What Is D.A.W.N.?

DAWN

The Denver Area Wiccan Network is a group of pagans and friends from a wide variety of Craft traditions. DAWN sponsors parties, group rituals, a student/teacher network, and other activities as inspired or impelled.

WHY DO I WANT TO JOIN DAWN?

• You want to be part of an active, growing community of Wiccans who can work together to make some changes in their world;
• You want to meet people and make new friends who share your basic values-people you can be yourself with, no need to keep your cover;
• You want an ongoing opportunity to exchange views and information with people from groups or traditions other than your own;
• You want to be in on the creation of a Denver pagan extended family which will make all the above possible;
• You like hugs, and you enjoy being warmly welcomed.

DO I HAVE TO "GO PUBLIC" TO BE A MEMBER?

No. Only the Board Chair and Secretary are expected to be "public," and the identities of all other members are fiercely protected.

HOW DO I JOIN?

Dues are $13 per coven, $5 per solitary, payable twice yearly in May and November. These cover the cost of mailings and the setup costs for parties and rituals, as well as other costs authorized by the Board and/or Steering Committee.

DO I HAVE TO JOIN DAWN TO PARTICIPATE?

No. All parties are open to pagans and friends. To find out about them and other DAWN functions, write us at the PO Box listed below (postage is appreciated) or call Bob Key on his answering machine. Another way to find out more about DAWN is to show up at one of our Steering Committee meetings. They are held at 6:30 PM, the second Sunday of each month, at the Glendale Community Center (999 S. Clermont).

Thank you for your interest in dawn!

Bylaws

Denver Area Wiccan Network

Board Of Directors

1. The Board of Directors (hereinafter referred to as the Board) shall be selected by the Steering Committee from among the active members of DAWN such that:
2. Each coven shall have no more than one member on the Board; if there are fewer than 5 member covens, then there may be a second Director from any coven;
3. There shall be at least one member of the Board who is a member of a coven; and
4. There shall be at least one member on the Board from among the DAWN members who are not members of any coven.
5. The Board shall have no fewer than 4 members and no more than 13 members. It shall determine its own size within those limits.
6. The Board may appoint members of DAWN to fill vacancies on the Board. Persons so appointed shall serve only until the next regular election.
7. Each elected Director (member of the Board) holds a two year term, except that, when the size of the board is increased, half of the new positions shall initially be for one year only. Any person serving one elected term may not be reelected as a Director until they have been retired from the Board for one year.
8. Each seated Director may designate an Alternate to speak and vote in their stead when they are absent from Board meetings. The identity of this Alternate shall be recorded in the Minutes of the Board, and no other person may serve this function until the Director changes the designation and the change is on record. Being named Alternate to a Director does not automatically name them Alternate to any offices that director may hold; however, they may so serve at the discretion of the Chair.
9. The Board shall elect Officers from among the Directors for the positions of Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer. This shall be done after each new election, and no later than the next regular meeting of the Board.
10. A quorum of the Board shall consist of 70 percent of the Directors, either present or represented by their Alternate.
11. The Board shall elect a Newsletter Editor from the general membership of DAWN. This officer shall serve at the will of the Board and report directly to the Board.
12. The Board shall meet regularly, at least four times per year, at a time and place to be fixed by the Board. Additionally, The Chair or any two Directors may call a Board meeting upon giving at least 7 days notice to all Directors by U.S. Mail, or upon at least 2 days notice given by telegram. Said notice will be deemed delivered when deposited in the U.S. Mail with the last known address of the Director and proper postage thereon prepaid, or when the given to the telegram company. Any Director may waive notice of any meeting. The attendance of a Director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice, except when the Director attends the meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of business because the meeting has not been lawfully called or convened. The notice of meeting need only contain the date, time, and place of the meeting.
13. The Board may make rules to govern the conduct of its own meetings.
14. All Board Meetings are open to the membership of DAWN. Accordingly, any Director is required to furnish information regarding dates, times, and places of upcoming Board meetings to any DAWN member upon request.

Steering Committee

1. The Steering Committee shall be composed of the Directors, one representative from each member coven and proportional representation for such DAWN members as do not belong to any member coven (hereinafter referred to as Solitaries). The method of choosing a coven representative is left to the discretion of the individual coven. A method for choosing representation for Solitaries will be determined by said Solitaries, subject to approval by the Board. There shall be at least one (1) representative of the Solitaries, who is not a Director, on the Steering Committee.
2. Steering Committee members must commit to serve for at least six (6) months. They may serve as long as their constituents wish them to serve.
3. The Steering Committee shall elect a Speaker, Deputy Speaker, and Clerk of the Committee from among its members.
4. A quorum of the Steering Committee for the purpose of amending the Bylaws or Constitution shall be two-thirds (2/3) of the committee. A quorum for other business shall be a majority of the Committee.
5. Steering Committee members will not have alternates.
6. The Steering Committee may make rules to govern the conduct of its own meetings.
7. Decisions made by the Steering Committee shall be referred to the Board for action, except as otherwise provided for in these Bylaws.
8. Any recommendation that dues be levied or changed must receive at least two-thirds (2/3) of the votes cast by the Steering Committee, ten (10) days notice having been given that dues will be discussed.
9. The Steering Committee shall meet regularly at a time and place to be fixed by the Committee. Additionally, the Board may call Steering Committee meetings with 15 days notice should such meetings be necessary.

Officers

1. Chair - duties shall include:
   1. Presiding over meetings of the Board.
      1. Presiding over meetings of the general membership of DAWN.
   2. Preparing an agenda for Board meetings.
      1. Preparing an agenda for meetings of the general membership of DAWN.
   3. Vice-Chair - shall perform the duties of the Chair when the Chair is absent or incapacitated.
   4. Secretary - duties shall include:
      1. Maintaining accurate and current minutes of all meetings of the Board and all business related meetings of the general membership of DAWN. All such minutes are to be made available, upon reasonable notice, to all members of the body so recorded, and are to be presented at the next meeting of the Board for approval.
      2. Handling correspondence other than the newsletter and general announcements.
      3. Maintaining an accurate and current list of members and friends of DAWN. The Secretary may NOT release the addresses, phone numbers, or full names of any person associated with DAWN, except as noted in this paragraph, to any person, without specific permission from said person. The Secretary will share this list with the Newsletter Editor. When leaving this job, the Secretary will turn over all copies of the membership list, in whatever form, to their successor in these duties.
   5. Treasurer - is responsible for maintaining all the financial records of DAWN. The Treasurer is also responsible for the safekeeping and expenditure of the moneys held by DAWN as directed by the Board.
   6. Speaker - shall preside over meetings of the Steering Committee and prepare an agenda for said meetings.
   7. Deputy Speaker - shall perform the duties of the Speaker when the Speaker is absent or incapacitated.
   8. Clerk of the Committee - is responsible for maintaining accurate and current minutes of all meetings of the Steering Committee. All such minutes are to be available to members of the Steering Committee, and are to be presented at the next meeting of that body for approval.
   9. Newsletter Editor - duties shall include:
      1. Providing timely announcements of meetings and other DAWN functions.
      2. Providing a regular newsletter in keeping with DAWN policies.
      3. Maintaining an accurate and current list of newsletter recipients. The Newsletter Editor may NOT release the addresses, phone numbers, or full names of any person associated with DAWN, except as noted in this paragraph, to any person, without specific permission from said person. The Newsletter Editor will share the mailing list with the Secretary. When leaving this job, the Newsletter Editor will turn over all copies of the mailing list, in whatever form, to their successor in these duties.

Amendments

In order to amend this document, the proposed change must receive the votes of at least two-thirds of the Directors and must receive at least two-thirds of the votes cast at a proper meeting of the Steering Committee, both bodies having received at least 20 days notice of the proposed amendment.

Elections

On the second Sunday in October, The Steering Committee shall meet to hold an election. At this time, the Steering Committee will elect replacements for Directors whose term is expiring. Names will be taken in nomination, consent obtained from those nominated, and one ballot cast. Each Committee member, including retiring and interim Directors, shall have as many votes as there are vacancies. The qualified candidate with the most votes will fill the first vacancy - two year terms being filled first. As each vacancy is filled, members of the successful candidate's coven are stricken from the list. If only one vacancy remains and either part I.A.2 or part I.A.3 of the Bylaws has not been fulfilled, then only those candidates who meet the criterion can be selected; otherwise, the position will remain vacant to be filled by the Board, as soon as possible, by appointment. If a tie exists between equally qualified candidates, where all may not serve, a runoff election shall be held between those candidates. Misspellings shall not invalidate ballots where the appropriate person can be discerned; nor shall voting for fewer than the number of vacancies. Voting for too many candidates shall invalidate that ballot. No individual shall vote more than one time for the same person; therefore duplicate names on a single ballot shall count as only one vote. All elected persons take office at the first meeting in November.

Rules Of Order

Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised (copyright 1970) will govern in any circumstances not covered by the Rules, Bylaws, or Constitution of DAWN.

Distribution Of Funds On Dissolution

In the event of dissolution of the organization, all remaining assets will be delivered to a tax-exempt organization to be chosen at the time of dissolution by the Board of Directors.