Introduction 

    Before Destiny incorporated in 1994 a group of us sat around and came up with Articles of Association in Northfield VT at the old Destiny Lodge. That early document was dusted off after the loss of the Northfield property and redrafted circa March 1996 at the Spring gathering. Early copies of the Articles and drafts are in the archives of Tribal Memory.  

    The text is copied out of the Spring 1996 issue of the Destiny STAR. The current editor only corrected obvious typos by using brackets [] to show the original content or an implied meaning. This document was the spring board to what became Faerie Camp Destiny's By-laws and the records of it's major decisions which are listed in the Red Book / Green Book. 

    Use of all three will show some of the intention and mission of Faerie Camp Destiny as well as the shifts in attitude and approach to consensus, community building and how Destiny is run.  

Articles of Association

Faerie Camp Destiny: A Radical Faerie Sanctuary

Section I - Purpose

The purpose of the Association shall be to manage a Faerie sanctuary which would operate as a cultural learning center and spiritual oasis for those who call themselves Radical Faeries, to:

Foster stewardship of the land of the Association and to honor our natural environment as we do our sacred Faerie natures,

Provide a residence of a limited number of Faeries,

Operate as a retreat center and occasional gathering site for the larger Faerie community,

Care for and nurture elder Faeries and those incapacitated by illness and grief,

Sponsor creative projects that reflect and support the Faeries and Faerie culture, and,

Sponsor and assist in the creation of other sanctuaries.

Section II - Definitions

II-A Membership:

As Radical Faerie culture focuses on male homoerotic sex magic and celebrating the miracle of queers discovering themselves and each other, most Radical Faeries are gay men. However, there are men, womyn and children who become organically a part of Faerie culture and society and are therefore welcome and included in the Faerie Community.

A member of Faerie Camp Destiny community is defined as one who maintains a personal and financial relationship with the residents and sacred lands of Faerie Camp Destiny. [Consensus reached 25 March 1996]

II-B Governing Board:

The governing board will be known as the Board. The Board will be made up of five members.

II-C Quorum

Will be defined as three of five members.

II-D The Board  

Will try to rely exclusively on consensus as a way of coming to decisions about the operation of Faerie Camp Destiny, Inc.; it will only resort to 'majority rule' when all attempts to reach consensus fail. Majority passage of a proposal will be defined as a majority of quorum, meaning that if only three board members are present at a meeting, two members need to vote in favor of a proposal in order for it be put into effect.

II-E Community

Community consists of the physical plant and the residents who make available the skill and energy to maintain it. who interface with the rest of the world: pay bills, visit neighbors, fix the water pump, etc. Non-resident members are also part of the community. Resident and non-resident members share the goal of creating Sanctuary.

II-F Sanctuary

A physical piece of land and its biosphere that is set aside for the spiritual. A place where the buildings, the grounds, the trees and shrubs, the people and other living things are all part of the sanctuary. Where the water and bacteria and air and insects are all sacredly [part of] a spiritual sanctuary.

II-G Gathering

A meeting called by the board lasting not less than two days at the community [open] to all members and all self defining Radical Faeries and anyone else who is interested in Faeriedom.

II-H Resident

A resident is a member whose primary residence is at the community.

Section III The Governing Board

III-A Composition

The Board will be made up of two groups of members. These two groups are residents and members not living at the sanctuary. The board will be comprised of three residents and two other members, who may or may not be residents.

III-B Election

Board members will be elected each year for a 1 year term.

Resident members - Will be elected by a simple majority of the residents present at an election held in the first week of March [each] year;

Or, The three resident members will be elected by a simple majority of residents who are present at an election meeting which is convened by the board every year on March 1; 

Or, Resident members chosen by consensus of the residents or by a simple majority vote if consensus cannot be reached.

Non-resident members - will be elected at the Spring Equinox gathering following a circle to discuss the proposed election. Election will be by secret ballot run by the board with the gathering witnessing the ballot count; 

Or, Other members - two other board members will be elected by Faerie Camp Destiny members who attend the annual Spring Equinox Gathering. The election will follow a circle at which Faerie Camp Destiny members are nominated for board membership. The election will be by a secret ballot conducted by the board. Ballots will be tallied and the results announced by the board in the presence of the Faeries attending the gathering.

III-C Terms

Board terms are for one year starting and ending on the Spring Equinox. A member of the board may serve as often as the member if elected. The new board takes effect upon announcement of the results of the election of non-resident board members.

III-D Officers

Board members will decide amongst themselves who will hold what corporate officer's titles that are required by the State of Vermont.

III-E Removal from Board

Any board member may be removed by any gathering of Faerie Camp Destiny, Inc. To remove, a circle of the entire gathering must form. The circle must consense to remove a board member with the board member being the only one objecting.

The residents can also remove a resident board member. Two-thirds of the residents must meet and two-thirds majority of those present must elect to remove a resident board member. The board, not the residents, will decide who will fill the term now vacant.

III-F Resignation

A board member has the right to resign once elected. The board may elect by simple majority to have someone else replace the board member or wait until the next gathering to elect a replacement.

III-G Duties

The board will meet once a month to decide on most community business. Business will include scheduling gatherings.

1/ Management - the board will manage the external business affairs of the community.

2/ Budget - the board will formulate an annual budget. This budget will be presented to the Spring Equinox Gathering for direction and comments.

3/ Finances - the board will control all banking and billing for the community, either through resident manager or an accountant.

4/Amending the Articles of Association - the board cannot change the Articles of Association. These can only be changed by the Spring gathering under a two-thirds majority of the circle called specifically for change of the articles.

5/Calls - the board decides when a gathering should be called except for the Spring Equinox gathering. Call must be out at least 30 days before the gathering. Hopefully, the board will be able to give prospective participants more time than 30 days.

Section IV Membership (Rights and Duties)

(This section to be processed, re-written, whatever, by gathering or by-laws committee)

And yes, the board agrees that references to residents/ residence will be ignored until an inhabitable structure has been constructed on the land.