Order of WhiteOak Constitution

The
Order of The WhiteOak

A World Druid Council

Constitution

ARTICLE I- NAME

1.1. The name of this corporation shall be;

'The Order of the White Oak'  A World Druid Council (Ord na Darach Gile - Comhairle Domhanda na nDrao)

Our motto shall be;

"Nothing without effort" (Tada gan iarracht)

Our guiding principle is "What we do for ourselves dies with us - what we do for others is immortal' (￉agann an n￭ a dh￩anaimid dinn f￩in- Maireann an n￭ a dh￩anaimid do ch￡ch go s￭ora￭)

1.2. The principal address of the corporation shall be:

c/o E. E. Hopman P.O. Box 219, Amherst, MA 01004 USA

or any location as the Council of Elders may, from time to time, establish by resolution and place.

ARTICLE II- CORPORATE PURPOSES

2.1. This organization is formed exclusively as a religious Church Corporation and is not organized for the private gain of any person or persons.

2.2. The Corporation has the specific and primary purpose of creating, fostering and practicing the spiritual and cultural teachings of a Druid Reconstructionist Religion, and to facilitate communications with and between different Celtic Earth Based Religions and Druid Orders worldwide..

2.3. The Corporation shall have power to establish, modify or dissolve schools and other affiliated religious Orders, Lodges, Groves and groups, as determined by the Council of Elders. In keeping with the rules of the Order, every Initiated Whiteoak Druid is a Grove of one.

2.4 The Corporation  retains the right to remove any non-member or initiated member from Order when the removee's actions, philosophies, or motives are found to not be in keeping with the goals and philosophies of order. This action shall require a two-thirds majority of the Council of Elders. 2.4.a If a member or non-member is removed from Order, any initiations, recognitions, credentials, or acknowledgments bestowed prior to the removal will not be stripped. However, the removee's will lose the official and public sanction and support of Order. If the Council of Elders feels it necessary, a public statement shall be made, elucidating the removal and loss of support. 2.4.b The Corporation (Order) retains the right to remove any non-member or initiated member from the Order Yahoo email list (or other like means of Order communication) when the removee's actions, philosophies, or motives are found to not be in keeping with the goals and philosophies of Order.

2.4.1. In accordance with the Litany which ultimately governs the spiritual/philosophical portion of the Corporation, the Order will in no manner prevent a member from leaving of their own accord. Should a member in good standing choose to leave the Order, and should they be part of an existing Chapter or Grove; they shall notify first their own Grove of their intent, at the same time copying any communications with regards to their intent to the Arch Druids, Officers, or Council of Elders for consideration and notification. Further, should a member in good standing choose to leave the Order, their name and records will not be expunged from the membership roles but rather moved to an inactive membership role function in the event they wish to return to the Order and Corporation.

2.5. The corporation shall have power to publicize, publish, promote, celebrate, teach, research, and explore any and all material which may bear upon its beliefs, philosophies, theology, and religious, history, ancient or modern.

2.6. The corporation shall have the power to apply for and receive grants, accept bequests and to establish and maintain an endowment fund.

2.7. The corporation shall have the power to own property, for the purpose of carrying out the above.

2.8. Not withstanding the above statements of purpose and powers, the corporation shall not engage in activities that in themselves are not a furtherance of the purposes set forth in this article.

2.9. The corporation shall conduct its activities in accordance with Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

ARTICLE III- PECUNIARY GAIN

3.1. No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its members, Elders, Officers, or other private persons, except that the corporation 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 II hereof.

3.2. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. While the Order encourages members to be politically active within their communities, in their conscience and work, they may not speak or write or in any manner disseminate information or promotional material for a candidate which may endorse a candidate under the name or auspices of the Order of the Whiteoak, nor any permutation of that name as listed in the agreed naming in Section I.

3.3.The Order of the Whiteoak encourages its members to be politically knowledgeable and to follow their conscience. Members are encouraged to discuss political, scientific, environmental, and historical issues in order to develop strong personal ethics and to motivate themselves and others to do good in the world. The Order may, from time to time, issue opinion statements and writings on global ethical issues such as war, global warming, environmental emergencies, and other important social concerns.

3.4. Notwithstanding any other provision of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

ARTICLE IV- DURATION

4.1. The period of duration of this corporation shall be perpetual.

ARTICLE V- PERSONAL LIABILITY

5.1. Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Officers and/or board, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all the liabilities of the corporation, the remaining Church corporation properties and assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. Said distribution shall be in keeping within a basic harmony of the church Corporation beliefs.

5.1.1. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Corporation is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are operated exclusively for such purpose.

5.2. The Members, Officers, Elders and Founders of the corporation shall have no personal liability for the debts of the corporation.

ARTICLE VI- CAPITAL STOCK

6.1. The corporation shall have no capital stock and shall have no authority to issue shares.

ARTICLE VII- THE COUNCIL OF ELDERS

7.1 The Council of Elders shall consist of these and other titles;

The first title is Taoiseach - Chosen Chief (to speak publicly for the Order) There shall always be two Chosen Chiefs - one based in the US and another based in Britain, Ireland, or any other non-US territory. The Original American Chosen Chief is Ellen Evert Hopman (Saille). The Original European Chief is Craig (Mhaille).  The positions of the Chosen Chiefs are life long positions.

The second title is Draoi - magician - (to manage the website and other internet tasks). 

The third title is Brehon - peace keeper/law keeper - (moderator for the public Druid/Pagan discussion list)

The fourth title is Mu/inteoir - teacher - (to supervise the group training of Dedicants) This position shall be held by all members of the Council.

The fifth title is Drui - Three Druids shall be elected from the Initiates to provide philosophical advice to the counsel. They will have the responsibility of keeping the list serve alive by posing philosophical, ethical, mundane, and religious questions and by encouraging discourse on the list. They will bring articles of interest to the list.

7.2  The Council of Elders shall be a permanent body of the Order.  If at any time the Council consists of a even number, one Council member will abstain from voting.  Each Elder shill take a turn at abstaining to prevent any deadlocking on an issue, until such a time as when the Council does have an odd number. 

7.3. All theological and the business direction for the Order of the WhiteOak shall be overseen by the Council of Elders, which shall be composed entirely of Initiates. The Council of Elders supersedes and can override all Groves, Initiates and members in matters that are deemed by the Council Elders to be of a spiritual nature or may inappropriately impact the beliefs and philosophies of the Order.

7.3.1  The founding members of the Order shall be life long members of the Order and of the Council of  Elders. The founding Members of the Order of the White Oak are: Ellen Evert Hopman (Saille), Craig (Mhaille), Daibhi O'Broder and Shane R. Novy (Coisiche). These Elders will act in any capacity as needed by the Council of Elders.

7.3 If there is a consensus that an Elder is not fulfilling their role, a "vote of confidence" may be taken by the Council and the resulting vote will result in the order that the seat become vacant and that a   pro-term Elder be selected.

7.4 The Council of Elders is empowered to remove any member from the membership roles for cause as stated in this Constitution.

7.5. The appointment process to the Council of Elders shall be prescribed in the Council's working documents.

7.6. The primary authoritative spokespersons for the theological direction of the Order shall be known as the Co-Arch Druids who shall be selected from the Council of Elders by the Council of Elders and shall hold the position for as long as they remain in the Order. The Arch Druids shall preside over meetings of the Council of Elders.

7.7  The Council of Elders may, on a case by case basis, approve waivers to requirements for Levels of Achievement when it believes that such a waiver is in the best interests of the Individual, their Grove, and/or the Order.

ARTICLE VIII-  BOARD OF TRUSTEES:

8.1. The initial Board of Trustees will consist of the founders (Craig Melia, Ellen Evert Hopman, Daibhaid O'Broder and Shane R. Novy) and are appointed for a period of nine (9) years and one Trustee elected from the membership for two years with subsequent elected terms of three (3) years. This to provide a consistent direction during the early years of the Order. At the end of nine (9) years, board tenure will convert to a Board of Trustees consisting of at least three (3) members of the corporation, each elected for the term of three (3) years at the regular annual meeting of the corporation. No more than two thirds of the Board may be elected at any one given annual meeting.

8.2. All of the members of the Board shall be members in good standing. Should any vacancy occur in the Board, the vacancy may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the Board. Trustees may serve concurrently as Officers with one vote per person, not per seat. There is no limit to the number of terms a Trustee may serve.

8.3. The names and addresses of the Board of Trustees are available from the Order Office.

8.3.1. All Trustee positions are elected

8.3.2. The business of the Order shall be conducted by the Board of Trustees. The size of the Board has seven seats. The corporate Officers: President, Vice-president, Secretary, and Treasurer and three (3) Trustees. The terms of office for the Trustees shall be staggered so that no more than two-thirds of trustees shall be elected in one election. Increases in the number of Trustees may increase with membership.

8.3.3. The Board shall have the responsibility of establishing policy to achieve the objectives of the Order as stated in Article II of these Constitution.

8.4. The Board of Trustees shall meet at least bi-annually.

8.5. A simple majority of Board members shall constitute a quorum for conducting business at any meeting of the Board of Trustees. Teleconferencing (or the use of any technological medium) is acceptable to create a quorum.

8.6. Board members shall receive electronic notice, written notice, or a telephone call from the secretary informing them of each Board meeting. Notice shall be given no less than ten (10) days prior to each meeting.

8.7. The Board shall hold such meetings as may be necessary for conducting business of the Corporation. Meetings of the Board may be called by the Arch Druids, the President, in his/her absence, by the Vice-president or any two trustees..

8.8. The Board of Trustees shall be empowered to employ or dismiss (replace) for administrative oversight an Officer whose duties will be determined by the Board of Trustees in a written policy and duty statement. The President may hire a staff to carry out the goals and policies of the Board of Trustees.

8.9. The Board shall appoint members of the Order to fill an unexpired term which may become vacant on the Board of Trustees. Should a Trustee be absent from a majority of board meetings during the year, the office may be declared vacant and a new Trustee appointed by the Board.

8.10. The Trustees may be compensated for their services as authorized by the membership or this Constitution.

8.11.The Board of Trustees are responsible for the development of a personnel policy when necessary, a long range plan and whatever other policies are needed to carry out the purposes of the Order, as stated in the Constitution. These policies should be reviewed annually and revised as needed.

8.12. The Council of Elders may remove any member of the Board of Trustees or Officer who is found to be acting in a manner that is detrimental to the Order and its mission.

Notice of the proposed removal will be given to the members prior to meeting or of a special meeting called for this purpose. The person involved shall be given the opportunity to be heard at the meeting where his or her removal is considered.

ARTICLE IX- OFFICERS:

9.1. The Officers shall consist of: a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer(Buachaill - cow herder) .

9.2. Officers with the exception of the Treasurer, shall be elected by the membership and shall serve terms as established in the corporation's Constitution. Any Officer may be removed for cause by the Council and, upon any vacancy, the board may fill such vacancy by a majority vote for the unexpired term of the Officer.

9.3. The Officers with the Board of Trustees shall manage the affairs of the Order, subject to such regulations and restrictions as may be prescribed by the Order and within these Constitution.

9.4. The Officers, and the Board of Trustees shall be elected every three years by ballot, by the Orders' members.  Three consecutive terms shall the limit and Officers shall hold their office until their successors have been elected.

9.5. The retiring President  may then be elected to a voting trustee position or shall assume a position on the Council of Elders. The choice is theirs to make.

9.6. Elections will be held every three years and will be done by electronic ballot.

9.7. The Order of the WhiteOak - World Druid Council is and shall be an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate based on race, color, age, national origin, marital status, disability, creed, religious or political affiliation, sex or sexual preference. All vacancies whether paid or volunteer will be filled on the basis of qualifications the applicant has in relation to the job requirements.

ARTICLE X-  DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS OF THE ORDER:

10.1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the Order and its Officers. If the President is absent at any meeting, the Vice President shall assume his/her duties. The President will act as the liaison between the board and the Vice President. The President with the help of the Vice President shall determine the agenda for all meetings. The President must be capable of administering the workings of the entire church Corporation, including but not limited to the following:

10.1.1. act as Chairperson of the Board of Trustees;

10.1.2. act as Chairperson of the general membership meeting;

10.1.3. administer operations of the entire Order Corporation;

10.1.4. delegate responsibility to ensure smooth operation of the Corporation as a whole;

10.1.5. issue an annual State of the Order Report to the membership;

10.1.6. orchestrate the planning and scheduling for the implementation and operation of all major Corporate projects;

10.1.7. oversee the disbursement and use of all Corporate funds and;

10.1.8. all other powers and duties delegated by the Constitution.

10.2. The Vice President shall assume the office of President should the President be unable to execute his/her duties. The Vice President shall also be in charge of activities directly related to the membership, ie., programs for the membership and membership recruitment.

10.2.1. Must be able to take over the administration of the Order Corporation in the event that the President is unable to continue in that capacity, and;

10.2.2. substitute for the President at any corporate event, meeting, or function in the event the President is unable to attend; and

10.2.3. any other duties or responsibilities as delegated in the Constitution or by the Board of Trustees.

10.3. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of all meetings of the Order and of the Board of Trustees. The Secretary shall keep a roll of the members, and give a report on both at the annual meeting. The Secretary shall maintain a current membership list in electronic and hard copy and will have a current membership list present at all Order meetings. The Secretary shall work with the office of Treasurer to maintain accurate and up to date membership rolls.

10.3.1.The Secretary shall also conduct the correspondence of the Order, give notice of all meetings, notify committee members of their appointments, and carry on such other correspondence as may be necessary for conducting the affairs of the Order.

10.3.2.The Secretary shall be responsible for notifying members of expiration of membership and default of active status. The Secretary shall be responsible for the annual registration of the Order with the (Massachusetts) Secretary of State's Office. Said duties may be delegated with board approval.

10.3.3. The Secretary must be capable of handling and organizing a large amount of paperwork. Should be proficient in all clerical skills necessary to fulfill the position. The Secretary will supervise any staff member that has been approved by the Board of Trustees to assist with carrying out the responsibilities of this office.

10.3.4. take minutes of all Corporate meetings (in person or by delegation). Record all minutes taken and present latest minutes at current meetings;

10.3.5. keep and file copies of all corporate minutes, correspondence, and other paperwork; and

10.3.6. any other duties or responsibilities as delegated in the Constitution or by the Board of Directors.

10.4. The Treasurer (Buachaill - cow herder) shall collect the dues of members and all subscription donations and allocations of money to the Order. The Treasurer shall work with the office of the Secretary in maintaining accurate membership rolls. The Treasurer shall keep an account of the same and shall make a report thereof at the annual meeting and whenever required by the Order or the Board of Trustees. All Order money is to be kept in an Order bank account. The Treasurer is empowered to open any financial account deemed necessary with any financial institution (such as a bank) for the Order, provided that at least one other Officer is a co-signer. The Treasurer shall pay out moneys of the Order upon presentation of bills approved by the Board of Trustees as attested to by the secretary. At the close of each fiscal year the books shall be audited and a report submitted to the membership.

10.4.1.The Treasurer (Buachaill - cow herder) at the discretion of the Board of Trustees may make disbursements on behalf of the Order without prior approval up to a dollar level specified by the Board.

10.4.2. The Treasurer must be capable of handling the financial aspect of the Order Corporation and provide oversight of any contracted accounting services or Order employees.

10.4.3. keep a clear and accurate record of all corporate finances;

10.4.4. provide regular reports on the financial condition of the Order Corporation for all Corporate meetings, and provide a copy of the record to the Secretary for inclusion in the minutes;

10.4.5. prepare and complete all required reports to the Internal Revenue Service, as set forth by IRS guidelines and requirements;

10.4.6. audit all Corporate checking, savings, escrow, trust, or any other accounts on a periodic basis as determined by the Board of Directors;

10.4.7. audit all Corporate financial records of any coordinators who are in custody of Corporate moneys, and compile a quarterly report for the Board of Trustees,

10.4.8. any other duties as mandated in the Constitution or assigned by the Board of Trustees.

ARTICLE XI-  MEMBERSHIP

11.1. Membership shall consist of those members  who understand the principles of  Reconstructionist Druidism, paid their annual dues and have been accepted by the Board of Trustees or its delegated authority. The form of application shall be that approved by the Board of Trustees or its delegated authority.

11.2.  Life members may be elected by the Council of Elders. The Life Member shall not be required to pay annual dues.

11.3. Voting and other rights and privileges of members are set forth in this Constitution. An individual membership fee covers basic administrative costs and entitles the member to any informational or emergency mailings made that year.

11.4. The Order shall be composed of active and  individual members.

11.5. Change of dues for membership shall be proposed and approved by the Board of Trustees. Policies for prorating of dues for the first year of membership is at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

TYPES OF MEMBERSHIP

11.5.1. Active Membership shall include the following categories: Members shall pay annual dues of no less than twenty-five dollars.  These annual dues may be decreased or increased as needed to continue the administration of the Order.

10.4.2.1. Individual membership - any person may become a member of the Order by payment of annual dues.

10.4.2.3. Family Membership - An Individual which is the second membership at the same address and who does not receive mailings. Family Members may vote at the annual meeting as Individual Members. The Family Membership fee is twelve dollars and fifty cents, in addition to the Active Member membership dues of twenty-five dollars.

10.4.4. Inactive Members: Members failing to pay their dues for more than 60 days after they become payable shall be regarded as inactive members. Inactive members shall have no voting privilege, shall not receive any other benefits of membership until such time as they renew their memberships with payment of their annual dues and such payment is processed as normal.

10.4.5. Life Members: shall not be required to pay dues; they may attend all membership meetings, and they shall have the right to vote. Any individual, in recognition of achievements or for services rendered in line with the purposes of the Order may be elected a life member by the Council of Elders.

10.4.6. Grove Members:  Any Member of a Study/Grove of the Order of the White Oak is a member of The Order of the White Oak by association. Provided that Study/Grove has paid its annual Grove dues.

(see Article XII)

10.4.7. Youth Memberships. Minor children under the age of 18 may join the Order as Youth Members upon filing a Youth Membership Application which includes a signature of parent or guardian granting permission and approval. Dues for Youth Memberships shall be as determined by the Board of Trustees. Youth Members shall have the ability to vote and be given a half vote in Order business, however, Youth Members may not hold office nor be listed in the Membership Directory. The Youth Membership dues is twelve dollars and fifty cents. Persons under the age of sixteen (16) will not be allowed to join the Order or it's discussion lists.

10.5. No person shall be qualified as a member and entitled to vote in regular, special or annual meetings unless his/her annual dues have been paid to the treasurer and his/her name inscribed on the membership list at or in advance of any meeting.

10.6. Members are presumed to have read and understood the Constitution, and any other such documents, manuals or handbooks delineating policy or procedures which are by reference hereby included in and made a part of this Constitution, and that the applicant agrees to abide by the same; Copies of these documents are available through the Secretaries office.

10.7. Any member who violates the code of ethics of the Order or otherwise puts the Order, its members and or the Pagan community at large in a disreputable light may be removed from the membership by the Council of Elders. Such removal may be appealed in writing within 30 days of removal to the office of the Secretary. Notice of Appeal will be distributed to The Council of Elders within ten days of receipt.

ARTICLE XII  THE GROVE

12.1. Every Initiate is able to form a Grove of the Order of White Oak. Should the Initiate decide to take on students and become a group, the group shall be known as a Study Grove. The Initiate shall be known as the Grove Founder and Chief Druid of that Study Grove. The Chief Druid will take on the major responsibilities of administration of the Grove and will act as contact and liaison to the Order. The Grove Founder must also provide the names of member of his/her Grove to the Office of the Secretary for Voting administration. A Grove shall pay an annual Membership fee of no less than fifty dollars.

12.1.1 Once the Chief Druid of a Grove has been Ordained by the Order, their Grove shall be Officially known as a Grove of the Order.

12.2. Groves must abide by WhiteOak beliefs as outlined in the Litany, ethics, Constitution and religious methodology. Groves are encouraged to gather and interact with other Groves in their area or the membership at large.

12.3. Each Grove within the WhiteOak system is semi-autonomous with regards to their adherence to the Litany as proscribed by the Order.

12.4. Other Grove Officers may be appointed such as the need arises.

12.5. A Grove  must submit at least one annual, "State of the Grove" report to the WhiteOak Board of Trustees, indicating the current Officers of the Grove, location of Grove Meetings (City and State) and a contact point. Every WhiteOak Grove shall submit a geographic location so that the grove may be listed on the WhiteOak private website.

12.6. Groves of any type shall not have the power to incur debt in the name of the Order

12.7. When a Grove decides to disband the Grove Founder shall send written notification indicating that the Grove intends to disband, to the Board of Trustees.

12.8. A Grove may be suspended by the Council of Elders pending an investigation of problems brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees. A Grove may also be suspended based upon the Grove's Annual report or lack thereof .

12.9. A Grove may be suspended if the Board of Trustees has reason to believe that the Grove is not functioning as a viable organizational Unit of the Order and recommend suspension to the Coucil of Elders.

12.10. A suspended Grove of any type may be reinstated if the Grove can resolve its problems to the satisfaction of the Board of Trustees pursuant to a recommendation to the Council of Elders within one year of suspension.

12.11. A Grove may be revoked by Council of Elders based upon religious theological issues.

12.12. A Grove may be revoked by the Council of Elders based upon secular issues. These issues include, but are not limited to the following: Conduct found to be incompatible with the purpose of the Corporation or contrary to the Laws of the State or Country the Grove is located in, conduct or statements of the Grove in its meetings or statements that discredit the Order its purposes, or members.

12.13. A Grove may be revoked by the Council of Elders if three months after suspension, a Grove has not made adequate corrections to the issues involved which were the cause of the suspension.

ARTICLE XIII-MEETINGS

13.1. There shall be an Annual Meeting of the membership of the Order each year. Due to the international nature of our membership, the meeting shall take place online. The Board of Trustees shall set the date of the meeting. Six weeks notice must be given to all known members of the date of the annual meeting.

13.2. Special meetings of the Order may be requested by the Arch Druids, the Council of Elders, or the President, in his/her absence, by the Vice President, or any two trustees at any time, or by nine active members of the Order. Such written request is to the Office of the President. If the request is approved by the Board of Trustees, the Board shall set the date of the meeting.

13.3. A simple majority representing at least 5o percent of the membership of the Order must be present, or represented by proxy to constitute a quorum for annual and special meetings. Present is hereby defined as the virtual presence of a voting member.

13.4. There shall be three types of votes possible concerning any proposals before the Corporation: affirmative, abstention, and negative.

13.5. The Order shall operate on a fiscal year, running from 1 November through 31 October.

13.6. All eligible voters may cast one vote. Voting will be done by e:mail. Voting by proxy is allowed. Proxies must be given to a member in good standing.

13.7. All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with accepted current and future standards of Rules of Order for a non profit corporation

13.8. The Board of Trustees and Officers shall meet at least annually and privately on-line, on an as needed basis. The meeting dates shall be determined by the President. The as-needed meetings are open to generally interested parties at the Boards pleasure, or they will be assumed to be closed meetings.

13.9. The Council of Elders and The Board of Trustees are voting entities in and of themselves.

13.10. All votes shall be cast and recorded as AYE or NAY or Abstain.  Should a member in good stand wish to cast his or her vote early, they must sent that vote to the council of elders and the Secretary, to be properly recorded.

ARTICLE XIV- COMMITTEES, BOARDS, AND BUREAUS

14.1. The President shall appoint, or cause the Board of Trustees to appoint, such standing Committees as are deemed necessary for the efficient operation of the Order. Chairs of such Committees, shall, insofar as possible, be appointed from members of the Board of Trustees or Officers. Such Committees may include regular members and Initiates of the Order.

14.2. All standing Committees, Boards, and Bureaus shall be appointed to serve until a particular project is completed or until the next annual meeting, whichever occurs first. There shall be no limit to the number of annual terms to which a member of a Committee, Board, or Bureau may be re-appointed. Insofar as possible, all committees and boards should represent geographically the areas served by the Order.

14.3. The President, or in his/her absence the Vice President, shall be an official member of all Committees, Boards, and Bureaus. The Arch Druids may also serve on these Committees, Boards and Bureaus at their pleasure.

14.4. The Chairs of all Committees, Boards, and Bureaus shall represent their respective Committees, Boards, or Bureaus at meetings of the Board of Trustees when requested to attend by the Board.

ARTICLE XV- INDEMNIFICATION OF OFFICERS AND DIRECTORS

15.1. The Order shall indemnify any Officer, Trustee, employee, or volunteer who is sued for actions done in good faith for the benefit of the Order and in the performances of his or her duties for the same. This shall not cover criminal actions that result from unlawful conduct.

15.2. Indemnification maybe covered through the purchase of insurance or by any means the Order chooses.

ARTICLE XVI- AMENDMENTS

16.1. Amendments to these Constitution may be proposed in writing and filed with the Secretary by any three members.

16.2. A special meeting of the Officers, Trustees, and Elders may be called within ten days upon receipt of the proposed amendment, the office of the Secretary will have informed the Officers, Board of Trustees and members of The Council of Elders. The office of the President will respond to the parties acknowledging receipt of the proposed amendment within 5 days of receipt. The Council of Elders will examine and judge the proposed amendment to insure its passage would not weaken the theological foundations of the Order.

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