Organization
The Arkansas Donor Family Council (ArkDFC) was incorporated under the Arkansas Non-profit Act (Act 1147 of 1993) as a public - benefit corporation in August of 2004 .
Council Meetings:
- The ArkDFC will meet at least once every three months.
- Meetings of the Council may be scheduled more often as the need arises.
- All Council meetings are open to any interested persons. Any person may address the Council during selected times of the meeting’s agenda or during the Open Discussion period.
Council Officers:
The following Council officers will be elected from the Council membership by a 2/3 vote using confidential paper ballots and will perform the duties listed:
- Chairman of the Council – will preside over meetings and will assist the ARORA staff and Council officers with matters concerning the Council.
- Secretary of the Council – will be responsible for the recording and maintaining minutes of each Council meeting and for presenting the previous Council meeting’s minutes for approval at each meeting.
- Treasurer of the Council – will be responsible for maintaining the financial records of the Council and for presenting a report concerning Council income and expenses for approval at each meeting.
If a Council officer is unable to attend a Council meeting, they should select another Council member to fulfill their duties and should provide their replacement the information normally required for that meeting.
Council Membership:
The ArkDFC will:
- Be composed of family members representing no less than nine (9), but no more than (12), donors;
- These family members should represent as wide a range of donor families as possible - considering such factors as the donor’s role in the family, the donor’s age, race, social and economic status, and the circumstances of the donor’s death.
- Be composed of individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the purposes of the Council either through their career or through volunteer work.
- These individuals should normally include ARORA’s Donor Family Services Liaison and Coordinator – to help facilitate and coordinate with the ARORA staff and their activities - and the U.S. Transplant Games Team Manager and Donor Family Liaison – to help facilitate and coordinate activities related to the U.S. Transplant Games, but is not limited to these individuals only.
Donor family members on the Council will be aware that they are representatives not only of the Council, but also of Arkansas donor families – or even donor families nationally or worldwide.
Realizing that the image of the Council is important in its ability to serve donor families and to promote donation awareness, Council members will be expected to act professionally in order not to cause damage to the reputation of the Council. Council members will strive to be courteous and respectful of others and their feelings, whether working with donor families, ARORA staff and volunteers, or the general public. Council members will be supportive of other Council members, the Council and its activities at large, and ARORA, its staff and volunteers, and activities. Issues or problems will be handled with discretion and in private. Any member that fails to act in an appropriate manner and whose actions are determined by the Council to be detrimental to the reputation of the Council may be asked to resign from the Council or be removed from the Council by a majority vote of other Council members.
Prospective members will have demonstrated an interest in the Council’s purposes by attending ArkDFC or ARORA events or programs or by their interaction with ArkDFC members, ARORA staff or other donor families. Prospective members may be asked to serve an “internship” for a period of up to one (1) year in order to allow Council members time to become better acquainted with the prospective member. During this “internship” period, prospective members will be invited to attend Council meetings and to assist with Council events.
During the first meeting of each calendar year, the attending members will conduct a review of the current membership. This review will consist of the following:
- Current Council officers may be confirmed to continue serving by a 2/3 vote using confidential paper ballots.
- If a current officer is not confirmed to continue serving, nominations for a replacement will be made. Following the nominations, a new officer will be elected by a 2/3 vote using confidential paper ballots.
- Prospective members currently serving their “internship” will be reviewed and may be nominated for membership by a Council member and will be confirmed by a majority vote of the current members.
- Current members who are not regularly attending Council meeting will be reviewed and may be removed from the Council by a majority vote of remaining Council members. Regular attendance is defined as attending at least fifty (50) percent of meetings – consideration will be given for member’s inability at attend due to work, emergencies, or other conflicts that Council is made aware of.
Council Finances:
- Monies donated to the Council and monies raised through fund raising events will be deposited into an Arkansas Donor Family Council account.
- Expenses will be approved by a majority vote of the Council.