ARTICLE I. NAME

The name of this corporation shall be “Northwest Quilters, Inc.” This corporation shall conduct business under the parliamentary guidelines of Robert’s Rules of Order.

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

The purposes for which this corporation is formed are:

1. To provide the opportunity for quilters to enjoy fellowship and exchange ideas and techniques for quilting.

2. To encourage others to quilt and to provide information about quilting and sources of supply for patterns, materials, equipment and publications.

3. To organize shows and demonstrations so the public may enjoy viewing the quilts, see the quilters at work, and may, in some instances, purchase quilts and/or quilting materials.

4. To cooperate with schools and other non-profit organizations by furnishing displays and demonstrations.

5. To provide assistance in charitable projects for our community.

ARTICLE III. NON-PROFIT

The corporation shall not be for profit and no part of its assets shall inure to the benefit of any individual member, but shall be used exclusively for the purposes of the corporation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170 (c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).

ARTICLE IV. AMENDMENTS

The Constitution may be amended at any regularly scheduled General meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present. The proposed change shall appear in the Patchword prior to the date on which the vote is scheduled.

ARTICLE V. DISSOLUTION

Upon the winding up and dissolution of this corporation, after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the corporation, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation, or corporation which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, education, religious and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

ARTICLE I. MEMBERSHIP

Members of Northwest Quilters, Inc. are encouraged to attend Executive Board meetings and aid in the planning and execution of all NWQ events. All members shall receive the newsletter, Patchword.

Section 1. Membership in Northwest Quilters, Inc. is open to all persons interested in promoting the art of quilting.

Section 2. Membership shall be obtained by filling out the membership form and submitting it, along with the annual dues, to the membership chairperson.

Section 3. Membership shall be on a yearly rolling-renewable basis, renewable in the month of joining and delinquent if not paid by the end of that month. This is effective July 1, 2024, for members joining after June 30, 2024. Members who joined prior to July 1, 2024, will renew yearly by June 30.

Section 4. Annual dues shall be established by the Executive Board on a yearly basis and collected by the membership chairperson.

Section 5. The Northwest Quilters, Inc. Membership Guide and Roster is for the exclusive use within the guild for the purpose of guild-related communications. All member information, including names, addresses, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses, is not to be used or sold either by the guild or any individual within the guild for any purpose. Nor is it to be disseminated in any way outside the guild membership.

ARTICLE II. OFFICERS

There shall be four officers elected by the general membership. They shall be President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. These officers shall constitute the Executive Committee. Officers shall be elected to a one-year term and serve without pay. All elected officers shall be fully bonded by the Corporation. In the event of a vacancy in an elected office, the President shall appoint a replacement who has been approved by the Executive Committee to serve the remainder of the term.

Section 1. President: The President shall be the chief executive officer of the corporation.

Section 2. Vice President: The Vice President shall aid the President as deemed necessary. In the absence, disability, or upon the request of the President, the Vice President shall perform the duties of the President. The Vice President is the President Elect and as such shall be the first nominee for President in the following year.

Section 3. Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the official records of the corporation, including the minutes of the business meetings, and shall prepare a summary of the minutes of each meeting to be published in the Patchword.

Section 4. Treasurer: The Treasurer shall receive all funds for the corporation and shall properly safeguard them. The Treasurer shall disburse funds in the manner approved by the Corporation. All funds received shall be deposited in a bank, the deposits of which are insured by the Federal Deposits Insurance Corporation in the name of NWQ Corporation. The Treasurer shall prepare financial reports to be presented at the monthly Executive Board business meetings, a summary of which shall be printed in the Patchword. The Treasurer shall also prepare an annual report to be published in the Patchword at the end of each fiscal year. The fiscal year is July 1 to June 30.

ARTICLE III. EXECUTIVE BOARD

The Executive Board shall consist of the Executive Committee (i.e., elected officers), the appointed Standing Committee Chairpersons, and Advisor, all of whom must be current members of Northwest Quilters, Inc. Each elected officer and each standing committee shall have one vote at executive board meetings.

ARTICLE IV. ELECTIONS

Officers shall be nominated and elected each year at a general membership meeting, the date to be announced by the Executive Committee.

Section 1. Members unable to vote at a meeting can receive an absentee ballot by sending a SASE to the President. The request must be received at least 10 days in advance of the meeting and the voted ballot must be returned to the President by the date of the vote.

Section 2. Installation of officers shall be at the June general membership meeting.

ARTICLE V. MEETINGS

General membership meetings shall be held once a month except for July. Executive Board Business meetings will be scheduled when necessary, during the year.

ARTICLE VI. NEWSLETTER

The Patchword shall be the official publication of Northwest Quilters, Inc. The Patchword shall be mailed no fewer than five times each year to all members.

ARTICLE VII. AMENDMENTS

The By-Laws of the Corporation may be amended at any regularly scheduled General Membership meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present. Any proposed change in the By-Laws shall appear in the Patchword published prior to the meeting date.

ARTICLE VIII. ADVISOR

The current President shall select a Past President to serve on the Executive Board in a non-voting advisory capacity.

 

ARTICLE I. MEETINGS

Section 1. A schedule of NWQ general membership meetings shall be printed yearly in the Roster, and a monthly meeting schedule shall be printed in the Patchword.

Section 2. Meetings shall include the following:

General Meetings: Show & Tell, Library, Block of the Month, Program, Introduction of New Members and Guests, brief Committee Reports and Announcements.

Executive Board Business Meetings: Committee Reports, Treasurer’s Report, Budget Items, Current Agenda Items.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Adult membership in Northwest Quilters, Inc. is open to any person 18 years of age or older who has paid the annual dues. A new member is an individual who has never been a dues-paying member of NWQ, Inc.

Section 2. Business membership in Northwest Quilters, Inc. is open to any person who has a quilt-related business. Business members receive all benefits as stated in our Standing Rules, Article II, Section 5, plus additional benefits including free listing in each issue of the newsletter, separate listing of business members in the Roster with an optional listing for one person in the members listing, and one free 1/3 page ad in the newsletter each year.

Section 3. Youth membership is open to young persons below the age of 18. Youth members must be accompanied by an adult member who will be responsible for encouraging and directing appropriate behavior during meetings. Youth members will not be placed in a position of directing adult activity. Dues for youth membership are one half the adult membership dues and include listed membership benefits with the exception of holding office or committee chairperson positions and attending retreats.

Section 4: Dues

4a. Annual dues are paid on a rolling-renewal basis. For members who joined prior to July 1, 2024, dues are renewable June 1st and delinquent June 30th. For members joining after June 30, 2024, dues are renewable on the 1st and delinquent on the final day of the month of joining.

4b. Guild dues for new and renewing members are $50.00 for adults, $25.00 for youth, and $80.00 for business members; this includes the monthly newsletter available on the website.

Section 5. The benefits of membership include: newsletters, an online Membership Guide and Roster, use of the library and first consideration at NWQ activities that are offered in addition to the monthly general meeting. A printed copy of the Membership Guide and Roster can be obtained for a small fee; and, if mailing is necessary, it can be mailed for a second small fee to cover mailing. New members will receive a membership pin, a complimentary printed copy of the Membership Guide & Roster, a cloth name tag logo, and opportunities to participate in orientation meetings. Volunteer service for the NWQ annual quilt show entitles members to free admission to all days of the quilt show.

Section 6. All members are encouraged to volunteer on the Executive Board and/orother guild activities.

ARTICLE III. STANDING COMMITTEES

The Executive Board shall consist of the Executive Committee (i.e., elected officers), the appointed Standing Committee Chairpersons, and Advisor, all of whom must be current members of Northwest Quilters, Inc. Each elected officer and each standing committee shall have one vote at executive board meetings. Current Standing Committees are:

Audio/Visual 

Meeting Set up &Take down

Retreats

Block Lotto 

Membership 

Show & Tell

Business Member Liaison 

New Member Program 

Small Quilt Groups

Challenge Quilts 

Parliamentarian 

Social Media

Comforting Quilts 

Patchword Editor 

Raffle Quilt

Community Outreach 

Programs & Workshops 

Sunshine & Shadows

Door Prizes 

Publicity 

Webmaster

Free Table 

Quilt Show

Library 

Volunteer Coordinator

Section 1. All Standing Committees are subject to change as deemed necessary by the President.

Section 2. Additional Standing Committees may be established as necessary by the President.

Section 3. Each Standing Committee Chairperson shall receive a notebook with an updated job description.

ARTICLE IV. AMENDMENTS

Standing Rules of the Corporation may be amended at any time at an Executive Board Meeting by a majority of the Board members present.

ARTICLE V. CERTIFICATE OF APPRECIATION FOR SERVICE

TO NORTHWEST QUILTERS*

Section 1. Procedure:

1.1 A person will be recommended by two or more members of NWQ. Therecommendations will be in writing and will include specific information about contributions made to the guild.

1.2 The decision to give an award will be by a majority vote of the NWQ Board members.

1.3 Only one Certificate of Appreciation will be awarded in a fiscal year. If two or more persons are a part of a group being considered together, the award will be shared.

1.4 An annual announcement or call for recommendations will be printed in the January newsletter. Letters would need to be sent to the NWQ President by March 31. The award will be presented at the June NWQ meeting.

1.5 It is not required that an award be given each year.

*This Certificate of Appreciation award has replaced the practice of awarding Life-time Memberships. This change does not apply to current Lifetime Membership holders who will continue in that membership status.

ARTICLE VI. FINANCIAL AUDIT and LOSS PREVENTION

Section 1. Financial Audit

An audit committee shall be appointed by the President at the end of each fiscal year (June 30) to conduct an annual audit. The committee shall consist of at least four members, five members if there is an outgoing treasurer; two members at large and one other Board member. A report shall be made to the membership at the next general meeting and a summarized report will be posted in the Patchword.

Section 2. Loss Prevention

Section 2.1 Any volunteer involved in financial matters, with the exception of professional financial assistance (ie., CPA, auditor, bookkeeper, tax preparer), must be a current member of Northwest Quilters, Inc.

Section 2.2 Northwest Quilters, Inc.’s Treasurer will provide no less than the following documents on a monthly basis to the Executive Board: Financial Overview, all Transactions by Heading and Category of the checking and savings accounts, and Current Record of Designated Funds.

Section 2.3 Refund and reimbursement policies will be followed, which require two signatures, to mitigate loss.