Established in 2005, the Windsor Locks Athletic Hall of Fame’s mission is to honor the many achievements of the town’s athletes and supporters of local sports.
Volunteers serve on the committee and meet several times a year to review the nominees for our annual induction ceremony held on the Friday following Thanksgiving Day.
Committee members also plan our annual major fundraiser–a scramble style golf tournament in mid-September.
Additionally, the WLHOF annually awards scholarships to Windsor Locks High School graduating senior Raider athletes via the school’s Dollars for Scholars program each spring.
Each HOF inductee receives a beautiful plaque to keep. A duplicate plaque is also placed on a wall of honor at the entrance to the Windsor Locks Town Hall–the old Union School on Church Street.
Below are the by-laws of the WLAHOF:
WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
BY-LAWS
(Amended)
ARTICLE 1
The Windsor Locks Athletic Hall of Fame, Inc. (W.L.A.H.F.) is a non-profit, non-stock corporation organized under the laws of the State of Connecticut pursuant to the Non-Stock Corporation Act.
ARTICLE II
The purpose of the W.L.A.H.F. is to establish and operate a Windsor Locks Athletic Hall of Fame to honor those persons who have achieved outstanding accomplishments or made significant contributions in athletics or related endeavors, which are or were citizens of Windsor Locks or who have a recognizable link to Windsor Locks and its athletic programs.
The nature of the activities to be conducted, or the purposes to be promoted or carried out by the corporation, is as follows: The purposes for which the corporation is to be formed are for educational, charitable purposes within the meaning of the section (c)(3) or to otherwise raise money for charitable purposes; to expand, contribute, disburse, and otherwise handle and dispose of the same for such purposes either directly or by contributions to other agencies, organizations, or institutions organized for the same or similar purposes; and by receiving by gift, Will or otherwise money or other proper means and by distributing it as may by deemed best for the promotion of charity in Windsor Locks community; and to do any and all other things necessary or proper in connection with or incidental to any of the forgoing.
The corporation shall be constituted so as to attract substantial support from contributions, directly or indirectly, from a representative number of persons in the community in which it operates and has not been formed for pecuniary profit or financial gain, and no part of the assets, income, or profit of the corporation is distributable to, or inures to the benefit of, its directors or officers. No part of the activities of the corporation shall be the distribution of propaganda, or otherwise participating in, or intervening in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office. Not withstanding any other provisions of this certificate, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a corporation exempt from federal income tax under section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue code of 1986.
ARTICLE III
The Board shall consist of 18 members each elected for three-year renewable terms. The terms of the initial members shall be staggered to promote continuity among the membership. Accordingly, the initial Board shall include four members with a one-year term, four members with a two-year term and four members with a three-year term. The Board shall elect officers at its annual meeting including:
CHAIRPERSON: The Chairperson shall preside at all meetings of the Board members. The Chairperson shall be the chief executive officer of the Board and shall have general charge and direction of the business and purposes of the Board.
VICE-CHAIRPERSON: The Vice-Chairperson will serve in the role of Chairperson when the Chairperson is unavailable.
SECRETARY: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board and other pertinent documents and information of the Board. The Secretary shall give and serve all notices of the Board and shall be the custodian of the records and seal of the Hall of Fame Board. The Secretary shall notify all members of the annual meeting by sending an agenda to notify members of election of officers.
TREASURER: The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of and be responsible for the funds of the Hall of Fame, and deposit all such funds in the name of W.L.A.H.F. in such bank or banks, trust company or trust companies or other institutions as the W.L.A.H.F. The Treasurer shall render a statement of the condition of the finances at each meeting of the Board, and at such other times as shall be required. The Treasurer shall present a full financial report at least once annually at the annual meeting. The Treasurer shall keep correct books of account of all of the business and transactions of the W.L.A.H.F.
The Board shall fill all vacancies in any office at its regular meeting, or at any meeting specially called for that purpose by the concurring vote of a majority of Board members.
The Board may remove any officer by a concurring vote of a majority of the Board members, at any time, with or without cause.
ARTICLE IV – ELECTIONS TO THE BOARD
Nominations for election to the Board shall be accepted from present Board members or any inductee to the Hall of Fame. Elections shall be by a majority of the Board members at its annual meeting.
ARTICLE V – MEETINGS
The annual meeting will be held in January of each year. Regular meetings shall be held throughout the year at the direction of the Board. Other meetings may be called to conduct business by any three members and/or the Chairperson with one week’s notice to the Board. Notice by email or letter shall be sufficient for any such special meeting.
ARTICLE VI – VOTING OF BOARD
All policies, finances, projects, and other business undertaken by this W.L.A.H.F. shall be approved by a majority vote of those members present at a duly called meeting.
ARTICLE VII – DISBURSEMENTS
All monies disbursed as approved by the Board shall be by check signed by the Treasurer and Chairperson.
ARTICLE VIII – CONTRACT SIGNING
The Chairperson shall be the only authorized signer of contracts for the W.L.A.H.F.
ARTICLE IX – MEETINGS
The Chairperson shall call and schedule meetings. No business requiring a vote can occur without a quorum of two-thirds of the Board being present.
ARTICLE X – COMPENSATION
No Board member or officer shall receive any compensation except reimbursement for expenses incurred on behalf of the W.L.A.H.F. with approval of a majority of the Board members present at a Board meeting.
ARTICLE XI – REVISIONS
The by-laws shall be revised as deemed necessary by the Board. Any revisions to the by-laws require a vote of 80% of the Board members at any meeting.
ARTICLE XII – TAXES
Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the organization exclusively for one or more of the purposes as specified in Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, and shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by the organization exempt from Federal Income Tax under IRC(c) (3) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent tax laws.
Upon dissolution of the corporation, the Trustees shall after paying or making provisions for the payment of all of the liabilities of the Corporation, dispose of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the corporation, in such manner, or to such organization or organizations, organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization under Section 501© (3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any subsequent United States Internal Revenue law) or to the Federal, Sate or Local Government for a public purpose, as the trustees shall determine. Any of the assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Superior Court, Hartford County, State of Connecticut, exclusively for such purpose or to such organization as the Court shall determine are organized and operated for such purposes.
In any taxable year in which the organization is a Public entity as described in IRC(c)(3), the organization shall distribute its income for said period at such time and manner as not subject to its tax under IRC 4942, and the organization shall not (a) engage in any act of self dealing as defined in 1C4941(d), (d) retain any excess business holdings as defined in IRC4943(c), or make any investments in such a manner as to subject the organization to tax under IRC 4944, or (d) make any taxable expenditures as defined in IRC 4945(d) or corresponding provisions of any subsequent Federal tax laws.
ARTICLE XIII – NOMINATION/BALLOTING/SELECTION OF INDUCTEES
Candidates (including teams) who have made outstanding accomplishments or significant contributions to athletics or related endeavors, who are or were citizens of Windsor Locks, or who have a recognizable link to Windsor Locks and its athletic programs are eligible for consideration as an inductee to the Hall of Fame.
NOMINATING CATEGORIES
A candidate which may be an individual or a team for the Hall of Fame must:
- be out of high school at least ten years prior to nomination.
- now or at one time been a resident of Windsor Locks or have a recognizable link to Windsor Locks.
- currently or previously achieved outstanding accomplishments in competitive athletics as a player, coach, working professional, volunteer or otherwise made a significant contribution to athletics.
- display or have displayed integrity, character and acted as a positive role model.
The Board will give equal consideration to candidates from all eras and make its best effort to select inductees from all eras. The number of inductees will depend upon the Board.
Persons who have never been citizens of Windsor Locks who have merely participated in one-time events within the town will not be eligible for induction.
A person may be individually selected as an inductee even though they were also inducted as part of a team.
SELECTION AND BALLOTING PROCESS
The Board will be in charge of organizing a ballot. The Board will solicit nominations from the community with actual voting for induction from the ballot performed by the Board. Inductees (or their representatives) voted in by the Board will receive notification after the vote as soon as practical. The potential inductee will then have a prescribed amount of time to respond as to whether he/she will accept or decline the honor. If he/she declines the honor, the Board will then convene as to whether or not to replace the inductee.
- Nominations are open to all sports with no limit as to the number of inductees (or teams) from one specific sport.
- Nominations are open to the public.
- Board members will vote for each election class on an agreed upon date each year.
- To be elected to the Hall of Fame, a nominee must receive at least a two-thirds majority vote of the Board members present and voting at the selection meeting.
- An ongoing updated list of nominees will be kept by the Board and each nominee not included shall be automatically considered for induction at the next selection meeting. Once a nominee has been considered for induction at ten selection meetings, their name shall be dropped from the list of nominees although they may be later re-nominated.
- No Board member shall be eligible to vote on his or her own induction into the Hall of Fame.
INDUCTION CEREMONIES
The W.L.A.H.F. will conduct an annual induction ceremony on a date agreed upon and selected by the Board.
ARTICLE XIV – HALL OF FAME LOCATION
A “Windsor Locks Hall of Fame display “ for honorees will be assembled by the Board for permanent showing in such places as the Board may from time to time designate.
ARTICLE XV
A voluntary dissolution of the W.L.A.H.F. may be caused only by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Board members, at its annual meeting or at a special meeting called for that purpose, provided that written notice shall have been sent to all Board members, which notice stated in detail the proposal for dissolution of the W.L.A.H.F. Upon any dissolution, voluntary or otherwise, and in the event the W.L.A.H.F. is not reinstated, then any funds on hand, after payment of all expenses, including the expenses of dissolution, if any, shall be donated to charity as designated by the Board.