Brian Prestwood
Premium Member
Both the MARS Mobile and the the club sponsored group buy threads seem to descend, or possibly ascend, into a spirited debate about the direction of the club.
One thing this debate did clear up for me is that there is a distinction between a non-profit chartered for the benefit of the community, including the members, and a non-profit chartered strictly for the benefit of the membership.
MARS is a 503-C non-profit corporation chartered for the benefit of the marine aquarist community as a whole, not just the members.
Reading the charter we filed with the Secretary of State when we incorporated in that light...
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The purpose of our club is to promote, create, and enlarge the hobby of keeping, propagating, appreciating and exhibiting marine organisms; to disseminate information about the above to the membership; to engage in educational activities related to our purposes; and to acquire and own such property as may be necessary for any or all of the foregoing purposes.
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I've come to realize that the public outreach events we hold are probably a legal obligation for the club. Thanks BAR for blazing that trail.
Also, contrary to what I said on the GB thread, the "acquire property" part of that charter refers to the corporation, not the membership.
I'm still not sure how the LFSs fit into our legal obligations but I'd like to hold that debate on the MARS website in the members only forum...
MARS NPO Status
One thing this debate did clear up for me is that there is a distinction between a non-profit chartered for the benefit of the community, including the members, and a non-profit chartered strictly for the benefit of the membership.
MARS is a 503-C non-profit corporation chartered for the benefit of the marine aquarist community as a whole, not just the members.
Reading the charter we filed with the Secretary of State when we incorporated in that light...
==========
The purpose of our club is to promote, create, and enlarge the hobby of keeping, propagating, appreciating and exhibiting marine organisms; to disseminate information about the above to the membership; to engage in educational activities related to our purposes; and to acquire and own such property as may be necessary for any or all of the foregoing purposes.
==========
I've come to realize that the public outreach events we hold are probably a legal obligation for the club. Thanks BAR for blazing that trail.
Also, contrary to what I said on the GB thread, the "acquire property" part of that charter refers to the corporation, not the membership.
I'm still not sure how the LFSs fit into our legal obligations but I'd like to hold that debate on the MARS website in the members only forum...
MARS NPO Status
