CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS of the
ELKS NATIONAL BOWLING ASSOCIATION
as amended at the
Annual Meeting at Pontiac-Waterford, MI
October 21, 2007
ARTICLE NO.1
Name
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This organization
shall be known as the ELKS NATIONAL BOWLING ASSOCIATION |
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ARTICLE NO.2
Objectives
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The Elks National
Bowling Association was formed for the following purposes: |
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Section 1. To unite in a central organization all qualified Elk
bowling teams.
Section 2. To enforce among its members the playing rules of
the American Bowling Congress and to exercise and discharge all
powers and duties required by the Constitution, Rules, and
Regulations of the American Bowling Congress, except wherein
otherwise provided by this Association.
Section 3. To conduct an Annual National Elks Bowling
Tournament of the game of American Tenpins, and to fix the
qualifications of bowling clubs and individuals participating
therein. The result of such tournament shall decide the yearly
Championship among Elks by actual scores in the Five-member event,
Two-member event, Individual event, and All events, and by handicap
scores in the Five-member event, Two-member event, Individual event,
All events, Senior Two-member event, and Senior Individual event.
Section 4. To encourage and foster among its members the
spirit of good fellowship and fairness.
Section 5. To further the good work of charity for which our
Order is known. |
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ARTICLE NO.3
Membership
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Section 1. All Elk bowling
teams composed of members of their respective lodges and members who
are in good standing are eligible to compete in all events of the
Annual Tournament.
Section 2. Each and every member in either the Five-member,
Two-member, or the Individual event will be required to display a
paid-up membership card in their respective Lodge of the Benevolent
& Protective Order of Elks. Failure to display a paid-up membership
card, will disqualify such member from participation in any events
in the Tournament.
Section 3. Elk bowlers are expected to always conduct
themselves with conduct befitting an Elk member as per Grand Lodge
Statute. Failure to do so will result in disciplinary action by the
local committee and chairman. |
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ARTICLE NO.4
Management
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Section 1. The Elks National
Bowling Association shall be managed by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The Management shall have full power and control
of all affairs of the Association. It shall enforce all the objects
for which it is organized; also adopt, amend, or rescind any Rules &
Regulations governing the Annual Tournament for its betterment.
Section 3. The Management shall name such committees from
time to time as may be deemed necessary, and to define and prescribe
the duties thereof. The President shall name the membership of such
committees. Members of the Nominating Committee are to be composed
of all Past Presidents and Honorary Life Members. |
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ARTICLE NO.5
Officers and their Duties
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Section 1. The officers of this
organization shall be a President, Eight (8) Vice-Presidents, a
Sergeant-At-Arms, a Parliamentarian, a Secretary-Treasurer, a
Secretary-Emeritus, and a Chaplain.
Section 2.
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(a) The officers of this organization, including the
Secretary-Treasurer, shall be elected by ballot of the Board of
Directors membership at an Annual Meeting of the Board of
Directors to be held on a date and place selected by the Board
of Directors, and excepting the Secretary-Treasurer, shall hold
office for a period of one year or until such time as successors
are duly elected and qualified.
(b) The Secretary-Treasurer shall hold office for a
period of three years.
(c) All line officers and directors shall vote only upon
representation of an entry of three (3) teams or more in the
current tournament and this should not be changed for a period
of two to three years.
(d) All Past Presidents, Honorary Life Members, and
Secretaries-Emeritus shall always have the right of franchise.
(e) The outgoing President shall perform the installation
of incoming officers at the Annual Meeting. |
Section 3. Should any
vacancies occur among the officers by resignation, death, sickness,
or otherwise, the President shall appoint, temporarily, a member of
the Board of Directors, who shall act in the capacity of said
office, until such time that the Board of Directors may meet and
fill such vacancy through an election.
Section 4. The President shall preside at all meetings of the
Association and the Board of Directors and shall sign all warrants
drawn by the Secretary-Treasurer and authorized by the Board of
Directors. He shall be the executive officer of the Association and
shall perform such other duties as shall pertain to his office.
Section 5. The Vice-Presidents, in order of their election,
shall in the absence of the President, perform the duties of that
office.
Section 6. The Executive Committee shall consist of the
President and the eight Vice-Presidents, and is authorized to act
between Annual Meetings of the Board of Directors on any Association
business beyond the direct duties of the Secretary-Treasurer. Any
five of the Executive Committee shall constitute a quorum.
Section 7.
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(a) The Secretary-Treasurer
shall keep a true record of all proceedings of the meetings of
the Association or the Board of Directors in books provided for
that purpose. He shall conduct all correspondence of the
Association, notifying all members of the meetings to be held,
whether regular or special.
(b) He or she shall have full control of the operation
and management of the Annual Tournament.
(c) He or she shall have full control of the printing of
posters, entry blanks, stationery, and the schedule. He or she
shall also prescribe all forms that are to be used in connection
with the Tournament.
(d) He or she shall be in charge of preparing and
drafting of the schedule for the Annual Tournament, receiving
all entries for same and filing them promptly. It shall be their
duty to solicit all out of town entries, while the local entries
are to be solicited by the Local Tournament Committee and
forwarded to the Secretary-Treasurer on the date when entries
close.
(e) It shall be his or her duty to accompany a
Vice-President on an official inspection of facilities of the
lodges extending invitations to host subsequent tournaments.
Vice-Presidents should not be from a bidding lodge. An
inspection fee of a minimum of $600.00 shall accompany all
invitations to make an official inspection of a Lodge's and
Citys facilities.
(f) Upon conclusion of the Annual Tournament, it shall be
the duty of the Secretary-Treasurer to audit the Prize List of
winners in the different events of the Annual Tournament from
his or her records and have same published. He or she shall also
have warrents drawn for all winners as shown on the Official
Prize List. When properly signed, he or she shall deliver Prize
warrants to the Chairman of the Bowling Committee in each Lodge
represented in the Tournament.
(g) He or she shall perform such other duties as may be
prescribed by the President, the Board of Directors or Executive
Committee.
(h) He or she shall receive $10,000 per year as his
annual salary. All personal and travel expenses incurred by the
Secretary-Treasurer during the preparation and operation of the
Tournament shall be paid by the Elks National Bowling
Association upon presentation itemized statements covering such
expenses. These statements must be presented to the President of
the Association for his or her approval.
(i) The Secretary-Treasurer shall be bonded for Two
Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000) per annum. the Association
shall pay for the premium on all bonds required of the
Secretary-Treasurer.
(j) The Secretary-Treasurer shall receive and collect all
monies and other property paid or donated to this Association
and shall disburse or deliver the same upon warrants authorized
by the Board of Directors and signed by the President and
Secretary-Treasurer.
(k) He or she shall prepare an Annual Budget and keep a
true and correct account of the financial condition of the
Association and furnish a report thereof, whenever requested by
the President or the Board of Directors.
The Secretary-Treasurer will have all financial information to
the accounting firm by August 1st of each year for the
preparation of the annual report and a financial review for the
year, so that the report shall be available to the association
no later than September 30th of each year. The fiscal year will
run from July 1st to June 30th. |
Section 8.
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(a) It shall be the duty of
the Secretary-Emeritus to assist the Secretary-Treasurer of this
Association upon request of the Secretary-Treasurer, and in the
absence of the Secretary-Treasurer, he or she shall fill the
vacancy; expenses to be paid for travel by the Association. |
Section 9.
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(a) The Chaplain shall be
appointed annually by the President.
(b) The Chaplain to give the invocation and benediction
at the annual meeting, all officer's luncheons and dinner
meetings.
(c) He or she shall conduct the memorial services and
other such duties as pertain to this office. |
Section 10.
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(a) The Parliamentarian
will be the advisor to the Constitution and By-Laws. He will be
appointed each year by the President, carrying an officer status
with voting rights. |
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ARTICLE NO.6
Board of Directors
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Section 1.
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(a) The Board of Directors
shall elect its own members as it may deem necessary for the
benefit of the Association, not to exceed one member from any
one Lodge, except when a given Lodge or District Representative
shall have reached the position of 8th Vice-President, then said
Lodge or district shall be entitled to one more member on the
Board of Directors. No appointment to the Board of Directors
shall be made from any Lodge or district not having at least
five teams (not counting any Lodge represented by an existing
director) entered in the Annual Tournament for the two
consecutive years previous to said appointment. Each member of
the Board of Directors shall hold office until removed by the
Board of Directors Action. A Board of Directors member shall
only vote upon representation of an entry of three teams or more
in the current Tournament. He or she may send an alternate in
their absence. The alternate must present credentials from the
absent director, their Lodge, or Bowling Chairman to the effect
that he or she has the voting power of their Lodge. No officer,
past or present, or any Life Member may serve as an alternate.
If the alternate is for a Past President, he can sit in on any
committee except the Nominations Committee.
(b) No Board of Directors member shall be eligible for
election as an officer of this organization who has not served
as a Board of Directors member for fewer than three consecutive
years and attended at least two annual meetings during the said
three years. No officer or director having a representation of
less than three teams in any tournament from the Lodge or
District (if elected as District Representative) he or she
represents shall be advanced in the line of officers until he or
she is so represented. The Secretary-Treasurer shall notify the
nominating committee at the Annual Meeting of any officer or
director who is not represented by three or more teams for three
consecutive tournaments in succession, and the nominating
committee shall recommend whether or not to drop the officer or
director from roll. This is to ensure a fair review of the
situation for any extenuating circumstances. A director missing
three consecutive meetings without showing good cause, shall be
removed from the Board of Directors.
(c) The Board of Directors shall hear, and determine all
disputes and protests when proper application is made in writing
prior to the date of the meeting.
(d) The Secretary-Treasurer shall mail copies of the
latest amended constitution and by-laws to all officers,
directors, past-presidents, and honorary life members not later
than 90 days prior to the date of the annual meeting.
(e) The Board of Directors shall decide on the Rules and
Regulations governing all Tournaments, including the
distribution of prizes.
(f) All members of the Board of Directors shall be and
hereby are members ex-officio of the Local Tournament Committee. |
Section 2. The Finance and Auditing
Committee shall audit all bills and claims against the Association.
Section 3. Every committee of the Association shall file its reports
in triplicate with the Secretary-Treasurer, one of which shall be
delivered to the President. |
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ARTICLE NO.7
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Section 1. Life Membership |
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(a) All
Presidents will automatically become an Honorary Life Member at the
time they become a Past President.
(b) Any Member of the Association may be considered for Honorary
Life Membership upon being formally recommended to the Nomination
Committee |
ARTICLE NO.8
Meetings
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Section 1. The Annual meeting
of this Association shall be held on the Sunday of the second last
week of the Tournament.
Section 2. Meeting Agenda:
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1.
Call to Order
2. Invocation
3. Pledge of Allegiance
4. Sergeant-At-Arms Report
5. In Memory of
6. Sickness and Distress
7. Roll Call
8. Nominations of New Directors
9. Reading of Minutes of Previous Meeting
10. Reports of Officers
11. Reports of Committees
12. Unfinished Business
13. New Business
14. Installation of New Officers
15. Presentation of Gift to Old President by New President
16. Presentations of Certificates
17. Break
18. Second Roll Call - Verify Directors present to be eligible
to vote. Those not present will be stricken from roll call and
counted absent for entire meeting
19. Presentation and Selection of bidding Lodges for future
tournament
20. Voting for Future Tournament City
21. Review of the Current Tournament
22. Preview of the Next Years Tournament
23. Announcement of the voting for the future Tournament City
and Lodge
24. Announcements for bidding Lodges for future tournaments
25. Adjournment
26. Closing Prayer |
Section 3. At least ten (10)
members shall form a quorum to transact business at all meetings of
the Board of Directors.
Section 4.
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(a) The Board of Directors
may hold such other meetings as may be absolutely necessary. |
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By-Laws and Rules Governing Annual Tournament
Selection of Tournament Sites
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The Host Lodge in the
city where the Annual Tournament will be held shall be determined
two years in advance by secret ballot at the Annual Meeting. The
Lodge receiving the most votes will be the winner. In case of a tie,
the ballot will be recast until any ties are broken. Each Lodge
desiring to bid for the Annual Tournament must submit their written
bid to the Secretary of the Association on or before August 1st,
prior to the Annual Meeting, with a check of $600 to cover expenses
of the investigation committee inspecting a prospective Lodge's
facilities. This $600 will remain in effect for the following two
years, only for lodges losing the bid. If there are no bids received
by August 1st, the Secretary, at his or her discretion, may accept
any bids submitted after that date. |
Dates of Tournament Entries
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The
Tournament will last a minimum of eight (8) weeks unless the number
of entries dictated a longer period, starting with the second
weekend in March and excluding the Easter weekend. |
Entries
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All
entries for the Annual Tournament shall be closed January 15th,
early reservations entries deadline is January 1st, so
squads may be open to other entries. All entries are $20.00
per man per event. All entries sent by mail, in order to receive
consideration, must be postmarked by the time set of expiration.
Entries that are faxed must have the originals mailed and fees
received within five days to be accepted. No entries
received by the Secretary-Treasurer after the legal time for filing
shall be considered, nor shall any entries be accepted unless the
full amount of the entry fee shall accompany same. All bowlers who
enter the doubles event must also enter the singles event and
vice-versa. |
Entry Limit
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An Elk bowler may only enter one time
in any event. Double participation may be permitted in a case of
emergency, only to provide a substitute in the five-member and
doubles events. Scores by the substitute will be used in determining
prize awards; however, scores registered the first time a
participant bowls in a team event shall determine his or her
all-events total.
** Upon a paid in full entry that is timely received, bowlers are
eligible to bowl twice in the team event only as long as there are
no more than three(3) bowlers from the original team and two(2)
different bowlers. Members of a team may only cash once in the team
event. All events will be their first scores in the team event. |
Eligibility
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All Elks of America, who are members
in good standing in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and
of this Association, are eligible to enter in all events of the
Annual Tournament upon payment of the regular fees, which shall be
eighteen dollars ($20.00) per member. Under no circumstances,
after entries have been received and filed by the
Secretary-Treasurer, shall fees for same be refunded. |
Tournament and General Expenses
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Any and all promotional expenses of
the Association as authorized directly by the Board of Directors
shall be paid from the General Fund upon warrants drawn by the
Secretary-Treasurer and signed by the President. No expense shall be
incurred by anyone without the prior authorization of the
Secretary-Treasurer. All expense so incurred shall be itemized.
"Incidentals" shall not be considered proper description of an
expense item. |
Bowling Fees
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The Secretary-Treasurer, shall not
enter into contract with any bowling establishment for the payment
of a bowling fee greater than charged for regular league bowling.
Any or all bowling fees properly charged by the Proprietor upon
whose alleys the Tournament is conducted shall be paid by this
Association. |
Handicaps and Averages
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The Annual Tournament of the Elks
National Bowling Association shall be conducted on a handicap basis,
except in deciding the ALL EVENTS CHAMPION. Each bowler shall
receive a handicap of ninety (90) percent of the difference between
his or her average and two hundred twenty-five pins (225) in each event
entered. Handicaps shall be computed from the American Bowling
Congress Handicap Manual. Entrants will use their highest previous
season's ABC Sanctioned League Average as recorded in their Local
Association records and which shall be certified by the team
captain. A minimum of 21 games must have been bowled to establish an
average. If current 21 games average as of time of bowling in
Tournament is ten (10) or more pins above last season's average,
current average must be used. If no average last season, use highest
recorded ABC, WIBC, YABA Youth or Collegiate Division Sanctioned
current average, based on 21 or more games at this time of bowling.
If an entrant has not bowled 21 games on entry date, but will have
21 games on bowling date, he or she shall report their current
average at the Tournament office before bowling in each event.
Bowlers without an established average can request and use their
last established average for the National Tournament, or if none,
may use 170 average (refer to ABC rule 362A #1 and #2). The
Tournament officials shall not be responsible for average errors by
persons filling in entry blanks. In an entrant's average is
understated on the score sheet, both the entrant and the team
collectively shall forfeit any and all right to claim any trophy or
prize in the Tournament unless correction is made before bowling. If
an entrant's average is overstated on the score sheet, correction
must be made before bowling, or the entrant must use average as
stated. No adjustments will be made after the entrant has bowled.
The bowler is responsible for the average used on the score sheet.
No tournament prize winnings during the previous twelve months need
be reported. |
Prizes
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One hundred percent of all prize entry
money received shall be paid back in prizes on a handicap and net
pin fall basis. The champions in each event shall be designated by
actual pin fall and on a handicap basis and each bowler shall
receive an appropriate award. A sponsor's award shall be given to
the teams winning the handicap and actual competition. The
Association shall appropriate not more than $2,500 to cover the cost
of all awards, to be purchased by the Secretary-Treasurer.
Individual awards are to be given for high score in doubles and
singles to bowlers 62 years of age or older, in addition to cash
prizes indicated in the prize list. The Secretary-Treasurer of the
association shall try to maintain approximately twice the expected
prize money distributed each year in the bank, anything over that
amount will be used for following tournaments. Distribution of the prize money shall be left up to the
Secretary-Treasurer. The amount and number of prizes shall be
dependent on the total number of entries in the different events.
Handicap first place prizes shall not be less than $1,000 in the
team event, $500 in the doubles and $250 in the singles. "Minimum
payoff shall be equal to the entry fee". The money accumulated from
prize checks not cashed as of the December 15th date of each year,
will be held for one year, then paid to the prize fund on a
percentage basis as follows: Team prize fund 50%, Doubles prize fund
25%, and Singles prize fund 25%. |
Tournament Tie Scores
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In case of tie scores where trophies
are involved, in the handicap division, the team, pair or individual
those having the smallest handicap shall receive the trophies. In
case of tie scores where no handicap is involved, duplicate trophies
shall be given. |
Tournament Pins
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Party of the First Part agrees to
furnish, at its own expense for the duration of the tournament, the
required number of American Bowling Congress Tournament approved
bowling pins for each squad as scheduled by the Secretary of the
Party of the Second Part. It is also agreed that pins furnished for
the opening day shall have been used a maximum of 500 games. Pins
shall be of such quality for the duration of the Tournament as meets
the approval of the Secretary of the Party of the Second Part. |
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Organization of Local Tournament Committee
The B.P.O. Elks Lodge in the city which was awarded the Elks National
Bowling Tournament to be conducted by the Elks National Bowling
Association, shall appoint a Local Committee, which is to cooperate with
the National Officers in arranging plans and boost entries for the
Tournament in said city. They are to consist of the following:
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1. General Chairman
2. Chairman of Local Entry Committee
3. Chairman of Transportation Committee
4. Chairman of Reception Committee
5. Chairman of Entertainment Committee
6. Secretary and Treasurer of Local Committee
7. Chairman of Housing Committee |
The selection of the Local Committee is
to be made from members in the Local Lodge before July 1st, prior to the
holding of the Tournament. This committee shall hold regular meetings to
discuss plans and make reports of progress. It is suggested that
starting December 1st, the meetings beheld weekly until the termination
of the Tournament. The Local committee shall not make any solicitations
(charitable or otherwise) of bowlers at the bowling establishments at
any time. The Elks National Bowling Association Secretary-Treasurer
shall be responsible for the enforcement of this rule. Further, it shall
be the duty of the Local Committee to solicit all local entries in the
city where the Tournament is to be held. It shall be mandatory upon the
Host Lodge to have a local entry of a minimum of twenty-five (25) five
member teams. In the event the minimum entry shall not be met, the
Secretary-Treasurer shall bill the Host Lodge in the amount of the
Five-member entry for each team short of the minimum requirement.
LOCAL COMMITTEES AND THEIR
DUTIES
General Chairman
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The General Chairman shall be some
person who has some experience in the bowling game, also one who may
have some knowledge of conducting bowling tournaments. He or she
shall preside at all meetings of the Local Committee and shall
appoint such other sub-committees as deemed necessary. He or she
shall be ex-officio member of all local committees. |
Local Entry Committee
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The Chairman of the Local Entry
Committee, together with their associate members, shall solicit all
local entries for the Tournament in the Five-member, Two-member, or
Individual events, also collect entry fees for same. It shall be
their duty to have the entry blanks properly filled out and marked
as to time of schedule in the different events. Upon date on which
entries close, the Chairman of said committee is required to forward
all such local entries together with fees for same to the
Secretary-Treasurer of the Elks National Bowling Association in
order that they may be entered upon the Official Schedule prepared
for the printer. |
Transportation Committee
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The Chairman and their associates of
the Transportation Committee shall cooperate with the Secretary to
arrange for the best, most convenient and economical transportation
for visiting Elk bowlers while in the city where tournaments are
held. |
Reception Committee
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It shall be the duty of the Reception
Committee to meet, extend greetings and welcome to the visiting Elk
bowlers upon their arrival in the Tournament city. |
Entertainment Committee
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The duty of the Entertainment
Committee shall be to furnish any and all entertainment that may be
available to make the visit of the Elk bowlers an enjoyable one.
Further, it is suggested that a Ladies Committee be appointed in
order that they may help entertain the wives of Elk bowlers who
accompany their husbands. |
Committee Secretary-Treasurer
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The Secretary-Treasurer shall act as
Secretary at all meetings held by the Local Committee. He or she
shall keep a correct record of all proceedings at such meetings. As
Treasurer, they shall collect all monies paid to this committee.
Monies should be deposited in reputable local bank. He or she shall
issue all warrants to pay bills encumbered and as authorized by the
committee. All bills in connection with the tournament should be
paid within five (5) days the close of same. |
Housing Committee
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The duty of the Housing Committee
shall be to arrange for hotel and/or motel reservations on special
request by entrants and to cooperate with hotels and/or motels to
the best interest of entrants. The Housing Committee shall keep
informed as to available accommodations for the benefit of entrants
and shall handle any problems arising in the matter of housing. The
name, address and phone number of the Chairman of the Housing
Committee shall be printed on the entry blanks and the Official
Schedules. |
Associate Members of Committees
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The Chairman of the different
committees shall name as many assistants to their committees as they
may require in properly fulfilling the duties of such committees. |
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