Elder Larry Albers
Navigator Mike Stenho
Circle Organizers Glenn Brossus, Roger Brodreau, and Tom Willingham
Treasure Keeper Scott Anderson
Log Keeper Scott Anderson
Newsletter Merilee Brown
Patch Man Brett Beck
Outfitter Tim McCoy

Base Camp meetings are held on the third Wednesday of the month for all Expedition Officers, Circle Navigators or their representatives, and any circle member wanting to attend. Meetings start at 7:00 P.M. Check the calendar for this year's meeting dates.

Parent/Child Program By-Laws

These shall be the program by-laws for the Los Altos Family YMCA Parent/Child program, also called Adventure Guides which shall be known as the Great Spirit Expedition.

Motto

Friends Forever!

Purpose

The purpose of the Base Camp is to create and maintain a program that fosters understanding and companionship between parent and child.

To be clean in body and pure in heart
To be friends forever with my dad/mom/son/daughter
To love the sacred circle of my family
To listen while others speak
To love my neighbor as myself
To respect the traditions and beliefs of all people
To seek and preserve the beauty of Our Creator’s work in forest, field, and stream

Objectives

· To coordinate the program and its components: program promotion and recruitment, organizing new circles, Base Camp activities, program fundraising, collection of fees, communication, the exchange of ideas, problem solving, etc.

· Foster companionship and understanding and set a foundation for positive, lifelong relationships between parent and child.

· Build a sense of self-esteem and personal worth.

· Expand awareness of spirit, mind, and body.

· Provide a framework to meet a mutual need of spending enjoyable, constructive, and quality time together.

· Enhance the quality of family time.

· Emphasize the vital role that parents play in the growth and development of their children.

· Offer an important and unique opportunity to develop and enjoy volunteer leadership skills.

Program Pledge

We, YMCA Adventure Guides/Explorers, through friendly service to each other, to our family, to this circle and Expedition, and to our community, seek a world pleasing to the eye of Our Creator.

Program Activities

Circle meetings and Expedition events constitute the core of the program.

Circle meetings and gatherings (biweekly or monthly in a family home and once a month for circle events).
Expedition events (circles coming together for Expedition events such as campouts, ceremonies, celebrations, etc).

Program Structure

Participants are grouped as follows:

Guide and explorer-parent and child pair
Circle-group of guides and explorers often grouped by gender
- Circles are lead by circle navigators
Expedition-group of circles within a YMCA
- Expedition is lead by Expedition Navigator and Officers
In order to be members of any parent/child program, parents and their children must have registered with the YMCA and have paid their annual program fee.

Program Leadership

The Base Camp council shall be the governing body of the Expedition. It shall consist of elected or appointed officers plus all circle navigators or designated circle representatives.

Base Camp Meetings

There shall be a minimum of ten (10) meetings per year called Base Camp meetings. They are regular business meetings with minutes, financial reports, committee reports, old and new business, announcements, discussion and resolution of current issues, YMCA staff reports, etc.

Base Camp Officers

There shall be twelve (12) council offices. Offices may be created, combined, or deleted as deemed necessary by the council.

1. Elder 7. Log Keeper

2. Expedition Navigator 8. Newsletter Editor

3. Compass Bearer 9. Patch Man

4. Event Coordinator 10. Historian

5. Circle Organizer and Mentor 11. Property Keeper

6. Treasure Keeper 12. Outfitter

Jobs and Duties

All officers are ex-officio committee members and assist with Base Camp ceremonies. All officers are to attend and assist with Recruitment Rally, Welcome Ceremony and Round-Up Ceremony. All officers shall share duties in case of vacant positions.

All officers will meet every other month to discuss upcoming events, current issues, etc. Pending matters and other decisions may be resolved or determined in Base Camp Officer meetings.

Elder

· Expedition Navigator from the year before.

· Counsels Base Camp Council.

· Assists with Welcome Ceremony and Round-Up Ceremony.

Expedition Navigator

· Responsible for coordinating program.

· Preside at Base Camp meetings and ceremonies.

· Responsible for sponsorship of Welcome & Round-Up Ceremonies.

· Works with program leaders to ensure successful programming.

· Prepare the Base Camp meeting agenda in consultation with Outfitter.

· When a member of any committee, ex-officio chair of the committee.

· May authorize payment of Base Camp expenses.

· Has discretionary authority to act upon all matters not specified within the By-Laws.

· Provides guidance and organizational assistance to circles.

· Submits Navigator's Message for The Compass.

· Represents program membership to the YMCA Board of Managers.

· Division Leader for the Y's Sustaining Campaign Parent/Child Division.

Compass Bearer

· Coordinates promotion and recruitment with Base Camp Council.

· May authorize payment of Base Camp expenses.

· Responsible for sponsorship of the Welcome & Round-Up Ceremonies.

· Ex-officio chair of committees in the absence of the Navigator.

· Assists Navigator as needed and serves as key leader in the absence of the Navigator.

Event Coordinator

· Responsible for Base Camp Event Sponsorship Book.

· Coordinates Base Camp events with circle sponsors and officers.

· Responsible for invocations and closing thoughts at Base Camp events.

Circle Organizer and Mentor

· Responsible for organizing and indoctrinating new circles.

· Responsible for distribution of new members to circles.

· Provides activity and leadership training for new and returning program participants.

· Designs new member orientation packet with Outfitter.

Treasure Keeper

· Maintains a true and complete record of all income and expenses.

· Responsible for deposits and disbursements of Base Camp funds.

· Maintains financial records and a balance statement of Base Camp funds.

· Provides copies of a financial statement covering the Base Camp budget and year-to-date balance at each Base Camp meeting.

Log Keeper

· Records minutes of Base Camp meeting and provides typed copies at next meeting.

· Maintains records of approved minutes for future reference.

· Maintains an attendance record of each Base Camp meeting.

· Provides copies of the By-Laws to new officers and circle navigators.

· Tallies "Circle of the Year" contest points.

Newsletter Editor

· Coordinates the preparation of monthly The Compass.

· Responsible for newsletter articles reviewing each Base Camp event.

· Keeps a copy of each The Compass for future reference.

Patch Man

· Order program patches, YMCA sleeve, Expedition sleeve, officer patches with year sleeves, etc.

· Collects patch designs from event sponsor.

· Orders and distributes all Base Camp event patches.

· Keep patches for one year.

Historian

· Responsible for the history of Base Camp, updating plaques, etc.

· Takes pictures at Expedition events for Base Camp use-program promotion, etc.

· Maintains website resource.

Property Keeper

· Responsible for purchasing or constructing Expedition equipment, etc.

· Responsible for maintaining and storing Expedition equipment, etc.

· Responsible for coordinating loaning/returning of equipment or supplies to individual circles.

Outfitter

· YMCA staff person who manages of Adventure Guide Program.

· Main liaison between YMCA and program leadership.

· Interprets and implements YMCA Policy.

· Attends Base Camp meetings and events.

· Take digital pictures of events for website and promotion.

· Works with Base Camp Council to ensure program promotion and success.

· Designs, prints, and distributes promotional materials.

· Designs membership orientation packet with the Circle Organizer/Mentor.

· Assists with the monthly newsletter The Compass.

Terms of Office

Base Camp Council Officers shall serve for twelve (12) months; the procedure to be as follows:

1. Nomination . . . . . at April Base Camp meeting

2. Election . . . . . . . . at May Base Camp meeting

3. Installation . . . . . . Round-Up Camp-Out

4. Term of Office . . . July to June

New officers shall attend the May and June Base Camp as observers. Outgoing officers shall give to their successors any records, materials, or property related to their offices. New officers shall conduct the August Base Camp meeting.

In case the Navigator resigns, the Compass Bearer shall automatically become Navigator. The new Navigator, with the help of the officers, may appoint someone to fill the Compass Bearer vacancy for the remainder of the term. The appointee is subject to council approval in order to assume office.

If the council believes that any officer is failing to adequately perform the duties of their office, the council shall either ask the officer to resign or vote to remove the officer from their position.

In the case of the resignation or removal of any officer, the Navigator, with the help of the officers, may appoint someone to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the term. The appointee is subject to council approval in order to assume office.

Council Voting

· Voters shall be present to vote.

· In order to vote on any motion, the motion shall first be moved and then seconded.

· Each circle has one vote via circle leader or designated circle representative on each question raised before the Base Camp Council.

· In addition, each Base Camp Officer also has one vote but the Expedition Navigator votes only in case of a tie.

· The Outfitter has no vote.

· A simple majority of votes shall be required to carry all motions and to elect officers.

Obligations of Circle Leader

· Support, implement, and enforce the policies, guidelines, and decisions of the Base Camp Council and YMCA.

· Represent circle at all Base Camp meetings or designate a circle representative to attend.

· Convey information from the Base Camp Council to circle members.

· Recruit circle members and volunteer for at least 2 shifts at the annual tree lot.

· Support the YMCA’s Annual Sustaining Campaign by acting as a team captain recruiting 5 campaigners, soliciting donations, and spreading word of the YMCA’s great service to the community.

· Ensure circle support of Base Camp fundraisers and sponsorship of Base Camp events.

· Communicate RSVPs to event sponsors in a timely manner.

· Communicate needs for circle members to the Circle Organizer by September.

· Assist with the collection of program fees, camp fees, etc.

Finances

· All funds in the Great Spirit Expedition account shall be spent for the benefit of the Expedition, YMCA, or for charitable purposes.

· The Base Camp Council will ensure planning for the raising of adequate funds to cover program related expenses.

· All Base Camp and circle fundraisers shall be approved by the Base Camp Council.

· All Base Camp and circle fundraisers shall also be approved by the YMCA Executive Director or by the YMCA Board of Managers.

· Reimbursement for any approved expenditures shall be made by presenting to the Treasure Keeper invoices or receipts listing items purchased and their cost along with the place and date of purchase.

Dissolution

· In the event of any circle disbanding, any funds remaining in its treasury shall be given to the Base Camp Council.

· In the event of the Base Camp disbanding, any funds remaining in its treasury shall be given to the YMCA.

By-Laws

• By-Laws are defined as the governing rules of the Base Camp.

• By-Laws shall be reviewed and revised as deemed necessary by the council.

Up for Base Camp Approval 12-15-04.

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