by Communications Chair Ron Carter
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If you want to turn that gleam in his eye and smile on his face into outright bursts of joy, ask Doug Hallock about one of two things: Scouts or Rotary. Those are his passions. He has been involved with Scouts since he was age 6 or 7, when someone gave him a Scout Handbook at Lake Tahoe. And he has been a Rotarian 34 years, having been a member of Arlington, Silverdale, and Port Angeles Rotary clubs, before becoming a charter member of the Kingston club in 2004. June 30th Hallock was installed as President of the Kingston-North Kitsap Club for the Rotary year 2017-2018.
Doug Hallock’s day job is in commercial and residential real estate sales. He’s the managing broker of the Windermere office in Kingston, where he has been a resident 29-years. In a prior career of 12-years, he worked for the Boy Scouts of America doing unit organizing, membership management and fund raising. When he was Chief Kitsap District Executive, his group received the Quality District Award four consecutive years. Among other activities, he led a contingent from Kingston Troop 555 on one of three backpacking expeditions to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico. As a youth, Doug attained the rank of Eagle Scout, and later was in Sea Scouts prior to enlisting in the Navy, where he volunteered for submarine duty, and was aboard the first nuclear submarine, the U.S.S. Aspro, in Japan.
Hallock is naturally inclined to be a Rotarian. Since he joined in 1983, he has seen Rotary change for the better. Women were not allowed to join when he was a member of the Arlington Club. Since 1985 that has changed. He says, “they have really enhanced what we do.” Half of the Kingston Club members are women. Also over the years, he’s seen membership and attendance requirements loosened and modernized to align with today’s lifestyles. When asked what is most misunderstood about Rotary, Hallock said, “people think it’s an old boys club. It’s not. Rotary is a roll-up-your-sleeves, hands-on group. It has tentacles into the community in a diverse, non-political, non-religious way. We’re involved not to enhance resumes, but to serve our community and get things done. When people get together for a cause or a project, it’s surprising how powerful it can be.”
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Don’t look now, but the southeast corner of Highway 104 and Lindvog Road is about to get a bright, new addition….Kingston’s Electronic Readerboard. The site has been cleared pro-bono by Steve Kelly Construction. Construction contracts are about to let to build the sign. Final site work will be done by volunteer labor with the goal of lighting it up this fall. The project has been spearheaded by Kingston-North Kitsap Rotary Club and is being completed as a joint effort with the Port of Kingston. The Port will operate the sign. According to Jon Sole, Rotary’s sign chair, the sign will be for community use. It will not be commercial or political. Sole said, “we hope to be operational in October…and we need to thank Kitsap County Commissioner Rob Gelder for his help on the project, as well as the Port of Kingston. Like the lights at Kingston High’s football field, this is an example of Rotary leading the way in our community.”
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Kingston-North Kitsap Rotarians meet Wednesdays at 11:45 a.m. at Village Green Community Center. Guests are always invited. Come join the fun. Get involved.