Membership agreement

1. Overview

Kelowna Newcomers Club (KNC) is a non-religious, non-political, activities based social club for adults living in the city of Kelowna and surrounding areas. Operated entirely by volunteers, its mission is to help newcomers to the area make new friends and learn about their new community.

 2. Joining KNC

2.1         Membership is open to adults aged 19 and over. Membership is on an individual basis.

2.2         Prospective Members must live within the Regional District of Central Okanagan, which includes the municipalities of Kelowna, West Kelowna, Westbank, Lake Country and Peachland.

2.3         Prospective Members must have moved to the area no more than four years before their application date.

2.4         The Club's membership year runs from September 1 to August 31 and membership is for four years. Members first joining between March 1 and August 31 in a given year are not deemed to have been members for a full first year; they are therefore eligible for membership for four full years beginning September 1 of the year in which they join.  KNC Directors, by a majority vote, shall have the power to extend the membership of a cohort of members for one (1) additional year when extenuating circumstances (e.g. natural disaster, global pandemic) have limited the club’s ability to operate as intended.

2.5         Membership is contingent on the applicant reading and accepting the KNC's Terms and Conditions, which may be read in full in section 8, below.

2.6         An applicant may be accepted as a member by the KNC Board upon the payment of the annual membership dues. The amount of the membership dues is established from time to time by a recommendation of the Board of Directors, ratified by a membership vote at the Annual General Meeting.

2.7         A regular member in good standing may submit to the Board of Directors a request for the extension of Associate Membership status to a spouse or partner who otherwise would not meet membership requirements. Associate membership may be conferred at the discretion of the Board and upon payment of full membership dues. Associate membership lasts for one year and must be renewed in the same manner annually.

2.8         The Board of Directors of KNC authorizes all Regular and Associate Membership in KNC and has full and unfettered authority and discretion to withhold or withdraw membership.

 3. Participating in KNC

3.1         Kelowna Newcomers Club organizes for its paid members regular outdoor and indoor activities, as well as special functions. The aim is to foster social engagement among members, while promoting a greater familiarity with Kelowna and environs.

3.2         We expect all members to be welcoming, courteous and respectful of all fellow members.

3.3         KNC is operated entirely by volunteers. All members are encouraged to offer their time to the organization. There is a wide range of volunteer opportunities, including organizational governance, the organization and co-ordination of functions and activities, communications, and information technology.

3.4         KNC holds monthly member meetings except for July, August and December. Most of the meetings also feature special guest speakers, selected by the KNC to enhance members' knowledge of the community. The meeting immediately following the end of the fiscal year is the Annual General Meeting of the organization. This typically occurs in June.

3.5         Members are invited to sign up for activities and functions of their choice and are free to participate in as many or as few as they wish. Members may sign up for activities or special functions via KNC emails sent by the Activity Coordinator or VP Special Activities. In some instances, there might be an option to register a guest. The guest must be a registered KNC member.

3.6         Members may not participate in an activity or function unless they have signed up for it.

3.7         If a particular activity or function is structured to accommodate only limited numbers, members will be registered and accepted for participation on a first come, first-served basis. If the activity or function is sold out, you will be added to the waitlist. If someone cancels, the system automatically moves the member up the waitlist.

3.8         Some functions and activities have a cost associated with them. In such instances, the co-ordinators or organizers will communicate with registrants about the cost and how it is to be paid. A member unable to attend an event that he or she has registered for must provide the organizers with notice within the time period specified in order to receive a refund. Failure to do so may result in any costs for the no-show being billed back to that member.

3.9         Participation in certain activities may carry a risk of harm or injury. While the KNC endeavours to minimize risk and to communicate all safety precautions, members choosing to participate in such activities do so entirely at their own risk. Membership in the KNC requires acceptance of the KNC Risk and Liability Waiver, reprinted in section 8.1 below.

3.10     Many activity groups and special functions carry over from year to year. However, new ones may be proposed, or other ones dropped or suspended, on the recommendation of the Vice-President Activities, and by approval of the Board of Directors.

3.11      Activity groups are self-funding. Special events may, at the discretion of the Board of Directors, receive a subsidy.

3.12      Some activities operate jointly with Kelowna Newcomers Alumni (KNA), an organization set up for KNC members whose four-year Membership term has expired. In those joint activities, at least one co-ordinator is a member of KNA.

4. Promotion

4.1         A core mission of KNC is to introduce members to more of what Kelowna and the surrounding areas have to offer. Participation in KNC functions and activities affords members an opportunity to learn about various local businesses, including restaurants and wineries, as well as a variety of governmental, non-profit and volunteer organizations. Member participation in any of these events is voluntary and typically anonymous.

4.2          Per the KNC 2017 Constitution, KNC can solicit donations or gifts from organizations or businesses. It is KNC practice to solicit gifts primarily from organizations (e.g. restaurants, wineries) that KNC has held an event or done business with. Gifts are limited to $500 per year from any one organization or business. When KNC receives a gift, a follow up email is sent to the donating organization to thank them for their donation. The email also provides clarification that the donation/gift does not commit KNC to future business.

4.3         The KNC notifies members about upcoming functions, activities, guest speakers and special presentations, to invite the participation of members. Such notifications are strictly for information; they are not intended to promote or endorse any third- party entity.

4.4         KNC guards its independence and its positive relationships with organizations in the community. Therefore, the KNC does not sanction the direct promotion of a business, product or service.

4.5         For the same reason, KNC does not permit the use of its website or other communications vehicles to promote the business interests of any member.

 5. Communications and Privacy

5.1         Kelowna Newcomers Club operates a website with a public side, as well as a secure section accessible only to bona fide members. The website is used to register members and manage the membership lists and serves as the primary vehicle of communications between members and the organization. It allows members to learn about, sign up for, and participate in all functions and activities of the organization.

5.2        The website was developed to safeguard the personal information of members. If KNC organizers communicate with members through e-mail exchanges beyond the website, organizers are instructed to hide the recipient email addresses in the BCC line.

5.3         The secure area of the website contains a Members Directory. It discloses only limited personal information, although members may choose to provide a photo and a phone number. Members can send messages to other members through the site, without seeing the recipient's e-mail address.

5.4         KNC collects personal information exclusively for KNC business, which includes verifying membership eligibility, communicating with members, and operating the functions and activities of the organization.

5.5         With the exception noted in Section 5.4, the KNC does not sell, disseminate or disclose the personal information of members to any other third parties, be they individuals, groups or organizations, whether engaged in business, religion, politics or other endeavours for the purposes of solicitation, promotion, marketing, or financial or other gain.

5.6         No member who gains access to the personal information of another member may disclose it to a third party without the explicit consent of that member.

5.7         To join KNC, members must understand and consent to the collection, use and disclosure of their personal information, as well as the Club's policies on the use of digital images, as described in the organization's Terms and Conditions. These are reprinted later in this document.

6. Governance

6.1         KNC was established in 1968, and its purpose remains unchanged: "to allow newcomers to Kelowna, British Columbia, and surrounding areas the opportunity to meet other newcomers and to learn about the City of Kelowna and surrounding areas."

6.2         KNC is governed by a Board of Directors elected (or acclaimed) from among the membership. The number of Directors should be (5) or a greater number determined from time to time at a General Meeting. The Board consists of a President, a Vice- President for Activities, a Vice President for Special Events, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Director of Meetings, a Director of Communications and a Director of Membership. There may be one or more additional Directors, as determined from time to time by the membership at an Annual General Meeting. All Director terms are unpaid and are for one year.  A member can hold the same Board position for a maximum of two years.  in the absence of replacement candidates, a Board Member may be asked to continue in their role

6.3         Regular activity groups are headed by volunteer co-ordinators, who report to the Vice President, Activities. Special functions are organized by volunteer Members delegated by the Vice-President, Special Functions

 7. Ceasing Membership

7.1         A member may choose to quit KNC and would do so by contacting the organization. KNC is under no obligation to refund any membership dues.

7.2         A member may be expelled from the KNC for an action that is deemed by the Board of Directors to be an infraction or violation of the organization's Bylaws, or Rules and Regulations.

7.3         The Board may also choose to cancel a membership if the member has failed to pay the required membership dues for a period of three consecutive months

8. Terms and Conditions of Membership

8.1         To become a member, an applicant must understand and agree to the following Terms and Conditions:

8.2         Risk and Liability Waiver: By accepting membership in the Kelowna Newcomers Club (KNC), you understand and agree to hold KNC, its Executive and members harmless for any injury or other grievance arising out of meetings, social events or group activities, whether held by or organized for the Members of KNC.

8.3         Management of Personal Information:

KNC collects certain personal information, including your name, address, telephone number and e-mail address, for the purposes of notifying you of club activities and special functions, and to maintain a roster of names and contact information that may be shared among KNC Members. KNC does not sell, disseminate or otherwise disclose your name or other personal information to any other third parties or organizations. By accepting membership to KNC, you consent to the collection, use and disclosure of your personal information as described here.

8.4         Digital Images:

Photographs are sometimes taken at KNC-sanctioned functions or activities, and the images of KNC Members may be captured in these photos. Such images may be used by the KNC on its website or in other forms of communications with members.Photographs or videos that include KNC members may also be taken by third-party organizations hosting KNC functions or activities, and these images may be used by the organizations in their social media outreach or other forms of promotion. By accepting membership in the KNC, you understand that your image as a participant in KNC events may be captured, and you consent to the use and disclosure of the image for the purposes described here. Should you wish not to be photographed or to have your image published, it is your sole responsibility to remove yourself from the photo opportunity, and to inform the coordinator of the event of your wishes.