Article I. Name and Organizational Operations A. The name of this organization is the Trails Club of Rossmoor (subsequently referred to as The Club). B. The Memorandum of Organization was adopted February 14, 1968. C. The official mailing address is 1000 Golden Rain Road, Walnut Creek, CA, 94595 D. The official email address is trailsclubrossmoor@gmail.com E.The official website address is trailsclubofrossmoor.com F. The Club is recognized by the Rossmoor Activities Council, part of the Golden Rain Foundation (GRF) of Rossmoor Walnut Creek, as an official Club. G. The Club is organized as a 501(c)(7) non-profit social and recreational organization. It operates for the pleasure and recreation of its members. No part of the net earnings of the Club inure to the benefit of any individual member(s). H. All Club Members and members of the Board who serve the Club in any capacity serve as volunteers and without compensation. Article II. Purpose The purpose of this organization is to provide information and leadership for Rossmoor residents interested in hiking together in fellowship. Activities shall include: hiking in groups with similar rates of speed and endurance, safaris and social activities. Article III. Membership Membership is open to any Rossmoor resident interested in the above purposes and willing to observe the Policies, Guidelines, Procedures and Protocols of the Club.* A. Rossmoor resident is defined as anyone identified by GRF as legally residing therein. B. Rossmoor residents can apply for membership by: 1. submitting an application with a valid Rossmoor address which includes agreeing to abide by the Mandatory Club Waiver and the Privacy Policy and 2. paying applicable dues upon joining and thereafter annually. C. Members are bound by the policies, guidelines, procedures and Protocols of the Club as adopted, approved or amended by the Board. Violation of Club Policies, Guidelines, Procedures and Protocols by a member can result in termination of violator’s membership by Board vote at any time for just cause. A terminated member may not re-apply for membership or hike with the Club as a Guest, without first obtaining an Agreement of Reinstatement from the Board. Article IV. Dues Annual and half-year dues will be approved and changed by the Board at a regularly scheduled meeting. Any change in dues shall be effective on the first day of the first calendar month following such approval. Dues shall be sufficient for defraying expenses and maintaining sufficient working capital for Club activities. Article V. Board Organization The Members of the Board are the Officers, the immediate Past President, and the Group Representatives. A. The Officers are the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Their duties, in general, are: 1. The President is responsible for assuring that the Club’s activities run smoothly. 2. The Vice President shall assume the duties of the President during any time the President is unable to serve. 3. The Secretary shall maintain Minutes of the Board meetings. Board members can submit additions or corrections which will be included in the final Minutes approved by the Board at the next Board Meeting. All members will receive a copy of the Minutes, and any subsequent additions or corrections, via email. 4. The Treasurer shall handle all financial matters, maintaining accurate records in an organized and transferable manner such that they can be easily understood and used by a successor. B. Should a vacancy occur during the term of an Officer, the selection of a replacement for the balance of the term shall be voted on by the Board. Article VI. Group Representatives (Group Reps) A. In order to ensure that all hiking groups are represented on the Board, Group Reps shall be elected. They consist of two members elected from each of the four hiking groups by the members of each group. B. The Group Reps of each hiking group shall begin in July to find nominees to fill the expiring term. A request for nominees shall be emailed to all members of the respective hiking group. C. If more than one nominee offers to fill a position, the Group Reps shall call for a meeting to select, by secret ballot, the new candidate. The person receiving the greatest number of votes of those present at the meeting shall be elected to that position. D. Should a vacancy occur during the term of a Group Rep, the position will be filled for the balance of the term of the vacating member by asking for volunteers from that same hiking group, and if more than one person volunteers for the position, selection shall be voted on by the hiking group via email. Article VII. Terms of Office A. All Board Members shall serve a term of two years. The Vice President, after serving a first year of the term, shall become the President in the second year, fulfilling the two year requirement. B. Terms of office begin on January 1 every year. C. Officers can serve more than one term as long as they are duly elected by the membership as described in Articles X and XI. D. Should an Officer fail to attend three consecutive regular meetings of the Board without an accepted excuse, such as illness or family matters, that Officer shall be considered as having resigned from the Board, and the position as vacant. Article VIII. Board Support Positions The following positions shall be filled by non-voting Board Support Volunteers. If a vacancy occurs in any of these positions Board members will fill in until a new Board Support Volunteer is named and approved by the Board. A. New Member Coordinator B. Webmaster C. Registrar D. Hike Leader Training and Safety Coordinator E. Publicity Coordinator F. Event Coordinators: Host Solicitation & Support Technology (posting Events, emailing out invitations, providing registration reports to the Hosts) G. Hike Calendar Coordinator H. Safari Coordinator I. Trails Steward J. Outings Coordinator The term for each volunteer filling a support position shall begin upon approval of said party by the Board and continue until that person resigns or is unable to perform the necessary duties for such position. Article IX. Conducting Business A. Board meetings shall be conducted using Robert’s Rules of Order. All Board meetings shall be open to the Members, and Members are entitled to speak to the Board. A reasonable time limit for members to speak shall be established by the Board, and may be changed by the Board at any time. Only Board members may make motions or vote on any matters before the Board. B. A quorum of the Board shall be 51% of the Board members and shall include the President or Vice President. Article X. Meetings A. The Board shall meet every three months beginning in February, May, August and November. A Board Orientation session will be held in January to acquaint new Board members with the Board Binder including the By-laws, Policies, Guidelines, Procedures and Protocols. The President may call additional Board meetings as deemed necessary and in compliance with applicable California law. Notice of regular Board meetings will be published in the Directory and on the Calendar of Events. Members will be notified of special Board meetings within ten days after scheduling. B. Except for regular meetings of the Board, which require no additional notice, special meetings of the Board may be held only if notice is as set forth in the applicable California Statute. Each Board member shall have one vote at Board meetings. There shall be no proxies, no absentee votes, and no email votes except for issues raised and discussed by the President via email. C. An Annual Meeting of the membership shall be held in October on a date selected by the Board. Notice of the exact date, time and place of such meetings shall be emailed to all Members at least 10 days prior to such date. During this meeting: The Secretary will take Minutes for approval at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. The Members shall elect new officers to serve on the Board. The Slate prepared by the Nominating Committee shall be presented and the persons listed on it (“Nominees”) nominated for the positions indicated on the Slate. If there is only one person nominated for each Officer position, then the Members may vote by acclamation. If the Nominating Committee’s slate contains more than one nominee for an Officer position, then a secret ballot election shall be held to determine who shall be elected. The Members shall vote on amendments to the Bylaws, as provided in Article XII. Article XI. Nominating Committee A. The Past President, President, and Vice President, plus one Group Rep from each hiking group shall make up the Nominating Committee. If two Group Reps from the same hiking group wish to serve on the Nominating Committee, they shall draw lots to determine which one will serve. B. The Nominating Committee shall send an email notice to all members in July of each year to recruit volunteers to serve as Officers on the Board. C. The Nominating Committee shall propose at least one nominee from said volunteers for each Officer position on the Board which will become vacant on the following January 1. D. The Nominating Committee shall complete its work in time to publish the slate of nominees on the Club website at least thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting. Article XII. Amendment of Bylaws These Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of a majority of members voting at a Membership Meeting, provided notice of the proposed amendment, together with the text of the proposed change, shall have been given to the Members at least one month prior to the date of the meeting at which the amendment is presented for consideration. Article XIII. Indemnification To the maximum extent allowed by law, and if covered by the GRF’s liability insurance the GRF shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless, the members of the Board from any and all claims, demands, losses, causes of action, damage, lawsuits, judgements including attorneys’ fees and costs arising out of or relating to or connected with their work as a member of the Board. The Club may decide to indemnify Club members who lead Club hikes or Club trips. FOOTNOTES *The Rules, Policies and Procedures of the Golden Rain Foundation of Walnut Creek, including the GRF Guest Policy, are hereby incorporated by reference into the rules for membership in this Organization, and compliance therewith is expressly made a requirement for membership Effective date: These Bylaws are effective upon adoption. Bylaws Amended: October 20, 1998; October, 2005; December 8, 2011; October 2013; October 2016, October 2024, October 2025 ADDENDUM POLICIES, GUIDELINES, PROCEDURES and PROTOCOLS I. POLICIES Trails Club Guest Policy Because of the noise and somewhat mild chaos that happens on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, it is strongly recommended that a Trails Club member call the hike leader at least one day in advance of the hike to inform the hike leader that s/he would like to bring a guest on that hike leader’s hike. Permission will be granted by the hike leader after a Guest and Trails Club member sign and date a “Guest Waiver Form” which includes the guest’s emergency phone number. On the back of the Guest Waiver Form, the guest will read The Rules of the Trail and initial that s/he understands the rules and is willing to follow them. The hike leader will staple the Guest Waiver Form to the sign up sheet for that day. The Guest Waiver Form and The Rules of the Trail will be posted together on the website, listed under Guest Policy, so it can be printed by the Trails Club members. A folder with the Guest Waiver Form with the Rules of the Trail printed on the back will also be kept in the Trails Club box at Gateway and maintained by the Membership Committee. Approved 9/12/13 Privacy, Use of Personal Information Policy Trails Club of Rossmoor members submit their contact information for the Club Directory in order to be notified regarding hikes and Club activities. They have an expectation of privacy when they submit this information. The contact information contained in the Club Directory is intended to be used for Club business and related activities only. While it is expected that the Directory will be used to expand social contacts made on the trail, use of this information for any type of solicitation is prohibited. This statement will be displayed prominently in the Trails Club Directory, posted on the Bulletin Board at Gateway, listed on our website and publicized via the Club email. Approved 7/6/2016 Cancellation of Club Membership Policy After serious violation of Club rules, the member will be informed of the infraction(s) and warned by writing or email notice that further violations of Club rules could lead to cancellation of membership. On repeated violation of the Club rules, the Board can meet to consider cancellation of the violator’s membership. The member can address the Board before the Board deliberates and votes in closed session. In the event of cancellation of membership, the Club will refund the unused portion of the membership fee on a prorated basis. Approved 11/9/2016 Hike Leader Authority Policy Hike leaders are responsible for choosing the hiking trail and leading the group. Based on their best judgement that a hiker is not physically capable of completing the hike and/or is not properly equipped for the hike (water, poles, shoes, etc.) the leader has the authority to deny participation in the hike. During the hike, each hiker must follow the hike leader’s directions concerning any aspect of the hike. Each hiker assumes all risks involved in the activities of the group and is responsible for his or her own health and safety. Approved 3/14/2018 Policy Changes for Board Meetings Record Board Meetings on Zoom so others can view the meeting who cannot attend and so the Secretary has an accurate account of the meeting. Post policy changes on the website. Approved 11/2022 II. GUIDELINES Guidelines for Safari Leaders and Club Members 1. Members who wish to lead a Safari should make a formal proposal to the Board. A copy of the proposal should be kept in each Board member’s notebook. All Safaris should be revenue neutral, i.e., participants should pay the full cost. 2. In the proposal, leaders should provide a basic description of the Safari including: (a) leaders’ names, phone numbers, email addresses; (b) Safari dates, location, place of lodging; (c) estimated cost for each participant; (d) any parameters or limitations for registrants, as described below in paragraph 6; and (e) whether the Safari is suitable for Amblers, Ramblers, Trekkers, and/or Scramblers. 3. Safaris take much planning and energy, so every Safari should have at least one co-leader, both for assistance and to ensure that the Safari may proceed should the other Leader is unable to continue. 4. Once the Board approves the Safari, leaders will decide when to begin registration. If a service provider contract is involved, the contract should be presented to the Trails Club Budget Committee for final approval before registration begins. 5. At least two weeks prior to registration, announcement of the Safari should be emailed to all members and posted on the website and at the Gateway Trails Club bulletin board. All Safaris, as well as registration information, should be listed in a separate “Safari” category on the Club’s website. Reasonable efforts should be made to contact members without email. Representatives are encouraged to spread the word about the Safari to their hiking group as they hike together, and members without email are encouraged to (1) have a Trails Club buddy who can provide them with the information and/or (2) check the Club bulletin Board. 6. Registration may be conducted by mail or email. Leaders might require registrants to send an email with the required information at a certain date and time on a first-come, first-served basis, or they might offer a lottery system. In other words, the type of registration process is within the leaders’ discretion. Leaders should require that all registrants submit a signed “Health Issues When Attending Safaris” form with their registration. Whatever registration is used, documentation of the enrollment process should be maintained until the end of the Safari. For those without email, registration might be made by phone, in person, through their Club buddy, or any other means the leaders choose. A waiting list for overflow registrations is recommended as cancellations occur frequently. 7. Leaders, within their discretion, might wish to give preference to particular groups of members, for example, those who joined the Club in the past year or two or those who have a history of service to the Club. Leaders may also wish to exclude non-members or non-hiker spouses/partners, particularly if there are limited spaces available and/or few activities for non-hiking guests. These criteria should be stated in the application. 8. Should the leaders wish to exclude a member because of health concerns, the member may furnish a medical clearance, in writing, from his or her physician. The demands/nature of the hike should be made clear to the physician and his/her comments should address them. The physician’s clearance is determinative, unless the hiker has a history of difficulty completing hikes, e.g., significantly lagging behind, being unable to complete hikes, failing to properly hydrate, or being otherwise unprepared. In any case, the excluded member should be given the reasons for non-inclusion. 9. Safari leaders may wish to conduct a pre-trip meeting to distribute information about the Safari as well as blank medical forms, which should then be completed (or updated if the hiker has already completed one) and carried on each hike. 10. During the Safari, hikers should sign the usual hike Sign-up sheets before each hike. All guests must sign a Guest Waiver. 11. As the Club grows, it becomes increasingly important to offer enough Safaris so that members wishing to participate will have ample opportunity to do so, and members should be encouraged to lead a Safari from time to time. 12. After the Safari, leaders should provide the Club President with as much information as possible including contracts, lodging or dining provider emails, names and number of people who participated, Safari forms, and any other information that might prove helpful for the next Safari leader. This information should be kept with Club Approved 3/9/2016 Guidelines for Hiking With the Trails Club The Trails Club of Rossmoor is composed of people who want to hike, not as individuals, but with a group for fun, safety, and camaraderie. We hike together and care for each other on the trail. Each group (Ambler, Rambler, Trekker, Scrambler) has a Leader and a Sweep. The Leader will periodically stop for water breaks, rest, and to close the gap between hikers as necessary. The Leader will stop at all intersections to ensure everyone stays on the correct trail. Anyone needing a "bush break" is to inform the Sweep, who will wait for them to return to the group. All hikers will stay within visual and audible distance of the hiker in front and behind them. Any hiker needing to return to the trailhead will notify the Leader and/or the Sweep and be accompanied by at least one other hiker. Bringing a cell phone on the hike is recommended. Have 911 calling enabled on your phone if your phone has that capability. Two way radios are available. Harriet Schwartz has them ready for use. Call her to make arrangements in advance of any hike. Approved 3/14/2018 Additions awaiting Board Approval (as of Sept 2025) Within each group, participants must be able to maintain the pace and intensity of their chosen hike with regard to distance, speed and elevation gain. Hikers must be adequately outfitted with equipment listed in the Hike Description: e.g. water, sun and/or cold protection, footwear, poles and food. Failure to do so forfeits their right to join the hike unless the Leader agrees to make an exception. The Hike Leader and Sweep must be familiar with the use of Club two-way radios and actively carry them on each hike. When possible hikers’ phones should have satellite 911 calling enabled. The Hike Leader must designate a member to carry the Club First Aid Kits. An Incident Report must be filled out for any hike where a member was unable to complete the hike and/or notable injury occurred. Health & Safety Guidelines Anyone experiencing symptoms of a contagious illness are asked to refrain from participating in hiking or social events. If you think you are coming down with something, please stay home. A hiker testing positive for a contagious illness shortly after attending a hike or social event should: ● inform the Registrar. The Registrar will alert members in attendance at the hike or event about their possible exposure, keeping the name of the patient confidential. ● Refrain from attending hikes or social events until he/she has followed all CDC guidelines for isolation and masking. Current CDC guidelines will be posted on the Club website and on the Bulletin Board at Gateway. Be aware that these Guidelines may change. For people exposed to Covid-19 who are unvaccinated or are more than six months out from their second mRNA dose (or more than 2 months after the J&J vaccine) and not yet boosted, CDC now recommends quarantine for 5 days followed by strict mask use for an additional 5 days. Alternatively, if a 5-day quarantine is not feasible, it is imperative that an exposed person wear a well-fitting mask at all times when around others for 10 days after exposure. Individuals who have received their booster shot do not need to quarantine following an exposure, but should wear a mask for 10 days after the exposure. For all those exposed, best practice would also include a test for SARS-CoV-2 at day 5 after exposure. If symptoms occur, individuals should immediately quarantine until a negative test confirms symptoms are not attributable to COVID-19. If you test positive for Covid-19, regardless of vaccination status, stay home for 5 days. If you have no symptoms or your symptoms are resolving after 5 days, you can leave your house. Continue to wear a mask around others for an additional 5 days. If you continue to have a fever, continue to stay home until your fever resolves. Approved 1/11/2023 III. PROCEDURES Board Meeting Calendar Procedure Move to four meetings a year and reset the Board calendar to February, May, August and November. It would still be the second Wednesday at 4 to 6 PM. Approved, 9/10/2025 Safety Procedures All hike descriptions must include Distance and Elevation Gain prior to the hike so that members can ascertain whether they are able to complete the hike safely. If materials are used from the First Aid Kit, report the need for refill to the Safety Officer. Termination of Membership Procedure If a member is reported as refusing to follow instructions from a Hike Leader or Sweep or engages in offensive or dangerous behavior while participating in a Club hike or social event or misuses personal information in the club directory, a written warning to the member outlining the specific violations will be sent. The Member has the right to request a private meeting with the Board to discuss. Said violator shall be given at least ten (10) days email notice thereof and may attend said meeting. The aforesaid alleged violator may address the Board at such meeting; however, any decision by the Board will only be made in a closed session. A terminated member may not re-apply for membership or hike with the Club as a Guest, without first obtaining an Agreement of Reinstatement from the Board. Social Event Procedures The President, Vice President and the Event Coordinator in charge of Host Solicitation and Support are the only members enabled to reserve Rossmoor meeting rooms. They will do so following the protocols laid out by the GRF Reservations Department. Reservation contracts, including space and setup arrangements, should be forwarded to the Club email address and the Event Coordinator for Technology to be linked to the appropriate event on the website, Documents page. Invoices for each contract should be forwarded to Treasurer for payment. To conform with GRF’s policy, the Board will not reimburse for any individual Event Budget, including the approved Allowance, that includes expenditure for alcohol unless the Host(s) provide a copy of the California One Day Permit acquired for that event. IV. PROTOCOLS Incident Report / Hike Sign-up sheet Protocol The Board of Directors of the Trails Club has an obligation to perform its due diligence on behalf of the Club and it’s members. The intent of the Club is to provide a safe and pleasurable hike experience. As of 3/11/2015 the Hike Sign-up Sheets shall be amended to include an Incident Report which will appear on the bottom half of the second page. A sample will be posed on the Gateway Bulletin Board. This report is to be filled out by the leader in the event of a hiker sustaining an injury, being transported to the hospital, etc. The VP shall send out occasional emails to the Club during the year to alert leaders to the presence of the Incident Report Form and its location on the bottom of page 2 of the Daily Hike Sign Up Sheets. Sign-up Sheets will be collected by the VP, noting any Incident Reports. Sign-up Sheets are to be saved, labeled by year and retained for four years. A summary sheet will be placed on the outside of the envelope containing the Sign-up Sheets. An Incident Summary for the year will be presented to the Board on an annual basis. Approved 5/13/2015