Bylaws

Article I — Name

The name of this organization shall be the Damie Lee Burton Howard Family Reunion (hereinafter referred to as “the Family Reunion”).

Article II — Purpose

To promote family unity and continuing fellowship of all Damie Lee Burton Howard and extended family through family reunions and related activities. To create a supportive atmosphere for members who strive for excellence through education, achievement, and economic advancements. To foster continuing research and publish materials documenting the history of the Damie Lee Burton Howard families, from early origins, through migrations to the New World, slavery, and to present generations.

Article III — Membership

Membership in the Family Reunion shall be open to all persons interested in or related to the Damie Lee Burton Howard Family.

Good Standing — Membership privileges and eligibility to participate in Family Reunion business meetings shall be limited to members/households in good standing, as defined by these bylaws and processes established by the Executive Committee.

Article IV — Elders Board

Section 1 — Authority

The Elders Board is the appointing authority of the Family Reunion and shall appoint all officers and fill officer vacancies as needed.

Section 2 — Composition

The Elders Board shall be made up of all living children of Damie Lee Burton Howard (“Elders”).

Section 3 — Succession Upon Death of an Elder

In the event of an Elder’s death, that Elder’s seat shall pass to the oldest living child of the deceased Elder. If the oldest living child later passes away, the seat shall pass to the next oldest living child, and shall continue in this manner (in age order) until no living children remain.

Section 4 — No Living Children

If no living children exist for the deceased Elder, the Elders Board shall appoint someone to the position.

Article V — Officers and Appointment

Section 1 — Officers

The officers of the Family Reunion shall be President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Sergeant at Arms.

Section 2 — Appointment of Officers

All officers shall be appointed by the Elders Board.

Section 3 — Terms of Office

A term of office is three (3) years for all Family Reunion officers and is subject to re-appointment for subsequent terms.

Section 4 — Eligibility

Candidates for any officer position shall be members in good standing and must have attained an age of twenty-one (21) years old.

Candidates for the offices of President and Vice-President must prove direct lineage to the Damie Lee Burton Howard family.

Services provided as officers or committee members shall be on a voluntary basis and shall carry out all duties and responsibilities of their offices.

Section 5 — Vacancies / Interim Officers

Any officer vacancy during the interim between business meetings shall be filled by appointment of the Elders Board. Interim officers are those appointed between meetings/reunions and shall serve until the term expires or until replaced by the Elders Board.

Article VI — Duties of Officers

Section 1 — The President

The President shall preside at all meetings of the Family Reunion, give a full annual report of the Executive Committee at the reunion meetings, appoint chairperson and members of all committees, and shall be the ex-officio member of all committees. The President shall keep close contact with all designated local/regional points-of-contact as needed. The President shall be the only member with the power to call a meeting of the Executive Committee.

Section 2 — The Vice-President

The Vice-President shall serve in the absence of the President and shall preside over the Executive Committee. The Vice-President will also serve in a leadership role supporting the Reunion Committee for pending Family Reunion activities, as assigned by the Executive Committee.

Section 3 — The Secretary

The Secretary shall:

Section 4 — The Treasurer

The Treasurer shall:

Section 5 — The Sergeant at Arms

The Sergeant at Arms shall support the orderly operation of Family Reunion business meetings and official events by helping maintain order, coordinating meeting logistics as directed by the President, assisting with sign-in/attendance when needed, and supporting vote administration procedures when requested.

Additional Appointed Duties — Appointed Positions

The President may appoint members to fulfill the following additional duty positions:

PUBLISHER — shall develop, operate, and maintain the Damie Lee Burton Howard Family Reunion website. The Publisher will assemble and publish official Family Reunion information and any other material requested on the website. The Publisher shall work with the Editor in Chief on the presentation, layout, and aesthetics of the website and official communications.

EDITOR IN CHIEF — shall support family communications by collecting, receiving, and assembling reports, articles, announcements, and updates for publication through official Family Reunion communication channels (including the website and any other platforms approved by the Executive Committee). The Editor in Chief shall assist the Publisher with organizing content and maintaining the overall presentation and aesthetics of Family Reunion communications.

FAMILY HISTORIAN — shall take on the role of keeper of the family history and family tree as specified in Article X. The Family Historian shall focus on cataloging family heirlooms and artifacts, preserving memories and stories, and making them more accessible to future generations in the family by leveraging the website and other approved platforms.

PHOTOGRAPHER — shall serve as the official photographer for the Family Reunion and related family activities. The Photographer shall be responsible for capturing photos (and when approved, short video clips) during Family Reunion events, organizing and submitting approved media to the Publisher for posting on the Family Reunion website and other approved platforms, and helping preserve family memories in support of the Family Historian. The Photographer shall follow any privacy guidelines established by the Executive Committee, including honoring requests from family members who do not wish to be photographed.

Article VII — Standing Committees

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE — shall consist of Family Reunion officers and shall administer the business affairs of the Family Reunion. It shall have power in the interval between general meetings of the Family Reunion to act on all administrative matters on behalf of the Family Reunion. The Executive Committee shall be chaired by the President. The Executive Committee shall have the power to appoint other committee members as needed.

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE — shall be responsible for developing, implementing, and administering a membership plan. The plan shall address membership requirements and benefits in detail and will be implemented with the advice and consent of the Executive Committee, in addition to maintaining an accounting of active membership in the Family Reunion. The Membership Committee shall be chaired by the Secretary.

FINANCE COMMITTEE — shall consist of at least four (4) family members and shall evaluate and establish the financial needs of the Family Reunion and report the findings to the Executive Committee. The Finance Committee shall also plan, coordinate, and conduct fundraising activities to help offset the cost of the Family Reunion. Operational expenses will be reimbursed out of proceeds (receipts required). All proceeds from fundraising activities will be recorded and reported as an additional line item on all Family Reunion financial reports. The Finance Committee shall be chaired by the Treasurer.

REUNION COMMITTEE — shall be responsible for planning, coordinating and administering the Family Reunion and related family activities, working in support of the Executive Committee. The Reunion Committee includes responsibilities for event planning, youth activities, and local/regional family communications, including planning and executing reunion events, coordinating activities and games (including youth-focused activities), and serving as the primary point-of-contact for disseminating Family Reunion information across local/regional groups. The Reunion Committee shall be chaired by the Vice President.

NEWSROOM COMMITTEE — shall be responsible for coordinating official Family Reunion communications, website content, historical storytelling, and media archiving. The Newsroom Committee shall be chaired by the Publisher. The Newsroom Committee shall be comprised of the following appointed positions: Publisher, Editor in Chief, Family Historian, and Photographer. The committee shall organize and prepare approved updates, announcements, and historical materials for publication through the Family Reunion website and other communication channels approved by the Executive Committee, while following any privacy guidelines established by the Executive Committee.

Article VIII — Ad Hoc Committees

Ad hoc committees will be formed as needed to support the over-all implementation of a family reunion in any given year. The activities of these committees will be addressed in documents prepared under the supervision and approval of the Executive Committee. Ad hoc committees will be dissolved once their duties are completed. All financial affairs shall be managed by the Treasurer.

Officer Support Committee (as needed) — may support the Elders Board as needed by collecting eligible candidates and coordinating any officer selection logistics as directed by the Elders Board.

Audit Committee — will be selected by a general consensus of the Executive Committee and will conduct an audit at the end of each reunion.

Article IX — Books and Records

Any and all records belonging to the Family Reunion held by an Officer or Committee Member shall be turned over to the successor in office or to such other person as may be authorized by the Executive Committee.

Article X — Historian

The Family Historian shall research and maintain family history and provide updates periodically and recommend long-term ways to preserve the Family records. The Historian shall maintain genealogical records, keep records of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, and adoptions, and be custodian of the Family Reunion records of the Damie Lee Burton Howard Family. The Historian shall serve as part of the Executive Committee but not as an elected position and may be replaced by another person to carry on the Family Reunion. The Historian shall administer continuing research and publish research documenting the history of the Damie Lee Burton Howard and extended family, from early origins in Africa, through migrations to the United States from slavery to present generations.

Article XI — Family Reunion Dues

Section 1 — Amount

Family Reunion dues shall be $20.00 per month per household.

Section 2 — Household Definition

A household consists of:

Section 3 — Nonpayment

Failure to maintain current dues will result in the loss of membership in the Family Reunion.

Article XII — Finance

The finances of the Family Reunion shall be accounted for under a budget system.

No officer, committee, committee member, or member of the Family Reunion shall receive any funds or incur any expense for the Family Reunion not provided for in these By-Laws unless authorized in writing by the President; nor shall the Treasurer or other authorized person make any payment except for expenditures which have been so approved. Funds for incidental expenses associated with meetings (i.e., mailings, phone calls) shall be provided by the Family Reunion, or as determined by the Executive Committee.

There will be an audit of all accounts. The Audit Committee will be selected by a general consensus of the Executive Committee and an audit will occur at the close of each Family Reunion.

At the conclusion of each Family Reunion audit, the family will vote to invest or carry over any remaining funds. If any remaining funds are invested, the Finance Committee will determine the investment opportunity and the Treasurer will monitor and report updated investment statuses as an additional line item on all Family Reunion financial reports.

Article XIII — Family Reunion

A reunion of the Damie Lee Burton Howard families will be held during the last Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in July a biannual basis as prescribed by traditions and processes, unless otherwise set by the Executive Committee and communicated to the membership.

Although the Family Reunion format may vary slightly each iteration, the general Family Reunion guidelines for format are as follows:

Friday (Arrival)
Meet-N-Greet Family Fish Fry

Day 2: Saturday (Family Reunion)
Family Cook-out
Reunion Gathering
Activities
Dinner
Entertainment

Day 3: Sunday (Fellowship)
Fellowship
Family Business Meeting
Farewell Lunch

Article XIV — Business Meetings

Family Reunion business meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order (latest edition), except where superseded by these By-Laws or any procedures adopted by the Executive Committee and approved by members in good standing.

The Executive Committee will establish when and frequency of business meetings during the pending iteration of the Family Reunion. These family business meetings are open to all members of the Family Reunion in good standing. All other meetings (committee meetings, social events, etc.) do not constitute business meetings. Final decisions on issues brought to the business meeting shall be passed by at least three (3) members present at the business meeting.

Article XV — Ratification

Ratification and adoption of these bylaws shall be by a majority vote of members in good standing at a duly called Family Reunion business meeting. Any member in good standing may vote to ratify or adopt these bylaws. Upon ratification and effectuation of these By-Laws, the Damie Lee Burton Howard Family Reunion will nullify and/or replace any previous written or unwritten bylaws.

Article XVI — Amendments

These by-laws shall be reviewed and amended every four (4) years or on an as required basis by the Executive Committee.