• President: Cynthia Gilbert
• 1st Vice President: Virginia Talent
• 2nd Vice President: Jackie Rodewald
• Secretary: Linda Steen
• Treasurer: Jan DeAlmeida
• Membership: Bea Elliott
• Newsletter Editor: Cynthia Magnant

• Community Service: Madelyn Meyer
• Hospitality/Refreshments: Bea Elliott
• Library: Nancy Jo Baker
• Parliamentarian: Peggy Mote
• Retreat: Wanda Njaa & Susan Veres

ARTICLE I. Name

This organization shall be called Gulf Coast Quilter’s Guild.

Article II. Purpose

The purpose of the Guild shall be two fold: To encourage the appreciation and enjoyment of the art form of quilting by group participation 
and public education. To increase the knowledge of traditional and contemporary techniques and to provide an 
encouraging environment in which quilters can practice and exchange ideas.

Article III. Statement of Autonomy

The Gulf Coast Quilter’s Guild shall be an independent, not-for-profit organization. It may, with the 
approval of membership, enter into affiliation with other organizations, establishments or individuals 
with the purpose of carrying out a specific project, but it shall not affiliate itself permanently with any 
other organization, establishment, or individual.

No part ofthe funds of the Guild shall inure to the benefit of or be distributable to, its 
members, trustees, officers or other private persons except that the Guild shall be authorized 
and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payment 
and distributions in the furtherance of the purposes set forth in Article If hereof. The Guild shall 
conduct itself in accordance with the following:

(a) A Corporation exempt from federal income tax under Section 501c3 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1954 (or corresponding provision of any future United States Internal 
Revenue Law) or,

(b) A Corporation, contributions of which are deductible under Section 170c2 of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States 
Internal Revenue Law).

2. Upon dissolution of the Guild, the Executive Board, shall, after paying, or making provision for 
the payment, of all liabilities of the Guild, dispose of all the assets of the Guild as stated in 
Article If hereof upon the advise and consent, of the general membership to such organization 
or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable or educational purposes and 
at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under Section SOlc3 of the 
Internal Revenue Code.

Article IV. Membership

Section 1. Membership is open to all interested persons regardless of age, race, creed, sex, or 
national origin. Four levels of membership are available: Full, Senior Citizen, Family, and Associate.

Section 2. Privileges of Full, Senior Citizen, and Family memberships shall include: The right to cast a vote in the election of officers, the approval of guild policies and the amendment of the bylaws.

A subscription to the monthly newsletter goes to the person paying full dues. The right to hold office in the organization is limited to the member paying full dues. The right to attend monthly meetings and to participate in Guild activities on a priority basis and 
at membership rates. The right to attend Executive Board meetings as a non-voting member. The right to continuing participation in a Guild sponsored quilting bee as described in Article I

Section 3. Family memberships may consist of member, spouse/significant other and or children under 
the age of 18 and members under 18 will have privileges except for voting and holding office.

Section 4. Senior Citizen memberships are open to persons aged 62 or older on or before May 1st and 
shall pay a yearly dues at a reduced rate.

Section 5. Associated memberships may consist of persons residing more than 50 miles outside of the 
current meeting place and Associate members are entitled to a newsletter only and grants no other 
privileges of membership.

Section 6. Guests are welcome to attend two monthly meetings. After that time, they will be invited to 
become dues-paying members.

Section 7. A yearly payment of dues shall be required of members in May. The amount of all 
memberships shall be proposed by the Executive Board and approved by vote of the membership. New 
members (“new members” are those that have never been a member previously) [oinlng after 
November 30 of the current year shall have the amount of required dues halved. Members who have 
not paid dues by the June general membership meeting will be dropped from the membership roster.

Section 8. A member who would like to solicit or advertise the sale of merchandise at a Guild meeting 
or Guild sponsored activity must present a proposal to the Executive Board for approval first. It shall be 
the option of the Executive Board to invite members to teach at Guild sponsored functions, at stipends 
to be set by the Board.

Article V. Meetings

Section 1. General Membership Meetings

a. A meeting of the general membership shall be held monthly. The meeting time and place shall be set by the Executive Board. It shall be announced at least 
one month in advance, and published in the newsletter prior to that meeting. Part of these meetings shall be devoted to business. The minutes of the previous general meeting and the treasurer's report shall be published in 
the newsletter following the monthly membership meeting. The general meeting and 
treasure's report will be open for additions and/or corrections and approved at the meeting 
following newsletter publication. The meeting shall be conducted according to standard parliamentary procedure.

Section 2. Executive Board Meetings.

a. Meetings of the Executive Board shall be held each month, or as needed, at a time and place determined by the president. The time and place shall be published in the newsletter. A quorum shall consist of a simple majority for the transaction of business. Meetings shall be conducted according to standard parliamentary procedure.

Article VI Executive Board

Section 1. The following elected officers shall administer the Guild.

a. President

b. First Vice-President

c. Second Vice-President

d. Secretary

e. Treasurer

f. Membership Coordinator

g. Newsletter Editor

Section 2. Board Terms and Transitions.

a. Each Board position shall be elected for a term of one (1) year. This term shall run from the 
April General Membership Meeting to the following March General Membership Meeting. A transition meeting of the joint Executive Boards to transfer duties shall take place after the 
March General Membership Meeting and before the April General Membership Meeting.

Section 3. An individual shall not hold more than two (2) consecutive terms in the same Executive Board 
position.

Section 4. All Executive Board members shall be limited to four (4) consecutive years on the Board.

Section 5. Partial terms, appointed or elected, shall not count as a term.

Section 6. The qualifications of the Executive Board are:

a. They shall be members of the guild.

b. The President and First-Vice President shall have been a member of the Guild no less than one (1) year. All candidates shall be current with dues and all fees.

Section 7. The responsibilities of the Executive Board includes:

Approval of the yearly budget. Expenditures over $750.0 must be brought before the 
membership for approval. The First -Vice President may exceed this amount in order to 
contract speakers for programs. Setting the time and place for the general membership meeting. Introduction of proposals for activities outside the regular duties of Board Members for approval by the general membership. Setting library policies. Appointing committees as required or needed. Appointing standing Committee chairs. With the approval of two-thirds of the Executive Board, and upon conferring with the 
individual, a chairman may be removed from office for failure to perform duties. Serving as Editorial Board for the Newsletter.

Section 8. The Executive Board positions and their duties:

President

Shall plan, organize, and preside over General Membership and Board Meeting in 
accordance with parliamentary procedures as defined in Roberts Rules of Order, Newly 
Revised. Shall be responsible for securing Executive Board meeting place. Shall have the authority to sign checks and hold keys to meeting place. Shall maintain Executive Board guidelines and be responsible for distributing such to the 
Executive Board at the beginning term, and to pass same onto the incoming Executive 
Board at the end of the term. Shall distribute such yearly and update as needed. Shall act as legal agent with authority to enter into legal contracts in the name of the Guild 
with Executive Board approval.

First Vice-President

Shall schedule speakers and coordinate programs for the general membership meeting and all related activities pertaining to them. May contract with speakers for future programs past current term of office. Shall coordinate any workshops associated with speakers. Shall conduct General Membership and Executive Board Meeting in the absence of the 
President. Shall hold keys to meeting place. Shall have the authority to sign checks.

Second Vice-President

Shall coordinate all other workshops, field trips, and special events and make 
arrangements for the physical aspects of these events. Shall be Raffle Quilt liaison between the Raffle Quilt Committee and the Executive Board. 
(See Article VIII, Section 2a), Shall coordinate guild fundraising projects. Shall fill in for the First Vice-President in case of absence.

Treasurer

Shall coordinate the budget proposal process and present the budget to the Executive 
Board for approval. Shall provide a year-end budget report of all Guild expenditures, summarized by office, to 
remain in the Treasurer files. Shall provide and maintain expense forms for reimbursement of expenditures. Shall collect all dues and funds made available to the Guild and deposit these monies to the Guild checking account. Shall have the authority to sign checks on the Guild checking account. Shall keep a written account of all Guild financial transactions. Shall pay all bills incurred by the organization as authorized by the Executive Board or the 
general membership.

Secretary

Shall record minutes of all General Membership Meetings, and submit them to the 
Newsletter Editor for publication in the following newsletter. Shall be responsible for any correspondence that does not relate specifically to an activity 
or responsibility of another Executive Board member. Shall maintain a file of the minutes, correspondence, by-laws, and all other non-financial 
records relating to the Guild. Shall maintain a list of Guild related assets and their whereabouts.

Membership Coordinator

Shall receive all dues and transfer those dues to the Treasurer for deposit. Shall maintain an up-to-date membership roster, furnish changes to each Executive Board 
member, and print the changes in the newsletter monthly. Shall provide each member with a copy of the membership roster each July and an update 
each January. Shall provide new members with copies of by-laws, membership roster and a membership 
card. Shall be present at the sign-in table at the General Membership Meeting or provide a representative. Shall send postcards to visitors after each General Membership Meeting. Shall coordinate monthly door prize drawing. Shall provide copies of the by-laws to the membership on an annual basis.

Newsletter Editor

Shall publish a monthly newsletter containing upcoming Guild events and pertinent 
information as directed by the Executive Board. Shall send the newsletter to the membership prior to the regular monthly meeting, either 
by US Postal Service or electronic mail. Shall serve as editor of the newsletter and may have a staff to assist in the production of 
the newsletter. Shall maintain copies of the Guild Newsletters to become part of the library at the end of 
each term.

Section 9. Board Vacancies

If a vacancy occurs in the position of President, the First Vice-President shall assume the office of 
President for the remainder of the term. If a vacancy occurs in the position of First Vice-President, the Second Vice-President shall assume 
the office of First Vice-President. All other vacancies occurring with more than six (6) months remaining of the term shall go to the 
general membership for a special election. One month's notice shall be given prior to a special 
election. Nominations shall be taken from the floor and voting shall be conducted at the same 
General Membership Meeting for a special election. If a vacancy occurs during the last six (6) months remaining of the term, the position shall be filled 
by appointment of the President with Executive Board approval. With the approval oftwo-thirds of the Executive Board, and upon conferring with the individual, 
an officer may be removed from office for failure to perform duties.

ARTICLE VII. Standing Committees

Section 1. The Standing Committees are:

a. Advertising

b. Parliamentarian

c. Historian

d. Bee Coordinator

e. Refreshment

f. Librarian

g. Community Service

h. Raffle Quilt Committee

i. Auditing Committee

j. Webmaster

Section 2. The Standing Committees and their duties are:

Advertising Shall be responsible for placing notices of monthly Guild General Membership meetings in 
local newspapers. Shall be responsible for keeping a supply of Guild flyers in local quilt shops on a monthly basis. Shall maintain Guild business cards for circulation within the membership. Shall secure advertisement for the Guild newsletter in coordination with the newsletter editor. Shall maintain and update file of current advertising contracts.

Parliamentarian Shall have a working knowledge of and ensure all general membership meeting are conducted 
according to Roberts's Rules of Order, Newly Revised. Shall be present at all General Membership Meetings.

Historian Shall maintain and update a file with photos and clippings to record the history of the Guild. This file shall become a part of the library at the end of each term. Shall be responsible for purchasing supplies for such records as authorized by the Executive 
Board.

Bee Coordinator Shall act as liaison with all Guild sanctioned bees. Shall visit bees on a regular basis, and report on current Bee activity to the Guild membership. Shall coordinate Bee activity with special Guild activities. Shall maintain a roster of Bee members.

Refreshment Shall coordinate refreshments for General Membership Meetings Shall coordinate volunteers for set-up and cleanup of refreshment area Shall be responsible for purchasing supplies for refreshments as authorized by the Executive 
Board.

Librarian Shall acquire, maintain and dispose of Guild owned library materials. Shall organize library materials and make them available to members at the general membership meeting. Shall maintain a written inventory of all library materials. Shall write thank you notes to those who donate items to the library. Shall notify members of past due books and materials quarterly.

Community Service Shall present to the Executive board proposed community service project(s) for membership 
approval. Shall coordinate Guild efforts to complete said service project (s) within a period of one (1) 
year. Community Service project (s) shall not be limited to any geographical area or any specific 
charitable or service organization.

Raffle Quilt Committee If the Executive Boar chooses to sponsor a Raffle Quilt, it shall appoint a chairman. The chairman may solicit volunteers to form a Raffle Quilt Committee. Shall be responsible for planning and carrying out the making of a Raffle Quilt. Shall provide regular status reports to the Executive Board. Shall plan and carry out the method of raising funds from the Raffle quilt.

Auditing Committee Treasurer's books shall be audited annually, to be completed by the April guild meeting. A 
minimum of two (2) volunteers shall be solicited from and voted upon by the membership at 
the March General Membership Meeting. Shall not include any person who has served on the Executive Board or has managed the 
disbursement or collection of funds during the year under audit. Shall review and reconcile the Treasurer's financial statements and records as well as any 
other funds of the Guild for accuracy.

Webmaster Shall maintain and update the existing Guild website pages; located at 
http://www.gulfcoastguilters.org. Changes to the existing pages shall be made as needed and 
additional pages shall be added as needed. Shall set up Executive Board member-mail forwarding shortly after the installation of the new 
Executive Board and remove any outgoing Executive Board members for the web email. Shall keep track of the domain registration and hosting account expiration dates in order to 
maintain possession of the website. Renewals for the registration and hosting must be paid a 
minimum of two (2) months prior to expiration to guarantee continuous service.

ARTICLE VIII. Ad-Hoc Committees

Section 1. Regular Ad-Hoc committees are appointed by the Executive Board to serve a specific purpose 
at regular intervals. These include, but are not limited to:

Nominating Committee

The Chairperson shall be appointed by the President in January, The President shall ask for 
volunteers to serve on the committee. No current Executive Board member may serve on 
the committee. Shall not be eligible for election to Executive Board positions during their term on the 
nominating committee. Shall secure the consent of qualified candidates for nominations to all Executive Board 
positions. Shall present a slate of officers at the February General Membership Meeting. At the February General Membership Meeting, after the candidates are announced, the 
Nominating Committee shall provide a written list of candidates to the Newsletter Editor for 
publication in the newsletter prior to the election. Shall preside over the election of officers and announce the new Executive Board members 
prior to the conclusion of the March General Membership Meeting. Voting will be by voice for an unopposed slate A written ballot will be provided and used only if there are multiple candidates running 
for the same office Shall coordinate the installation of the new Executive Board officers at the April General 
Membership meeting. In case of vacancy in the Nominating Committee, The Executive Board shall appoint a 
replacement. Shall coordinate outgoing officer recognition of service gifts.

Section 2. Special Ad-Hoc Committees. These committees are appointed on as Needed bases. They 
are, but not limited to:

Retreat Committee

1. If the Executive Board chooses to sanction a Guild Retreat, it shall appoint a Coordinator. The Coordinator may solicit volunteers to form a Retreat committee. Shall plan, coordinate, and hold Guild Retreat. Retreat shall be self-supporting and coordinator has the authority to solicit donations and 
fundraise as needed. Shall provide regular Guild Retreat status reports to the Board. Shall provide the Board with a final accounting of all Guild Retreat receipts and 
expenditures. Shall provide the Board with a written report containing plans, points of contacts, financial 
records, and other pertinent data for use by a successor Retreat committee. Any retreat participant must be a current Guild member. New members will be accepted 
after 90 days of membership. Retreat is for active Guild members only.

ARTICLE IX. Quilting Bees

Section 1. The purpose of the bees is two-fold: To provide fellowship, fun, sharing, and support of fellow quilters. To support the Guild in membership approved events, projects, and activities.

Section 2. Bee Requirements Should be a member in good standing of the Gulf Coast Quilters Guild. Bee membership is optional. Members may participate in any open Bee of their choice. Bees may limit the number of members they can accommodate. Bees may not obligate the Guild in any way, nor use the Guild's name in any activity not 
approved by the Guild's membership. Bees may not establish their own bank account or engage in separate fund raising activities for 
their own purposes.

Section 3. Beekeeper Duties Each Bee shall elect its own beekeeper during the month of July or prior to the August guild 
meeting. Shall facilitate smooth operation of the Bee and be responsible for the time and location for 
meetings. Shall keep Guild members informed of Bee activities through monthly newsletter articles.

ARTICLE X. Indemnity of Officers

To the extent it is permitted by law, every person who is or was a Board member, committee member, 
or employee of the Guild, shall have the right to be indemnified by the Guild against all reasonable 
action, suit, or proceeding in which he or she may have become involved as a party or otherwise by 
reason of being or having been an Board Member, Committee Member, or Employee of the Guild.

ARTICLE XI. Amendments

Amendments to these by-laws shall be made by vote of the general membership. They shall require 
approval with a two-thirds vote of those members present at the meeting. Proposed changes may come 
from the Executive Board or individual members. After a proposed change has been suggested a 
General Membership Meeting, it shall be printed and distributed to members prior to voting at the next 
meeting of the General Membership.

ARTICLE XII. Standing Rules

As a courtesy to all members shall wear a name tag to all general meetings. A donation of 
twenty-five cents shall be made to the library fund by any member not wearing a name tag. There will be a fine of twenty-five cents per item per month for overdue library materials. Library items may be renewed once, in person or by phone. If a member loses or damages a 
library item, it must be replaced with the same item of equal value, or a similar item of equal 
value. Any member who hosts out-of-town lecturers who teach at a workshop may attend the 
workshop at guild expense. Guild members who conduct mini-workshops at Bees may be paid by the members of the Bee. In compliance with copyright law, any class, design, and/or written instruction belong to the 
individual teacher and are not to be copied or taught for remuneration unless written 
permission is granted by the teacher. The monthly door prize shall be furnished by the previous month's winner. This is limited to 
Guild members only.

Bee Pieceful Meets Wednesdays from 1pm to 4pm (Except the 1st week of the month: Lunch and full day of quilting on Monday of that week from 9am to 3:30pm). Beekeeper: Kay Beggs, 281-482-7997 Meets at the Friends Church in Friendswood.

Sew What? Bee Meets Wednesdays 9am – Noon in Santa Fe. Beekeeper: Peggy Mote, 281-787-8892

Thursday Therapy Bee Meets Thursday from 1Oam to ?? Beekeeper: Susie Johnson 281-482-4951. Meets at home of Billie Wenzel in Clear Lake.

Friday Night Special Bee Meets Fridays from 4:30pm-lOpm at the Alvin Senior Center. Beekeeper: Sue Driskill 281-605-9386.

Saturday Afternoon Strippers (New Bee) Meets 2nd and 4th Saturday of month at 3:00pm in the home of Susan Veres in Friendswood. Space is limited. Please call Susan for information at 281-482-7885

Most of the Bees are open to new members and work on individual projects.

We hope to inspire creativity, learning and friendships among our members and to provide outreach where help is needed in the community.

Getting Started

The co-founders of the guild were Mary Redus & Jaymee Varner. At 11am on May 10, 1986, a group of ladies met at Quakertown Quilts – then owned by Jaymee Varner which was then located at 108 E. Edgewood Ave (now called FM 2351) in Friendswood, Texas. This was the first meeting of the Gulf Coast Quilt Guild.

The first board members elected were:

• Mary Redus – President
• Jaymee Varner – 1st Vice President
• Sallie Valley – Secretary
• Ruby Collier – Treasurer
• Lois Moran – Membership/Bee Coordinator
• Bill Corbett – Librarian/Historian
• Christy Root & Sallie Valley – Newsletter
• Cherrie Mitchell – Hospitality
• Maida Haneline – Parliamentarian
• Jean Bolton – Publicity

It was decided anyone joining during the first three months would be charter members. They were:

Our first official guild meeting was June 5, 1986, at the Church of Christ church on Johnson St. in Alvin, Texas