I do like this: I subscribed this thread and so I receive an ebot anytime someone posts something here. If this post is a request to be part of the group, I immediately add this person to my favourite, even before Karen adds the person to the 1st post  (I assume that Karen won't reject anyone...). I found this to be the most practical way to do it.

Initially, to fill up the list, I did have to open two browsers and painfully compare the 1st post with my homepage with favourites...