Good evening everyone, there was a post on the texas board criticizing the photo department for some pics that were done... here is the link so you can understand what I am responding to... http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/state-forums/TX/postdetail/73636.html?vc=0 Also I have included my response here, because I think that everyone needs to remember where we are coming from. Thanks. Hi all, as a volunteer for the photo department, I would like to take a minute and respond to your post. First of all, we are all volunteers, we give of our time and energy to get as many pics posted for as many members as we can ... as fast as we can. And it is a free service for our members. We take time away from our families and our lives to give back for the blessings that we have received from our new lifestyle. We get nothing in return, except for an occasional thank you from a grateful member. More often than not, all we hear are the complaints. Our pics are worked on in the order in which they are received... we don't hunt for pictures, you send them to us. Our requests usually list anywhere between 250 and 400, and lately we've had it almost to 500 requests waiting... These numbers are not an exaggeration. And most times the pics are sent in without the information we need so it takes even longer to post them while WE hunt for the correct information that is needed. When you send pics into the photo department, and fail to list your member id number or use an email address or name that is not in our system ... we have two choices... either to delete them and move on to someone else, or to email the member and hunt our database to find clues as to who you are. As to pics that have the right information in them, remember at some point you sent them in. The pictures always receive an automatic response that clearly outlines the information we need and the fact that it takes time. Many times members send in pics and then a day or two later send the same pics or others that they have decided they want added... when this happens, one set of pics is sent to one volunteer, and the next ones will surely go to another volunteer, which means we have no idea that there were other pics sent in at a similar time. With 250-400 picture requests there is no way we can. The quality in which members send them vary greatly... and not all volunteers have access to the same programs to edit pictures. So if you send in pictures that are extremely poor and grainy, that is what we have to work with and we have to make the best of them, or ask for a resend whi*****reases the number of pictures waiting. If you send in pics that are extremely large, yes "pixilization" or graininess can occur... we continually work on providing volunteers with additional training, and share tips with each other... BUT MOST OF US ARE NOT EXPERTS....we are mothers, teachers, homemakers, office workers, you name it... some know more about computers than others... but we do OUR BEST. If you are unhappy with your picture that was done then reply to the letter that you were sent when the pics were finished... we always send out notices to let members know their work was finished. But please don't email the message boards complaining about the pictures without trying to contact the volunteers first. And PLEASE, instead of complaining ... become part of the SOLUTION... VOLUNTEER some of your own time! Maybe then the number of pictures waiting will go down and volunteers wont be scrambling to do as many as they can as fast as they can....for YOUR benefit

If you are in the DC Metro Area / Northern VA.... I am hiring 20 employees in the following areas: Program Administrator Preschool Teachers Classroom Assts Cook Receptionist / Adm Asst The ad is running in the Potomac News, Stafford Chronicle, Manassas Messenger, Ft Belvior Eagle, and Quantico currently and will be in the Sunday Washington Post Employment section... You can fax resume with cover letter and salary requirments to: 703.221.0484 Pass the word.... VAL

Hi Friends, first let me thank you all for being so helpful to me in my journey. It's hard to imagine that it's been almost 4 years since my surgery! I have been developing a lecture regarding the insensitivity of the public towards the obese. I am doing this for several reasons.....to educate healthcare workers, to lobby for obesity discrimination to be prohibited by the ADA, to educate the public at large to the plight of this last socially acceptable bastion of open and rampant discrimination, etc. Right now all I have to go on is my own experience and I was wondering if you could help me to help others by sharing your experiences with me. I know it might be painful but maybe with all of us putting forth an effort it will be worth it in the end. I'll go first and share one of my most hurtful experiences. When I weighed 263 I interviewed for a job as a receptionist at a popular radio station. Because it was for a receptionist position, the interviews were all done over the phone. You mailed or faxed in your resume and then everything was done over the phone so they could evaluate your phone skills and dealing with the public. I made it all the way down to the final two applicants and was invited in for a meeting with the president. Even at 263 pounds I took great pains with my appearance and fixed my hair and makeup and wore nice, professional clothing. I arrived at the office and saw that the other applicant was a tiny lady who was very pretty. When the president came out he literally looked at me first and then looked at her. He walked up to me, shook my hand, told me he didn't think they had anything for me and hoped I hadn't been inconvenienced by coming in. He then took the other lady by the hand and ushered her into his office. I almost felt sorry for her. He was practically drooling over her. I left the office in a conflicted mess. I was happy that I didn't have to work for an ignorant man like that. But, I was devastated because he had totally discounted my intelligence and my abilities because I was morbidly obese. I felt worthless. I was too ashamed to tell my family what happened and I lied to them and said I'd had a great interview but he must've like the other lady better. It wasn't until I'd had WLS that I shared this experience with them. The really terrible thing about this is that this scenario and worse is played out over and over each day with morbidly obese individuals. Can you share your experiences with me? I know I'm only one person and I don't expect to change the world but I figure even the mighty oak started out as one little nut. So, this little nut is seeking your help. Thanks again for being a wonderful, supportive WLS family! Hugs, Rona

Have you been thinking you would like to do something to support Obesityhelp.com? Give back to the site a bit of what it has given you? The Welcoming Team has openings for volunteers. What we do is call new members and welcome them to our site and see if there is anything we can help them with. I personally have met many people over the time I have been part of the team and continue to have friendships with quite a few of them. If this sounds like something you would like to do please email me at [email protected] or message me on AIM. OhTheresaC If you would like to check out the other volunteer opportunities here on ObesityHelp.com please go to the link below and see what there is available. Or feel free to email me at [email protected]. http://www.obesityhelp.com/morbidobesity/volunteering/index.phtml We have some many great volunteers, ObesityHelp.com would not be half as great as it is without them. We LOVE our volunteers. Thank you! Theresa Cloutier Member Services ObesityHelp.com

And a prayer for Momma Angel's Family.