SCNA FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Frequently Asked Questions about SCNA and the SCNA C&BL …

What is SCNA?

SCNA stands for The Serama Council of North America, Inc., not just a "chicken club" but more importantly an organized, group of people, who have formed an association based on their interest in the Serama breed of the tiniest bantams and the smallest chickens in the world that originated in Malaysia that covers the entire north American continent, that is, Canada, the US, and Mexico.

How did the Serama breed arrive in North America?

Kim Theodore, of Illinois, imported a small number of Serama from Malaysia in 2001. In August of that same year, Jerry Schexnayder, of Louisiana, imported a large enough number of birds (approx. 130) to consist of a breeding flock to get Serama established in this part of the world. It was he who envisioned the creation of a Serama council of expert poultry breeders to assure the future of this breed in North America. And, Serama poultry were introduced to the American public via the Ohio National, Columbus; a show in Lincoln, Nebraska; and, another venue in Tucson, Arizona, that same year.
Thus, Jerry Schexnayder, as its Founding Father, established a non-profit corporation in 2003. The first ever Serama Show in the US, was held in conjunction with the Ohio National in 2003. The following spring a Serama Only Show, the Cajun Classic, was held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
An Internet website was created in 2006 where people could come together and share ideas as well as help promote the breed and to welcome new enthusiasts into this enjoyable activity. Since the year 2003 and up until the end of this year, the year 2008, people who have joined SCNA are classified and recognized as Charter Members or the Founding Membership.

How are the goals and objectives of this association accomplished?
What are the benefits of joining?

The Constitution section of the organizing documents lists the purposes of the association in Art. 2. In general, the association provides a medium of communication through its Internet website and forum for current and successful Serama breeders to share their knowledge. At the same time, newcomers have an opportunity to get involved in the organization to help keep its blood flowing and maintain it as a viable, fully functioning association.

Newcomers and old hands at poultry breeding come together to learn and grow together; they help each other to promote the breed; achieve breeding perfection according to set standards through the development and improvement of the Serama traits and characteristics. SCNA provides educational programs for breeders and the licensing of judges for this breed as well as a geographical distribution of district clubs that encompass groups of states (or provinces). By joining the SCNA family of breeders, exhibitors, and hobbyists, a greater number of well-bred flocks in North America according to type, hardiness, reproductive qualities, size, etc., members take advantage of the developments of the use of scientific genetic knowledge for color breeding through color projects established to incorporate and recognize the breed in the poultry world at large while also maintaining the non-color aspects of the breed to have access to genetic material for further study.

Who can become an SCNA member?
Who is eligible to be a member and to vote on important matters?
What rules do they need to abide to?

Any individual adult (18+); a group of people or individuals that constitute a family; and any organization or other poultry association, variety or breed club, educational institution, etc., may join as a member - the latter as associate member. Refer to the Constitution -- Art. 4 - Membership; and the By-Laws --Art. 1 - Membership. See Appendix A for the SCNA Membership Application - members need to be sponsored by a current SCNA member. Individual adults and heads of families are eligible to vote. Rules of conduct and penalties are explained in the same articles mentioned earlier. In addition, the Code of Ethics and the Terms of Service apply to the SCNA website and forum.

How is SCNA organized?
How does SCNA cover all of North America?

The association is operated through a Board of Directors - the officers, President, Vice-President, Executive Secretary, Treasurer, Past President, and the Incorporator, Jerry Schexnayder, who comprise a seven (7)-member board. The Officers of the association through the Executive Board - the President, Vice President, Executive Secretary and the Treasurer, handle issues that require immediate attention. Nine (9) standing committees and three (3) temporary/special committees have the responsibility of keeping up with matters of importance to the association and the membership at large. They report their findings and recommendations to the President and the BOD. Refer to the Constitution -- Art. 5 - Organizational Structure: Officers/Executive Board; Board of Directors and Committees for specifics and broader description of each. And, refer to the By-Laws -- Art. 3 - Duties of Officers, BOD, State (or Provincial) Reps., Dist. Club Reps., and Dist. Clubs Council, Committees, etc., that describes the work carried on by these various individuals.

From a geographical standpoint, SCNA is divided into District Clubs comprised by a number of states (or provinces) - See Appendix B of the SCNA C&BL for the current geographical distribution of district clubs and their corresponding jurisdiction. A District Club Rep (and co-rep) heads each one of the district clubs. State Reps. (and co-reps.) are the link between members and their District Club - they meet with their Dist. Club Rep. and communicate information back and forth.

All of the District Club Reps. meet as a Serama Governing Council that is managed through a District Clubs Chair, Vice-Chair, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer - the Youth Director and Youth Liaison (created to encourage youngsters in this healthy hobby and activity from a young age) -- and concentrates on the exhibition, showing events, meets, etc., and the coordination of the judging and licensing required for these opportunities to come together as a Serama poultry community.

See Appendix C - List of Officers, Standing Committees, and Other Positions as well as the SCNA Organizational Chart for reference.

When do members meet as an association? How and when do elections take place?
Which positions do members get to vote for?

SCNA holds quarterly meetings to encourage the exchange of ideas and information in order to keep the membership abreast of recent events, news, and items of interest to all. A Newsletter is published on the SCNA website on a quarterly basis to provide a summary of the most recent meeting. An annual membership meeting (held in November) serves a dual purpose - an opportunity for an annual national meet for the exhibition of Serama poultry (as organized by the Serama Governing Council) as well as the occasion to summarize and receive the reports of SCNA standing committee work on a yearly basis.

Elections take place every other year prior to the annual meeting and/or any amendments, or changes to the C&BL are considered at that time - Refer to the By-Laws - Art. 10 - Amendments to be approved by the SCNA Membership. The new officers of the association are presented to the membership during the annual meeting and are installed on the following January 1st. Refer to the By-Laws -- Art. 4 - SCNA Fiscal and Official Year, Offices up for Elections, the Elections and Tallying Commission, Process of Elections, Limitations-Restrictions, Notice of Elections, Manner of Elections, Voting, Counting of Ballots, Notification.

Looking at the membership from the standpoint of a "pyramid" - the general membership is the base - then, members vote for their corresponding District Club Rep. according to the state (or province) in which they live. District Club Reps choose State (or Provincial) Reps to assist them and work with them. Each District Club Rep and State (or Provincial) selects a Co-Rep to work hand-in-hand with him or her. Also, the members vote for the Officers of the non-profit corporation, or the top of the pyramid -- the President, the Vice-President, the Executive Secretary and the Treasurer. Members must have completed at least one (1) year of membership to run for office. The District Club Reps vote for their District Clubs Council Chair, Vice-Chair, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer, the first two must have been a member of the association for two (2) years and must have served at least one (1) term of two (2) years as District Club Rep.

Who and what are Co-Reps and how do they function?

Co-Reps are like a right-hand to the Dist Reps and the State Reps. The Dist Reps and State Reps have the opportunity to choose someone they know and someone they would prefer to work with closely -- if none available, they are free to select an SCNA member from their state or from any one of the states in their district. To have them be elected would force a relationship between complete strangers ... it just seems to make better sense this way.

District Club Reps and State Reps have the ability to appoint a SCNA member to assist them -- it makes sense from the standpoint that people who know each other work together well. At the same time, in case of a short or long absence ... the Co-reps can step in and fill-in so that SCNA business can continue as normally as possible. Also, someone who has served as a Co-Rep would be an excellent candidate to move up to the Dist Club Rep and/or State Rep positions.

Dist Club Reps are elected positions and the general membership residing in the particular states comprising a district will actually vote for the candidates that are either nominated (the nominations committee must have their acceptance ahead of time) or individual members may apply for those positions to be considered candidates by providing a personal statement just like everyone else that needs to be elected. The State Reps are actually appointed by Dist Reps.

Additional questions and further explanations may be addressed to:

The SCNA Constitution & By-Laws Committee --
Jerry Schexnayder-- jerschex@aol.com, Amy Bullock-- amy@goodlittleranch.com, Vicky Mills-- millsvc@aol.com