FRG BVA Auxiliary By-Laws

May 6, 2006

ARTICLE I
NAME: The name of the organization shall be the
Florida Regional Group Blinded Veterans Association Auxiliary, otherwise, known as the FRG BVA AUXILIARY.

ARTICLE II
PURPOSE: Section 1
To aid and support the Blinded Veterans Association Florida Regional Group.

Section 2 To join with the BVA in their endeavors as a part of the National BVA Auxiliary.

Section 3 To develop a deeper interest in the Blinded Veterans Association by family members, friends, and blindness professionals.

Section 4 To preserve and strengthen a spirit of fellowship among Auxiliary members so that they may give mutual aid and assistance to one another.

ARTICLE III
HISTORY: The Auxiliary was established in the year 1983 in Daytona Beach FL.

ARTICLE IV
MEMBERSHIP: Section 1
Membership shall consist of families, friends, and blindness professionals of blinded veterans over 18 years of age.

Section 2 All membership lists will be restricted to the use of the National Blinded Veterans Association Auxiliary and the specific Regional Group Auxiliary from which it came and will not be released to any outside agency or organization.

Section 3 All members must also be a member of the National BVA Auxiliary. Section 4 Any person residing in Florida shall be a member of the Florida Regional Group BVA Auxiliary.

Section 5 Each Regional Auxiliary member must remain a member in good standing of the National Blinded Veterans Association Auxiliary.

ARTICLE V
MEETINGS: Section 1
Meetings shall be at least one, preferably more, within one year.

Section 2 The annual business meeting shall be held during the Annual Convention of the Florida Regional Group BVA at which time elections of officers shall take place. The installation of officers shall be during the Convention Banquet.

Section 3 Additional meetings may be held, either in person or by some other means of communications as required, and called for by the Regional Group Auxiliary President.

ARTICLE VI
OFFICERS: Section 1
The officers shall be a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, past president, and any other officer necessary for the operation of the Auxiliary Regional Group.

Section 2 Officers shall be nominated from the floor.

Section 3
If a vacancy occurs:
A. Such vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the President until the next scheduled election.
B. An exception shall be in the case of a vacancy in the Presidency, in which case the Vice-President shall automatically move into the Presidency.
C. The office of Vice President shall then be filled by an appointment by the President until the next scheduled election.

ARTICLE VII
DUTIES OF THE OFFICERS: The Regional Auxiliary Group Officers shall maintain the proper records of their offices, consistent with the responsibilities of those offices, and, upon termination of their terms, transfer said records to the succeeding officers at the time of elections.

Section 1 President:
A. The President shall be chief executive officer of the Florida Regional Group Auxiliary and shall coordinate all activities of the Auxiliary.
B. Serve as ex-officio member of all committees and have the authority to appoint Standing Committee Chairpersons and other Committee chairpersons as, deemed necessary to conduct the work of the Regional Auxiliary.

Section 2 Vice President:
A. The Regional Auxiliary Vice-President shall
1. Perform such duties as may be assigned by the Regional Auxiliary President
2. Perform the duties of the Regional Auxiliary President in the President’s absence or disability.

Section 3 Secretary:
1. Shall keep the minutes of all membership and special meetings.
2. Shall handle all correspondence of the Auxiliary, and submit copies of minutes and treasury reports of all meetings to the National BVA Auxiliary Secretary and the National BVA Auxiliary President.

Section 4 Treasurer:
1. Shall maintain records.
2. Shall maintain true and complete books of account, reflecting all of the income and expenditures of the Regional Auxiliary.
3. Shall report regularly to the Regional President and prepare a detailed Treasurer's report for the Annual Regional Meeting.
4. Shall keep books and records available "on demand" at all special meetings.
5. Shall send the annual report to the Secretary of the Florida Regional Group
6. Shall disperse dues for each new member to the National BVA Auxiliary Treasurer.
7. All Regional Auxiliary funds shall be deposited in banking institutions approved by the Regional Auxiliary Officers. The accounts shall be in the name decided upon for the Regional Auxiliary Group.
8. Funds of the Regional Auxiliary Group shall be dispensed only by checks drawn by the Treasurer. Checks over $500 must be signed by both the Treasurer and the President, except for the dispersement of the Scholarship monies.
9. The Florida Regional Group BVA Treasurer shall be reimbursed for postal, stationary, or other expenses concerning correspondence.

Section 5 Past President:
1. Shall attend all Board, and Executive meetings
2. Shall have full voting privileges

ARTICLE VIII
DUES:
Section 1 Dues for the Florida Regional Group shall be collected along with the National BVA Auxiliary dues and are in addition to the National dues.