Hi-Desert Fellowship Documents

Our Hi-Desert Fellowship and governing documents provide for continuity of operations in concert with our primary purpose for years to come.

Hi-Desert Fellowship, Inc., By-Laws

(amended June 13, 2008)


Article I: Name

This non-profit corporation shall be known as the Hi-Desert Fellowship, Inc., hereinafter referred to as the Fellowship.

Article II: Objectives

1. The purpose of the fellowship is to make available a meeting place for Alcoholics Anonymous (hereinafter called AA), and al-Anon groups in accordance with the Fellowship Articles of Incorporation.

2. The property at 57637 Yucca Trail, Yucca Valley, California, owned by the Fellowship and the place provided for meetings of A.A. and Al-Anon groups, shall be known as the Alano Club.

Article III: Operating Receipts

1. The operating receipts shall be provided by: pledged membership donations of the Hi- Desert Fellowship, Inc., Alano Club members, donations by A.A. and Al-Anon group meetings, and by Alano Club fund raising events.

2. Minimum donations for Alano Club members shall be $5.00 per month per person.

3. The minimum donations for groups meetings in the Alano Club shall be $10.00 per meeting for use of the large room, and $8.00 for the use of the small room when available (and not in use by Al-Anon), or 70% of the 7th Tradition donation, whichever is greater.

4. Additional special meeting minimum donations may be specified for use of the Alano Club building, as recommended by the Steering Committee, and approved by the Board of Directors, on an event by event basis.

5. Use of the Alano Club building for events such as weddings, memorial services, and other events not mentioned previously can be used only by Members with at least one year of continuous membership prior to the event. There is a minimum required donation of $100 for the first three (3) hours. There will be a $25 per hour additional charge. A $50 cleaning deposit is also required and will be refunded if no extra cleaning service is needed. All charges must be paid in advance.

6. No alcohol, weapons, or illegal substances allowed on the premises.

Article IV: Powers

Subject to the limitation of the Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, and Laws of the State of California, all corporate powers shall be exercised by a Board of Directors.

Article V: Number and Qualification

1. The authorized number of Board of Directors shall be five (5) unless changed by amendment to the Articles of Incorporation or by amendment of this section of the By- Laws.

2.  A.A. members of the Board must have five (5) years of continuous sobriety and two (2) years of current and continuous Alano Club membership. Al-Anon members of the Board must have five (5) years active participation in Alanon and two (2) years current, continuous Alano Club membership.

Article VI: Tenure of Office

Directors shall serve for three (3) years or until their successors are elected and have qualified. Their term of office shall begin immediately.

Article VII: Vacancies

Vacancies on the Board may be filled by a majority vote of the remaining Directors (though less than a quorum), or by a sole remaining Director. Each Director so elected shall hold office until his successor is elected at an annual meeting or special meeting called for that purpose.

Article VIII: Elections

The officers shall be President, Secretary, and Treasurer. They shall be chosen annually by the Board and each shall hold office until resignation, removal, or any reason of disqualification.

Article IX: Quorum

A majority of Directors (3) present shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

Article X: Removal and Resignation of Directors

1. Any officer may be removed, with or without cause, by a majority of current Directors (3), at a special or regular meeting of the Board.

2. An officer may resign by submitting his resignation to the Board, or President, or Secretary of the Corporation. The resignation shall take effect on receipt of such notice.

Article XI: Duties and Powers of Officers

President

The President serves as chief executive officer of the corporation. Duties include the general supervision, direction, and control of business and other officers of the corporation. The President presides at all meetings and shall serve as an ex-officio member of all committees. In addition, the President shall have general powers and duties usually associated with a President of a Corporation.

Secretary

a. The Secretary shall perform all duties of the President in the absence of the President and have all the powers, as well as restrictions, associated with the office. The Secretary shall have such other powers and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.

b. The Secretary shall give notice, or cause to be given, for all meetings required by the By-Laws.

c. Minutes shall be kept for the records of the Corporation of all pertinent business.

Treasurer

a. The Treasurer maintains adequate and correct amounts of property and business transactions, including accounts of assets, liabilities, receipts, and disbursements. All financial records will be made available, and open for inspection, for all Board members.

b. The Treasurer shall maintain a checking account in the name of the Hi-Desert Fellowship, Inc. Authorized signatures shall be the President and Treasurer.

c. The Treasurer shall also maintain a savings, money market, CD, or other interest bearing account in the name of the Hi-Desert Fellowship. A Prudent Reserve account will likewise be maintained for repair expenses, overdraft protection, and major improvements. Signatures from both the President and Treasurer are required to authorize withdrawal of funds from this account.

Article XII: Annual Meeting

1. The annual meeting of the Board of Directors shall be held at the Alano Club on the first Friday of January each year, at 7:30 p.m. The Directors shall elect, by majority vote, the Board of Directors for the following year. Officers shall also be elected for the ensuing year.

2. Special meetings of the Board may be called at any time by the President, Board of Directors, or any two Directors. Written notice (or other forms of communication) of the time and place of all special meetings shall be mailed to all Directors twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting.

3. Directors shall consider reports of the affairs of the Corporation, direct the making and transmittal of such reports as may be required, and transact such business as may be properly brought to the meeting.

4. General Membership Meetings shall be held semi-annually in April and October. The meeting dates shall be agreed upon by both the Steering Committee and Board.

5. The quorum for a general membership meeting shall consist of a simple majority of all members present and their written proxy votes. All members eligible to vote must be notified, either by phone or writing, as stipulated in the Operating Policies for the Alano Club.

Article XIII: Amendment to the By-laws

The Board of Directors may adopt, amend, or repeal any of these By-laws by a majority vote of the Board of Directors. Any such changes shall be reported to the membership present at the next semi-annual meeting.

Alano Club Steering Committee

Operating Policies

February 2024

  1. The Steering Committee, hereinafter called the Committee, shall consist of eleven club members.  Alcoholics with one or more years of sobriety, and Al-Anons who have been active for one year or more.  If less than one year, they may be sponsored by another qualified member. Committee members are to be elected by the eligible voting members of the Alano Club (Alcoholics and Al-Anons) in good standing.  No one may serve on both the Steering Committee and the Board of Directors of the Hi-Desert Fellowship Inc. simultaneously.

  2. The Committee shall elect from its group a Chairperson, Alternate Chairperson, Treasurer, Alternate Treasurer, Secretary to serve as Committee Officers.   

  3. At the General Membership meeting an election will be held for Committee member replacements, each to serve two years thereafter.  Election notice will be announced on the club bulletin board well in advance of the meeting.  No member may be re-elected for more than two consecutive terms.  Officers will hold their elected posts a minimum of one (1) year.

  4. For any scheduled Committee meeting, a majority of Committee members, five (5), shall constitute a quorum, provided that a least one (1) Committee Officer is present.

  5. Voting Procedure: As a general rule, Steering Committee votes shall take place during regularly scheduled monthly meetings.  Steering Committee votes may take place by email in emergency situations, only.

a. An emergency situation is defined as any situation that, if the Steering Committee were to wait until the next regularly schedule meeting to vote on it, it would likely:  1) place the Alano Club building and/or property at risk of damage or destruction; and/or 2) place a visitor to the Alano Club building and/or property at risk of physical harm or injury; or 3) a request is received to rent the Alano Club building from a person who is unable to book 60 days in advance.

b. If any Steering Committee member believes that there is an emergency situation that warrants an email vote, that person shall contact the Steering Committee Chair to advise the Chair of the emergency situation and to ask the Chair to call for an email vote.  (If the Chair cannot be reached or is known to be unavailable, the Secretary shall cover the Chair’s duties related to an email vote.)  That Steering Committee member shall provide the Chair with as much information as possible about the emergency situation, as well as the motion for the proposed action(s) to address the emergency situation, together with a cost estimate for the proposed action(s) if possible.

c. Upon receiving a motion for an emergency email vote from a Steering Committee member, the Chair shall send an email that describes the emergency situation to all Steering Committee members with the word “Emergency” in the email subject line.  The Chair shall share all information provided by the Steering Committee member who motioned for an email vote.  The Chair shall also notify the Board of Directors of all of the same information if the estimated repair cost exceeds $500.00.

d. In that email, the Chair shall ask each Steering Committee member to vote on whether they approve or reject the motion (i.e., agree or disagree to address the emergency situation in the manner set forth in the motion).   

e. The Chair shall, within his/her discretion, establish a timeframe within which votes must be received.  This timeframe shall be based on the severity of the emergency situation.  The Chair shall relay the deadline to vote in the above-described email.

f. Steering Committee members shall send their votes by responding to the Chair’s email (not by means of a separate email) and shall send their votes to all other Steering Committee members at the same time (through the use of “reply all”).

g. The email vote on the motion to address the emergency situation shall be deemed approved or rejected upon a quorum of the Steering Committee having voted on the motion.  A quorum shall be the same as required by the Alano Club Steering Committee Operating Policies for votes held at monthly meetings.  If the Chair deems that insufficient votes have been received in order to reach a quorum within a time deemed reasonable by the Chair, he/she shall text or call each Steering Committee member to inform them that they need to respond to the email that calls for an emergency email vote.

h. As soon as possible after determining that the motion has been approved or rejected, the Chair shall send an email to each Steering Committee member, informing them that the voting has ended and that the motion has been approved or rejected.

  1. Any Committee member absent for three (3) consecutive meetings, without a legitimate excuse, may be removed by a majority vote of the Committee.  Notice of this particular meeting must be made to all Committee members by Club bulletin board and/or phone, well in advance of the meeting.

  2. Any Committee member may be removed for cause by a vote of the Committee.

  3. Regarding Committee replacements in the event a vacancy occurs due to a death or resignation: If a Chair, the Committee will elect another of their members to take his/her place and appoint one or more member(s) from the club membership to fill out the unexpired term.  All appointments are to be ratified at the next semi-annual General Membership Meeting.

  1. Any major issue, affecting these policies, as determined by the Committee, may be carried to the entire Club membership for a vote.

  1. All Steering Committee meetings shall be held on Zoom and at the Club, hybrid format.

  2. It is the duty of the Committee, to form the Club Operating Policies, subject to paragraph 10, post them on the Club bulletin board and see that they are enforced.

  3. All policies or amendments formed by the Committee shall be submitted to the Board of Directors of the Hi-Desert Fellowship, Inc. to make certain that no policies or amendments are in violation of the Articles of Incorporation or the By-laws of said Corporation.  If any violation should be apparent the Board of Directors shall have the final vote as to the disposition of the matter.

  4. The Committee shall establish specified and reasonably frequent periods of time for holding regular meetings.  By open invitation, AA Secretaries, Al-Anon Secretaries and other AA and Al-Anon members shall be encouraged to attend as non-voting observers.

  5. Duties of the Committee Officers:

  1. The Chairperson and/or Alternate Chairperson:

  1. (1) The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings, have direct control of and direct all business related to the operation of the Club, under control of the Committee.  

  2. (2) The Chairperson shall establish procedures for the conducting of Committee meetings.

  3. (3) The Chairperson may call an emergency meeting of the Committee at any time.

  4. (4) The Chairperson shall carry all proposed policies and amendments of these policies to the Board of Directors of the Hi-Desert Fellowship, Inc. and keep the Board informed at all times on any pertinent issues and a copy of the Committee meeting minutes.

  5. (5) The Chairperson shall act as Public Relations representative and official spokesman with any outside agencies.

  6. (6) The Chairperson shall start the General Membership Meeting and introduce the Committee members and Board members then turn the meeting over to the President of the Board of Directors.

  1. The Secretary:

  1. (1) The Secretary shall be responsible for keeping of the minutes of Committee meetings, and any correspondence as regards Committee business.  Responsibilities will also include keeping minutes at the semiannual General Membership meetings.

  2. (2) The Secretary shall keep a roster of the Committee members, with the date of their election and the date their terms expire.

  3. Treasurer and/or Assistant Treasurer:  

  4. (1) The Treasurer shall be responsible for receiving all monies for the Club, as well as keeping accurate records thereof.  A comprehensive report will submitted at each monthly Committee meeting.

  5. (2) The Treasurer shall be responsible for reporting all receipts and deposits to the Treasurer of the Board of Directors as soon as possible following deposit in the Club checking account.

  6. (3) In the event the Treasurer finds an envelope containing membership dues while emptying the Club safe, the Membership Chair will be notified within seven (7) days.

  7. (4) Petty Cash re-reimbursements will be limited to $10.00.  A Petty Cash expenditures exceeding $10.00 will be approved by the Committee.  Petty Cash on hand will be $200.00.

  8. (5) The Assistant Treasurer will assist, or fulfill the duties of the Treasurer in their absence.

  1. The Committee shall elect from among themselves the following Chair-Persons, if needed, to be responsible for the indicated operations.  Their Term of service shall correspond with their committed term.  The Chair-Person may select their own committee members.

  1. Fund-Raising Chairperson

  1. (1) Is responsible for swap meets, auctions, etc.

  2. (2) Is responsible for social events, such as, meals, shows, bingo, dances, etc.

  3. (3) All monies raised by an event will be forwarded to the Committee Treasurer within seven (7) days.

(4) A comprehensive report of funds raised and expenses incurred (to include receipts) will be provided at the following Committee meeting.

  1. Decorating Chairperson:

  1. (1) Has responsibility for choosing the appropriate decorations, displaying and removing said decorations, for the special events. 

  2. (2) Decoration supplies are to be stored in the Club shed.

  3. (3) Funds for the purchase of decoration supplies may be provided from the Committee Treasurer.

  1. Membership Chairperson:

  1. (1) Is responsible for obtaining new Alano Club members, and verifying that they have thirty (30) days sobriety or thirty (30) days active participation if Al-Anon.

  2. (2) Shall update the Club Membership board as soon as feasible following payment.  Members who are thirty (30) days in arrears of dues are to be notified.  If dues are not received, their name is to be removed from the Membership board thirty (30) days following notification.

  3. (3) Record payments of any dues received directly from Club members within seven (7) days and place payment envelope(s), containing the dues paid, in the Club safe immediately.

  4. (4)(Return all envelopes, if envelopes provided, indicating “dues received” from the Committee Treasurer within seven (7) days.

  5. (5) Submit a written report at monthly Committee meeting. 

  1. Maintenance Chairperson and/or Assistant Maintenance Chairperson:

  1. (1) Is responsible for daily maintenance and security issues that may arise.  (See Maintenance Standard Operating Procedures.)

  2. (2) In the event of any major failure of equipment and/or anticipated expenses the Steering Committee Chair will be notified.

  1. Assistant Chairpersons:

  1. (1) Assistant Chairpersons will assist the designated Chairs in the performance of their duties       

  2. (2) In the event of the designated Chair's absence the Assistant Chairperson will fulfill those assigned duties

  1. Members at Large: Shall attend and vote at Committee meetings and assist committees in needed areas.

 Revised July 1989

Approved by Steering Committee 12/29/89

Amended and Approved by the Steering Committee 4/5/96

Committee met on 06/10/04.  Suggested changes approved by General Membership 10/29/04.

Revised 06/12/09 to eliminate Literature position.

Revised and Approved by the Board of Directors 10/14/11.

Revised and Approved by the Board of Directors 01/20/12

Revised January 2023

Approved by Steering Committee February 2023

Revised February 2024

Approved by the Steering Committee February 2024

HI-DESERT ALANO CLUB POLICIES

1.  Persons eligible to join the ALANO Club: Alcoholics with thirty days of sobriety, Al-Anons, and their spouses.  Continuous membership is contingent upon continuous sobriety.  Any alcoholic who has forfeited his membership by failure to maintain sobriety may be reinstated after thirty days of sobriety and payment of current dues.

 2. Persons eligible to vote at general membership meetings: Alcoholic, Al-Anons, and their spouses who have been members in good standing for a minimum of 90 days prior to any ballot.

 3. All Club business will be decided by a simple majority of the eligible members in attendance at a general membership meeting.  Scheduled meeting dates will be posted in the Meeting Rooms at least 30 days in advance of the meeting.

 4. Meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) shall donate a minimum of $10.00  (or 70%, whichever is greater) of the 7th tradition for use of the facilities.  Donations shall be deposited in the safe at the end of each meeting by the secretary or treasurer for that meeting.  Meetings failing to fulfill their minimum “rent” obligation may be asked to close or meet somewhere else, by the Steering Committee.  All AA meetings are responsible for providing their own coffee and supplies.  Cups and a coffee maker will be provided by the Alano Club.  Secretaries are expected to leave the Club clean, coffee cups washed, floors and tables clean.

 5. Al-Anon meetings shall donate 70% or a minimum or $8.00 of their member’s donation as they meet in a smaller room.  They are responsible for their own coffee pot, clean up, supplies and literature.

 6. Keys to the Club will be issued to all Secretaries of authorized meetings held at the Alano Club, all members of the Board of Directors of the Hi-Desert Fellowship Inc., and the members of the Steering Committee.  A fee of $10 will be charged for lost keys.

 7. Security:  Each AA and Al-Anon Secretary, Alano Club Board and Steering Committee members are responsible for the security of the building.  When closing up, check doors, windows, lights, heating or cooling to see that everything is turned off, closed and locked.  Outside security lights and one inside light (in the Al-Anon room) should be left on when closing at the night.  Persons not having official business in the Alano Club will be asked to leave the building.  Meeting Secretaries are responsible for locking the building at the end of the meetings.

 8. No pets are allowed in the Alano Club.  The only exception will be certified service dogs, leash required.

 9. No overnight guests are allowed in the Alano Club or on the premises.

 10. Televisions, musical devices, and gambling are prohibited (except at authorized events, where legal).

 11. Disabled parking is for disabled persons only with current state plate or stickers.

 12. The Hi-Desert Alano Club is a Non-Smoking facility.  No smoking is permitted in the Club or within twenty (25) feet of the exits.  

 13. With the exception of persons conducting Club business, all persons will be asked to leave the Club thirty (30) minutes after each meeting.  Only scheduled meetings and events approved by the Board of Directors will take place at the Alano Club.

14.  Groups and club members are expected to refrain from unsafe and illegal behavior. This includes threats of violence, bullying, sexual harassment or stalking, racial discrimination, gender intolerance, and anything else related to an unsafe environment for members in our facility.

15. In all cases not covered herein, the meeting secretary will exercise good judgment with the situation and inform a member of the Steering Committee or the Board of Directors at their earliest convenience.

 

ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION

OF

HI-DESERT FELLOWSHIP, INC.

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

We, the undersigned, have this date voluntarily associated ourselves together for the purpose of forming a corporation un the Nonprofit Corporation Laws of the State of California, and we do hereby certify:

I.

The name of this corporation is HI-DESERT FELLOWSHIP, INC.

II.

This corporation is formed pursuant to the General Non-profit Corporation Law of the State of California for non-profit purposes as follows:

The specific and primary purposes and business in which this corporation is to engage is to provide and make available free of charge a meeting place for recovering alcoholics; to provide therefor, free of charge, restaurant facilities on the premises of said meeting place; to make available, free of charge, counselors and/or group therapy sessions to recovering alcoholics, recovered or otherwise, that seek help in combatting the disease of alcoholism; all within the purview of Section 501(c)(3) of the 1954 United States Code and regulations thereunder, as now in effect or subsequently amended.

In addition to the specification purposes hereinafter above specified, the corporation shall have the following purposes and powers:

(1) To buy, lease, rent, or otherwise acquire, hold, or use, own, enjoy, sell exchange, lease as a lessor, mortgage, deed in trust, pledge, encumber, transfer on trust, or other dispose of any and all kinds of property, whether real, personal or mixed, and to receive property by devise or bequest;

(2) To borrow money and to contract debts, to issue bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness, and to secure them by any or all of the property of this corporation, or to issue them unsecured;

(3) To enter into, make, perform, and carry out contracts of every kind for any lawful purpose and without limit on amount with any person, firm, or corporation;

(4) To have and to exercise all the powers conferred by the California General Nonprofit Corporation Law on non-profit corporations, as that law is now in effect or may at any time hereafter by amended.

Notwithstanding any of the above statements of porposes and powers, this corporation shall not engage in activities that in themselves are not in furtherance of the purposes set forth in this Article II, and nothing contained in the foregoing statement of purposes shall be contrued to authorize this corporation to carry on any activity for the profit of its members, or to distribute any gains, profits, or dividents to any of its members as such.

III.

This corporation is organized under the General Nonprofit Corporation Law of the State of California.

IV.

The county in the State of California where the principle office for the transaction of the business of the corporation is to be located is San Bernardino County.

V.
The number of directors of the corporation shall be five (5) until changed by amendment of the Articles of Incorporation, or by amendment of the By-Laws of this corporation duly adopted by the vote or written assent of the members of the corporation pursuant to the By-Laws.

The names and addresses of the persons who are appointed to act as first directors of this corporation are:

(Names and addresses removed)

VI.

The number and qualification of members of the corporation, voting rights and other priviledges of the members and their liabilities, if any, shall be as set forth in the By-Laws.

VII.

This is a corporation that does not contemplate the distribution of gains, profits, or dividends to the members thereof. There is no capital stock and there are no shares of stock.

VIII.

This corporation is not organized, nor shall it be operated, for pecuniary gain or profit, and it does not contemplate the distribution of gains, profits, or dividends to its members and is organized solely for non-profit purposes. The property, assets, profits, and net income of this corporation are irrevocably dedicated to religious, humanitarian and charitable purposes, and no part of the profits or net income of this corporation shall ever inure to the benefit of any director, officer, or member or to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. On the dissolution or winding up of this corporation its assets remaining after payment of, or provision for payment of, all debts and liabilities of this corporation shall be distributed to a non-profit fund, foundation or corporation that is organized and operated exclusively for religious, humanitarian and charitable purposes and that has established its tax exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and Section 23701d of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

IN WITNESS THEREOF, for the purpose of forming this corporation as a private non-profit corporation, under and pursuant to the provisions of the General Nonprofit Corporation Law of the State of California, we, the undersigned, constituting the incorporators of this corporation, have executed these Articles of Incorporation this 16th day of July, 1976.

CHARLES W. HIRTLE

JUNE WDOWIAK

LAWRENCE H. WILDEY

ROY T. MARGRAVE

DONALD E. TOWNSEND