| April 24, 2015 |
| CHARDONNAY TRAVELERS BYLAWS |
1. CHARTER DATE AND NAME OF CHAPTER: The Chapter was chartered April 1, 1995, at
Rohnert Park, CA. Charter membership shall be reserved for those members who joined the Chapter in
calendar year 1995. The name selected at the WIT sponsored organizational meeting for this Chapter
was “Chardonnay Travelers”. The Chardonnay Travelers shall be a chapter of the California State and
the Winnebago International Travelers (WIT) Clubs until it is dissolved.
2. SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE CHAPTER: The specific purpose of
this Chapter is to promulgate camaraderie among fellow WIT members and encourage everyone to
practice and promote recreational vehicle (RV) safety. The safety aspect must include driving habits,
maintenance requirements, quality and completeness of repairs performed by dealerships or factory,
and do-it-yourself (DIY) repairs. Lessons learned in RV safety shall be shared with everyone. The
Chapter will cooperate with other organizations that are promoting the same ideas, concepts,
objectives, and goals adopted by this Chapter. Objectives include supporting all legislation, Federal
and State, designed to protect and preserve our environment, and when possible, support the State
and National WIT functions by attending their campouts, meetings, and functions.
3. NON-PROFIT STATEMENT: The Chardonnay Travelers does not contemplate pecuniary gain or
profit to its members and is organized for non-profit purposes. The Chardonnay Travelers will be
recognized as an unincorporated non-profit WIT affiliated RV Chapter. Individual members are
prohibited from seeking personal craft sales during meetings.
4. LIMITATION OF POWERS AND AUTHORITY: Not withstanding any statements of purposes,
objectives, and powers, the Chardonnay Travelers shall not, except to an insubstantial degree, engage
in any activities or exercise any powers that are not in furtherance of the specific purpose of this
Chapter. The authority to govern this Chapter is derived from these Bylaws and WIT Bylaws will
automatically supersede any conflicting Bylaws either already published or published in the future
without recognizing there was a conflict. Voting for changes to these Bylaws may take place during
any Executive Officer or General Membership meeting and will include any interpretations or rulings
previously made at an Executive Officers or General Membership meeting. The amendments must be
approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by the members present. All future amendments must be
read at two consecutive meetings, which will permit the members to become familiar with them, make
changes, or cancel them before they are added to the Bylaws. After the amendments have been read at
the second meeting and approved, the Secretary will incorporate them into the Bylaws with the current
date, and they will supersede all previously dated Bylaws. The Secretary will prepare a cover letter
outlining changes made and submit a copy of the revised Bylaws to the WIT Western Area
Representative in Forest City, IA, for approval. After approval has been obtained, the Secretary
will distribute a copy to the State WIT and one copy to each of the member families.
5. CHAPTER COLORS AND EMBLEM: Chapter colors and emblem were not selected during
the initial organizing meeting. The members approved the colors Burgundy and White on
September 23, 1995. The Chapter emblem approved by the members at this time was a circular
patch depicting a wine bottle on wheels with the name “Chardonnay Travelers” surrounding the outside
of the circle.
6. GUEST PRIVILEGE RESTRICTIONS: Guest privileges may be extended to owners of
Winnebago Industries RV products by any member of the Chapter. Owners of other brands of RVs
will not be offered guest privileges except for Friendship Rallies as defined by the National WIT
Bylaws. According to the National WIT Bylaws, a Friendship Rally can be held once every 12 months.
Executive Officers shall have the right or privilege to invite a worthy individual, such as a community
businessman, as a one time only guest if it is in the best interest of the Chapter. Chapter funds will not
be used to pay for guest speakers unless approved by the membership.
7. EXECUTIVE OFFICERS AND THEIR DUTIES: Executive officer positions will include the
President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and the immediate Past President. WIT allows secretary
and treasurer to be combined. Duties and responsibilities of each of the chapter’s officers are described
separately next.
a. PRESIDENT: The President will preside over Executive officer and general membership meetings;
act on all suggestions for Chapter improvement; appoint committees; act as Chapter chairperson to
the State WIT Club at their Executive Officer meetings; and other duties as may be required to comply
with WIT Bylaws or California State Club Bylaws. Prior to the election of new officers, the outgoing
president shall appoint an audit committee, consisting of no more than three members, to audit the
finances for the previous year. The audit committee is expected to complete its work during the
meeting, campout or rally, before the new officers are installed. The audit committee’s report will be
made part of the record of the chapter.
b. VICE PRESIDENT: The Vice President will perform all the duties of the President in his or her
absence; will chair and coordinate ongoing appointed committees; and assist the President with all of
his or her duties as required. The Vice President will also plan and schedule all outings, and establish
and maintain an 18-month calendar listing campout dates and locations, and seek Wagon Masters or
appoint them if necessary.
c. SECRETARY: The secretary will establish and maintain all Chapter official organizational files
(minus financial files); record all meetings and prepare minutes of the meetings; maintain membership
rosters and records; maintain copies of the Bylaws; send revised Bylaws to WIT; send a list of newly
appointed officers to WIT and to the California State Club not later than 20 days after they are duly
elected (WIT requires the report of elections not later than 30 days); send campout information,
anniversary, and memorial information to the WIT Club News representative; assist Wagon Masters
by preparing their invitations; handle all incoming and outgoing correspondence for the Chapter; keep
other officers informed of upcoming events; and other duties as may be required to comply with WIT
Bylaws or California State Club Bylaws.
d. TREASURER: The Treasurer will establish and maintain Chapter financial files; prepare the
monthly financial reports; ensure disbursements are made only for authorized projects; collect dues;
make timely deposits; keep accurate record of finances; and other duties as may be required to comply
with WIT Bylaws or California State Club Bylaws. If the Chardonnay Travelers chapter has less than
$50,000 in gross revenue, and the fiscal year continues to be from January to December, the chapter
treasurer is responsible for obtaining and maintaining the chapter EIN, Employer Identification
Number. He or she is responsible for filing an electronic IRS Form 990-N e-Postcard by May 15th
each year or in accordance with federal law. If the chapter has revenues greater than $50,000,
then a different statement is required that can be obtained from the WIT Club Western Area Reps.
e. IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT: The immediate Past President serves as an advisor to the President.
f. EXECUTIVE BOARD: The Executive Board consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer, and Immediate Past President. Executive Board may rule on matters not covered in these
Bylaws and may make suggestions for changes to the Bylaws. Their ruling will stand unless over ruled
by a majority vote of the membership. Any misunderstanding of the Bylaws may be referred to the
Executive Board for interpretation, recommended changes, and rulings. Their ruling on these matters
will stand unless over-ruled by a majority vote of the membership.
8. ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE OFFICERS: Executive officers will be elected at the November
meeting by a majority vote of the members present and will be installed at the next meeting. Elected
officers will serve for one (1) year commencing at the end of the December meeting. Officers may be
retained in their elected position if no other member seeks that position if they are willing to continue
to serve. Sudden vacancies in any elective office shall be filled by the President subject to a majority
vote by the members at the next general meeting. Any officer absent for three (3) consecutive meetings
without a legitimate excuse may be dropped from office with a two thirds (2/3) vote from the
membership. Any officer not performing their duties or causing a detrimental effect to the Chapter may
be voted from office with a majority vote from the membership.
Under ordinary circumstances, all Executive terms of office will be for a one year period, running
from January to December of the year following their election. All Executive officers will be elected or
re-elected at the November meeting by a majority vote of the members present. All newly elected
officers will be sworn in at the December meeting, and take office at the end of the December meeting.
To prevent any conflicts in officer changeover process, the President will be informed and approve of
any altering of duties by incumbent officers. Officers may be retained in their elected position if they
are willing to continue to serve, and if no other member seeks that office. The President may not hold
office for more than two consecutive terms. If a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the
Vice President shall be the president for the remainder of the elected President’s term. If a vacancy
occurs in any other office, the Chapter will elect a successor who will complete the remainder of the
unexpired term only. They may run for another full term if they are willing and if they are re-elected
by the membership.
Any officer absent for three (3) consecutive meetings without a legitimate excuse may be removed
from office with a two thirds (2/3) vote from the membership. Any officer not performing the duties
for the office to which they were elected, or causing a detrimental effect to the Chapter, may be voted
from office with a two thirds (2/3) vote of the membership.