V A S A O R D E R O F A M E R I C A A Swedish-American Fraternal Organization C O N S T I T U T I O N 2 0 1 8 ORGANIZED New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.A., September 18, 1896 INCORPORATED Under the laws of the state of Connecticut, March 29, 1899 VASA ORDER EMBLEM The Vasa Order Emblem is composed of the following symbols: • The letters VO for Vasa Order superimposed on a Maltese Cross. • The Maltese Cross, superimposed on a Wreath, was used by the first known sick benefit organization during the Christian Era by the Knights of Saint John. The organization was instituted in the year 1099 for the care of the sick among the Pilgrims and Crusaders. Twenty years later, in the year 1119, the Knights Templar were organized for a similar purpose and their Banner had a Maltese Cross to symbolize “Knighthood” and “Templarism.” • The Wreath reminds us to keep in sacred memory departed members, and to honor the many brave, noble and great achievements which have given Sweden and its people an honorable name throughout the world. • The Sheaf signifies unity and was adopted by Gustav Eriksson Wasa in his Coat of Arms as a sign of uniting all the Swedish people during the early 1500s prior to his coronation as King Gustav Wasa. The colors of the Vasa Order Emblem are as follows: • The letters VO in gold. • The Maltese Cross in blue with white outlines. • The Wreath and Sheaf in gold. C. W. Malmquist, one of the organizers of the Vasa Order of America and its third grand master, designed all Charters and Emblems, which were approved and adopted during the second meeting of the grand Lodge in 1899. - 2 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS INCORPORATION 10 ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT 13 ARTICLE I NAME 13 ARTICLE II DIVISION 13 ARTICLE III AIM 13 ARTICLE IV OBJECTIVES 13 ARTICLE V DISTRICT LODGES 13 Section 1 Institution 13 Section 2 Division 14 Section 3 Merger 14 Section 4 Dissolution 14 Section 5 Suspension and Expulsion 15 ARTICLE VI LOCAL LODGES 15 Section 1 Institution 15 Section 2 Division 17 Section 3 Merger 17 Section 4 Dissolution 17 Section 5 Suspension and Expulsion 17 Section 6 Clubs 18 ARTICLE VII PUBLICITY 18 ARTICLE VIII AMENDMENTS 18 GENERAL RULES OF THE ORDER 19 CONSTITUTION FOR GRAND LODGE 21 ARTICLE I NAME 21 ARTICLE II JURISDICTION 21 ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP 21 Classification 21 ARTICLE IV MEETINGS 22 Section 1 Regular 22 Section 2 Special 22 Section 3 Quorum 22 ARTICLE V OFFICERS 22 Section 1 Elected and Appointed 22 Section 2 Qualifications 23 Section 3 Term of Office 23 Section 4 Election of Officers 23 - 3 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 5 Vacancy in Office 23 Section 6 Duties of Officers 23 Grand Master 23 Vice Grand Master 24 Grand Secretary 24 Grand Treasurer 25 Vice Grand Secretary 26 Appointed for GL Meeting 26 Grand Historian 26 Section 7 Composition of Executive Board 27 Section 8 Duties of Executive Board 27 Section 9 Organization of Executive Board 27 Section 10 Acquisition of GL Property 27 ARTICLE VI CONVENTION COMMITTEES 28 Section 1 Listing of Committees 28 Section 2 Duties of Committees 28 Section 3 Standing Committees 29 ARTICLE VII DELEGATES 29 Section 1 Number of Delegates 29 Section 2 Election of Delegates 30 Section 3 Term of Office 30 Section 4 Credentials 30 Section 5 Compensation 30 ARTICLE VIII PER CAPITA ASSESSMENT 30 Section 1 District Lodges 30 Section 2 Local Lodges in Regions 30 Section 3 District Lodges in Sweden 30 Section 4 Changes in Per Capita Assessment 31 Section 5 Penalty for Delinquency 31 ARTICLE IX FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT POLICY 31 Section 1 Cash Accounts 31 Section 2 Investment Accounts 31 ARTICLE X OLD AGE AND BENEFIT FUND 31 Section 1 Old Age and Benefit Fund 31 ARTICLE XI ENDOWMENT FUNDS 33 Section 1 Introduction, Endowment Funds 33 Section 2 Endowed Scholarship Funds 33 - 4 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 3 Board Designated Endowments 33 Section 4 VOA National Archives Fund 33 ARTICLE XII EDUCATION FUND 34 The Education Fund 34 Education Scholarships 34 The Grand Lodge Scholarship Committee 34 The Student Loan Program 34 ARTICLE XIII ARCHIVES FUND 35 ARTICLE XIV ELSA FLEETWOOD MEMORIAL FUND 35 ARTICLE XV GRAND LODGE DEPUTY 36 Section 1 Qualifications 36 Section 2 Duties 36 ARTICLE XVI CULTURAL WORK 36 Section 1 Cultural Committee 36 Section 2 Aims 36 Section 3 Duties of GL Cultural Directors 37 Section 4 Vasa Activities Clubs 37 ARTICLE XVII CHILDREN AND JUNIOR CLUBS 37 Section 1 Children and Junior Club Committee 37 Section 2 Aims 37 Section 3 Institution 38 Section 4 Duties of GL Youth Directors 38 Section 5 Vasa Order Junior Club Emblem 38 ARTICLE XVIII DISTINGUISHED SERVICE EMBLEM 38 ARTICLE XIX GRAND LODGE SEAL 39 ARTICLE XX LODGE SUPPLIES 39 ARTICLE XXI OFFICIAL PUBLICATION – VASA STAR 39 ARTICLE XXII AMENDMENTS 40 CONSTITUTION FOR DISTRICT LODGE 41 ARTICLE I NAME AND NUMBER 41 ARTICLE II JURISDICTION 41 ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP 41 Section 1 Classification 41 ARTICLE IV MEETINGS 42 Section 1 Regular 42 Section 2 Special 42 Section 3 Quorum 42 - 5 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Section 4 Number of Delegates to District Lodge 42 Section 5 Qualifications for Delegate to Grand Lodge 42 Section 6 Delegates to the Grand Lodge 42 ARTICLE V OFFICERS 42 Section 1 Elected and Appointed 42 Section 2 Past District Master 43 Section 3 Qualifications 43 Section 4 Term of Office 43 Section 5 Election of Officers 43 Section 6 Vacancy in Office 43 Section 7 Other Elected or Appointed Officers 43 Section 8 Duties of Officers 43 District Master 43 Vice District Master 44 District Secretary 44 District Treasurer 44 District Membership Chairman 45 District Lodge Historian 45 Section 9 Composition of Executive Board 45 Section 10 Duties of Executive Board 45 ARTICLE VI PER CAPITA ASSESSMENT 46 Section 1 Remittance 46 Section 2 Penalty for Delinquency 46 ARTICLE VII STANDING COMMITTEES 46 ARTICLE VIII SPECIAL FUNDS 46 Section 1 Funeral Benefit Fund 46 Section 2 Payment to Transferred Member 46 Section 3 Funds for Special Purposes 46 ARTICLE IX INITIATION FEES 47 ARTICLE X DISTRICT LODGE SEAL 47 ARTICLE XI DISTRICT DEPUTY 47 Section 1 Qualifications 47 Section 2 Duties 47 ARTICLE XII PAST DISTRICT MASTER’S JEWEL 47 ARTICLE XIII CHILDREN’S AND JUNIOR CLUBS 48 Section 1 District Youth Supervisor 48 Section 2 Duties 48 - 6 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE XIV AMENDMENTS 48 CONSTITUTION FOR LOCAL LODGE 49 ARTICLE I NAME AND NUMBER 49 ARTICLE II MEMBERSHIP 49 Section 1 Classification 49 Section 2 Application for Active Membership 50 Section 3 Membership Committee 51 Section 4 Balloting 52 Section 5 Initiation 52 Section 6 Beginning of Membership 52 Section 7 Forfeiture of Membership 52 Section 8 Separation from the Order 52 Section 9 Dual Membership 52 Section 10 Membership Card 53 ARTICLE III MEETINGS 53 Section 1 Regular 53 Section 2 Special 53 Section 3 Cultural Heritage Programs 54 Section 4 Quorum 54 Section 5 Delegates to District Convention 54 ARTICLE IV OFFICERS 54 Section 1 Elected and Appointed 54 Section 2 Qualifications 54 Section 3 Nomination and Election 55 Section 4 Term of Office 55 Section 5 Election Tally Committee 55 Section 6 Vacancy in Office 55 Section 7 Officer’s Privileges 56 Section 8 Negligence or Incompetence 56 Section 9 Installation of Officers 56 Section 10 Duties of Officers 56 Chairman 56 Vice Chairman 57 Recording Secretary 57 Assistant Recording Secretary 57 - 7 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS Financial Secretary 57 Assistant Financial Secretary 58 Treasurer 58 Chaplain 58 Master of Ceremonies 58 Assistant Master of Ceremonies 58 Guard 58 Past Chairman 59 Cultural Leader 59 Membership Chairman 59 Trustees 59 Auditors 59 Lodge Historian 60 Other Officers 60 ARTICLE V STANDING COMMITTEES 60 Section 1 Sunshine Committee 60 Section 2 Media Committee 60 Section 3 Archive Committee 60 ARTICLE VI DUES, FEES, PER CAPITA ASSESSMENT 60 Section 1 Application Fee 60 Section 2 Initiation Fee 60 Section 3 Membership Dues 60 Section 4 Funeral Fund Dues 60 Section 5 Special Fund Dues 61 Section 6 Per Capita Assessment 61 Section 7 Exemption from Per Capita Assessment 61 Section 8 Dues, Assessments, Fines, Etc. 61 Section 9 Penalty for Delinquency 61 ARTICLE VII BENEFIT FUNDS 61 Section 1 Sick Benefit Fund 61 Section 2 Funeral Benefit Fund 62 ARTICLE VIII FUNDS FOR SPECIAL PURPOSES 62 ARTICLE IX LOCAL LODGE SEAL 62 ARTICLE X CHILDREN’S AND YOUTH CLUBS 62 ARTICLE XI VASA CLUBS 62 - 8 - 2018 TABLE OF CONTENTS ARTICLE XII FINANCIAL TERM AND REPORTS 63 Section 1 Financial Term 63 Section 2 Financial Term Report 63 ARTICLE XIII VIOLATIONS, GRIEVANCES and HEARINGS 63 Section 1 Violations/Grievances 63 Section 2 Hearings 64 ARTICLE XIV AMENDMENTS 64 CONCLUSION 65 INDEX 66 - 9 - 2018 INCORPORATION of the Grand Lodge, Vasa Order of America Resolved by this assembly: Section 1. That Nils Pearson, Louis Anderson of New Britain, George K. Rose, Thure S. Lilja of New Haven, Andrew Williams of Hartford, Charles W. Malmquist of Wallingford and all such other persons as are now or may from time to time be associated with them, be and they are hereby constituted a body politic and corporate by the name of The Grand Lodge, Vasa Order of the United States of America, to have its principal office in New Britain in this state, and by that name shall have perpetual succession and shall have all the powers granted to corporations by the general laws of this state.