CCHS Constitution

 “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.”  Auerbach, Berthold on Music

Constitution and Bylaws of the Colorado Celtic Harp Society

ARTICLE I. THE ORGANIZATION.  The Name of the organization shall be the Colorado Celtic Harp Society referred to in this document as CCHS.

ARTICLE II.  MISSION STATEMENT AND GOALS.

Section 1. Who we are: Our mission is to support and inspire our community of Celtic harpists, from beginner to advanced, to experience the joys of learning, sharing, creating, teaching and performing music written and arranged for the Celtic harp.

Section 2. What we do: We accomplish our mission by focusing on the following five items:

-----Harp Gatherings

-----Music Library

-----Performance opportunities

-----Retreat

-----Communication

Description of each:

 -----Harp Gatherings. Harp gatherings may include group playing, social events, workshops and the like.  Members have opportunities to play together, learn and review fundamentals, discover new music and new ways of playing, gain or regain confidence with their instrument, meet professional harpists and attend their workshops.

-----Library.  Our music library contains multiple copies of a wide variety of harp music.   Members may check out this music for use individually and in ensemble work.  It is a great resource for building an ensemble repertoire.

-----Performance opportunities.  The harp society seeks opportunities for individuals and ensembles to perform for the public at places such as libraries, nursing homes, assisted living homes, hospitals, churches, festivals and fund raisers.  We are always responsive to opportunities for public performance to give us a chance to work together and to increase public interest in the harp.

-----Retreat.  We hold an annual weekend retreat where we present a series of harp workshops  and performances while enjoying the camaraderie of the group

 ----Communication. CCHS communicates with the membership primarily through our quarterly publication “Harptime” and  email. We also maintain a website We believe in the value of quality relationships with the business community and work closely with Dave Kolacny of Kolacny Music.  

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP.

Membership in the CCHS shall be open to any person upon payment of such dues as may be determined by the CCHS Board. Dues shall be forwarded annually to the Treasurer.

ARTICLE IV. EXECUTIVE BOARD.

Section 1. Composition. The Executive Officers of the Society shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

Section 2.  Officers’ duties are effective September 1 through August 31 of the following year or upon acceptance of the office, whichever is more practical at the time. Officers may succeed themselves. 

Section 3. Duties.

             A. The President shall preside at all meetings, shall appoint all committee chairmen with the approval of the Executive Board, shall be considered a member with vote on all committees, and shall be able to delegate all or any part of his or her powers to the Vice President or any other officer.

             B. The Vice President shall assist the president and assume the duties of the President in the event of the President’s absence. In the event of the permanent inability of the President to serve, the Vice-President shall succeed to the office of President until the end of the President’s term or until a new President is selected.

             C. The Secretary shall provide accurate records of all meetings and proceedings.

             D. The Treasurer shall have custody of the funds of the CCHS, supervise the receipt and distribution of all monies, prepare annual financial reports, and oversee the preparation of the annual budget for adoption by the Executive Board.

Section 4. The role of the Executive Board. The chief role of the Executive Board shall be to facilitate activities that focus on the mission and strategies of the CCHS. The Executive Board will prepare an annual activities/planning calendar, adopt an annual budget, maintain a set of guidelines concerning issues affecting CCHS, annually review the activities of CCHS recommending changes and approve all decisions concerning CCHS expenses and activities.  

Section 5. Meetings.

             A. Regular business meetings. The Executive Board shall meet at least quarterly to discuss ongoing CCHS operations. Recommended quarterly meetings: February, May, August and November.  Interim meetings may be held as desired.

             B. Annual Meeting. The Executive Board shall meet each year during the summer to review the past year and begin to plan the upcoming year. Consulting members may be invited to this meeting. The August quarterly meeting shall be considered the annual meeting.

Section 6. Vacancy. If a vacancy occurs during the term of office of an officer, the position may be filled by appointment by the President or by vote of the Executive Board.

Section 7.  Procedures to change officers of the Board.

             A.  When a vacancy occurs on the Board, the remaining officers shall appoint a replacement.

             B.  Board members shall seek new leadership based on qualities relevant to the vacated position(s).

 ARTICLE V. CONSULTING MEMBERS.

Consulting members are CCHS members-at-large. These may be committee heads or people with specialized interests or skills that help with CCHS operations. The Board may invite them to attend the annual planning meeting and other meetings as requested.

ARTICLE VI. FISCAL AND CALENDAR POLICIES.

Section 1. Fiscal year. January 1 to December 31

Section 2. Planning year. September 1 to August 31.

ARTICLE VII. COMMITTEES.

The Executive Board shall function as a committee of the whole, forming specific committees as needed.

ARTICLE XIII. DISSOLUTION.

Upon dissolution of The CCHS, assets shall be distributed under the direction of the Executive Board. Distribution to a like non-profit organization would be considered a desirable outcome.

ARTICLE IX. AMENDMENTS.

The Bylaws may be amended by a majority of the Executive Board.

ARTICLE X.NON-DISCRIMINATION.

The CCHS is a non-profit organization which does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, creed, color, religion, national origin, physical handicap, gender, sexual preference, age, veteran status, political affiliation, ancestry, citizenship, or any other protected classification.

ARTICLE XI. DECISION MAKING PROCESS.

Attendees of all meetings of CCHS members shall be governed by Roberts Rules of Order. Majority Rules. Refer to the GUIDELINES supplement for details of CCHS operations.