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I had been thinking about joining Rotary for some time! I visited the Downtown Olympia Club, as well as the West Olympia Club, and was thinking about joining the Lacey Club(I haven't visited that one to this day!) When I heard that some guys that I knew were starting a brand new Rotary Club in Hawk's Prairie. I called Joseph Beaulieu at Venture Bank(First Community Bank at that time), and asked him about it. He asked me if I could make it to the charter banquet the very next Thursday nite! I believe it was about October 11th, 2001. Well, I showed up and got sworn in along with 33 other charter members, and I visited the club at King Oscar's Motel the very next Friday, and was met at the door by Bob Kagy, who said he would buy my lunch. The rest is history.....One day Joseph asked if there was someone who could write a newsletter...Dr. Jim Rydland who was Secretary at the time, had been doing one sporadically(I really don't know how he got everything done that he did!) but was not able to do it weekly. My very first newsletter is on the site, from January 28th , 2002. It's been a lot of fun and a lot of work, but I believe that Hawk's Prairie Rotary will make a difference in a lot of people's lives by the time it's all over with....I'm excited about our future!