CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS

OF THE

KENA HILLBILLY UNIT

Article I

Name

The name of the organization shall be the Hillbilly Unit of Kena Temple A.A.O.N.M.S.

Article II

Purpose

The purpose of the Hillbilly Unit (hereinafter called "Unit" ) shall be to promote the public image of the Shrine by participating in parades, visiting Shriner's Hospitals and Burns Institutes, and participating in Kena Temple (hereinafter called "Temple" ) fund raising events for fraternal and charitable purposes.

Article III

Membership

There will be three categories of Unit membership, namely: Regular, Life and Honorary. Regular and Life Membership shall confer the same rights and privileges; Honorary Members may not endorse petitions and shall not have voting privileges.

a. Regular Members. See Article IV, "Qualifications for Membership".

b. Life Members. Hillbilly Unit regular members who have performed outstanding service to the Unit. They are accorded lifetime membership by a unanimous ballot of the members present at a regularly scheduled meeting. Life members do not pay dues.

c. Honorary Members are those who are not regular members of the Unit but have performed outstanding service and have supported the Unit. They are accorded honorary membership by unanimous ballot of the members present at a regularly schedule meeting. Honorary members do not pay dues.

All applicants shall receive a copy of the Bylaws upon making applications in writing for membership.

Membership in the Unit shall automatically be revoked for all categories of membership if the Noble ceases to be a member in good standing of the Temple.

Regular and Life Members are required to pay any special assessment as may be voted on by the membership at a regularly scheduled meeting.

ARTICLE IV

Qualification of Membership

To qualify for membership in the Hillbilly Unit, a candidate must:

a. Be a member in good standing of Kena Temple.

b. Apply for membership by submitting a petition, endorsed by no less than two (2) regular members of the Hillbilly Unit who are in good standing. The petition will be accompanied by the required initiation fee. It will be read at a regularly scheduled meeting and will lay over for a period of one month (until the next regular meeting) for balloting. During the lay over period, an investigating committee consisting of at least two active members of the Hillbilly Unit that are in good standing will determine the qualifications of the potential member for regular membership, and report their findings to the Hillbilly Unit at the next regularly scheduled meeting. After the report of the investigating committee to the membership on the qualifications of the candidate for membership, a ballot will be taken. The candidate shall not be present at the meeting in which his petition is balloted upon. The candidate must be unanimously elected by secret ballot to become a regular member of the Kena Hillbilly Unit.

ARTICLE V

Dues and Fees

All regular members shall pay annual dues as set by a majority vote of the Unit at a regularly scheduled meeting and will receive a Unit dues card from the Secretary at the time payment is made. Dues become payable on January 1 of each year. There is no proration of dues. Any member who is one year in arrears in his dues as of January 1 shall be notified in writing. At the March meeting, any member who is still in arrears shall be considered for suspension by a majority vote of the membership. Reinstatement shall require a written application for such payment of dues in arrears and a unanimous ballot of the members present when presented at a regularly scheduled or called special meeting. Suspension from the Temple for any reason (including nonpayment of Temple dues) shall automatically revoke Unit membership regardless of membership category.

A special assessment may be assessed to each Regular and Life Member of the Unit by a unanimous vote of the membership at any regularly scheduled or special called meeting in those cases when the Unit treasury lacks adequate funds to remain operational and/or pay any bills submitted to the Unit for payment.

ARTICLE Vl

Officers

The Officers of the Unit shall consist of a Director, Assistant Director, Secretary, Treasurer, Chaplain and other appointed offices as may be necessary. The election of Officers shall be held in the November stated meeting. The names of the proposed slate of Officers together with the current Unit Bylaws shall be submitted to the incoming Potentate for his approval by December I of each year. The Director shall not serve more than two (2) terms in succession. There must be at least two (2) names for nomination for the Office of Director. The Director elect shall have the first nomination for each other office. The term of office shall be January 1 to December 31 of each year.

ARTICLE VII

Duties of the Officers

a. The Director shall preside at all Unit meetings when present, enforce the Imperial, Temple and Unit Bylaws and represent the Unit by attending the annual leadership seminar, monthly Temple meetings and the Council of Units and Clubs.

b. The Assistant Director will preside in the absence of the Director.

c. The Secretary will record minutes of all meetings, attend to all correspondence and file all necessary reports as required by the Temple. The Secretary shall receive all monies due the Unit and turn them over to the Treasurer, taking the Treasurer's receipt for the same. The Secretary shall send to each member written dues notices in November and shall send each member a dues card upon receipt of payment for dues.

d. The Treasurer shall handle all monies received and disbursed, report monthly to the Unit and assist the Secretary in filing the necessary reports as required by the Temple.

e. The Director, and /or the Assistant Director in the absence of the Director, shall have the power to direct the Treasurer to disburse/draw funds, in an amount not to exceed $300.00 per request, with out prior approval of the Unit, provided that the:

(1) funds spent are for the direct benefit or betterment of the unit;

(2) funds are available in the Unit account; and

(3) the purpose of the funds are brought up at the next regular meeting for approval by the Unit.

ARTICLE VIII

Meetings and Sessions

Regular meetings shall be held on the second Wednesday of the month at 7:30 P.M. Special meetings may be called by the Director, or in his absence the Assistant Director, provided all members are notified in advance of the time, place and purpose by telephone or in writing. No business other than that for which the meeting was specifically called may legally be conducted at a Special Meeting. Five members in good standing shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business among whom must be one or more of the following: Director, Assistant Director or a Past Director.

ARTICLE LX

Conduct of the Members

The conduct of each member shall be in accordance with the highest standards of Masonic behavior. On the day of a Ceremonial or public Shrine activity, any member who has partaken of intoxicants prior to the Ceremonial or activity shall be automatically barred from taking part in the same. This rule is to be rigidly enforced by the Officers of the Unit. Any member not conforming to the above standards shall have his membership subjected to review by the Officers and members of the Unit. Appropriate action will be taken under Article X.

ARTICLE X

Dismissal of Members

a. Should it be necessary to dismiss a member, it shall be done by a secret majority vote of the voting members present at a regularly schedule meeting and subject to approval of the Potentate.

b. Upon dismissal or resignation, the member concerned shall immediately surrender all property, keys and equipment owned by the Unit to the Director. These items are expected to be returned in reasonably good condition.

c. Any grievance among, or involving Unit members will be carefully reviewed by a committee consisting of three (3) Past Directors and an Officer of the Unit. Such committee shall endeavor to work out an amiable solution for all parties concerned. If a resolution cannot be reached by such committee, the matter will be referred to the membership for appropriate action.

d. Once a grievance has been submitted to the membership for appropriate action, the decision of the Unit shall be binding upon the aggrieved party or parties as the case may be. Appeal from the decision of the membership, if any, must be submitted to the Potentate, in writing, within thirty (30) days of the decision.

ARTICLE XI

Amendment

This Constitution and Bylaws may be amended by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the members present voting by ballot at any regularly scheduled meeting, provided advance written notification has been given to the membership of the intent to amend. Adopted changes shall be referred to the Potentate for his review and shall not take effect prior to the date of the Potentate's approval.

ADOPTED BY THE HILLBILLY UNIT

May 26, 1997
Month, Day, Year

Signature
Jim Armenakis
Director
Kena Hillbilly Unit

APPROVED BY

June 3, 1997
III. Jerry G. Oliver
Month, Day, Year

Signed By LTR June 3, 1997
Potentate
Kena Temple