Meeting Place:
The Birmingham Grotto meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 PM
Current Meeting place: Check FB public Page for current meeting spots!
Membership:
Annual dues are collected at the October monthly meeting in the amount of $15 per individual or $20 per family.
Send a check to Birmingham Grotto at P.O. Box 59607, Birmingham, AL 35259
You can now use paypal! Here!
History:
The Birmingham Grotto received a charter from the NSS in 1958 through the efforts of Walter Anderton, our first president. The most important stipulation made at the initial meeting, was that to ban girls from the club! In the early years members only learned of caves from discussions with the locals, and concentrated their caving efforts in the Blount County area. They visited Guffey, Anderson, Miles, Dixons, Cathedral, Goat, and other nearby caves and worked at mapping some of them. There were even vertical training sessions as early as 1960–led by Jim Davis.
CONSTITUTION OF THE BIRMINGHAM GROTTO
of the NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY
- The name of the organization shall be the Birmingham Grotto of the
National Speleological Society (NSS). - The purpose of this Grotto shall be the same as that of the NSS, with
the added goal of furthering the aims of the NSS within the Birmingham
area. - Membership in the Birmingham Grotto shall be extended to all persons
in the Birmingham area who are interested in caves and caving. All
members are encouraged to join the NSS. - The Executive Committee of the Birmingham Grotto shall be composed of
the Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. - The Birmingham Grotto of the NSS shall be organized without monetary
profit to individual members. - Any property held by the Birmingham Grotto shall revert to the NSS in
the event of dissolution of the Grotto. - This Constitution may be amended by a two-thirds favorable vote at
any meeting of the Grotto, provided that notice of proposed changes be
in the hands of members 30 days prior to the date of the meeting. - The Constitution and By-Laws of the NSS shall be binding on this
organization.
BY-LAWS OF THE BIRMINGHAM GROTTO
of the NATIONAL SPELEOLOGICAL SOCIETY - The Executive Committee shall have full power to conduct and
supervise all business of the Birmingham Grotto, draft and adopt changes
to the By-Laws, appoint committees, propose dues, and perform all other
functions incident to the proper conduct of the Grotto. - The officers of the Grotto shall be the Chairman, Vice-Chairman,
Secretary, and Treasurer. They must be NSS members and shall hold
office for a period of one calendar year.
A. Election shall take place at the December Grotto meeting.
B. Vacancies shall be filled by special election at the next regular
meeting
C. Election shall be by majority vote of the members present.
- The Executive Committee of the Birmingham Grotto shall be composed of
the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer. The outgoing
Grotto Chariman shall be an ex- officio member of the Executive
Committee for one year and shall have the same voting privileges as the
elected officers. - Meetings of the Executive Committee shall be called at the discretion
of the Chairman. Notice of the meeting time and place shall be given to
all members of the Committee a reasonable length of time before the
meeting shall take place. - The Executive Committee shall have the power to authorize such
publications of the Grotto as may be deemed necessary. - An annual report, as required by the NSS By-Laws, shall be prepared
by the Secretary of the Grotto. - The Grotto shall hold a regular monthly meeting at a time and place
determined by the Executive Committee. - Dues for membership in the Birmingham Grotto shall be proposed by the
Executive Committee and subject to approval by a two-thirds majority
vote of the members present. - These By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds favorable vote of those
present at a regular Grotto meeting, provided that notice of the
proposed changes be in the hands of the membership 30 days prior to the
date of the meeting.