Effective Date: June 4, 2023
This is the governing document that sets forth the fundamental principles of this organization and provides the procedures it must follow to conduct business in an orderly manner.
Article I: Organization’s Name
The name of this organization shall be Courage Kenny Handiham Amateur Radio Club, hereinafter referred to in this document as the Club.
Article II: Purpose and Mission
The purpose and mission of the club is to support and promote amateur radio among people with disabilities that might interfere with their normal participation in the hobby. Membership benefits include, but not limited to, such benefits as providing preparation for taking FCC sanctioned amateur radio exams for all license classes, encouraging activity in all aspects of amateur radio, and collegial behavior on and off the air among fellow radio amateurs. It shall further be the club’s purpose to support the mission and objective of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), and the Federal Communication Commission (FCC).
Article III: Legal Structure
The club is established as a nonprofit, non-commercial, 501C(3) entity
Article IV: Membership
All members of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program shall be eligible for membership in the club. Remaining a member of the Club is contingent upon one’s continued membership of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program. The Club shall have two (2) classes of membership: full membership and associate membership.
Section One: Full Membership.
Full membership includes all members who hold a valid amateur radio license, regardless of license class. Full members have all club privileges, including voting for club officers and on motions and issues that come before the membership. Full members are also eligible to hold any committee, officer or board position to which they may be elected or appointed.
Section Two: Associate Membership.
Associate membership includes all persons who are interested in amateur radio but who do not hold an amateur radio license. Associate membership includes all club privileges, including the right to vote on matters that come before the club. However, Associate members cannot vote for officers and cannot be board members or hold office.
Section Three: Non-Discrimination.
The club is open to all persons and does not and shall not discriminate based on race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or marital status, in its membership eligibility, privileges, activities or functions.
Article V: Disciplinary Action
Any member may be expelled from the club or temporarily suspended for conduct that reflects poorly on the club or amateur radio, or for neglect of his/her responsibilities as an elected officer or board member, or for a violation of Part 97 of the FCC’s Rules & Regulations. Such disciplinary action shall require a two-thirds vote of the members present and voting at any regular or special meeting of the club’s members and supported by the Coordinator of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program.
Article VI: Resignation
Any member, full or associate, may resign by formally announcing his/her resignation at any regular meeting; such resignation must be duly noted in the club’s minutes by the secretary. A member may also indicate his/her resignation by submitting a letter of resignation, either electronically or in hard copy, to the Coordinator of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program. Resignation from the Club does not constitute resignation as a member of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program.
Article VII: Meetings
The meetings of the club shall be of three types: regular meetings, special meetings, or Board meetings as designated herein as follows:
Section One: Regular Meetings.
The club shall hold a regular meeting of the members each month on the first Sunday of each month starting at 3:00 P.M. Central Time. These meetings shall be conducted using any one or a combination of communication methods, including, but not limited to, Zoom, telephone, Echolink, and/or Allstar. The objective is to facilitate meeting access to as many members as possible.
Section Two: Special Meetings.
The President or the Coordinator of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program may call a special meeting of the club members at any time he/she or the Board of Directors deems such action to be necessary. Club members shall be given at least ten days notice of such special meetings along with a clear statement of the purpose of the special meeting. Notice of such special meetings may be either in hardcopy, by E-mail, or by phone so long as the telephonic notification is documented by the notifying party. If the notice is written, it shall be provided at least ten days prior to the special meeting date.
Section Three: Board Meetings.
Meetings shall be held twice a year; one meeting on or about January 15th, and the second on or about June 15th, or as requested by the Club’s President, or any three of the Board members, or by the Courage Kenny Handiham Program Coordinator. (See Article X which deals more specifically with the Board of Directors.)
Section Four: Quorum.
Since all members of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program are eligible to be members of the Handiham Amateur Radio Club, and since this constitutes a very large number, and since it is unreasonable to expect an equally large number of members to attend the Club’s meetings, therefore, a more reasonable and arbitrary number must be designated as required to constitute a quorum. For all Regular and Special Club meetings, a Quorum shall be met if twenty Club members are present. For all Board meetings, two-thirds of the Board members, or four members of the Board, must be present to form a Quorum. A Quorum must be present at all meetings in order for an official vote to take place on any issue, including officer and Board member elections.
Article VIII: Officers of the Club
Section One: Officers of the Club.
The officers of this club shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Section Two: Terms of Officers.
The terms of officers shall be for two years.
Section Three: Election of Officers.
Election of officers shall be held on alternate years as follows: President and Secretary shall be nominated and elected in one year; the Vice President shall be nominated and elected on an alternate year. Elections shall take place at the first club meeting of each year. Elections shall be determined by a simple majority of the full members present, provided there be a quorum. If there is not a quorum, the elections shall be moved to the next meeting where there is a quorum.
Section Four: Vacancies.
Vacancies among the elected officers, occurring between elections, must be filled by special elections at the first regular meeting following the withdrawal or resignation.
Section Five: Removal of Officers.
Elected officers may be removed by a three-fourths vote of the full members present at any regular or special meeting.
Section Six: Appointment of the Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall be appointed by the Coordinator of the Courage Kenny Handiham Program in the year and at the time of the election of the Vice Presidential election. The Coordinator may appoint him/her-self to this position.
Article IX: Duties of Officers
Section One: Duties of the President.
The President shall preside over all membership meetings of the club and of the Board of Directors. The President shall also appoint all standing and ad hoc committees, and be a member ex officio of all committees; and shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors and/or the membership.
Section Two: Duties of the Vice-President.
The Vice President shall be assistant to the President and perform the duties of the President in the absence of the President, and shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.
Section Three: Duties of the Secretary.
The Secretary shall be responsible for notifying the club members of all regular and special meetings. The secretary is also responsible for taking and maintaining the minutes as the club’s official record of its meetings. The secretary shall provide the minutes to the club members following each meeting by making them available for publication to the Courage Kenny Handiham Radio Club’s website. The secretary shall perform such other duties as requested by the president or board of directors.
Section Four: Duties of the Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of all of the club’s revenues and shall make all financial disbursements for the club. The treasurer shall maintain accurate, and up-to-date financial records of the club. The treasurer shall provide a full reporting of the financial status of the club at each club meeting. He/she shall perform such other duties as may be assigned by the President or the Board of Directors.
Article X: Board of Directors
Section One: Membership to the Board of Directors.
The Board shall be comprised of the four officers, plus two other full members elected by the club’s members.
Section Two: Election of Board Members.
The two Board members who are not Officers of the Club shall serve two-year terms and shall be elected on alternate years as follows: one of these Board members shall be nominate and elected in the same year and in the same meeting as the President and Secretary. The second Board member who is not an Officer of the Club shall be nominate and elected in the year and at the same meeting as the Vice President and the appointment of the Treasurer by the Courage Kenny Handiham Program Coordinator.
Section Three: Meetings of the Board.
Meetings of the Board shall be held twice a year; one meeting on or about January 15th, and the second on or about June 15th, or as requested by the Club’s President, or any three of the Board members, or by the Courage Kenny Handiham Program Coordinator.
Section Four: Function of the Board.
All Board meetings shall focus on issues related to the Club that are best discussed and reviewed by the Board, rather than the membership as a whole. These issues include, but are not limited to, financial issues, disciplinary issues, strategic planning issues, special project issues, or any other issue of concern that is deemed best handled by the Board.
Section Five: Call for Board Meetings.
Request for Board meetings may be either in hardcopy, by E-mail, or by phone so long as the telephonic notification is documented by the notifying party. Requests for Board meetings must be made at least ten days in advance of the proposed date of the meeting, unless such a meeting is considered an emergency meeting of the Board; in which case, the ten day advanced notice may be waived by the President or the Courage Kenny Handiham Program Coordinator.
Section Six: Board Participation.
Board meetings shall be open to the membership, but only Board members shall vote on issues and motions that come before the Board. Club members may participate in Board discussions only if invited to do so by a majority vote of the Board.
Article XI: Establishment of Committees
The President shall have the autonomy to establish all standing and ad hoc committees as deemed desirable to more effectively execute the activities of the club. The President shall also have the autonomy to appoint members to all such committees and serve as an ex officio member of all such committees.
Article XII: Dues
Club dues shall be limited to those fees or assessments that are set forth as part of the Courage Kenny Handiham organization’s terms for membership. The club, itself, shall not levy any additional dues upon the Club’s membership.
Article XIII: Membership Assistance
Section One: General Assistance.
Subject to its physical and intellectual limitations, the Club shall provide technical advice to members concerning equipment design, accessibility, and operation. The Club shall also assist members with frequency observance, clean signals, uniform practice, and absence of spurious radiation’s from club member-stations.
Section Two: Exam Preparation.
The Club shall assist to the fullest extent possible with preparing its members for successfully taking the Technician, General, and Extra Class amateur radio exams. Such preparation shall include, but not limited to, providing study guides, referrals to other study materials, and holding preparation courses online using Zoom and/or other accessible mediums.
Section Three: Providing Donated Equipment.
Subject to the availability of donated equipment, the Club shall make available useable HF, VHF, and UHF transceivers, amplifiers, antenna tuners, and other types of amateur radio equipment to its members who, otherwise, for whatever reason, might not be able to obtain their own.
Article XIV: Parliamentary Authority
Section One: Rules of Order.
All Club proceedings shall be conducted by practicing those common-sense rules of order that facilitate the effective, efficient, fair, and impartial furtherance of Club business. Parliamentary procedures and maneuvering shall not be used to interfere with the expression of the will of the majority on any question, or with the rights of the minority to full and fair presentation of their views. Robert’s Rules of Order and all other rules of order may be used for guidance but shall not constitute mandatory authority.
Section Two: Voting by Proxy.
Voting and making motions by proxy are prohibited.
Article XV: Constitutional Amendments
Section One: Amendments.
This constitution may be amended only by a two-thirds vote of the members at two consecutive Regular and/or Special meetings of the membership, providing there is a quorum at each meeting.
Section Two: Amendments.
Proposed amendments shall be submitted orally and in writing and discussed at a regular or special meeting and shall be voted on for the first time at the next regular or special meeting, as provided for in Section One of this Article.
Article XVI: Dissolution
In the event of dissolution of the club, funds and property remaining after all debts and obligations are discharged shall be distributed to the Courage Kenny Handiham Program, an organizational subdivision of the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute. Should the Handiham Program no longer be in existence, the club shall dissolve and transfer its assets to the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute, a 501©(3) corporation. Should the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute no longer be in existence, the club shall dissolve and transfer its assets to the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute for distribution by the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute as part of the Courage Kenny Rehabilitation Institute’s wind-up activities.