PQG History

Prairie Quilt Guild was founded in 1982 by Merilyn Austin, Becky Cook, Judy Ermey, Nancy Hornback, Norma Johnston and Ann Martin. The first meeting took place in June with about one hundred members. In 2004, our membership had grown to almost 900. The Guild's purpose is to promote and advance the art of quilt-making by conducting educational programs and services in the art, and to foster research in the history of the art.

PQG has contributed to the community by making many quilts and wall-hangings which have been donated to Wichita's Ronald McDonald Houses, the Shelter for the Homeless, Friends of the Senior Services, and the America Red Cross. Other service projects include "hands-on" quilting exhibitions at the Kansas State Fair each September, and the annual Old Sedgwick County Fair at Cowtown. Quilting books have been donated to regional libraries by PQG, and quilts were made for many of the families who lost their homes in the 1991 Andover tornado.

PQG received the Wichita Community Theatre's Civic Service Award for 1985-86 for making the 17' square quilt and props for their productions of the play Quilters.

Among our members are numerous nationally-known quilters, speakers, and writers who have been featured in magazines and books, and who have won many regional and national prizes at quilt shows and fairs.

PQG has sponsored a quilt show since 1984. In even-numbered years we have a "big" show at Century II Convention Center. On the alternate years we work on a smaller scale. Starting with the Sunflower Challenge Project in 1993, the Guild has participated each year in the Wichita Garden Show at Century II Convention Center with quilt displays. Other shows of note have been a benefit exhibit of about 100 quilts for Botanica and two separate one-woman exhibits of quilts by members Lillie Webb and Diane Lane. We have also added a Quilt Room Tour featuring members' special stitching areas.

With money raised by the miniature quilt auction of the 1998 show "Baltimore Comes to the Prairie," a grant program was instituted, open to school teachers in Wichita and surrounding school districts. Impressive results have already been demonstrated by the students who have benefited from this project. Proceeds from the miniature quilt auction of the 2002 and 2004 shows have been voted to continue this grant program.

By-laws of Prairie Quilt Guild, Inc.

ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this organization shall be Prairie Quilt Guild Inc.

ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
The purpose of this Guild shall be to stimulate an interest in quilts; to promote and advance the art of quilt making; to conduct educational programs and services in the design and techniques of quilt making; and to foster research in the history of the art.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERS
Section 1. Membership is open to anyone with an interest in quilts without regard to race, color, sex or national origin.
Section 2. A person may attend two (2) regular meetings of the Guild as a guest before being required to join if further attendance is desired.

ARTICLE IV: DUTIES OF OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers shall be President, Vice President, Vice President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. The term of office for all officers is one (1) year or until their successors are elected. No officer shall be eligible to serve for more than two consecutive years in the same office. The term shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting in September.
Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings and appoint all other committee chairs necessary to the welfare of the Guild. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.
Section 3. The Vice President or Vice President Elect shall preside at all meetings in the absence of the President or at the President's request. The Vice President shall serve as Program Chair for the monthly meetings.
Section 4. The Vice President Elect shall serve as Assistant Program Chair for the monthly meetings. The Vice President Elect will assume the position of Vice President the year following her election.
Section 5. The Secretary shall take and keep complete and accurate minutes of all Board and Guild meetings; shall conduct and make available Guild correspondence; and shall report action taken at Board meeting to the general membership.
Section 6. The Treasurer shall record all funds made available to the Guild; shall keep written record of all transactions involving the Guild in the Prairie Quilt Guild, Inc. Treasurer's Book and present to the membership an itemized monthly report and an annual report; and shall attend all meeting of the Finance Committee.

ARTICLE V: BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Section 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of President, Vice President, Vice President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, the immediate Past President, Finance, Hospitality, Membership, Newsletter, Publicity, Workshops, and three (3) Members at Large elected from the membership at large. No Director shall be eligible to serve for more than four (4) consecutive years. The term shall begin at the close of the Annual Meeting in September.
Section 2. The Board of Directors shall meet monthly in the evening of the last Tuesday of the month, or in an emergency, as called by the President. A majority of its members shall constitute a quorum for the Board meetings.
Section 3. Duties. The Board of Directors shall set policies pertaining to Guild business. Shall authorize program expenditures that fall within the budget, with any expenditure over $1000 and not in the budget taken to the guild for a vote. Shall promote the educational programs and service of the Guild.
Section 4. Executive Committee. The President, Vice President, Vice President Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer shall be members of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall have the powers of the Board of Directors between Board meeting provided a quorum of three is present and that action shall be submitted to the Board of Directors at its next meeting.
Section 5. An officer may resign at any time by delivering notice to the Guild’s Board of Directors and such resignation shall be effective when the notice is delivered unless the notice specifies a later effective date. The Board of Directors may remove any officer at any time with cause. When an office or director position becomes vacant, it will be filled by the Board. A position shall be considered vacant because of death, resignation, failure to fulfill job, or two (2) absences from Board meetings without legitimate excuse.

ARTICLE VI: MEETINGS
Section 1. The regular meeting shall be the second (2nd) Tuesday of each month or as designated by the Board of Directors.
Section 2. The regular meeting in August shall be for the purpose of electing the Board of Directors and Nominating Committee, receiving reports of officers and committee, and for any other business that may arise. This is to allow one (1) month for a transition period between the old and new boards.
Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the President, Board of Directors, or written petition of at least ten (10) members at large.
Section 4. Notification to all members of all meetings will be distributed (10) days prior to the meeting.
Section 5. A quorum for regular monthly meetings, the annual meeting, and special meetings is the number of members present, provided the meetings have been properly called.

ARTICLE VII: FINANCES
Section 1. The fiscal year shall run from October 1 to September 30, with the Annual meeting to be held on the second (2nd) Tuesday of September. Each member shall pay annual dues in the amount determined by the Board of Directors. Dues are payable on or before October 1st and must be received no later than October 31st in order to ensure continuous membership. Failure to pay dues on or before this date shall be considered the voluntary withdrawal of a member from the Guild. In the event of a member’s withdrawal from the Guild during the year, dues shall not be prorated or refunded. Those joining for the first time after April1st shall pay one-half (1/2) of the membership dues for the remainder of that fiscal year.
Section 2. All expenditures above $500 related to any Guild checking account will require two (2) signatures. For the Guild Checking account, any two (2) of the three (3) (President, Vice-President, or Treasurer) may sign these checks. For the Guild Quilt Show checking account any one (1) of the three (3) (Quilt Show Co-Chairs, or Quilt Show Treasurer) and either the President of Vice-President may sign these checks. The Guild Treasurer and the Quilt Show Treasurer will be responsible for handling all deposits made to their respective accounts.
Section 3. All committee members will provide a receipt for all monies collected. The duplicate receipts will be forwarded to the Treasurer. Treasurer will provide to the committee chairman a receipt for all monies collected.

ARTICLE VIII: NOMINATING COMMITTEE
Section 1. The Nominating Committee shall consist of five members. One Board member shall be elected by the Board of Directors to serve on the Nominating Committee. Two (2) members who attend the day meeting and two (2) members who attend the evening meeting along with one (1) alternate from each shall be elected at the August Meeting by the membership. The committee shall elect a chair.
Section 2. The Nominating Committee shall present a list of nominees from the membership body for the proposed Board of Directors (which will consist of the Executive Committee and the Standing Committee) and the proposed Nominating Committee at the August Meeting. Written notification of the list of nominees will be sent to all Guild members ten (10) days prior to the meeting. Additional nominations will be accepted from the floor with prior consent of the nominees and provided that such nominations are presented to the Nominating Committee twenty-four (24) hours prior to the August Meeting. The chairs may then appoint their own committees.

ARTICLE IX: COMMITTEES
Section 1. The duties of the Standing Committee Chairs are as follows:

1. Membership Committee duties shall be:
   1. Collect and record all dues; turn money over to Treasurer.
   2. Maintain a roster of all members.
   3. Keep an "Interest Profile" on Guild members and compile lists of volunteers for committee chairs from information on the profile sheets.
   4. Print a membership directory.
2. Hospitality Committee duties shall be:
   1. Be responsible for providing hostesses for meetings and special events.
3. Finance Committee duties shall be:
   1. Establish and present a Budget at the July meeting of the Board of Directors.
   2. Present the Proposed Budget to the membership at the Annual Meeting for approval. The Proposed Budget will be published in the Newsletter ten (10) days prior to the Annual Meeting.
4. Newsletter Committee duties shall be:
   1. Assume primary responsibility for monthly composition, publication and mailing of the newsletter.
   2. Obtain advertising sales for the newsletter.
5. Publicity Committee duties shall be to publicize all events of the Guild through all news media.
6. Workshop Committee duties shall be to plan and supervise arrangements for:
   1. Workshops given by Guild members & guest teachers.

ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
ROBERT'S RULES OF ORDER, NEWLY REVISED shall be the authority of deciding all points of order and procedure when not in conflict with the Bylaws.

ARTICLE Xl: AMENDMENT OF BYLAWS
Section 1. Bylaws shall be reviewed every four (4) years by a committee appointed by the current President and chaired by the current parliamentarian appointed by the current President at the beginning of the fiscal year. The committee shall present any recommendations to the Board Members at the January Board meeting.
Section 2. These bylaws may be amended by a 2/3 vote at the regular meeting of the Guild, provided the changes have been distributed to the membership ten (10) days prior to the meeting they are to be acted upon.

ARTICLE XII: DISSOLUTION
The object and purpose of this organization being entirely education, no part of its earning shall inure to the use or benefit of an individual. Reimbursement for expenditures or the reasonable compensation for services rendered shall not be deemed to be distribution of income or principle.

In the event of dissolution of the Guild, any and all of its funds and any other property then owned by it shall be distributed to or for the use of such charitable or educational organizations exercising some function with respect to quilting as the Board of Directors shall then select and determine.

These Bylaws have been approved as amended on March 8, 2005.

Standing Rules

1. The day meeting shall meet from 1:00 until 3:30 p.m. The evening meeting shall meet from 7:00 until 9:00 p.m.



2. All checks written to the Guild, which are returned for insufficient funds will be charged the applicable bank surcharge. If the Guild receives more than one insufficient check from a member, all committees receiving income for the Guild will be notified to accept only CASH from this member.



3. All bills owed to the Guild must be paid before membership can be renewed. A member must be in good standing (dues paid, no library fines) to be able to take advantage of the Guild offerings, i.e. workshops, retreat, library, book orders, etc.



4. Workshop fees are non-refundable, unless Prairie Quilt Guild determines it is necessary to cancel the workshop. It is the participant’s responsibility to find a replacement if they are unable to attend after committing to take a workshop. Workshops will be open to both members and non-members on a first come first serve basis, with an additional fee for non-members.



5. Library: Members may check out two books and four magazines for one month. Overdue books and magazines are fined $1.00 for each item for each month overdue. There are no renewals. Members must remain in the Library area with your selections until they have been checked out. Membership card must be shown at time of checkout.



6. A designated area may be provided for a display. Contact the President prior to the meeting day for available table/space assignment.

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