his/her consent to serve in the position for which he/she is to be nominated. Sometime before the Annual Meeting in February, a Special Meeting will be called for election of officers.
Nominations for any office may be made from the floor, but if no such nominations are received, then the presiding officer shall call for a voice vote to elect the slate of nominees as presented by the Nominating Committee. If nominations have been made from the floor, ballots shall be distributed so those members in attendance may vote secretly for all contested officers. The person receiving a simple majority of votes cast for any office shall be declared elected. Nobody shall be entitled to vote for the election of officers who is not at the time a member in good standing of the DOARP.
Section 3. Officers so elected to the DOARP shall be installed at the Annual Meeting in February and shall serve two years.
ARTICLE IV DUTIES OF OFFICERS AND MEMBERS
Section 1. All Officers and Members shall conduct themselves at all times so that by their actions they shall cast honor upon the name of the Descendants Of American Revolution Patriots.
Section 2. The President shall be the principal elective officer of the organization and shall preside at meetings of the DOARP. He/she has neither command nor veto authority. He/she shall enforce strict observance of the DOARP Bylaws.
In case of the resignation or death of a President, the Vice President shall become President, and the office of Vice President shall be left vacant until the next election of officers.
Section 3. The Vice President shall preside in the absence of the President.
Section 4. The Secretary / Historian shall record and preserve the minutes of the meetings of the DOARP; he/she shall read and present for approval by the members the minutes of the previous Business Meeting at each Business Meeting; he/she shall conduct all correspondence of the DOARP except where specifically necessary by another officer; he/she shall retain and file copies of essential correspondence; he/she shall maintain the official Chapter membership card files (or equivalent); and he/she shall prepare and submit to the DOARP reports as necessary.
As Historian, he/she shall maintain the History and Archives of the DOARP; he/she shall do such historical research as is necessary, he/she shall compile each year a record of the Officers of the DOARP, the names of all members at the beginning of the year, those deceased during the year or removed from active membership, new members, and all activities of the DOARP worthy of mention; and he/she shall maintain the DOARP Scrapbook.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall receive all monies from whatever source derived for the DOARP and pay all just bills, keeping accurate, clear accounting of the same; he/she shall record the payment of all dues and keep a list of delinquent members.
- The Treasurer shall ensure that the Bank that handles the DOARP’s account have on file a signature card with the three signatures of the President, Secretary and the Treasurer to ensure financial continuity should the Treasurer be unavailable.
- The Treasurer must confer with the President and/or the Secretary on large ticket expenditures.
- Expenditures only require one signature of any Officer listed on file with the Bank.
- The Treasurer shall provide and distribute to the members a Treasurer’s Report at each quarterly meeting.
Section 6. The Registrar/Genealogist shall receive, review and process applications for membership in the DOARP; he/she shall maintain copies of the various applications for membership, youth and supplemental; he/she shall submit all applications to the DOARP Registrar. He/she shall assist prospects for membership in meeting the genealogical requirements of the Society; and he/she shall foresee that the DOARP has an adequate supply of application forms, work sheets, membership promotion brochures, and such other forms and applications as are required. He/she shall maintain custody of this inventory.
ARTICLE V CHAPTER COMMITTEES
Section 1. The President shall after his/her election appoint members who shall serve for one year or until their successors are appointed for the following Chapter Committees as each committee is initiated:
Eagle Scout Committee* – This committee is responsible for contacting the Boy Scout Council Office (or State Committee representative) for a list of Eagle Scouts for the membership period. All candidates will be reviewed by this committee to determine the DOARP certificate and award recipients. (*Eagle Scout Committee and Award was eliminated at regular meeting by vote of Members Present June 8, 2014.)
Graves and Landmarks Committee – This committee is responsible for seeking out and researching Revolutionary Graves and Landmarks; and endeavoring to furnish and arrange for the dedication of appropriate markers by the DOARP. The Committee is encouraged to work with appropriate historical, genealogical and patriotic organizations and sources to locate Revolutionary Graves and Landmarks.
Color Guard Committee – This committee is responsible for coordinating with the DeLeusomme Color Guard unit for participation in appropriate ceremonial events.
JROTC Committee – This committee is responsible for working with area high school
JROTC Units selected by the DOARP in order to foster the principle of the "citizen-
Once each year JROTC Cadets are asked to participate in an essay contest on “How America’s Constitution Makes Her Different From Other Nations.” Certificate and monetary awards are granted to the winners. Recipients are selected by the Commanding Officer of the JROTC unit.
Trail Life USA Committee – (Effective June 8, 2014, by action of Members Present) This committee is responsible for contacting the Trail Life USA Representative for a list of Freedom Award and Ready Trailmen Award recipients for the membership period. All candidates will be reviewed by this committee to determine the DOARP certificate and award recipients. This committee will also work to determine the criteria for the new badge created by the DOARP, the Founding Fathers badge, a badge earned by learning about the Founding Fathers of America thru various projects (to be determined).
Section 2. Committee Chairmen shall be responsible for the proper and timely functioning of their committees and in the absence of committee members shall request the President to make temporary appointments to assure that the functions of their committee shall not be nullified.
ARTICLE VI ORDER
The rules contained in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern in all cases in which they are applicable.
ARTICLE VII FINAL AUTHORITY
Final authority in the affairs of the DOARP shall be in the membership, provided there is no conflict with the Bylaws of the DOARP. Once a decision has been made by the Membership, it cannot be rescinded without simple majority of members responding. Response may be by phone, fax, email, or U S Mail, within five (5) working days of date of notice.
ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws of the DOARP may be altered or amended by affirmative action of the active members in a regular or special meeting by simple majority affirmative action of the members present. Proposed amendments must be presented in writing to the membership at least 10 days prior to the meeting in which the vote on the changes will occur.