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Nanaimo Interact Club Constitution

ARTICLE I - Name
The name of this organization shall be the Interact Club of Nanaimo

ARTICLE II - Purpose and Goals
The purpose of Interact is to provide opportunity for young people to work together in a world fellowship dedicated to service and international understanding.

The goals of Interact are:

To recognize and develop constructive leadership and personal integrity.
To encourage and practice throughtfulness of and helpfulness to others.
To create awareness of the importance of home and family.
To build respect for the rights of others, based on recognition of the worth of each individual.
To emphasize acceptance of individual responsiblity as the basis of personal success, community improvement and group achievement.
To recognize the dignity and value of all useful occupations as opportunities to serve soceity.
To provide opportunitites for gaining increased knowledge and understanding of community, national and world affairs.
To open avenues of personal and group action leading to the advancement of international understanding and goodwill towards all peoples.

ARTICLE III - Sponsorship

This club is not a part of, and neither this club nor its members have any rights or privileges with respect to, the sponsoring Rotary clubs.

ARTICLE IV - Membership

To be eligible for membership a person must possess good character and leadership potential and (a) in a school-based club be a student at the secondary school or pre-university level, or be age 14 to 18; (b) in a community-based club be a young person between the ages of 14 and 18.
The membership of this club may be all male, all female, or both male and female in any ratio, at the discretion of the sponsoring club.
The method of electing members of this club shall be determined by the sponsoring Rotary club in consulation with the Interact club. The method of electing new members of a school-connected club shall have the approval of the school authorities.
Each member of this club shall attend at least 60% of this club's regularly scheduled meetings.
Membership shall automatically terminated (a) upon removal from the community; (b) in a school based club upon graduation or otherwise ceasing to be a student in the last four years of school preceeding the university level in the area from which the membership is drawn or in a community-based club, not in connection with a school, upon graudation or upon reaching the age of eighteen; (c) by termination of the club; or (d) by failure to meet attendance requirements unless excused by the board of directors of this club for a good and sufficient reason.
Membership may be terminated for a cause as determined by this club by vote of note less than 2/3 of all the members in good standing.

ARTICLE V - Meetings

The club shall meeting not less than twice per month, as provided in the bylaws, at a time and place suited to the convenience of the members, with due regard for their school obligations.
The board of directors shall meet as provided in the bylaws. In a community-based club, no meeting of the club or of the board shall be deemed official unless a member of the Interact committee of the sponsoring Rotary club(s) is in attendance. In a school-based club, no meeting of the board shall be deemed official unless a member of the Interact committee of the sponsoring Rotary club(s) is in attendance.
Meetings of the club and of the board of directors may be cancelled during holiday or vacation periods at the discretion of the board of directors, with the approval of the sponsoring Rotary club(s).

ARTICLE VI - Officers and Directors

The officers of this club shall be a president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and such additional officer(s) as may be provided in the bylaws.
The governing body of this club shall be a board of directors composed of the president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and additional directors whose number shall be determined by this club with approval of the sponsoring Rotary club(s), all to be elected among members in good standing. All decisions, policies and actions of the board and of the club shall be subject to the authority of the sponsoring Rotary club(s), the provisions of this constitution, and policy established by Rotary International.

If school-connected, this club shall be subject to the same regulations and policies established by the school authorities for all student organizations and extracurricular activities of the school.

The board of directors shall have general control of all officers and committees and may, for good cause, declare any office vacant. It shall constitute a board of appeals from the rulings of all officers and actions of all committees.
Elections of officers and directors shall be by methods compatible with local customs and procedures but in no cause shall more than a simple majority of members present and in good standing be required for election.

The term of office for all officers and directors shall be on year, unless a shorter term is provided in the bylaws. No provision shall be made for a term of office shorter than one year except with the written persmission of Rotary International.

ARTICLE VII - Activities and Projects

Within the limits perscribed in section 1 of Article III, this club shall be responsible for planning, organizing, financing and conducting its own activities and shall itself supply the money, manpower and creative imagination necessary thereto, except that in the case of join projects or activities undertaken in cooperation with other organiziation, such as responsibility shall be shared with such other organiziation(s).
The club shall undertake among its activities at least two major projects annually, one designed to serve the school or community, the other to promote international understanding, and each shall involve all or most of the members of the club.
The aim of international service in Interact is to encourage and foster the advancement of international understanding, goodwill and peace through a world of fellowship of youth united in the ideal of service. The aim of community and school service is to encourage and foster the application of the ideal of service by each Interact club member to his or her personal, community and school life.
It is the responsibility of the club to raise funds necessary to carry out its program. It shall not solicit or accept more than occasional or incidental financial assistance from its sponsoring Rotary club(s), nor shall it make general solicitations from Rotary clubs other than its sponsoring Rotary club(s) or from other Interact clubs, nor shall it solicit financial assistance from individuals, businesses or organiziations in the community without giving something of value in return.

ARTICLE VIII - Committees

There shall be provided in the bylaws of this club the following standing committees: international understanding, service, finance, club and such other standing committees as may be deemed necessary or convenient for the adminstration of the club.
The president, with the approval of the board, may appoint such special committees as he or she may deem necessary, citing their duties at the time of appointment. All such special committees shall lapse upon completion of their duties, upon discharge by the appoint president, or with the end of his or her term of office, whichever occurs first.

ARTICLE IX - Fees and Dues

Any additional fees, dues or assessments on the membership of the club shall be nominal and shall only be for the purpose of meeting administrative costs of the club. Funds for activities and projects undertaken by the club shall in general be raised apart from such fees, dues or assessments.

ARTICLE X - Acceptance of Constitution and Bylaws

Every member of this club, by his or her acceptance of membership and continuation thereof, thereby accepts the principles of Interact as expressed in its purpose and goals and submits himself or herself to and agrees to comply with and be bound by the constitution and bylaws of this club, and on these conditions alone is entitled to the privileges of the club. No member shall be absolved from the observance of the constitution and bylaws on the plea that he or she has no received a copy of them.

ARTICLE XI - Bylaws

This club shall adopt the "Standard Interact Club Bylaws," together with such amendments as are not inconsistent with this constitution and which may be deemed necessary or convenient for the government of the club, provided that such amendments are adopted in accordance with the amendment procedure prescribed in the "Standard Interact Club Bylaws."

ARTICLE XII - Emblem

The emblem of Interact shall be preserved for the exclusive use and benefit of Interact members.

ARTICLE XIII - Duration

This Interact club shall exist so long as it continues to function in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and policy relating to Interact established by Rotary International, or until it is terminated:

by this club upon its own determination and action;
by the sponsoring Rotary club(s) upon withdrawl of its(their) sponsorship; or
by Rotary International for failture to function in accordance with this constitution or for other cause.

Upon termination of this club, all rights and privileges relating to the Interact name and emblem shall be relinquished by the club and by its members indivdually and collectively.

ARTICLE XIV - Amendments

This constitution may be amended only by action of the Board of Directors of Rotary International, and all amendments to the "Standard Interact Club Bylaws" adopted by the Board of Rotary International shall automatically amend this constitution.

All information from Interact Constitution [pdf format].