About

Orono Paddlers was started in 2015 by area enthusiasts looking to promote recreational and competitive paddling in the greater Orono, Maine area. We are a non-profit organization under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. All gifts are tax deductible as allowed by law.

For information about Orono Paddlers, please send an email to orono.paddlers@gmail.com

Contact our club officers.

Donate to support our programs.

Read about our mission.

Read our by-laws.

Mission, Goals and Objectives

Mission: To promote recreational and competitive paddlesports through education and opportunity.

Goals and Objectives: To achieve its mission, Orono Paddlers will:

Increase participation in paddlesports, by

  • Actively recruiting youth to paddling programs.
  • Creating and sustaining safe, healthy community paddling opportunities.
  • Forming a variety of paddling groups based on local interest.
  • Creating pathways by which paddlers may improve skills and confidence and thereby become competitive at local, regional, national, and international levels.
  • Using social media to promote paddling opportunities and create a calendar of events.

Promote paddling safety and education, by

  • Providing opportunities for people to become trained coaches and instructors.
  • Hosting workshops, clinics and other opportunities for paddlers to meet and help each other gain safe paddling knowledge and skills.

Improve and maintain local waterfront access and facilities for paddlers, by

  • Improving parking, access paths, portage trails, and launching sites.
  • Creating and maintaining boat storage facilities at popular launch sites.

Promote environmental stewardship of our local waters, by

  • Working closely with the Town of Orono and other local organizations to coordinate watershed cleanups.
  • Providing and maintaining trash and recycling receptacles at popular launch sites.
  • Raising the community’s awareness of conservation issues and opportunities of local importance.

By-Laws of Orono Paddlers

ARTICLE I – ORGANIZATION
The name of the organization shall be Orono Paddlers (herein called the Organization) and the organization may, through majority vote of its membership, change its name.

ARTICLE II – PURPOSES OF THE ORGANIZATION
The organization will promote recreational and competitive paddlesports through education and opportunity, by

  1. Increasing participation in paddlesports.
  2. Promoting paddling safety and education.
  3. Improving and maintaining local waterfront access and facilities for paddlers.
  4. Promoting the environmental stewardship of our local waters.

ARTICLE III – MEMBERSHIP
Membership in this Organization shall be open to all those interested in furthering the purposes of this organization.

  1. Memberships shall be for the calendar year, and membership applications for the following year will become available at the annual meeting each fall.
  2. Active (voting) members must have a current membership form on file with the secretary and must have paid their dues.
  3. Individual membership entitles a member to one vote at the annual meeting and on any vote of the entire membership during the membership year.
  4. The types of membership and the benefits thereof are detailed on the Membership Application.
  5. Membership is all that qualifies one for any elective office or appointed position in the Organization.
  6. The Organization may refuse membership to any applicant and may, by a 2/3 vote of the Executive Committee, suspend or revoke any membership, for due cause. A member under suspension is not entitled to any rights or privileges of the Organization.
  7. The Organization is an Equal Opportunity organization and does not limit its membership based upon sex, race, creed, color, national origin, age, or physical or mental handicap.

ARTICLE IV – MEETINGS
There shall be one annual meeting of the full membership, ideally in September of each year, but no later than December 31st. Notice to the membership shall be made through standard means at least 14 days prior to the meeting and shall at minimum include an agenda, the proposed slate of officers, and instructions for proxy voting.

  1. At the Annual Meeting the elections of Officers and committee chairs shall be made for the following calendar year. All elections shall be by simple majority vote cast in person and by proxy.
  2. Proxy votes must be received by the Secretary at least seven days prior to the Annual Meeting, and may be revoked if the member is able to vote in person.
  3. A quorum at the Annual Meeting must include at least two current officers and three members who are not officers.
  4. Officers and committee chairs so elected will assume their duties at the beginning of the next calendar year.
  5. Special meetings of the Organization may be called by any officer, or by 25% of the membership. Notice of any such meeting shall require the same notice as the Annual Meeting.
  6. No business beyond that which is specified in the notice may be transacted at the special meeting without the unanimous consent of all those present.

ARTICLE V – VOTING
All voting conducted by the Executive Committee and by the membership at properly convened meetings shall be by simple majority, except as otherwise specified in these bylaws.

  1. All votes shall be by voice unless a member requests an anonymous paper ballot.
  2. Prior to votes taken by paper ballot the chair of the meeting shall appoint a three-person committee tasked with certifying in writing to the chair the results. No member of this committee may have a conflict of interest with respect to the vote that is taking place.

ARTICLE VI – ORDER OF BUSINESS AT MEETINGS
The order of business shall be that which is detailed in the agenda and shall include a roster of those in attendance. Modifications to the agenda may be made by unanimous concent of those in attendance.

ARTICLE VII – EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The Officers shall act as the Organization’s Executive Committee and shall manage the business of the Organization.

  1. The Officers are elected at the Organization’s annual meeting by majority vote and proxy, and shall serve on behalf of the Organization for the following calendar year.
  2. The Executive Committee may only act as such when convened at a meeting following the proper notice to all Officers.
  3. Three Officers shall constitute a quorum of the Executive Committee.
  4. Each Officer shall have one vote, either in person or by proxy.
  5. The Executive Committee must give approval for any single expenditure or sale valued at $500 or more.
  6. Vacancies on the Executive Committee may be filled for the remainder of the calendar year by a vote of the remaining members of the Executive Committee.
  7. The Executive Committee may make any necessary rules concerning its meetings and the best interests of the Organization.

ARTICLE VIII – OFFICERS
The Officers of the Organization constitute its Executive Committee.

  1. The standing set of Officers shall be:
    • President
    • Vice President
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    • Youth Member at Large
    • Adult Member at Large
  2. Other Officer positions may be created by vote of the Executive Committee.
  3. President
    • Shall be Chair of the Executive Committee.
    • Shall present an annual report of the Organization’s activities at the annual meeting.
    • Shall appoint all committees.
    • Shall see that all books, reports, and certificates required by law are properly maintained.
    • Shall be one of the officers allowed to sign checks or drafts on behalf of the Organization.
    • Shall have such authority as may be reasonably construed as belonging to the chief executive of any organization.
  4. Vice President
    • Shall assist the President with all of the duties of that position.
    • Shall act on behalf of the President if the President is unable to exercise the duties of that position.
  5. Secretary
    • Shall keep the minutes and records of the Organization.
    • Shall file any certificate required by statute.
    • Shall serve as the Organization’s correspondent with the Executive Committee, membership, and public.
    • Shall render any other duty that falls to the office of Secretary.
  6. Treasurer
    • Shall be solely responsible for the care and custody of the Organization’s monies or securities.
    • Shall deposit all monies received by the Organization into an Organization account approved by the Executive Committee.
    • Shall prepare and present a financial summary of the Organization’s assets at the Annual Meeting and at any other time when requested by the President.
    • Shall be one of the officers allowed to sign checks or drafts on behalf of the Organization.
    • Shall render any other duty that falls to the office of Treasurer.
  7. Youth Member at Large
    • Shall represent to the Executive Committee the interests of the Organization’s young members.
    • Shall assist in any reasonable ways in the operation of the Organization.
  8. Adult Member at Large
    • Shall represent to the Executive Committee the interests of the Organization’s members.
    • Shall assist in any reasonable ways in the operation of the Organization.
  9. No officers shall for reason of their offices be entitled to receive any salary or compensation, but nothing herein shall be construed to prevent officers from receiving compensation from the Organization for duties outside their offices.

ARTICLE IX – SALARIES
The Executive Committee shall hire and fix the compensation of any and all employees that they determine to be necessary for the operation of the organization.

ARTICLE X – COMMITTEES
All committees of this Organization shall be appointed by the Executive Committee and shall operate for the term specified by the Executive Committee.

ARTICLE XI – LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
The Organization, its officers, and its committee chairs shall not be liable for any acts, expenditures or commitments of individuals, unless such acts, expenditures, or commitments shall have been approved by the Organization and duly recorded by the records of the Organization.

ARTICLE XII – DUES
Membership dues for this Organization are for the calendar year and must be paid prior to becoming an active member of the Organization for that year.

  1. Membership dues or the equivalent shall be established by the Executive Committee and approved by the membership at the Annual Meeting for the following calendar year.
  2. The Executive Committee may vote to waive dues when deemed appropriate.

ARTICLE XIII – AMENDMENTS
The Bylaws of the Organization may be amended by majority vote at any meeting of the full membership if the proposed amendments were included in the notice of the meeting sent to the membership.

  1. These Bylaws and any future amended bylaws shall be made available for review by the membership.

ARTICLE XIV – DISSOLUTION OF ASSETS
In the event the Organization dissolves, which it may do by majority vote of its membership, any assets remaining after payment of debts and legal fees will be distributed to the Parks and Recreation department of the Town of Orono, Maine.

ARTICLE XV – ENACTING CLAUSE
These amended Bylaws shall become effective immediately upon adoption by the membership.

Adopted by majority vote on _________________________.

Signed: ____________________, President    Date: ______________________

Signed: ____________________, Treasurer   Date: ______________________