William Penn Life, 2007 (42. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
2007 / Különszám
The By-Laws ARTICLE 1 - THE ASSOCIATION Section 101. NAME - The name of this corporation is the William Penn Association (the "Association"), a fraternal benefit society, incorporated in Pennsylvania, not for profit, without capital stock. The Association is designated as a tax exempt Section 501 (c)(8) fraternal society by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. Section 102. HISTORY - The Association was founded on February 21,1886 in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, by thirteen Hungarian coal miners. The original name was Verhovay Aid Association. In 1926, the Home Office was moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Throughout the decades of its fraternal work, the Association offered assistance to many Hungarian fraternal societies, both local and national, when these fraternals were no longer able to successfully continue their aims and purposes. This assistance involved merging those societies into the William Penn Association, so that those who were insured in those societies would not lose their benefits. Major mergers included the Workingmen's Sick Benefit Federation (Munkás Betegsegelyzo Szövetség), East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and the Hungarian Baptist Society (Magyar Baptista Egylet), Cleveland, Ohio. The major merger occurred in 1955 when the Verhovay Fraternal Insurance Association and the Rákóczi Aid Association of Bridgeport, Connecticut, (the "Rákóczi") merged to form the William Penn Fraternal Association. The Rákóczi was organized in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1888. Thus, the two largest Hungarian fraternals at that time merged to form a stronger Association in order to preserve Hungarian culture in America. In 1972, the name was changed to the present William Penn Association. In 1979, the American Life Insurance Association (Bridgeporti Szövetség) merged into the William Penn Association. The American Hungarian Catholic Society, Cleveland, Ohio, which was formed by merger between the St. László Society (Bridgeport, Connecticut) and the St. Stephen Society (Cleveland, Ohio), was merged into the William Penn Association in 1980. In 1983, the Catholic Knights of St. George, which was organized in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, January 1,1881, as the Knights of St. George of the Diocese of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, merged into the William Penn Association. Section 103. REGISTERED OFFICE - The registered office of the Association shall be domiciled in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Section 104. BUSINESS AND PURPOSES - The business of the Association will be conducted in accordance with the purposes of fraternal benefit societies. The Association shall provide for payment of death, health, accident, disability, annuity, retirement and other benefits for its members and their beneficiaries and shall exercise all other powers granted by the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the various jurisdictions wherein it is licensed to do business. The Association may also engage in the following activities: 1. Own, maintain, or provide assistance for, homes for retired or disabled members through itself or wholly owned subordinate bodies. 2. Render service to its members and perform cultural, charitable, educational, patriotic and religious work. 3. Provide scholarships to its qualifying members, through the William Penn Fraternal Association Scholarship Foundation, Inc. 4. Promote and support the study of the Hungarian language, culture and arts, and unite American Hungarians to preserve, protect and perpetuate the Hungarian heritage, as established by the Founding Fathers of the Association. Section 105. SEAL; LANGUAGE 1. The official seal is a circle around two clasped hands, inscribed, "Founded 1886". Outer circle is inscribed, "WILLIAM PENN ASSOCIATION, Pittsburgh, PA." 2. The official language is English. Hungarian may be used when necessary. Section 106. GOVERNMENT - The Association will have a representative form of government, operating on the Lodge System with ritualistic form. The Association shall have the power to amend its By-Laws and its Charter, as the interests of the Association and its membership may require. Section 107. MEMBERSHIP 1. Membership shall be extended to any person in accordance with the requirements and limitations set forth in the Charter, the By-Laws, and the resolutions of the Board. Membership shall include Voting Members and Non-Voting Members. 2. An Adult Life Benefit Member shall have the right to vote at all meetings of the Branch in which he or she is a Member and to hold office unless such rights are restricted by or in accordance with these By-Laws. An Annuitant Member or an Accident and Health Member, who is not a Life Benefit Member, shall not have the right to vote or to hold office. 3. Application for Juvenile Life Benefit Membership and insurance may be made on behalf of such potential juvenile member by any adult person. Such adult person need not be a Member of the Association, but must have an insurable interest. 4. Admission to a Branch shall not be required of a Juvenile Life Benefit Member nor shall he or she have a voice or vote in the affairs of the Association. Once a William Penn Life, Special Convention Edition, December 2007 27
