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Support march earns its stripes

Sep- 8-2006 » Filed Under: Homefront

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By Christian Hill, The Olympian

LACEY - The march to support the local families of deployed U.S. service members has come a long way considering the two men who started the event three years ago didn't know the first thing about the military.

"We did not know ranks at all," recalled Andrew Oczkewicz, this year's chairman of the organizing committee. "We had no idea what a brigade was. Zero idea. But we've got it down now."

Nor did they have any contacts within Fort Lewis, which is a major beneficiary of money raised by the event.

Through loyalty to the cause and persistence, Oczkewicz and his partner, Al Eckroth, have nurtured an event expected to attract 5,000 people Saturday morning. They say it's the only event of its kind in the country.

Both men are active members of the Rotary Club of Hawks Prairie, which sponsors the event, and about a dozen members contribute their time and energy.

The Wal-Mart on Galaxy Drive has been instrumental in the event's success by providing its large parking lot as the march's gathering place, Oczkewicz said.

The event has raised a total of about $100,000. The money goes to organizations that help families at Camp Murray, Fort Lewis and McChord Air Force Base, including food banks and scholarship funds.

The story of the march begins in early 2003...


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