Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley

Work began on the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley in September of 2012 by current Executive Director, Maria Kliavkoff.  By November of 2012 the first board was assembled.  The Board consisted of Karen Arif (VP/Treasurer), Catrien Dainard (Secretary), Dr. Chris Gooch, Maxine Jones, and Donna Power who became the first President of the Board of Directors. For a list of current board members please click on Contact.

We became a society on February 15, 2013.

The Constitution which was ratified by the Board of Directors in December, 2012 and was modified in a special meeting in 2014 is here below.  It is this document that governs all choices and decisions made by the Board of Directors of the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley.

Vision Statement

To provide consistent and compassionate hospice care to the Columbia Valley area from Spillimacheen to Canal Flats and to advocate for and work with the medical community and all hospice/palliative/caregiver services in the area and beyond.

Mission Statement

Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley exists to assist individuals and families in recognizing and accepting death as a part of life.  We support individuals and families during the dying and grieving process.  The purpose of the Society is to offer compassionate care for:

1. individuals facing life-threatening illness, terminal illness or bereavement.
2. their family and friends
3. their caregivers

Hospice is a holistic form of palliative care which aims to make the last months of life comfortable and peaceful for patients, their families and their caregivers.  Hospice improves quality of life, not only for patients, but also for their family and friends.  The patient, family, medical representatives, social workers and caregivers are considered an integral team. Hospice is not a place, it is a concept.  The focus is on caring, not curing; on life, not death.  Quality of life, family wellness, community involvement and personal dignity are all part of hospice care’s compassion and progressive vision.

Description

Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley will train and schedule volunteers to provide confidential, supportive, knowledgeable and compassionate care to individuals and their families during and following the end of life experience.  In addition the society will run educational programs to support the community in understanding concerns and accessing resources available regarding palliative care in our area.

Core Values

These are guiding principles that inform decision making within the organization. We are Committed, Compassionate, Honest and operate from Integrity in all we do. As a society we are Approachable, Accountable, and Fiscally Responsible. We operate in an atmosphere of Cooperation, Flexibility and Respect.

CONSTITUTION OF THE SOCIETY

The purpose of the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley is to

• Promote health by relieving conditions associated with end of life in the 14 communities of the Columbia Valley by providing Hospice Services in the form of in home and/or hospital visitation to those diagnosed with a terminal illness.
• Promote health by relieving conditions associated with bereavement and the grief process through programs designed to support those struggling with the intense emotions associated with grief, loss and bereavement.

Our service is available to all members of the Columbia Valley from the time of diagnosis of a terminal illness to the first year of bereavement.

We invite you to become part of the team by becoming a member of the society and/or by volunteering. Fill out the information sheet from our brochure or give us a call at (250)688-1143

Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley

By-Laws

Part I – Interpretation

1.  In these by-laws, unless the context otherwise requires:

a)  “Board’ means the Board of Directors of Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley;
b)  “Director” means a person elected or appointed to serve on the Board of Directors pursuant to these by-laws;
c)  “The Society Act’ means The Society Act of the province of British Columbia from time to time in force and amendments to it;
d)“Society” means the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley;
e)  “Hospice” means the community program established in the Columbia Valley by the Society.
f)  “Mailed” refers to either regular post or electronic mail.

The definitions of The Society Act on the date these by-laws become effective apply to these by-laws

2.  In these by-laws, words importing the male person include a female person and a female person includes a male person, and either word includes a corporation; words importing the singular include the plural and vise versa.

Part II – Membership

3.  Members of the society shall be those persons who are qualified by these by-laws and who have contributed the required sum in membership dues.  A Corporation may be admitted to membership.  Calendar year runs from April 1^st to March 31^st and membership dues will be pro-rated.

4.  All members who have paid their dues are in good standing. Membership shall be immediately terminated by failure to renew.

5.  A member in good standing may automatically renew his membership in the Society for the following membership year by contributing to the Society prior to the commencement of the said membership year the required annual membership dues.

6.  The annual membership dues shall be ratified at the annual general meeting.

7.  A person joining the Society or a former member, who rejoins the Society, shall not be entitled to vote at any meeting of the Society or Board that is held within 30 days of the date on which such a person pays the membership dues in effect on the date of the joining.  This does not include renewals.

8.  Every member shall uphold the constitution and comply with the by-laws.

9.  Honorary life membership may be granted by a majority vote of the members of the Board to any person who has rendered outstanding service to the Society and such a person shall have all of the privileges of a member but shall not be required to pay annual dues.  This person may be nominated by any member of the Society and such request be submitted in writing to the Board or Designate.

10.  Except as herein provided, every member of the Society shall be entitled to hold office and vote at all meetings of the Society.

11.  No employee of the Society shall be eligible for membership in the Society.

12.  A person shall cease to be a member of the Society:

a)  By delivering his resignation to the Secretary of the Society or by mailing or delivering it to the address of the Society, or
b)  On his death, or in the case of a corporation on dissolution, or
c)  By being expelled, or
d)  On non-compliance with by-law 5.

13.  In compliance with the procedure detailed in by-law 13, (c), a member may be expelled by special resolution of the members passed at a general meeting, provided the notice of the meeting specifies that such a matter is to be placed before the members.  Under these circumstances the person who is the subject of the proposed resolution for expulsion shall be given the opportunity to be heard at the general meeting before the special resolution is put to a vote.

Part III – Board of Directors

15.  The property and affairs of the Hospice Society of the Columbia Valley shall be managed by a Board of Directors who are members in good standing of the Society in which shall be vested full control of the operating assets, liabilities, revenues and expenditures of the Society.  The Board shall have the control and management of all the Society’s affairs and may make rules or regulations governing its operations that are consistent with the provisions of these by-laws or any statute or regulations passed hereunder in compliance with The Society Act.

16.  The Board of Directors shall consist of a minimum of 5 and a maximum of 11.

17.  Directors

a)  The terms of office of the elected Directors shall be (equally divided and) staggered for re-election or replacement each year.  Thereafter, as the term of each elected Director expires, his successor shall be elected by the Society at an annual general meeting and serve for a term of two years.
b)  Where a person ceases to be an elected Director for any cause the Board may, within a period of one month appoint a member of the Society to fill the vacancy until the date of the next annual general meeting, at which time the Society shall elect a member to serve for the unexpired portion of the term then remaining.  If the Board fails to fill a vacancy then as provided therein, the members of the Society may take such action as is deemed necessary to keep the Board membership up to full strength.
c)  No person shall be qualified for election as a Director unless he is a member of the Society but he may become a member of the Society and be elected to the Board at the same meeting.  Provision of by-law 4 shall apply to such person.
d)  An elected Director may be removed from office by a special resolution of the Society passed by three-fourths of the members present at a meeting of the Society, provided the notice of meeting specified that such a matter was to be placed before the members.

18.  In the event that an elected or appointed Director fails to attend three consecutive meetings of the Board or if his attendance at all meetings in any one calendar year drops below seventy-five percent, his service in office may be deemed terminated, unless cause satisfactory in writing is presented to the Board.

19.  The Board shall have the power to make contracts and enter into agreements on behalf of the Society.

20.  The directors shall serve as such without remuneration and no director shall directly or indirectly receive any profit from their positions as such, provided that directors may be paid reasonable expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties.

21.  Every Director in exercising his powers and performing his duties, shall:

a)  Act honestly and in good faith and in the best interest of the Society, and exercise with care, diligence and skill of a reasonably prudent person;
b)  Understand the importance of enhancing and supporting the financial well being of the society; to that end they commit to being an active contributor towards realizing the annual fiscal goals.

22.  A Director, who, in any way:

a)  Is directly or indirectly interested in an existing or proposed contract or transaction with the Society, or
b)  Holds any office or possesses any property whereby, directly or indirectly, duty or interest might be created to conflict with his duty or interest as a Director, or
c)  By virtue of a personal or family relationship may be seen to be in a position that may conflict with his duty or interest as a Director shall declare the nature and extent of his interest in such contract or transaction or of the conflict with his duty and interest as a Director; and such declaration shall be made at the first opportunity therefore, or at the first meeting after the relevant facts come to the Directors attention.
d)  A Director shall not vote in respect of the approval of any contract or transaction in which he is directly or indirectly interested, or in respect of any matter whereby a conflict or duty or interest may arise by virtue of the Director’s holding of any office or possession of any property, or by virtue of a personal or family relationship and if he does vote, his vote shall not be counted in the quorum present at the meeting of the Directors at which a vote is taken in respect thereto.
e)  Every Director referred to in subsection (a) and (b) hereof shall account to the Society for any profit made as a consequence of the Board entering into or performing a proposed contract, transaction or arrangement, unless:

i.  He/she discloses his/her interest as provided herein;
ii.  After disclosure the proposed contract, transaction or arrangement is approved by the Directors; and
iii.  He/she abstains from voting on the approval of the proposed contract or transaction; or unless:
iv.  He/she makes disclosure at the first meeting after the relevant facts come to his knowledge and the Board either reconfirms the contract, transaction or arrangement or waives the necessity of disclosure considering all the circumstances; or he/she makes full disclosure of the nature and extent of his/her interest in the contract, or transaction or arrangement and thereafter it is approved by a resolution of the Board.

Part IV – Officers

23.  Except as provided herein, the officers shall be President, Vice-President, Treasurer, and Secretary.

24.  Except as noted in Section 26, the foregoing shall be elected annually by the Board from among its membership at its first regular meeting immediately following the annual general meeting of the society in each year and shall hold office for a term of one year and until their successors are chosen.  A vacancy occurring in the position of President, the Board shall fill it with the Vice-President or Treasurer for the unexpired term.

25.  The Treasurer shall serve as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

26.  The Board shall annually elect a Secretary and a Treasurer, or a Secretary-Treasurer, from among its membership in the manner and for the term prescribed by By-law 17 and such a person shall be an officer of the Board.

27.  Upon completing his term, the President will assume the position of Past President for one-year immediately following the election of the new President.  The past president will be a full voting member of the Society Board.

28.  The President shall preside at all meetings of the Society and of the Board and shall have the powers and duties generally pertaining to his office and he shall be a member ex officio of all committees.

29.  The Vice-President shall, in the absence of the President, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of the President.

30.  The Treasurer shall:

a)  Keep such financial records, including books of account as are necessary to comply with the Society Act.
b)  See that full and accurate records are kept of the Society; make an annual report in writing showing the financial condition of the Society and the results of the yearly operation of the society and ensure that any other financial reports that the Board may from time to time require are prepared and presented.

31.  The secretary shall:

a)  Conduct the correspondence of the Society.
b)  Issue notices of meetings of the Society and the Board
c)  Keep minutes of all meetings of the society, the Board and the Executive Committee.
d)  Have custody of all records and documents of the Society except those required to be kept by the Treasurer.
e)  Have custody of the common seal of the Society, and
f)  Maintain a register of members.

32.  An officer may be removed and replaced, before the expiration of his term of office, in accordance with the procedures outlined in by-laws 17 (b) and 17(d) of these by-laws

Part V – Committees

33.  There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of three Directors including the President or the Vice-President elected annually by the Board at the first meeting thereof held after the annual general meeting.  The President of the Board shall act as Chairman of the Executive Committee and in his absence the Vice-President shall be Chairman.  Minutes of each meeting will be recorded.

34.  Subject to control of the Board, the Executive Committee shall have power to transact all business of the Society in the interim between the meetings of Board.  Three members shall constitute a quorum.  The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the President or of any two members thereof.

35.  The Board shall appoint all Committee Chairpersons.

36.  The Board of Directors may create additional committees from time to time whenever it is deemed necessary or desirable.  Such committees shall limit their activities to the purpose for which they are appointed and they shall have no power to act unless specifically conferred by resolution of the Board.  Upon completion of the task for which it is appointed, the Board shall dissolve such a committee.

Part VI – Executive Director        

37.  Except as otherwise provided in these bylaws, the Board shall select and engage a competent Executive Director who shall be its direct representative in the management of the Society.  The Executive Director shall have the necessary authority and shall be held responsible for the administration of the Society in all its activities and departments, subject only to such policies as may be adopted and such orders as may be issued by the Board.  More specifically, the authority and duties of the administrator shall be to:

a)  With the assistance of the Treasurer, prepare and submit to the Board for approval annual estimates showing the expected revenue and expenditure of the Society.
b)  Select, engage, control and discharge all employees of the Society.
c)  Submit to the Board for approval, from time-to-time, plans for the administrative structure of the Society including staff lines of responsibility, job descriptions, and personnel policies and procedures.
d)  Supervise all business affairs such as the records of financial transactions, collection of accounts and purchase and issuance of supplies and to be certain that all funds are collected and expended to the best advantage of the Society.
e)  Be responsible for the execution of the policies of the Board.
f)  To submit regularly to the Board or its authorized committees periodic reports showing the financial position of the Society and to prepare and submit any special reports that may be required by the Board.
g)  Attend all meetings of the Society, the Board and the executive Committee and such other meeting as the Executive Director may be required to attend by order of the Board or the provisions of these by-laws, and to
h)  Perform any other duty assigned by the Board in connection with the management and operation of the Society.

Part VII – Meetings

General Meetings of the Members

38.  The annual general meeting shall be held once in every calendar year and not more than fifteen months after the date of adjournment of the last preceding Annual General Meeting.

a)  Not less that fourteen days written notice of a general meeting of the Society shall be given to each member entitled to receive such notice
b)  Notice of a general meeting shall be mailed by ordinary mail or delivered to each member at his registered address, as listed in the Register of Members on the date notice is to be given.  Notice shall be posted in the local newspaper no fewer than 2 times.
c)  Notice of a general meeting of the Society shall state the business to be transacted and no business other than that stated in this notice shall be transacted.

 39.  A general meeting of the Society shall be called by the President and such meeting shall be convened by the President within twenty-one days of the receipt of a written request stating the purpose of the general meeting and signed by ten percent or more of the voting members of the Society.  The request shall be mailed or delivered to the office of the Society and the date on which it is received shall be deemed the day on which the Board received it.

a)  Ten percent (10%) of members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Society.
b)  A corporate member may vote by its authorize representative who is entitled to speak and vote and in all other respects exercise the rights of a member and that representative shall be treated as a member for all purposes with respect to a meeting of the Society.  A corporate member may change its authorized representative form time to time and shall notify the Society in writing of any such change.

Board Meetings

40.  Regular monthly meeting of the Board shall be held on a day fixed by the Board except as provide in by-laws 40 and 41.

41.  The first regular meeting of the Board in each membership year may immediately follow the annual general meeting of the Society and no notice of this meeting need be given to the Directors, if it is held immediately following the annual general meeting.

42.  The President may call special meetings of the Board and such meeting will be convened by the President within ten days of receipt at the office of the Society of a written request stating the purpose of the special meeting and signed by at least three Directors.  Emergency meetings of the Board may be convened providing a reasonable effort is made to notify every Director of such a meeting.

43.  Except as provided in these by-laws, written notice of all meeting of the Board, other than the first regular meeting of the year, shall be mailed by ordinary mail or delivered to each Director at least four days before the date of the meeting.  Notice of a special meeting of the Board shall state the business to be transacted and no business other than that stated in this notice shall be transacted.

44.  A majority of the directors in office from time to time shall constitute a quorum at any meeting of the Board.

45.  When a general meeting of the Society or a special meeting of the Board has been requested in writing in accordance with by-laws 38 and 41 and such meeting have not been held within the prescribed times, the members or directors who originated the request may proceed as follows:

a)  The requestor referred to in by-law 38, or a majority of them, may themselves convene a general meeting in accordance with the provisions of The Society Act.
b)  A Director may issue a notice of meeting of the Board in the form and manner prescribed by these by-laws and such a notice shall be signed by a majority of the Directors who requested the meeting.

46.  The President, or in his absence the Vice-President, shall preside as Chairman at every meeting of the Society and of the Board and if there is no Chairman present within thirty minutes after the time appointed for holding the meeting, the members present shall if they comprise a quorum choose a person form their number to be Chairman at that meeting.

47.  At all meetings of the Society or the Board, voting shall be by show of hands unless a majority of the members shall otherwise determine.  The Chairman may vote but if he does so and a tie results, he shall not be permitted to vote again and the matter being voted on shall be deemed to have been defeated.  At all meetings of the Society each member in good standing who is present shall be entitled to one vote on his behalf.

48.  In the event that a meeting of the Society or the Board cannot be held because of the lack of a quorum (defined as), such a meeting shall be deemed to be adjourned to a future date to be determined by the members present at the meeting place or by any two Directors.  The date of the adjourned meeting shall allow sufficient time for notice of the adjournment to be mailed or delivered to the persons concerned.  The quorum requirements of these by-laws shall not apply to the holding of such an adjourned meeting.

49.  Except where otherwise provided by the Society or these by-laws, all matters of procedure at any meeting of the Society or the Board shall be decided in accordance with ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER, newly revised.

Part VIII-Fiscal Year and Preparation of Annual Account

50.  The fiscal year of the society shall be for the twelve month period ending March 31^st.

51.  The annual accounts of the Society shall be prepared on the basis of a review engagement report by a person who hold professional qualifications as specified in The Society Act and who is otherwise eligible under the provisions of the said Act.

52.  At each annual general meeting the Society shall appoint an accountant who shall hold office until he is reappointed or a successor is appointed at the next annual general meeting.

53.  An accountant may be removed by ordinary resolution.

54.  An accountant shall be informed forthwith in writing of appointment or removal.

55.  An accountant may attend general meetings.

56.  No director and no employee of the Society shall be the accountant.

Part IX – Borrowing

57.  The Society may borrow, raise or secure the payment of monies in such a manner and amount as shall be sanctioned by the resolution of the Board.  No debentures shall be issued without the sanction of a special resolution.  Investment management shall follow the guidelines outlined in The B.C. Trustees Act.

58.  The Board is hereby authorized to engage in short-term borrowing on behalf of the Society pursuant to a resolution passed by the Board, in order to meet the current operating expenses of the Hospice program.

Part X – Inspection of Books and Records

59.  The books and records of the Society shall be open to inspection of the members of the Society and any member who wishes to make such an inspection shall apply in writing to the Secretary.

60.  Upon receipt of such an application, the Secretary shall forthwith bring the same to the attention of the Board or the Executive Committee who shall cause the said books and records to be made available for inspection at such time and place as is reasonably convenient to everyone concerned, not later than thirty days from the day on which the Secretary receives the said application.  The provision of the by-law shall apply to:

a)  Records relating to financial transactions of the Society; and
b)  The minutes of all general meetings of the Society, but shall not include

i.  The minutes of all meeting of the Board.
ii.  Any matters concerning medical information about a person assisted by the program
iii.  Any matters concerning the staff that is deemed to be confidential to the Board
iv.  Membership records of the Society.

Part XI – Seal

61.  The Board may provide a common seal for the Society and they shall have power from time to time to destroy it and substantiate a new seal in place of the seal destroyed.

62.  The common Seal shall be in the custody of the Secretary.

Part XII – By-Laws

63.  On being admitted to membership, a member is entitled to a copy of the Constitution and by-laws that will be made available on request without charge.

64.  These by-laws may be amended or added to by special resolution.

65.  Upon the dissolution of the corporation and after payment of all debts and liabilities, its remaining property shall be distributed or disposed of to charities registered under the Income Tax Act (Canada).