Membership
Categories of Membership
Currently, there are nine (9) categories of membership in AVC: Active, Provisional, Provisional Junior, Preview, Senior, Limited, Nonresident, Honorary and Social Member. Requests for changes in membership status MUST be put in writing and sent to the Membership Chairman by June 15th of the year in which the change is requested. This will allow the Board of Directors to consider your request, make the appropriate mailing list changes, and interview potential candidates for provisional membership in a timely fashion.
Active Member
An Active Member of AVC has full fishing and hunting privileges concerning all available fish and game at AVC, is current with dues, owns the required shares of AVC Common and Preferred stock, and will bear their equal share of each hunting season’s assessments if any.
Provisional Member
A Provisional Member of AVC has full fishing privileges and hunting privileges at AVC. It is anticipated that each Provisional Member will progress to Active Membership. In addition to paying dues, a Provisional Member makes nonrefundable payments towards the initiation fee as specified in the payment plan selected at the time of wait list application. Payment plans may not be changed without board approval. Provisional Members will also bear their equal share of each hunting season’s operating assessments, if any.
Provisional Junior Member (“PJM”)
- 1: The application process for a PJM shall be the same as the current process for all applicants.
- 2: Legacy and Legacy APP applicants shall have wait list priority over Provisional Jr. Members.
- 3: Each PJM shall have the same stock purchase requirements as an Active Member but shall not be required to own the stock until the year attaining age 46.
- 4: The Initiation Fee for a Provisional Jr. Member shall be reduced from $25,000 to $15,000 with the balance of initiation, if any, due in the year attaining age 45.
- 5: Each Provisional Jr. Member shall be required to pay $1,000 per year (plus NJ sales tax) towards the $15,000 initiation regardless of their age upon entering the program.
- 6: At any time prior to age 45 if the full amounts of initiation and stock requirements are met, the Provisional Jr. Member shall become an Active Member with full privileges.
- 7: No amount paid towards the Initiation Fee shall be refundable.
- 8: Privileges, Dues and Assessments shall be the same as Provisional Membership.
- 9: The Board will allow a one-year Leave of Absence with a maximum of three years with yearly approval by the Board. The initial request shall be made before April 1st of the year requested. The annual $1000 towards the initiation fee must be continued. Dues will be waived for the period of leave.
Preview Member
Limited Member
Non-resident Member
To be considered for Nonresident Membership, one must be an Active Member in Good Standing for the previous 10 years and have a primary residence out of state 150 miles or more from the club. A Nonresident Member pays no dues or assessments but is charged $50 per visit plus bird costs and is limited to 5 visits per year including as a guest. A Nonresident Member has no turkey, or deer hunting privileges. If a Nonresident member relocates their primary residence to within 150 miles of the Club, such Nonresident Member must apply for reinstatement to the Club for Active Membership. The Nonresident Member will have priority placement on the waiting list and will pay $1000 towards the initiation fee, nonrefundable, as do the current top 10 wait list candidates. Upon acceptance, and an available Active Member opening, such Nonresident Member will become an Active Member, i.e., bypass provisional status. The initiation fee due will be the difference between what they originally paid as initiation fee and the initiation fee in effect at the time of their reapplication.
Honorary Member
Social Member
Dues & Initiation
Members will be billed around May 15th with payment due by June 15th. Late payment fees will be assessed for any payments not received by the Assistant Treasurer by June 15th. Any member whose account is not current and in good standing by July 31st will not have their name published in the Club Roster. If dues, all late payments, and a Members Release are not received by August 31st, the delinquent Member will be automatically dropped from membership.
Leaves of Absence
Application Process for AVC Membership
- 1: A candidate for Active or Provisional Junior Membership in the club must be 25 years of age or older, needs letters of recommendation from a sponsor, a seconder and one additional supporter all of whom shall be Active, Limited or, Honorary members of the club. The sponsor shall set forth the candidate's name, address, occupation, phone numbers, email and such other qualifications for membership as he deems fit. Names are only added to the waitlist after all three letters are received by the Membership Chairman. The membership Chairman will then send an application and payment request to the candidate. The application fee is $500 plus tax and is applied to the eventual initiation amount. A candidate will select a payment plan at the time of application among those offered, i.e., Accelerated, Traditional, 2, 3, 4 years, Preview, Senior or PJM. A candidate for Senior or Preview Membership does not require a sponsor or two additional supporters as members of the club but does require a letter of reference from his or her affiliated club or from a person attesting to their sportsmanship, safety in handling firearms and appropriate behavior in the field. All applicants are placed on the waitlist based upon the return of their paid application date and type of Membership plan selected. An additional payment of $1,000 plus tax is also required if the applicant becomes a top ten addition to the waitlist. These “Top Ten” are permitted 10 visits to AVC as a guest. Specific details of any Membership category, annual dues, initiation or stock requirements may be had from the Membership Chairman.
- 2: The sponsor and the two supporters must have bird hunted with the proposed candidate and shall be able to testify to the applicant’s sportsmanship, safety in handling firearms, and appropriate behavior in the field.
- 3: The sponsor shall be responsible for keeping the candidate informed of his place on the wait list, the current dues and initiation fees and other changes in requirements for Club membership that may occur over time. The sponsor shall also periodically determine the candidate’s continuing interest in joining the club while he is on the wait list and may invite the candidate to selected shoots and social affairs. In the event the person decides not to accept Provisional or Active Membership, ALL PAYMENTS will be forfeited. If they are not offered membership, these monies (less NJ tax) will be refunded.
- 4: Upon acceptance as a Provisional Member, the candidate is required to hunt with a Board Member prior to having the privilege of hunting alone in the field.
- 5: The Club’s wait list shall be posted on the Clubhouse bulletin board in October and March and notice of same published in Tailfeathers in the September and March issues. Any Active Member can express his/her reservations regarding a candidate within the first year of his placement on the waiting list. These reservations should be expressed in the form of a letter to the Membership Committee Chairman and should provide a brief and relevant rationale for the Member’s opposition to the proposed candidate. The Board will review this opposition letter and make a determination on the suitability of maintaining the individual’s candidacy.
- 6: Immediate family members (spouse and children, step children, legal dependents and grandchildren) of Active and Honorary Members shall be given expedited consideration as “Legacy” Applicants for provisional membership (PJM) in the Club.
Disciplinary Procedures
- A violation of New Jersey Game Regulations.
- An infraction of AVC Rules and Regulations.
- Conduct unbecoming a member of AVC.
- Cautionary Letter
- Monetary Fine
- Temporary or Permanent Suspension of Membership Privileges.
- A combination of any of the above.