Guemes Island Community Center Association
Enriching and Connecting Our Island Community
Island Happenings
Guemes Island Water Well Study Needs Your Help
U.S. Geological Survey Data Collection Begins Week of Sept 12
In order to better understand the complex hydrogeologic system and the continued growth and development of the island and the new demands for groundwater on Guemes Island, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is revisiting a network of 83 wells that had been visited in the 1990s. Additionally, we are expanding the study to include more wells on the island. Our work will involve locating existing water wells and measuring the depth to the water in the wells.
We would greatly appreciate your cooperation in the study by granting us access to your property and well in order to measure depth to the water in the well. The more wells that information can be gathered from, the better the overall assessment will be.
This work will begin September 12 and last for approximately two weeks. For more information on the data collection efforts or to give permission for an inventory of your well, please contact Elisabeth Fasser by email at efasser@usgs.gov or call (970) 531-2653 of the USGS Washington Water Science Center.
Featured Artist: Allen Moe
Allen Moe is an artist the likes of which people have rarely seen. His mediums include chicken feet, bones, fish parts, road kill, latex caulk, and a cement-like compound. The resulting artwork is unique, to say the least. The pots, which are fired in campfires, are adorned with skins, bones, and the like. His casts of the world around us, a world we normally walk right by, are documentation that makes one appreciate the earth in a whole new way. Read more to step into the world as seen through the eyes of Allen Moe.
Island News
Meet Your Neighbor
Photos and narrative provided by Don Bird
Born and raised in Seattle, Don Bird started learning to read and write music before he learned English. Those lines, dots, and squiggles and the sounds they produced fascinated him. With a mother classically trained on piano and pipe organ, and an uncle who was a semi-professional trumpet player, Don grew up surrounded by a wide range of music and styles and learned to play numerous instruments including trumpet, fluegelhorn, guitar, bass, piano, and organ. He turned professional upon graduating high school and enrolled in UW School of Communications (Radio/TV). Working his way through college, he played for the Bellevue Symphony, various Seattle shows/musicals, and local acts like the New Deal Rhythm Band, Shots, Gabriel, and his own progressive rock band, Ears, voted Seattle’s best band in KZOK’s 1977 contest.
Composition was Don’s first love, and he spent his days in local studios composing and producing jingles and music beds. Some notable local projects included Wayne Cody’s KIRO Sports radio theme, a jingle package for KZOK-FM, and the locally produced (Kaye-Smith Studios) nationally syndicated “Fantastic Four Radio Program” starring a very young Bill Murray as the voice of Johnny Storm. His studio work and search for unique sounds led him to work with some of the first commercially available synthesizers – programming and playing ARP, MOOG, and OBERHEIM instruments which eventually opened a door to the technical side of the media and entertainment industry.
In the mid-’80s, Don left Seattle to work in LA for Roger Linn who designed and built the first sampled-sound drum machines (LinnDrum, used by artists like Phil Collins/Genesis and Stevie Wonder), then he entered the broadcast technology industry where he helped to design, develop and market the “DigiCart” for 360 Systems. This was the first commercially successful digital audio player utilized by every major network broadcaster for audio playback. The David Letterman show used them to fire off sound effects like breaking glass when Dave would randomly toss pencils from his desk!
After 12 years in broadcast, Don joined a startup company in the film/cinema industry and participated in the development and marketing of the first digital mastering and playback systems that enabled the movie industry’s transition from distribution of film prints to digital media. He spent several years running the cinema business for public company DTS (Digital Theater Systems) which was initially funded by Universal Studios to produce a more authentic sound experience for Spielberg’s Jurassic Park. (Remember those first T-Rex footfalls?) During his time in LA, he continued playing, mixing live sound, and developing his own musical projects.
After a decade in the film industry, he formed his own consulting company and returned to the Northwest and to broadcast, providing business development services for Lawo, (www.lawo.com) a German-owned company that provides large format mixing consoles, video routing, processing, and monitoring solutions used by a majority of global networks and content providers, and for major sports events like the Olympics, World Cup, NFL, MLB, PGA and more. If you are a late-night TV fan, you’ve experienced Lawo’s technologies in use for virtually all the late-night talk shows and Saturday Night Live, as well as providing the backbone for NPR, SiriusXM, local affiliate KIRO-TV, Root Sports, and many of the major tech companies’ production facilities in Seattle, Redmond, and Silicon Valley.
At the young age of 24, Don met and married Guemes artist Loalynda, who owns Paper Birds Studio and founded the Guemes Island Earth Day Luminary Parade. Loalynda introduced Don to her family cabin on west beach when they started dating as kids, and he fell in love with the island, returning with their family every year for vacations until they were finally able to realize their dream of moving full time to the island in 2014 where Don has continued his consulting business and now enjoys developing his various music projects alongside Loalynda’s many artistic creations, classes, and events. They’ve come full circle as a musician and artist who started out creating side-by-side in their own studios in Bellevue, to now supporting the local music and art scene on Guemes Island and throughout the Skagit Valley.
Don has recently released a solo album of new-age orchestral compositions, “Floating On Moonlight”, as well as forming his own original band, Children of the Blues, which released their first album “Space Lounge” in October and are now playing a psychedelic blend of jazz and blues in venues from Anacortes to Seattle. You can catch their next gig Saturday, March 26th at the Rockfish Bar and Grill. In Don’s own words, “I’m very grateful and blessed to be able to participate in and support the strong artistic and musical community on the island, grateful to Mark and Willie for giving us an awesome local ‘pub’ and bringing great music to the island, and now to have the addition of the new park stage venue to perform and mingle with neighbors, fellow artists, and musicians—not to mention the support of the AMP organization.”
You can find Don’s music on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube and other digital platforms. Just scan the QR code in the business card at the top of this post or search the online music streaming services for "Don Bird" and/or "Children Of The Blues".
GICCA Welcomes Two New Board Members - The Guemes community turned out during the month of November to vote in members for the 2022 GICCA Board of Directors. Two new members, Nancy Fisher-Allison (left) and Darlene Klister (right) were elected to the seven-member Board.
Nancy Fisher-Allison was raised to lead a life of service. Throughout both her private and professional lives, she has found ways to give back to the communities where she has lived. Nancy is a former public-school librarian with interests that include history, the arts, and the natural world. Using her experience as an educator, Nancy hopes to establish an adult education series aligned with the wide-ranging interests of Guemes islanders.
Darlene Klister is known to many for her unique jewelry creations and the art classes that she teaches from her island studio, Firelight Designs. Her creative path has led her from painting in different mediums to silver and coppersmithing. Darlene's professional career included over 30 years as a paralegal. Her intention is to bring a balanced business and creative perspective to her work with the GICCA Board.
The three incumbents, Libby Boucher, Tom Sternberg, and Barb Ohms were reelected. Two returning Board members, Kathy Whitman and Mary Hale each have one year remaining on their terms.
Your 2022 Community Center Board looks forward to a productive and creative year ahead.
Neighbors Helping Neighbors – Guemes Connects Needs You - A "community" is defined as a group of people living in the same place. There is also a more internal definition. A community is a group of people that takes care of each other. As Guemes Islanders, we are geographically connected but when we feel we are part of something bigger than ourselves, we truly function as a community.
For many years, Guemes Connects has brought neighbors together to help neighbors. Their mission is to foster a network of support for the Guemes Island community. This group of dedicated volunteers is committed to meeting the needs of anyone requesting assistance, regardless of age, illness, disability, race, or religion. Now Connects needs new volunteers as several of the founders are retiring.
The group's goal is to provide on-island skilled, compassionate assistance in the following areas:
- Emergency Meals
- Respite care (temporary relief for caregivers)
- Transportation to medical appointments (not available during COVID)
- Home Maintenance (helping needy island residents with uncomplicated maintenance tasks)
- Housing (availability information)
- Medical equipment (free wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, bedside commodes, grab bars, etc.)
Guemes Connects also sponsors the popular Gathering Lunch (not available during COVID) and Soup-to-Go (a COVID safe alternative). These weekly lunch programs are open to everyone. Meals are served on Thursdays from 11:30 to 12:15 from November to April at the Guemes Community Church. A suggested donation of $5.00 helps to fund the program.
When the in-person Gathering Lunch is possible, free blood pressure testing is available from 11:15 to 12:30. The "Gathering" began as an opportunity to visit with neighbors, meet new friends, and enjoy a home-style hot lunch cooked in the Church commercial kitchen by island volunteers.
Soup-to-Go provides the same home-style soup lunch, bread, and a cookie as a COVID-safe alternative. Drive through at the front of the Church from 11:30 to 12:15, beginning on Nov 4. No lunch i served on Thanksgiving, Nov 25.
Following is the current contact list of the coordinators for the areas Connects serves.
| Meals | Lorraine Francis | 360-293-8364 (H) |
| Respite Care | Juby Fouts | 360-293-2704 (H) |
| Transportation | Open | |
| Home Maintenance | Bill Clark | 360-299-3230 (H) |
| Housing | Ron Knowles | 360-588-9922 (C) |
| Medical Equipment | Juby Fouts | 360-293-2704 (H) |
| Barb Ohms | 360-298-1885 (H) 303-521-9094 (C) | |
| Gathering Lunch/Soup-to-Go | Beverly James | 206-660-1447 (C) |
| Sharon Hughlitt | 360-588-0179 (C) |
"Do more than belong: participate." "Do more than care: help." "Do more than dream: work." Words of wisdom from William Arthur Ward
Image credit: Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee
It’s been a long, dry summer on Guemes Island. The Guemes Island Planning Advisory Committee (GIPAC) noted in a recent post on myguemes.org entitled, “Be Water Wise,” that, “During the dry season, we are tempted to increase water usage by watering lawns, washing cars and boats, and entertaining visitors who are not familiar with the need to conserve water.” In an August 3, 2021 article on postalley.org entitled, “Reckoning: Guemes Island Keeps Growing; The Water Supply Isn’t,” which also cites GIPAC members, the author, Elisa Claassen, conveys that more people, more wells, increasing water use, and rising sea levels are putting Guemes’s two aquifers, the island’s main source of potable water, under stress – causing many wells to fail already.
Funds have recently been appropriated for a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) to update the 1995 USGS report on groundwater on the island. The study is set to begin in 2022 and is estimated to take a year and a half to complete. GIPAC and fellow islanders hope that the results of the upcoming study will motivate Skagit County to take quick and decisive action to protect our very limited water supply - before it is too late.
Learn more about how we ALL can protect our limited water supply.
Be a good islander – be water-wise!
"Though most will remember Philip primarily as the renowned artist he was, his family and close family friends will hold the memory of a complicated but dearly loved man who adored family gatherings, took a childlike pleasure in small moments, never aged out of playing animals with young children, loved dreamy whimsy and strange little objects as much as he loved esoteric ideas and theoretical paradigms, relished telling humorous stories about the past, had a distinctively wry smile and a memorable high pealing laugh." For the complete tribute and obituary provided by his family, click here.
Phil's art lives on in many public venues and in private homes. For a map of Phil's sculptures accessible for public viewing, click here.
As a mentor, Phil drew a number of artists to Guemes Island. His legacy of connecting to the mysterious energies of the animal and plant world continues to inspire generations of new artists. Guemes provides a nurturing sanctuary for all the creative arts.
Adam Mimnaugh, What It Means to Be an Islander - After years of discussion, many options considered, an architect consulted, bids entertained, grants denied, budgets constrained, and many heads scratched, the Guemes Island Community Center Hall finally has a new front porch and walkway. Wheelchairs and food carts can now reach the front door unimpeded by stairs or detours onto gravel. Only two steps now lead onto the deck to reach the Guemes Library. Soon the walkway near the Church will also be repaired providing a smooth interconnection between facilities.
The community is grateful to islander Adam Mimnaugh, Mimnaugh Excavation, and his crew for a job well done. Thanks to workers Dan Raynor, Adam Pahnke, Chris LeBoutillier, and Max Boucher. Several other volunteers also lent their expertise to the project and wish to remain unacknowledged. Mimnaugh is donating the labor costs with the Guemes Island Community Center Association (GICCA) covering the cost of materials. Retired builder and resident, Bill Heft, worked with Adam to develop the plan and elevations. Bill was part of the crew that leveled and finished just over 10 yards of concrete.
Mimnaugh Excavation has been serving the Guemes Island community since 2003. Adam offers professional service for Guemes Island residents that includes general excavation, septic system installation and inspections, utilities, road building, and more. Adam and most of his employees live and work right here on Guemes Island. With their equipment here on the island, Adam has the ability to get whatever is needed to a job site minimizing delays and commute costs.
“Being an islander” means sharing your success and giving back to the community. Over the years Adam has employed many islanders and has donated equipment time, labor, and materials to a number of island community projects including the Stage Project at Schoolhouse Park, Kelly’s Point, and now the welcoming new entrance to our 107-year-old Community Center Hall.
The GICCA Board and the Guemes community wish to thank Adam and his crew and all the volunteers!
Photo and narrative provided by David Wertheimer
Paul Beaudet and David Wertheimer have been island residents since 1998 when they visited Guemes after reading Valerie Easton's article "The Secret Gardens of Guemes" in the Seattle Times. Paul and David purchased a home at Kelly's Point where they spent nearly every weekend since, commuting back to Seattle for work on weekdays. With David's retirement in 2019 and a shift to remote work during the pandemic, they now consider Guemes their permanent year-round home. Paul is the Executive Director of the Wilburforce Foundation, which works to protect and preserve North American wildlands. David retired after 13 years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he served in various roles on the Pacific Northwest team and as Director of Community & Civic Engagement. Both have been actively involved in island organizations over the years. Paul served on the Community Center board for 7 years, David served on the board of Friends of Guemes Island, is an occasional speaker at the Guemes Island Church, and both have been involved in various land conservation campaigns, including the efforts to save Guemes Mountain and to permanently protect Kelly's Point. David has also stepped in to serve as a Commissioner for the Guemes Island Fire Department after the tragic and untimely death of Frank Crawford. A few notes on Dog Woods: After years of walking past the wooded parcels on West Shore Road on a regular basis, Paul and David decided in 2020 to acquire 120 acres of woodlands, portions of which had, in the past, been heavily logged. The land is designated as forest land. They call the property "Dog Woods," both to honor the Samish history of the island as a place where this First Nation community raised their unique Woolly Dogs, and to celebrate the dogs that populate and enjoy the island today. Paul and David are working with local naturalists Peter Dunwiddie and Samantha ("Sam") Martin to learn more about the unique features of the Dog Woods environment, and to determine the best ways to nurture the forest lands and restore its full health. Their primary goals in the years ahead are to remove invasive weeds, restore and enhance the native plants, and maintain a trail network to welcome community access. In time, they plan to donate the land to Skagit Land Trust. (For additional information, see: https://guemesisland.info/dog-woods-trail/)
David and Paul planting paper birches at Dog Woods, a restoration forest (ARF!)
Photo Credit: Mary Lascelles
Dog Woods is truly becoming a community effort. There are numerous community members involved with Dog Woods that we'd like to acknowledge. These individuals include, (in no specific order):- Jimmie and Lu Lemieux (who are building the Dog Woods trail network)
- Rick Petrick
- John Hoenselaar
- Sam Barr and Eric Licata
- Manuel, Lynette, Ioanna, Elia and Aiden Mattke
- Jim, Joanne and Lisa Cieko
- Dyvon Havens and Jep Burdock
- Rebecca and Bud Ullman
- Terri and Joe Gaffney
- Barbara and Randy Schnabel
- Jeff Hale and Mary Parker-Hale
- Robert Olson
- Marc Beaudet
John Strathman, Adventure During A Pandemic - John Strathman is no stranger to memorable moments on the water. He’s been kayaking in the Pacific Northwest for years. Since moving to Guemes Island in 2014, John has kayaked in the 2015 inaugural R2AK “Race to Alaska” (Port Townsend, WA to Ketchikan, AK), rowed in two “SEVENTY48s,” (Tacoma to Port Townsend), and completed a solo kayak adventure from Ketchikan to Guemes. His most recent leisurely trip around the San Juans with his friend, Tim, was memorable in its own way.
NOTE: The stalwart Odyssey has been repaired “good as new” and is safely tucked away, awaiting next year’s “moments.”
Tom Sternberg, GICCA Board Member - The GICCA Board welcomes its newest Board member, Tom Sternberg, who was recently appointed to fill the vacant Trustee position. Like many of us, Tom and his partner Virginia’s visits to Guemes grew into a desire for a peaceful, rural place to make their full-time home. The pandemic changed their work situations and working from home became the required option. A small tight-knit rural community with an active community center was just the place they were looking for.
Tom quickly made friends with neighbors and fellow ferry passengers. Community involvement is important to Tom and he was interested to learn more about our island organizations and activities. A recent opening on the GICCA Board provided him with the opportunity to bring his work and hobby experience to the Community Center Association. He answered the call and submitted a letter of interest. The GICCA Board voted unanimously to appoint Tom to the Board.
Currently a high-end web and software developer, Tom has also worked in the restaurant industry in both staff and management positions. He started his own commercial landscape business overseeing five condominium complexes. Acting as the general contractor, Tom built two homes and remodeled three in the Seattle area. These varied and useful skills will be invaluable to the Association and to our island community. Tom’s enthusiasm and willingness to be involved are his greatest assets. He has already hit the ground running and is helping to design GICCA’s new “sister” website that will feature the many artists of Guemes Island.
We welcome Tom and Virginia and their sweet dog, Trigger, to our community
You – An Encore Performance - This month we are, once again, featuring YOU because you deserve an encore! YOU are a neighbor. YOU are a part of what makes us a community.
In the recent CDC (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) Newsletter, Public Health Matters, we are reminded that “the word community can mean different things." It can describe a geographic area, a group of people with shared interests, or a feeling of teamwork and fellowship.” At the core is YOU.
The Center for Preparedness and Response (CPR) is a part of the CDC and they outline ways that YOU can create community where you live. The following are excerpts and links from the CPR’s “create community” newsletter.
Care for Each Other – Take care of yourself and others.
The greatest strengths of a community might be its people and their relationships with each other. People who are personally prepared, invested, and socially connected are often better able to protect themselves and more willing and ready to help others through adversity.
Improve Access – Support the needs of the whole community.
Community health preparedness and resilience is not achieved until everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as prepared as possible. It is the shared responsibility of the whole community to find ways to make preparedness more inclusive, available, and achievable for everyone.
Lead by Example – Inspire others’ healthy behaviors.
Get in the habit of being a preparedness role model for your family and in your community. Modeling healthy behaviors, attitudes, and habits, like getting a seasonal flu vaccine and frequent handwashing, can inspire others to do the same.
Get Involved – Take action to help improve everyone’s health and resilience.
People who are resilient and ready to care for their neighbors can have positive and even life-saving impacts on their neighbors and in their communities at large. Response training and exercises, donations, and volunteerism are just a few of the many ways that you can help yourself and others prepare for, respond to, and recover from an emergency.
The Guemes Island Community Center Association has recently posted, on our website and on island bulletin boards, a list of our Top Ten Volunteer Opportunities. YOU can help to “create community.” There are many ways, even during a pandemic, to safely connect with or inspire others, to become more resilient, and to become more involved. Whether it is just neighbor helping neighbor or through greater involvement with island organizations, your efforts will build “community.”
Get Involved in Your Community
Back row L to R: Kelly McAllister, Randy Cotton, Norlin Joyce, Larry Verbano, Dave Shill, Barb Ohms, Scott Anderson, Bill Heft
Front row L to R: Patrick Dougherty, Lorrie Steele, Karen Anderson, Kathy Whitman, Klaudia Englund
Not pictured: Nancy Fisher-Allison, Tom Hancock, Mary Holmes, Mary Joyce, Mark Ohms, Karen Shill, Jeff Spada, Diana Tsang
Volunteers have recently completed a number of projects both large and small at the Guemes Island Community Center. Pictured above are the islanders who helped complete the installation of the new floor. Another crew repaired and restained the deck. Volunteers tend the landscaping at both the Hall and the Stage.
You too can get involved. If you've brought skills and talents to your new home on Guemes and you want to get to know people, consider joining the Guemes Island Community Center Association (GICCA) Board or just volunteer for a project or a cooking team.
* Join the GICCA Board (elections coming in Nov)
The GICCA Board is looking for enthusiastic people to help continue the good work of the association.
Nominations for Board vacancies begin in September with the election in November. Nominees do not run for specific positions. In December the newly elected and returning members determine Board positions and assignments. Officers and trustees serve two-year terms.
Do you have experience or interest you would like to share? Consider these possibilities:
- Volunteer Coordinator
- Website design and maintenance
- Newsletter writing or editing
- Updating and editing GICCA publications
- Event planning and management at the Community Stage
- Involvement in GICCA's Art Initiative
- Landscape maintenance
- Emergency preparedness
The GICCA Board requires active involvement with a monthly meeting as well as support for projects and programs. If you prefer to volunteer rather than take a leadership role, there are needs throughout the year for volunteers to assist with gardening at the stage, maintenance at the historic Community Hall, promotion for events, and more!
Please email 4gicca@gmail.com or call Barb Ohms 303-521-9094 (cell) or Kathy Whitman 206-334-1573 (cell). We would love to hear from you.
*Volunteer Opportunities Continue into the Fall
Please let us know if you have some time to help with any of these upcoming projects:
- Interior painting at the Community Hall
- Weeding at the Community Stage
You can respond to GICCAvolunteer@gmail.com. As demonstrated by floor project, volunteers make the difference! Thanks in advance for your support.
* Join the Gathering Lunch/Soup-to-Go Team
During the Fall, Winter, and Spring, Guemes Islanders flock to the Church every Thursday for a "home-cooked" lunch prepared by a team of volunteers.
COVID forced a change from the sit-down social atmosphere of the Gathering Lunch to a drive-through Soup-to-Go.
The Gathering Lunch/Soup-to-Go crew welcomes new members to our team of volunteers. If you like cooking, feeding a crowd, meeting new people, and yes, doing some dishes, we'd love to hear from you! We'll start up in October and end sometime in April. Everyone will have to be flexible due to that dang virus!
If you are interested, call Beverly James at 206-660-1447 or Sharon Hughlitt at 360-421-3256.
* CERT Seeking HAM Radio Operators
The Guemes Island Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) is in need of more HAM radio operators to join the CERT Radio Team.
Monthly on the 4th Thursday island HAMs and a group of FRS (family radio service) operators participate in an emergency communications net to test radio procedures. Net Control broadcasts from the Guemes Fire Hall to HAMs in four sectors who relay check-ins from a small network of FRS callers in their sectors.
In the event of a major disaster or areawide emergency, the Guemes Island Fire Chief may activate CERT. If landlines and cell phones are not functioning, HAM and FRS radios may be the only means of communication. The Guemes Island CERT Radio Team may be called upon to assist with communications while coordinating with the Guemes Fire Department to get emergency services to those in need.
You must be licensed to operate a HAM radio and to receive your individual call sign. The study course can be taken online and tests are available locally. Knowledge of Morse Code is no longer mandatory so the exam is not difficult with proper preparation.
If are interested in becoming a HAM operator or you are already licensed and wish to join the radio team, please contact Barb Ohms at barbaraohms@gmail.com or cell 303-521-9094. Additional FRS operators are also welcome to join the team.
Pickleball on Guemes
Skagit County Parks asked that we remind folks to protect the new surface of the court; it is for feet with shoes and not for wheels or dogs. Please no bikes or skateboards.
A storage cabinet on the north side of the court is intended to store paddles, balls, portable nets, and a broom. It will have a small combination lock to keep things secure (but no treasure, cash, rare artifacts, or valuables will be found inside).
Heart-Felt Thanks
To the doctors, nurses, paramedics, pharmacy and other medical workers, police officers, home-care workers, grocery store personnel, delivery people, transit workers, airline workers, and anyone who serves the public .....
Thank you for your bravery, dedication, and sacrifice during the COVID crisis.
You are truly heroes!
And to all of you who are continuing to heed the advice of health experts - getting vaccinated and masking-up when recommended/required ... we applaud you as well!
Thank you for demonstrating respect for others and for doing the right thing!
The Help You Want
The Resources You Need
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of AmazonSmile purchases to their customers' chosen charitable organization. Guemes Island Community Center Association is registered on AmazonSmile. So, if you’re already shopping anyway, why not let Amazon make a small donation to GICCA - at no additional cost to you or GICCA!
How does it work?
- Click on the AmazonSmile box (right) which brings you to the AmazonSmile GICCA page
(you might want to bookmark that page to easily find it again). - Sign in to Amazon as usual.
- Then, just shop as you normally would!
Click here to see how much you have made GICCA smile. Thank you!
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