Ferree Reunion Website

THE CONSTITUTION

I. Name
The official name of this organization shall be "The Descendants of Marie Ferree". The organization is also known as the "The Ferree Family Reunion" and is referred to in this document as the "Organization".

II. Purpose & Activities

"The Descendants of Marie Ferree" is an organization founded in 2004, under the name "The Ferree Family Reunion", for the primary purpose of organizing a reunion of the descendants of Marie and Daniel Ferree, who first settled in the Pequea Valley (in what today is Lancaster County, Pennsylvania) in the year 1712. The intent of the reunions is to provide Ferree descendants, from all over the United States, an opportunity to gather for fellowship and to share information with each other about their common history and genealogy. The Organization also promotes awareness of the Ferree history and genealogy through its website or by other future means as determined by the Committee.

III. Location
The Organization's principle location of operation is the Township of Paradise, which is located in the County of Lancaster, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

IV. Founding Members & Organization

Nancy Kosman of Bath, PA; Treva Axe of York, PA; and Hilda Young of Williamsport, PA, founded the Organization in 2004. Member attendees at the 2004 reunion business meeting elected Nancy Kosman, President. Nancy Kosman appointed seven individuals to the Governing Committee. At the first meeting of the Committee, following the reunion, members of the Committee elected five officers. This document, adopted by "The Descendants of Marie Ferree" on July 28, 2007, represents the formal creation of the Organization as a structured not-for-profit association.

V. Membership

Membership in the Organization is open to all individuals, and their spouses and families, who are descended from Marie and Daniel Ferree.

Membership may also be granted to individuals who do not qualify under Article V.1. if said individuals express a sincere interest in actively participating in the purpose and activities of the Organization as described in Article II hereof.

a. These individuals will be granted honorary membership.

b. Honorary members may participate in all activities of the Organization and shall have the right to vote on matters concerning the governance of the Organization.

c. Honorary members may be elected to the Committee as outlined in Article VII.1.a. hereof, but may not be elected as an officer.

Active membership shall consist of those who qualify under Article V.1-2. and have paid dues for the current year.

a. The membership year shall run from August 1st through July 31st.

b. The amount of dues shall be set from time to time by a majority vote of the Committee.

The Organization shall not discriminate against any person based on race, color, or religion.

VI. Sources & Uses of Funds

Sources.

a. The Organization shall be primarily supported by membership dues and assessments, including fees for attending reunion activities.

b. The Organization may sell merchandise to both members and non-members, but any such merchandise must be related to the Ferree family or the history of the Pequea Valley, and thus further the goal of promoting awareness of Ferree history.

Uses.

a. The Organization shall be authorized to pay reasonable compensation for necessary services rendered, and to make payments and distributions in the furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article II and Article VII.5 hereof.

b. The Organization may use funds to subsidize activities at the reunions, when the Committee feels that the Organization's financial balance warrants such subsidies.

VII. Governance & Administration

The Committee.

a. Governance of the Organization's activities and funds shall be directed by a governing body known as the Committee, the members of which initially have been appointed by the founding members (see Article IV) and henceforth shall be elected by a majority vote of the Membership at the business meeting of the biennial reunions.

b. The Committee shall consist of a minimum of five members and shall not exceed eighteen members.

c. The Committee shall meet at least once a year to review finances, plan events, and discuss any other items brought up by its members.

The Executive Committee.

a. The Executive Committee shall consist of the five elected officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.

b. The Executive Committee shall be empowered to make decisions on behalf of the Committee in situations that require urgent attention and cannot wait until the next meeting of the Committee.

c. The Executive Committee shall be prohibited from modifying any actions taken by the Committee.

Election of Officers.

a. At the first meeting of the Committee following its election, the Committee shall elect new officers.

b. The elected officers shall be: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, and Corresponding Secretary.

c. The election shall adhere to the restrictions set forth in Article V.2.c. hereof.

Term of Office.

a. Members of the Committee shall serve from the time that they are elected, or appointed, until the business meeting of the Membership at the following biennial reunion.

b. Officers shall serve from the time that they are elected, or appointed, until the first meeting after the reunion at such times officers of the committtee are elected.

OFFICERS 2022 - 2024

	President	Randy Ferree
	Vice President	Nancy Johnson
	Secretary	Carol Young
	Treasurer	Bob Free

COMMITTEE 2022 - 2024

	DNA	Bob Free
	Facebook	Nancy Johnson
	Genealogy	Shirley Smith
	Genealogy	Chris Ferree
	Genealogy	Crystal Claggett
	Historian Domestic	Ken Eshleman
	Historian European	Betsy Brooks
	Historian Huguenot	Donna Jernigan
	Membership	Carol Young
	Merchandise	Randy Ferree
	Newsletter Editor	Elaine Tobias
	Newsletter	Carolyn Kacey
	Reunion Coordinator	Nicole Ferree
	Social Media	Melissa Saldiver
	Technology	Trevor Steinbach
	Website	Nancy Johnson

Compensation of Officers & Committee Members.

Initially, officers and committee members shall have no compensation. However, if decided by the Committee, officers and committee members may be given customary and reasonable compensation for their services in their respective positions, as determined by a majority vote of the Committee.

Financial Administration.

a. Financial records shall be kept in the custody of the Treasurer, and the Treasurer shall be responsible for the maintenance of these records.

b. Authorization of funds.

1). At all times, two officers shall be required to authorize the withdrawal or transfer of any funds held in the name of the Organization. As often as it is practicable, one of the signers should be the Treasurer. At all times the signers are limited to the officers of the Organization.

2). Any officer may deposit funds to accounts held in the name of the Organization. That officer must submit a complete, written accounting of the nature of the deposit to the Treasurer, within one week of the date of the deposit.

c. An audit of the Organization's finances shall be conducted:

1). At the end of each fiscal year in which a reunion is held. The fiscal year for this Organization shall run from August 1st through July 31st.

2). Any time the office of Treasurer changes hands.

3). Any other time the Committee feels an audit is warranted. An audit in this instance must be approved by a majority vote of the Committee.

4). Such audits shall be conducted by a Certified Public Accountant to be determined by a majority vote of the Committee.

Declaration of Rules.

All meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Roberts Rules of Order, or any other bylaws that may be adopted by the Committee in the future.

VIII. Dissolution of the Organization

The Committee may dissolve the organization by a majority vote at any time.
The Organization shall be dissolved if it is unable to find at least five members willing to serve on the Committee.
Upon dissolution, all property and assets owned by the Organization shall be distributed to any non-profit organization recognized under Internal Revenue Code 501(c). Determination of which organization(s) will receive the property and assets and in which proportion shall be determined by a majority vote of the Committee.

IX. Adoption & Amendments

Adoption.

a. The initial Constitution shall first be submitted to all members of the Committee for review. The Committee shall then vote on its adoption. A two-thirds majority vote of the entire Committee is required for adoption. Absentee ballot or ballot by proxy shall be permitted.

b. At the first reunion following adoption by the Committee, the Constitution shall be presented to the General Membership. At the business meeting of the reunion, the General Membership shall vote on its ratification. A two-thirds majority vote of the members present is required for ratification. Absentee ballot shall be permitted.

Amendments.

a. Any member in good standing of the Organization may submit a proposed amendment to the Constitution.

1). Such proposals must be submitted to the President, in writing, at least one month in advance of the next scheduled meeting.

2). The proposal must include the reason(s) for the amendment.

b. The proposal will then be sent to all members of the Committee for their review, at least two weeks in advance of the meeting.

c. The proposed amendment shall be discussed at the next regular Committee meeting. The Committee shall then vote on its adoption, unless it is tabled to a future meeting or sent to a sub-committee for further investigation. A two-thirds majority vote of the entire Committee is required for adoption. Absentee ballot or ballot by proxy shall be permitted.

d. If the Committee votes in favor of the amendment, the amendment will move to the general Membership for ratification.

1). A copy of the amendment shall be sent to all active members.

2). If the amendment is proposed within six months of a reunion, the vote for ratification shall occur at the business meeting of that reunion.

3). If the amendment is proposed outside of this six- month window, or if the Committee believes that the amendment is too critical to wait until the reunion, the vote for ratification shall occur by mail-in ballot. Results of the vote will be sent out to the members by mail.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto submitted our names on this 25th day of July in the year 2007. Signed: Treva Axe (by proxy), Judith Eshleman, S. Kendrick Eshleman, Charles Heisterkamp, Nancy Johnson, Nancy Kosman, Stephen Sullivan, Ellen Veden, Linda Worstell, Hilda Young (by proxy).

THE BYLAWS

I. Meetings

General Membership.

a. Reunions shall be scheduled at the discretion of the Committee, but no less than one every five years.

b. There shall be a business meeting of the Membership at every reunion.

Committee. In addition to the constitutionally required annual meeting:

a. The President shall have the authority to call additional meetings as needed. These additional meetings may be held in person or via phone conference, whichever is most prudent.

b. During reunion years, the Committee shall review the reunion held that summer at the first meeting after the reunion.

II. Quorums
General Membership. A quorum of the General Membership shall consist of twenty five active members, as defined in Article V of the Constitution. Committee. A quorum of the Committee shall consist of five Committee members, at least one of which must be an officer. Executive Committee. A quorum of the Executive Committee shall consist of three officers.

III. Resignations & Vacancies

Resignations.

a. Should a member of the Committee no longer be able to fulfill their obligations to the Committee, they shall submit a letter of resignation to the President.

b. The President shall then forward his or her acceptance of the resignation, along with a copy of the original letter, to the Committee.

c. If the resigning Committee member held the office of Treasurer, acceptance of his or her resignation will be contingent upon a successful audit of the Organization's finances.

d. The resigning Committee member shall turn over all records and documents for which they were responsible to the President within two weeks of acceptance of their resignation.

Vacancies.

Should a vacancy occur on the Committee in the middle of a term, the President shall have the right to fill that vacancy by appointment. If an officer held a vacant seat, the Committee shall vote on a replacement at the next Committee meeting or via phone conference, whichever is the most prudent.

IV. Duties of the Officers

President.

a. The President shall be responsible for the overall welfare of the Organization and ensure that the Organization remains aligned to the purpose and activities as outlined in Article II hereof.

b. The President shall call and preside over all meetings of the Committee.

c. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all sub-committees and oversee such committees.

Vice President.

a. The Vice President shall assist the President in his or her duties as directed by the President.

b. Should the President become ill or otherwise incapacitated, the Vice President shall assume the duties of the President until the President is able to reassume his or her duties.

c. In the absence of the President, the Vice President shall preside over a meeting that has already been scheduled by the President.

d. Should the President resign, the Vice President shall assume the office of the President for the remainder of the term.

Treasurer.

a. The Treasurer shall handle and account for all of the Organization's finances.

1). The Treasurer shall collect all monies received by the Organization and deposit them in a timely manner to the appropriate accounts owned by the Organization.

2). The Treasurer shall make payments for all purchases and services rendered as authorized by the Committee or the Executive Committee as provided in Article VII.2. of the Constitution. Recurring payments shall be authorized as standing orders, which shall be in writing and signed by the President and one other officer.

b. The Treasurer shall maintain all of the Organization's financial records.

1). The Treasurer shall keep hard copies of all deposit slips, check stubs, and bank statements.

2). The Treasurer shall keep a record of all deposits and payments either with a traditional bankbook or with a computer program such as Quicken, Microsoft Money, or any other such industry standard.

c. The Treasurer shall provide the Committee with a quarterly financial report of the Organization that includes a summary of income and expenses. This shall be presented by e-mail or regular mail within two weeks of the end-of-quarter.

Recording Secretary.

a. The Recording Secretary shall take minutes of all meetings of the Committee. The minutes shall include a roll of members present and absent, a general record of discussions among the Committee and a record of votes held during the meeting.

1). The minutes shall be typed and kept in a separate notebook.

2). A copy of the minutes shall be sent to each of the Committee members no later than two weeks after a meeting.

b. The Recording Secretary shall be the custodian of all of the Organization's records and documents, except the financial records. This shall include, but not limited to sub-committee reports, standing orders to the Treasurer, letters of resignation, government documents, and any agreements with other organizations.

c. The Recording Secretary shall be the custodian of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Organization. This shall include the original document and any amended copies that may be adopted, with an indication of which articles were amended and when the amendments were adopted.

Corresponding Secretary.

a. The Corresponding Secretary shall be responsible for all correspondence of the Organization. These duties shall include:

1). Typing and mailing out invitation letters and postcards for reunion activities.

2). Sending reminder notices of meetings to Committee members.

3). Printing and mailing of the newsletter to the Membership.

b. The Corresponding Secretary shall receive all membership applications and renewals and forward the collected dues to the Treasurer.

c. The Corresponding Secretary shall maintain an up-to-date list of the membership, which should include a current mailing address and e-mail address (if applicable).

V. Coordinators

Newsletter Editor.

a. The Newsletter Editor shall be responsible for producing a newsletter at a minimum of twice a year.

1). The Editor will collect news, articles, and announcements for the newsletter.

2). The Editor will type the newsletter or designate a volunteer to do so.

b. The Editor will e-mail or mail a finished copy to the Website Coordinator for publication on the Ferree Reunion Website.

c. The Editor will e-mail or mail a finished copy to the Corresponding Secretary for printing and mailing to the Membership.

Website

a. The Website Coordinator shall be responsible for selecting, organizing, and editing all material to be used on the Ferree Reunion website.

1). The Website Coordinator will promote and coordinate input from others interested in contributing material to the site.

2). The Website Coordinator will maintain and keep current updates of the Ferree Family Reunion and other family related events and activities.

b. The Website Coordinator shall be responsible for receiving and replying to all e-mail sent through the website.

c. The Website Coordinator will forward e-mails to Committee members or Coordinators as appropriate to the contact's interest.

d. The Website Coordinator will communicate with the Webmaster, as needed.

Genealogy

a. The resident Genealogist(s) shall be responsible for promoting awareness of the Ferree genealogy and making endeavors to complete the Ferree genealogy by:

1). Sharing and exchanging information with members about the Ferree genealogy.

2). Collecting information from members for the Ferree Master File.

3). Assisting members in completing their own genealogies.

History

a. The resident Historian(s) shall be responsible for promoting awareness and appreciation of the Ferree family history by:

1). Researching the Ferree family history.

2). Sharing and exchanging information with members about the Ferree history.

3). Writing articles related to the Ferree family history and publishing them on the website, in the newsletter, and in other appropriate publications.

Merchandise

a. The Merchandise Coordinator will be responsible for ordering all items that have been approved for sale by the Committee.

1). The Committee shall approve prices for these items.

2). Changes to prices must be approved by the Committee or the Executive Committee as provided in Article VII.2. of the Constitution.

b. The Merchandise Coordinator will regularly check for orders from the Web Store that have been placed and shall mail out all orders within two weeks of the date the order was placed.

c. The Merchandise Coordinator will maintain an inventory record that shall include a record of items purchased for stock and items sold.

d. At the reunions, the Merchandise Coordinator shall setup and supervise the reunion store in the Welcome Center which shall include:

1). Scheduling workers for the store.

2). Unpacking and inventorying items to be sold.

3). Making and setting up store signs, including a price list.

4). Ensuring that the workers are familiar with their duties at the store and checking in with them periodically during their shift.

5). Taking inventory of items and reconciling sales with the cashbox at the end of each shift.

6). Securing the cash box and the store at the end of the day.

Reunion Coordinator.

a. The Reunion Coordinator, working closely with the organization's officers and committee members, will plan, organize and coordinate all aspects and activities of the reunion.

1). Ensure the date is set in time to secure the location and determine costs/fees.

2). Work with reunion facility management to schedule/reserve meeting rooms and other space and services needed.

3). Oversee reunion publicity via the website, mailings and registration forms.

4). Suggest tour activities:

a). Schedule and reserve appropriate locations.

b). Contact locations regarding admission fees and recommend prices.

c). Reserve buses.

5). Develop program and schedule:

a). Determine and coordinate meeting room setup.

b). Recruit speakers.

c). Ensure technical equipment and setup is provided for speakers.

d). Arrange for food service caterers and recommend prices.

6). Keep appropriate records as to attendee registration, reunion registration fees received, and deposits made.

7. Work closely with the Treasurer to ensure required payments to vendors are done in a timely manner.

VI. Adoption & Amendments

Adoption.

a. The initial Bylaws shall first be submitted to all members of the Committee for review. The Committee shall then vote on their adoption. A two-thirds majority vote of the entire Committee is required for adoption. Absentee ballot or ballot by proxy shall be permitted.

b. At the first reunion following adoption by the Committee, the Bylaws shall be presented to the General Membership. At the business meeting of the reunion, the General Membership shall vote on its ratification. A two-thirds majority vote of the members present is required for ratification. Absentee ballot shall be permitted.

Amendments.

a. Any member in good standing of the Organization may submit a proposed amendment to the Bylaws.

b. The procedures to amend the Bylaws shall be the same as those used to amend the Constitution as prescribed in Article IX thereof.

c. The only exception shall be with regard to proposed amendments to Article V of these Bylaws, which lists the Coordinators and describes their jobs. Due to the flexibility needed in adapting these jobs to ever changing situations.

1). Ratification by the General Membership of adopted amendments to Article V of the Bylaws shall not be required until the business meeting of the next reunion.

2). The Committee shall be authorized to act upon duly adopted amendments to Article V of the Bylaws in the interim.

In witness whereof, the Committee does hereby adopt these Bylaws on the 25th day of July in the year 2007. Attest: Nancy Kosman, President.