AFOL.MNL Members Code of Conduct THE BASICS AFOL.MNL is a LEGO User Group founded in 2014 by a like-minded group of adult fans of LEGO (AFOLs) who cemented virtual friendships by meeting in person at meet-ups of LEGO fans as well as online chat via Facebook. Membership in AFOL.MNL is by invitation only and is limited to experienced LEGO builders who exhibit constructive and positive behavior within the greater LEGO Community, an intense passion for Lego and a spirit of fun. We are a Rizal, Philippines based organization and our members gather to attend LEGO fan events wherever and whenever they are held in the spirit of fellowship and fun. We also work to promote the spirit of creative play using LEGO bricks both within our respective local communities and online. MEMBERSHIP GUIDELINES 1. Membership in this LUG is by invitation only. No exceptions. 2. You must be 18 years of age (16+ with a parent's permission) and must be nominated by a current AFOL.MNL member. 3. This is a group for adults (and mature minors with parental permission). We do not believe in censoring our members. As such, swearing, sexual innuendo, NSFW content, and etc. may be present in the private forums. You have been warned. 4. Upon nomination, you will be required to fill up an online form for review. This allows a majority of current AFOL.MNL members to view your activity in the LEGO Community. This should include links to your online presence in the AFOL community (if you have one), pictures of your builds (if no online presence), description of your participation in the AFOL community (both online and offline), and any other activities you participated in. 5. Your resume will be reviewed/discussed in our private forum by current members and a vote will be taken on membership approval/denial. You will be notified of acceptance/denial by the Administrators of the AFOL.MNL website. 6. At the time of acceptance of these Bylaws, all current Members are deemed to have satisfied the eligibility requirements, but remain subject to the eligibility retention requirements. These bylaws supersede any and all previous agreements about membership. MISSION & ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS 1. Mission: AFOL.MNL is a non-profit, organization dedicated to creating and maintaining public awareness of, appreciation for, and fellowship related to LEGO and other LEGO-related hobbies, primarily through the building of original Lego creations (MOCs) as well as online discussion, sharing of builds and presentation at events that will allow the group to display Lego builds. 2. Active membership in the LUG is required to be a member in good standing. Definition of "active membership" is at the discretion of AFOL.MNL. Participation in real world LUG events is not mandatory, but highly encouraged. Options for participation can include (but are not limited to): contributing a build to a AFOL.MNL group layout (whether able to physically attend or not), displaying one's creation locally (toy store, library, city hall, school, etc.) as long as AFOL.MNL is mentioned in the display (card/sign), speaking on behalf of AFOL.MNL at an event (school, scout meeting, etc.), and etc. If in doubt about whether your activity qualifies, please contact AFOL.MNL. Active membership will be defined as the participation in most of the following: a) Online discussion via FB Chat or other chat channels b) Regular posting of MOCs c) Regular posting of WIPs d) Public Display of MOCs e) Face to Face LUG meetings f) Chops 3. AFOL.MNL shall have one official "Annual Meeting" each year at (decide on a meeting place) during the month of (insert month). 4. AFOL.MNL may have additional physical or virtual meetings during the year, at places and times to be determined, and communicated to the membership no less than 1 week prior to said meetings. Additional meetings may be held anywhere, and are not restricted to any physical location. Additional meetings and exhibits may or may not allow public attendance. AFOL.MNL may from time to time present or participate in events, exhibits, and/or shows. These events may be organized by the Club, or by other groups as deemed appropriate. Virtual meetings may be held using Facebook Messenger or a similar system throughout the year. CODE OF CONDUCT 1. Gentle ribbing and "smack-talk" is certainly welcome in our forums, but you must be mature enough to know the difference between "smack-talk" and verbal abuse. Above all, we must respect each other and knowing how to behave like an adult in an online context -- with civility, respect, and maturity -- is an absolute requirement within AFOL.MNL. Maturity includes the ability to communicate in complete sentences and with (relatively) proper grammar. If you feel someone is making a verbal attack on you, either contact the member privately to try and resolve the issue or (as a last resort) you can contact an AFOL.MNL officer for assistance. 2. There may be times when we disagree or don't get along, but that doesn't mean we can’t be civil. Tolerance is key to a positive and productive online experience. Remember, it is okay to agree to disagree. It's usually best to share your concerns in private first. You may experience situations with a fellow member that make you unhappy. Please consider contacting the person through private message. If you feel the issue is not then resolved to your satisfaction, please bring the issue to an AFOL.MNL officer, who will then assess the situation with the rest of the AFOL.MNL and take the appropriate action(s). 3. Once again...this is an organization for adults (and mature minors with parental permission). We do not believe in censoring our members. As such, swearing, sexual innuendo, NSFW content, and etc. may be present in the private forums. You have been warned...again. 4. If you know someone who you feel would be a good fit for AFOL.MNL (both as a LEGO builder and a person), please suggest that person by starting a new member nomination thread in the proper area of the forum. Potential new members should be LEGO builders who are regularly active in the LEGO fan community and who demonstrate the civility, maturity, humor, and respect that AFOL.MNL expects from its members. 5. Please note that these policies are intended to be pro-active for the unanticipated event that something should happen that makes them necessary. If a member is found to be behaving (while representing AFOL.MNL) in a manner deemed to be in direct conflict with of the Code of Conduct, the appropriate steps will be taken to contain and limit those actions. This will be done through a Three Strike Policy. The first offense may warrant a reprimand from the AFOL.MNL. The second offense may warrant a temporary suspension from AFOL.MNL, up to three months, depending on the offense. The third offense may warrant full dismissal from AFOL.MNL. 6. This Code of Conduct is retroactive for all current members. By choosing to continue as a member and participate on the site, you indicate that you have read and agreed to these new guidelines. 7. Members and staff are all equally bound by these guidelines. Members should expect from staff the same ethical behavior staff expect from members. 8. In the interest of transparency, when appropriate, major decisions will be brought before members for discussion. 9. Members are welcome to question and discuss these guidelines. However, AFOL.MNL does reserve the right to ask a member to leave for any reason. 10. AFOL.MNL reserves the right to amend and adjust the Code of Conduct as needed. 11. All decisions of the AFOL.MNL officers are final.