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Follow the directions at right to formally join the Midwest Burners Association.

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There Are 3 Steps To Becoming A Member

The Articles of Association of Midwest Burners

1. The name of the Association shall be Midwest Burners.
2. The address of the Midwest Burners’ office is the address of the Association Chairperson.
3. Midwest Burners is an unincorporated Association organized exclusively for social and recreational purposes in accordance with section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code.

The specific purposes of the Midwest Burners Association is to gather to camp, socialize, experiment with the concept of community, and/or create art in all of its forms. We want to extend the creative and communal spirit of the Burning Man Festival into the Midwestern United States. We hope to unite people, especially in the Midwestern United States, who are interested in Burner culture.

This Association values and strives to achieve the following:

Radical Inclusion

Anyone who desires to pursue this Association’s values and purposes is welcome to participate. A person does not have to know a member of this Association or be from the Midwestern United States in order to join this Association. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, sexual preference, race, or religion.

Leave No Trace

We want to leave the environment, where we gather, in the same or better condition than when we arrived.

Radical Self-expression

We believe in the freedom of each individual to express him or herself as that person sees fit. Self-expression is the essence of art. Self-expression is a gift to the community and is a part of our gift culture. The giver should keep this social context in mind and respect the rights and liberties of the recipients.

Personal Responsibility and Self Sufficiency

Personal freedom and happiness starts with the individual. We are committed to a Do-It-Yourself mind-set. The individual is primarily responsible for creating and maintaining his or her own reality.

Participation

Individual and communal happiness are achieved through personal participation. Our community is only as great and enjoyable as each person makes it. Participation is the Do-It-Yourself mind-set applied to the social realm. Everyone is welcome to work and play.

Communal Effort

We constantly work to improve and enrich our interaction with each other. We build and maintain an environment of creative cooperation and collaboration.

Gift Culture

We reject any form of commerce during our events. We focus instead on gift giving, which does not require a gift in return.

Decommodification

We are participants rather than consumers. Thus, we bar commercial sponsorships, transactions, and advertising from our social gatherings.

Civic Responsibility

While we value individual freedom, we realize that it exists within the context of society. Each member is responsible for the impact of his or her actions on the Association and society in general. We strive to avoid harming each other and to operate our events in accordance with local, state and federal laws.

Immediacy

We seek immediate experience of ourselves, each other, society, and the cosmos. We attempt to remove barriers to this experience. The pursuit of immediate experience underlies all of our other values and objectives.

4. This Association adheres to the same philosophy and spirit as the Burning Man Organization and the other formal Burner organizations around the world. In fact, our statement of values paraphrases the statement of principles on the Burning Man Organization’s website (http://www.burningman.com). However, this Association operates independently of the Burning Man Organization and the other Burner organizations.
5. Membership in Midwest Burners is limited in the following ways:
   1. A member must be at least 18 years of age
   2. A member must be committed to all of the values listed in Article Three
   3. A member must remain active by participating in at least one Midwest Burners event per year

No membership fees or dues are required to be a member in this Association.

6. This Association makes decisions by general consensus. The Association Chair confirms the general consensus.
7. Midwest Burners’ net income will be used to accomplish the Association’s purposes that are set out in Article Three. Midwest Burners will not use its net income to personally benefit any of its members, trustees, officers, or other private persons except to compensate them for services and to make payments that further this Association’s purposes.

No substantial part of the Association’s activities will be propaganda efforts, attempts to influence legislation, or participation or intervention in any political campaign for public office (including the publishing or distribution of statements).

This Association will not, except to an insubstantial degree, do anything that does not further this Association’s purposes.

8. When this Association disbands, the assets shall be distributed for one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code, or the corresponding section of any future federal tax code. The assets may also be distributed to the federal government, or to a state or local government, for a public purpose. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by a Court of Competent Jurisdiction of the county in which the principal office of the Association is then located, exclusively for such purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes.

Midwest Burners pledges to keep this information confidential. Midwest Burners will keep this information for our records only and will not use it to solicit you for anything unrelated to Midwest Burners' affairs. Midwest Burners will not disclose this information to third parties unless compelled to do so by court order.

You will receive a membership confirmation by email. If you do not receive a confirmation within 7 days, please contact Zay, Midwest Burners Association Chairman, at zay@midwestburners.com

MIDWEST BURNERS MEMBERSHIP FORM
Your Full Name:
Your Burner Name:(Optional)
Your Email:
Spouse's Name:(Optional)
Street Address:
City:
State:
Country:
Zip:
Telephone:
I have read and agree with the Articles of Association. (Required) I swear that I am 18 years old or older. (Required)