We use the dues money for a lot of different things. For example, we pay Kristy's brother

to drive her to meetings, since Watson's mansion is way across town. (Kristy used to live across the street from me.) And some of the money goes for supplies for our Kid-Kits. Kid-Kits are another of Kristy's great ideas. They're these boxes we've decorated to look cool, and they're full of stuff that kids love: games and puzzles and stickers and books. We bring them on jobs, and they're always a big hit, especially on rainy days when kids are bored to death with all theirown toys.

If Stacey can't make a meeting some day, Dawn Schafer can take over her job. In fact, Dawn can take over any job in the club. She's our alternate officer, and she can fill in for anyone. Dawn's great. She's also absolutely gorgeous, but she doesn't even know it. She has this long, long silky blonde hair, and big blue eyes, and this great casual-yet-extremely-stylish way of dressing.

Dawn and her younger brother grew up in California, but when her parents got divorced, her mom decided to move back to Stoneybrook, which was whereshe'd grown up. Guess what happened to Mrs. Schafer when she came back to Stoneybrook? She met this man she used to date in .high school, fell in love with him again, and married him. And guess who that man was? Incredible but true: It was Mary Anne's father. That's how Mary

Anne acquired a new stepmother and stepsister and stepbrother.

Dawn still misses California sometimes, but now she loves Stoneybrook and considers it her home. Her brother never made that adjustment, though. He went back to California to live with his dad. I know that's hard on Dawn. She misses Jeff a lot.

Kristy and Mary Anne and Stacey and Dawn and I are all thirteen and in the eighth grade, but two members of our club are a little younger.