Florida Society Sons of the American Revolution

1. Florida Society Sons of the American Revolution Chapter Officers Seminar Vice Presidents, Treasurer and Secretary

2. 1St Vice President • Duties: • First in the absence of the President the 1st Vice President will take over the duties of the President. • Second the 1st Vice President is responsible for the programs at the chapter meetings. • The 1st Vice President is a member of the Board of Directors of the Chapter

3. Programs • It is possible to create a new program for each meeting, suggestions for programs can include the Constitution, Patriotic, Historical, Educational, National Defense, Continental Congress, Biographical Sketches of the Founders, Etc. • Try and create a series of programs for the year in advance, the DAR does this and it is very successful for them.

4. Suggestion • This is what we do in the St. Lucie River Chapter at the beginning of each year. • September - Constitution Week, joint meeting with the local DAR Chapters • October – Fire Safety • November – Veterans program • December – Open • January – Youth • February- Youth/ Joint Meeting with DAR • March – Open • April - Law Enforcement • May – Officer installation and Chapter Awards

5. Where to Find Programs • Newspapers • Television programs • Radio Shows • Talking to people on the street • Events in your community • Other organizations use their programs • Purchase DVD’s and CD’s from historic places • Use your SAR contacts Dabney Davis or myself as examples • The source is where ever you find them and many times you find them in interesting places or events

6. 2nd Vice President • Duties: First in the Absence of the President and the 1st Vice President he will need to step up and run the chapter until the other officers Return. • Second the 2nd vice President is the membership chairman, he co-ordinates between the Secretary and the Registrar and is responsible for maintaining chapter records on membership. • The 2nd vice President is a member of the Board of Directors

7. Membership Records • Total number of members • Names, Addresses, Phone numbers, e-mail addresses and other pertinent information. This is usually acquired by the Registrar when he signs up a new member and is maintained by the Secretary. • All information should be coordinated by the 2nd V.P. to the Secretary and the Registrar • These three should be the basis of the Membership Committee.

8. Treasurer • Responsibility for taking care of all Chapter incomes. • Responsibility to disburse all chapter monies for Chapter operation. • Responsibility for caring for paper work to account for Chapter finances. • Treasurer should be prepared to report on the financial status to the Chapter members whenever called upon to do so. • The Treasurer is a member of the Board of Directors

9. Setting up Chapter Accounts • Soon after installation of a new Treasurer he should go to the bank where the Chapter Account is held. • He should give his address to receive statements • He should present a copy of the minutes which names the new Chapter Officers. • The bank will then prepare the forms and signature cards which the Treasurer will have signed by the proper officers

10. Chapter Dues • Treasurer should receive money from members for dues. • Treasurer should inform Secretary when dues are paid so that I.D. Cards can be sent to the paid members. • Treasurer and Secretary should co-operate with the Newsletter Editor to send notices. • Treasurer and Secretary should co-operate on difficult collections by send out invoices to the chronically late payers.

11. Secretary Duties: • The Secretary should keep a record of all members attending meetings , and a full record of all proceedings. • The Secretary should give due notice for all meetings • The Secretary should notify applicants of their admission to membership. • The Secretary should handle all correspondence of the Chapter, except in those cases where the individual officer should answer. A copy should be kept in the Chapter files. • The Secretary should on notification of the death of a Chapter member, notify the State Secretary and Chaplain. He should send to the family a bereavement card expressing the condolences of the Chapter.

12. Secretary Duties: (Continued) • The Secretary should periodically review both the membership list and the mailing list • The Secretary is responsible for completing the annual report to the Florida Society Secretary to later then January 1 • The Secretary should complete and mail members who have paid their dues their I.D. Cards • The Secretary should notify soon after being installed the Florida Society and the National Society, the names and addresses of all new Chapter Officers • The Secretary is a members of the Board of Directors

13. Meeting Notes/ Minutes • Kind of meeting (regular/special/ board) • Name of Chapter and State Society • Date and place of meeting • Presence of President and Secretary, if absent their substitutes. • Whether minutes were approved, any changes motion to accept and second. • Hour of meeting and adjournment • Number and names of those members present (to comply with quorum requirements) • All main points of meeting, any motions with seconds, votes, points of order. • General description of the program and other comments during the meeting

14. Annual Reports • The Chapter Secretary should begin to request dues payments in the newsletter upon the restart of meetings in the Fall. St. Lucie begins to ask for dues in August. • The Florida State Secretary will issue a report package usually in Oct. check if you have not received a package by Nov 1. • The Secretary and Treasurer will co-ordinate their activities to assure all members pay their dues. • The final report will be sent to the State Secretary by the 15th of December. Included will be a check for dues owed to State and National. • Late payers can be added over the next month by notifying the State Secretary and sending the money necessary. • After 1 January late payers can be reinstated through the reinstatement process with National.

15. Mailing Lists Made up from: • Membership list • State Officers • Special Requests • Referrals from recruiting efforts • Referrals from State, National • Families • Requests from Libraries • Because of all of these different sources of requests for Chapter information it is necessary to cull out the unnecessary and the unprofitable persons, who eventually fill up the spaces.

16. Registrar (Appointed) One of the most important Officers in a Chapter Duties: Process all applications for membership submitted to the Chapter for State and National. • Interviews all new prospects • Determines if prospects documentation proves the line of descent. • Assists new members in documenting applications. • Types application on the proper paper. • Includes proper documents to prove application. • Forwards to State Registrar. • In case of errors the Registrar contacts and assists prospects onto the correct path or determines that path is unattainable and a new path should be taken.

17. Other Appointed Officers • Chaplain • Sergeant at Arms • Historian • Recording Secretary • Parliamentarian • Directors at Large • Color Guard Commanders