Let me start this with the statement that I don't like the spotlight. In fact I operated the spotlight in high school during plays and the Mr. KR pageant. What I DO like is for the things I work on to matter and make a difference. When I create something I don't want a pat on the back for doing it, what I want is for it to be used.

In this area I have been very frustrated lately. When I created my personal site and even this blog I did it solely for myself. I made the website so I could show off my wonderful family any time I wanted, and I created this blog so I could get my thoughts down and release them. I don't care if people read it (else I would use a diary) but that wasn't my goal. With the synagogue though, this is a different matter. I set up and support the website and I created a discussion group for members to come together. As far as I can tell only my family members and one annoying and critical member read the website, and only 2 other people (plus this annoying and critical member) have posted to the discussion group.

I thought the discussion group would be a slam dunk. Most of our members have web access and I tried to put interesting and thought provoking topics on. Even if I failed at the topics, anyone could have created a thread and pulled people in. No one did.

I think the thing that kills more volunteer organizations than lack of funding is the feeling of either being personally unappreciated, or feeling that your efforts are unappreciated.