CONSTITUTION

OF THE

PAN-RHODIAN SOCIETY OF AMERICA "APOLLON" INC.


ARTICLE 1

Organization of the Society

This Society was founded pursuant to Article 65 of Law 3534 of the State of Connecticut on January 28, 1927, under the name PAN-RHODIAN SOCIETY "APOLLON." By amendment of a Society Convention, the name was changed to PAN-RHODIAN SOCIETY OF AMERICA "APOLLON", INC.

ARTICLE 2

Aims and Objectives

The Society's aims shall be:

  1. To unite in one organization all individuals of Rhodian descent, regardless of sex or religion, residing in the United States of America and Canada;
  2. To promote greater unity within the Greek-American Community;
  3. To encourage mutual aid and to promote solidarity and brotherly relations among its members;
  4. To give financial assistance to patriotic, educational, religious, philanthropic, athletic, and agricultural institutions in the United States and in Rhodes;
  5. To grant scholarships to the children of member Rhodians or to those of Rhodian descent attending accredited institutions of higher learning in the United States of America and elsewhere.
ARTICLE 3

Headquarters and Seal

The temporary headquarters of the Society shall be known as the SUPREME LODGE and shall be located in the city of the residence of the Supreme Secretary of the Society.

The Society's seal shall be of circular shape with the Sun in the center and around it the name "PAN-RHODIAN SOCIETY OF AMERICA "APOLLON," INC.", the Chapter number, the year the Chapter was founded and the name of the city where it is locate
  • The seal of the Supreme Lodge shall so indicate with the words "Supreme Lodge." The Society's permanent headquarters shall be in the city of Hartford, Connecticut where the Mother Lodge is located.

    ARTICLE 4

    Administration

    The administration of the Society consists of (a) the Supreme Legislative Authority and (b) the Executive Authority.

    ARTICLE 5

    Supreme Legislative Authority

    1. The Supreme Legislative Authority of the Society is exercised during the Supreme Conventions of the Delegates from the Chapters, Ladies Auxiliaries and the members of the Supreme Lodge.
    2. Chapters with 29 or fewer members are entitled to one (1) convention delegate, and two (2) delegates if they have 30 to 40 members. For each 20 additional members, a Chapter is entitled to one (1) additional delegat
    3. But no Chapter is entitled to more than five (5) delegates including any members of the Supreme Lodge from that Chapter.
    4. The Supreme Conventions of the Society conduct the business of the Society, elect the members of the Supreme Lodge, and designate and select any Standing Committees they may deem appropriate.
    5. The delegates tenure ends with the conclusion of the convention, and their expenses shall be paid by their respective Chapters.
  • Each Convention decides the date for the following year's Convention.
  • At every Convention, the Youth from the various Junior Chapters shall meet and elect one (1) youth Delegate to the Supreme Convention who shall have one (1) vote at the said Convention. ARTICLE 6

    Supreme Executive Authority

    1. The Supreme Executive Authority is exercised by the Supreme Lodge which consists of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The members of the Supreme Lodge are elected for a yearly term until the following Convention.
    2. The Supreme Lodge issues Charters to newly organized Chapters and recalls the Charter of any Chapter which does not conform with the provisions of this Constitution and the decisions of the Conventions, or which is inactive, or which is dissolve
    3. Such recall of any Charter shall continue until the next succeeding Convention which will decide irrevocably the fate of that Chapter. Any Chapter so involved shall have the right to be duly represented at such a Convention.
    4. A Supreme Lodge member cannot represent his Chapter or any other Chapter at any Supreme Convention and shall be replaced by the first alternate or, if none exists, by any member appointed by the Supreme Lodge, nor can he be elected to any office of his Chapter.
    5. The Supreme Lodge shall appoint the Editor of the Society's periodical, “RODOS” and the Legal Advisor, who shall be a member of the Supreme Lodge.
    ARTICLE 7

    Chapters and Auxiliaries

    1. The Society's Chapters are administratively independent. They have the right to regulate the course of their internal affairs in accordance with their own interests and those of their community provided; however, that such course is in complete agreement with the fundamental aims of the Society and this Constitution.
    2. A Chapter shall legally exist if it continues to have seven (7) good standing members, all Rhodians or of Rhodian descent (see Article 8). In the event of its dissolution, all its assets, in whatever location and in whichever form they may be, are totally taken over by the Supreme Lodge.
    3. Each Chapter is an independent economic entity and shall enjoy the freedom to spend its money within the framework of this Constitution, and only after a decision by two/thirds (2/3) of its good standing members at a membership meeting called exclusively for this purpose.
    ARTICLE 8

    Organization of Chapters and Auxiliaries

    1. To membership are entitled all Rhodians or persons of Rhodian descent or (non-Rhodian) spouses of Rhodians or of persons of Rhodian descent over 18 years of ag
    2. Rhodians are those born of Rhodian parents (father or mother or both) in Rhodes or elsewher
    3. Rhodians may also be considered those born in Rhodes but not of Rhodian parents provided they are registered in the Vital Statistics (archives) of the Rhodes municipality or of the Island's communities.
    4. Seven or more Rhodians or persons of Rhodian descent residing in a city have the right to organize a Chapter of the Society with the approval of the Supreme Lodge and provided that no other Chapter or Auxiliary exists in their city.
    5. Any non-Rhodian Greek or person of Greek descent, or the spouse thereof, shall be entitled to membership in any Chapter or Auxiliary with the right to vote and with a further right to hold only the office of Counselor, but cannot be elected delegates to the Convention. Non-Rhodians who are spouses of Rhodians, have the right to be elected to all Chapter or Auxiliary offices.
    6. Each Chapter regulates the annual dues.
    7. A member violating the provisions of this Constitution or embezzling funds of the Society, or acting against the Society's aims and objectives or systematically undermining programs or members of the Society or in any way abetting, inciting, urging or acting against the interests of a Chapter or the Society, shall be expelled from the Society by a majority of the members of his Chapter or of the Convention's Delegates. The Society or Chapter can also take legal action against such member. A member thus expelled has the right to appeal to the Supreme Lodge or to the immediately following Convention.
    8. The Chapters' obligations to the Supreme Lodge are determined by the Conventions.
    ARTICLE 9

    Administration of Chapters

    1. The Administrative Council of a Chapter shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Treasurer, a Secretary and as many Counselors as the Chapter may decid
    2. It is elected by majority vote of good standing members for one year during the Chapter's annual meeting and the Supreme Lodge is advised of the election results.
    3. All good standing members of a Chapter have the right to elect and be elected to its various offices and in accordance with the provision of Article 8 of this Constitution.
    4. A Chapter’s Administrative Council or a chapter’s general membership meeting shall not have the right to dissolve the Chapter, declare it independent and sever its relations with the Supreme Lodge and the Society. The Administrative Council or Chapter members violating this provision are legally responsible and subject to legal proceedings by the Supreme Lodge or any member of the Chapter.
    5. The Administrative Council members are elected within the first fortnight of each October and the new Council assumes its duties on the first of the following January.
    ARTICLE 10

    Chapter Meetings

    1. The Chapters hold regular meetings at least bi-monthly and special meetings whenever the President or a majority of the Administrative Council deem it necessary, or whenever at least one-third (1/3) of the Chapter's members request such a meeting, in writing, in which case such a meeting shall be held within a reasonable time after such a request is transmitted to the Administrative Council.
    2. The regular meeting shall have a quorum when the number of members decided by the Chapter membership is present. When there is no quorum, the next special Chapter meeting shall be considered as having a quorum regardless of the number of members present.
    3. The Administrative Council meetings, the Chapter meetings, the Supreme Conventions, the Supreme Lodge meetings, and all of the Society's business shall be held and conducted and all decisions shall be reached in accordance with the latest revised edition of Roberts Rules of Order.
    ARTICLE 11

    Ladies' Auxiliaries

    1. The establishment of Women's Chapters is recognized by the Society as an auxiliary organizational branch of the Society. Their purpose is to the implementation of the Society's programs and the realization of its aims and objectives.
    2. The establishment, administration, and activities in general of a Ladies' Auxiliary shall be conducted in accordance with the Articles of this Constitution for the establishment and administration of Men's Chapters, and all Auxiliaries shall have the same obligations, rights and privileges as the Men's Chapters.
    3. A Men’s Chapter and a Ladies' Auxiliary in the same city may merge in a mixed (men and women’s) Chapter.
    ARTICLE 12

    Junior Chapters

    1. The Chapters may organize Mixed Junior Chapters whose members shall be sons and daughters of Rhodians, 15 to 25 years of age.
    2. The Administration of these Chapters shall be conducted in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution for the establishment and administration of Men's Chapters or the Ladies' Auxiliaries, whose appointed representative or guardian, shall always be present at all Junior Chapter meetings.
    3. For the coordination of the programs of the Junior Chapters, the Society's Conventions elect a National Coordinator.
    ARTICLE 13

    Chapters-Supreme Lodge Relations

    Chapter Obligations

    1. The relations between Chapters and the Supreme Lodge shall be those of a federated character. The Chapters are independent under the provisions of Article 7, but legally they are under the jurisdiction of the Supreme Lodge which has the right to intervene in a Chapter's internal affairs under the provisions of this Constitution.
    2. The Chapters have the absolute right and freedom to act within the framework of this Constitution; to exercise supervision and ask information from the Supreme Lodge about its finances and about the Society's programs in general.
    3. Each Chapter and Ladies' Auxiliary shall pay to the Supreme Lodge a per capita fee determined by the Supreme Convention. No Chapter shall have the right of representation at the Convention if it fails to pay in full all its obligations to the Supreme Lodge.
    4. Each Chapter and Ladies' Auxiliary shall submit to the Supreme Lodge a complete list of its members in good standing and an annual financial report within six (6) months after the new administrative council assumes its duties.
    5. The Supreme Lodge shall submit to the Chapters and Auxiliaries financial reports semi-annually. The new Supreme Lodge must submit the last quarterly financial report of the preceding Supreme Lodge's term.
    ARTICLE 14

    Scholarship Fund

    The Scholarship Fund shall be administered by a three-member Scholarship Committee which decides on scholarship applications and is independent of the Supreme Lodge. The granting of scholarships and the raising of funds shall be conducted in accord with the Scholarship Regulations. The granting of scholarships and the amount of each scholarship shall be decided by the Supreme Convention.

    ARTICLE 15

    Independent Rhodian Organization

    An independent Rhodian society may join the Pan-Rhodian Society “Apollon” provided it meets the provision of Article 8 of this Constitution and accepts the provisions of all other Articles. Such society may function independently as before coming to “Apollon.” Have the right to send delegates to the Convention provided it fulfills Article 13 of this constitution.

    ARTICLE 16

    Amendments

    1. The present Constitution may be amended by two-thirds (2/3) of the delegates of the Supreme Convention.
    2. Any amendment by a Chapter or a member in good standing is submitted to the Supreme Lodge which shall submit such amendment, together with all supporting documentation, to all other Chapters and Auxiliaries at least three (3) months before a Convention.
    ARTICLE 17

    Dissolution

    In the event the Society is dissolved, all the movable and immovable property, real or personal, of every Chapter, Auxiliary or of the Supreme Lodge shall be automatically transferred to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of North and South America, headquarters at 8-10 East 79th Street, New York, New York, which shall be duty bound to communicate with any remaining Rhodian members in good standing and the ecclesiastical authorities in Rhodes for a decision on the disposition of the Society's assets in accordance with Article 2 of this Constitution.

    The present Constitution was read and voted on each Article separately and in its totality by the 57th Convention of the Society held in the City of Hartford, Connecticut on the 1st, 2nd and 3rd day of September 1984 and goes into force as of September 4, 1984.

    Revisions were made and voted upon Articles 8 and 13 at the 64th Convention held in the city of Hartford, Connecticut and went into effect as of September 3, 1991.