THE CONSTITUTION

OF THE FRIARS’ BRIAR ASSOCIATION

As amended at the AGM on March 8, 2007 in Hamilton, Ontario

1. The name of the Association shall be The Friars’ Briar Association, hereinafter referred to as the FBA.

 AIMS

2.1 The aim of the FBA shall be the promotion of fine fellowship and good curling on a national basis among clergy persons and their associates (see section 3 below).

2.2 It shall be the aim of the FBA to hold an annual curling competition, to be known as the Friars’ Briar Bonspiel (hereinafter to be known as the FBB), and, when possible, in conjunction with a national or world curling event being held in Canada and accessible to all curling provinces.

 MEMBERSHIP

3.1 Membership in the FBA shall be open, upon payment of an annual fee, to the following persons:

(a) clergy persons, whether engaged in an active ministry or retired;

(b) the spouses or widows/widowers arid children of clergy persons;

(c) lay persons in paid employment by church organizations or congregations;

(d) the spouses of such lay persons;

(e) lay persons who are members in good standing of recognized clergy curling clubs;

(f) lay persons recommended by an FBA clergy person.

3.2 The annual membership shall be in the amount of Five Dollars, and must be in the hands of the Treasurer before the 30th day of April of the calendar year for which membership is requested. (Membership fees shall be included in the registration fee of those participants in the annual FBB.)

ANNUAL MEETING

4.1 There shall be an Annual Meeting of the FBA, duly called by the Directors, which meeting shall be held during the week of the FBB as arranged in cooperation with the Local Organizing Committee.

4.2 At the annual meeting a quorum shall be considered to be present if 60% of the participants in the current year’s FBB are in attendance.

4.3 Between the annual meetings of the FBA the business of the Association shall be entrusted to the Executive Committee and the Directors of the FBA.

 DIRECTORS

5.1 The Board of Directors shall include at least six regional directors (5.2) and the appointed officers (5.8). 

5.2 There shall be one Director, elected or appointed, to represent each of the following areas, the exception being Ontario which shall have two Directors:

(a) the province of Ontario;

(b) the Province of Manitoba;

(c) the Province of Saskatchewan;

(d) the Province of Alberta;

(e) the Province of British Columbia.

5.3 As additional provinces decide to participate and be part of the Friars’ Briar Association, Directors for those provinces will be added.

5.4 A Director shall be selected by those members from the area he/she is to represent who are in attendance at the annual meeting of the FBA.  He/she shall serve for a five year term, or until he/she moves out of the area he/she represents if such move comes before the expiry of his/her term.

5.5 In the event that, at an annual meeting, there are less than four members present from an area that is to select a Director, then the other Directors shall appoint a member from that area to serve as its Director.

5.6 In order to maintain continuity in the direction of the affairs of the FBA, it is recommended that no more than two new Directors be appointed at any one annual meeting.

5.7 In the event that a Director resigns or moves from the area that he/she represents, he/she shall cease to be a Director, and the remaining Directors shall appoint another member from the area concerned who shall finish out the term.

5.8 The Directors shall appoint the following officers who shall be considered part of the Board of Directors.

(a) President;

(b) Vice-President;

(c) Secretary;

(d) Treasurer;

(e) Historian.

5.9 The duties of the officers shall be consistent with those of the officers of any similar organization.

 SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

6.1 The Board of Directors shall be responsible for determining the location and dates for each annual FBB.

6.2 The Director for the area in which a FBB is to be held shall be responsible for co-opting a local committee which shall be tasked with handling the organization and conduct of that particular FBB. The Director for the area shall serve as a member of the Local Organizing Committee.

6.3 The Chairman of the FBA and the local Director shall be consulted by the local organizing committee regarding the nature of the Draw and Method of Scoring to be used at each annual FBB.

6.4 The Board of Directors shall be responsible for ensuring the safe custody of the FRIARS’ BRIAR TROPHY and its availability for presentation to the winning rink after each FBB.

6.5 The Board of Directors shall be responsible for the convening and the conducting of each annual meeting of the FBA.

6.6 The Board of Directors shall empower the Treasurer to advance, upon request, seed-money from the FBA account to a Local Organizing Committee to assist it with administrative and publicity expenses. It is expected that such seed-money will be returned to the FBA account after all local accounts are settled. It is also anticipated that as much or all of the surplus of any profits that may accrue from a FBB will be directed to the FBA account.

6.7 The Board of Directors shall empower the Treasurer to purchase the sets of gold, silver, and bronze medals required for each FBB, and to pay for them out of the FBA account.

6.8 The Board of Directors shall be responsible for keeping an up-to-date mailing list of all members of the FBA and keeping them informed of FBA affairs.

THE FRIARS’ BRIAR TROPHY

7.1 The Friars’ Briar Trophy shall be awarded to the winning rink at the conclusion of each FBB, which trophy will be held by that rink until the next FBB.

7.2 It shall be the responsibility of the Skip of the winning rink to see that the Trophy is returned in good condition to the Directors in time for presentation to the winners of the next FBB.

 REGULATIONS COVERING THE FRIARS’ BRIAR BONSPIELS

8.1 Participation in any FBB shall be open to rinks composed of paid-up members of the FBA. (See terms of membership under Section 3.1).

8.3 When a rink that is eligible to play in a FBB includes a person whose membership comes under the terms of Section 3.1 (f), that member must play in the Lead position

8.4 A rink eligible to play in a FBB must be Skipped by a FBA member who is a clergy person (It is preferable, but not essential, that all members of a Rink shall be from the same Province as the Skip)

8.5 (a) Because a substantial number of participants in the FBB are of retirement age, it is desirable that the total number of games played per rink be limited to eight.

(b) For the above reason, it is desirable that the initial round robin be limited to five games. Following that, the top eight rinks go on to play for the medallions. The balance of the rinks are placed in flights so as to make their games more competitive and pleasurable.

8.6 It is desirable that all games be eight ends.  The final two games for the medals may be ten ends.

8.7 In the event that two Rinks are tied in the playoffs, the win is decided by a shoot-out. (Each curler throws one additional rock. One point is awarded for being in any part of the 12 foot ring; two points for any part of the 8 foot ring; three points for any part of 4 foot ring; four points for any part of the button. The rink with the most points wins the game. (Should the tie not be broken, skips will throw until there is a winner.)

8.8 It is desirable in any FBB that entries be limited to an even number of rinks, e.g. multiples of two or four.

8.9 The method of scoring and determining the winner in the FBB shall be as determined by the Local Committee in consultation with the President of the Association.

 AMENDMENTS TO THE CONSTITUTION

9.1 This Constitution may be amended at any Annual Meeting of the FBA by a simple affirmative vote of two-to-one or better by the members present, providing that due notice of motion to amend the Constitution, signed by two paid-up members, and accompanied by the proposed amendment in writing, is received by the Secretary of the Board of Directors before the end of the calendar year preceding the annual meeting at which the proposed amendment is to be presented.