Bariatric buddy wow moment, plus a couple of challenges

Wow moment for Bariatric buddy group.  As of about 30 minutes ago, the group has grown to 900 members.  When I joined just a few short months ago, it was a much smaller group.  Question, where are all of the 900 members? 

I see a small solid core of members here to  share, the core shifts slightly over time, depending on the needs of the member.  I am so very grateful for the positive vibes I get from everyone.  Sharing and caring, we are very good at this task.  I wish I could really  hug each and every one of the members, but will continue to share virtual hugs  here on the threads.

I offer a challenge to all members to try to post at least once a month.  Let's see if there are some lurkers out there that are finally ready to come out of hiding.  If you are more comfortable lurking, I give you that.  Know that my virtual hugs are coming your way on a daily basis.

Second challenge, invite all your friends to come join the bariatric buddy group.  This group will celebrate it's first  birthday on May 5, 2010.  Can we help the membership grow to 1000 members over the next 12 days?  It is possible, just 10 new members a day and we will have it easy.  Official membership drive, let's do this. 

Good Morning Kathy, thanks for all the hugs.  I have mentioned Bariatric Buddy group to some of my peeps, but then again I want this to stay a positive site.  There are always some people who are negative no matter what.  I love this site because you, Vickie and Patrece keep us up beat and strong.  Hugs Back.

My dear dear friend and co-leader. Paul says you are one heck of a salesman! He said you have him convinced and he will be happy to join! LOL.

Wow... so hard to believe it has been just about a year since I started this group! I can remember the first 2 or 3 weeks posting once or twice a day...just in case someone popped in and decided to join. Vivk was the first to join me here about 5 weeks after I started it. I was so thrilled when i didn't have to just sit here and post and talk to myself all day long. haha! Now here we are at almost 1000 members. I have to tell you all that I am so humbled and thankful for you joining and being a part of this group. We wuld be nothing without our members.

Know that regardless of if you are asking for support or giving it, you are contributing in such a big way to our group here...more like an extended family for many of us.

Kathy I love the membership drive idea. I also think it would be great if each of us could take a few minutes each day to PM some of our members that are not active here, and remind them that we are here for them and truly do care about one another. Could you all imagine the power we would have around here to help each other if even 10% of us were posting? WOW!

For those who lurk, but don't interact... is there something holding you back from participating that we can help you with? Is there anything we can do to make this place even more helpful to our members? Maybe a monthly "empowerment call"?  Any thoughts / ideas on this?

You are all cared about very much. Know that we are here for you no matter what your support needs may be. Our journey is about our "whole person" not just out food suplements and exercise. Everything in our lives affects our journey and I invite you all to share any struggles, pains, joys, accomplishments etc that may be present for you.

Ok so.. 10 members a day for the next 12 days... can we all invite just one person to join us here? Let others at our live support groups know about our wonderful group here? Great idea Kathy! lets do it! 

hey kathy, do u want to bet on the 1000 members in less than 13 days?  i'll bett 5 cents that we make it.  how does that sound?

does the posting challenge mean i can only post once a month?  now i know at times i slack off but that would be a bit much. lol

hope u get to feeling better. love ya, vick

Hi Kathy,
     I am fairly new to OH and I'm less than 3 months out from surgery, but I certainly can chat with the best of them!  I was kind of shy to post, so thank you for opening up a thread with such kindness.  I am so happy with my surgery decision and I love the way I feel now and how food doesn't dictate my life anymore. 
     My boss is interested in the surgery and she wanted to wait until another friend of hers and I had our surgeries to see the results.  I think she is intimidated by the surgery and I wish I could make her see that the decision stands within her, not in how good or bad someone else does.  I am going to give her this website and talk with her about this group and see if I can get her to join. 
     Thanks Kathy for being so kind and offering your friendship to the group.  I'm a third shifter, and my free time is very limited however, when I get a chance, I will try to post! 
~Lisa.

Put me on the guest bench in Vicks corner. I know I dont post much, but when I do it means I am not depressed with all the things going on in my life right now. My sister is in better spirits about her liver, but I am going to stay here at her house a few more days, then I will be back to my usual lurking and posting some. I am always around feel free to pm me if yah would like.
Linda aka The Lurking idiot lolololol  
Thanks Kathy for all the huggings. They were felt all the way here in Arkansas... 

Wow, 900 members, that is fantastic. I can't really say why, but I have been a lurker on weight loss sites for several years without much participation. All that changed when I joined bariatric buddies. I decided that if I was going to make such a life change as WLS, then I needed to make other changes as well, like posting and sharing on this site. I think it is all the support that is given here that makes all the differnce. Those of you who lurk, make the effort to post and you'll be amazed that you get so much more in return. Yes you can learn alot by lurking, and yes, lots of us are shy. But it will make a big difference in your WL journey. So come on, start posting!

Thanks so much to Patrece, kathy, Vicki, Colleen, and all the other regulars who put much time and effort into this site. It is truly appreciated.

I'm really glad that you made this group, because I feel that out of all the groups, this one is sensible and positive.  I actually went on another group's board and saw a post about doing something that was against doctor's orders.  I feel that this group's mindset is very much like my own.  And it can't be just me if there are 900 of us.  Thank goodness.