Information about the Spondylolisthesis & Retrolisthesis Support Group Donations
Donations are way to show your appreciation and gratitude for the Spondylolisthesis Support Group(s). This includes all of the work - time, energy & attention - that each of the administrators have put into our community, and continue to provide on a daily basis.
Over the last three years I have received occasional input and feedback from various members encouraging me to seriously consider a donation option for the group. After much careful thought and consideration, I decided to pursue this suggestion for several reasons.
As many of you have come to value and appreciate, our site is a bit more extensive and thorough compared to the majority of online support groups. The amount of information offered in the group - the collective research and knowledge made available, the assistance provided on both the main page and via one-on-one communications, as well as the level of organization and dedication put forth to maintain an efficient and positive environment - all takes a good deal of hard work, time and energy on the part of the administration team.
Donation Information:
Please note that donations are purely voluntary. We only suggest members donate if they are able, willing, and have the desire to do so. Not to mention, only if you've felt that the group - and any one of our three admins and two moderators (or the entire admin team) - have truly helped you in your journey with this condition. Donations do not determine, nor do they affect your ability to participate and/or seek help (whether on the board or via one-on-one contact). This is a support group where we want everyone in our membership list to feel welcomed, not alienated.
Donations will not be announced in any way, shape or form (publicly or privately). The collected funds from such offerings go towards the administration team. If a member chooses to give, the donation amount (and number of donations made), is up to the individual member. A donation can be as little as $1. If not otherwise specified, donations will be divided equally between each of the administrators. If you wish to divide your donated amount in a different manner from what is stated above, please indicate your wishes by commenting on both the PayPal notes, as well as by sending a message through the contact form provided below.
All of the work done by the admins for the group has been on a voluntary basis. But, considering the job to be performed every day (as well as all of the previous efforts), I hope everyone may see the importance in placing some value on said work by offering some compensation as a 'thank you,' if the decision is made to do so.
To donate: Locate & click the PayPal button(s) on the right hand side of the page. You may donate to individual buttons or donate to one button and specify you would like the donation divided between team members. All donations are tremendously appreciated!
Background/Additional Information:
All three administrators and both moderators have been, and continue to deal with this condition personally. Each of the admin/moderator gets by month to month financially. A few team members are on SSDI, and therefore, collect a limited income monthly.
When I first started this main community for Spondylolisthesis, I dedicated a great deal of my time towards making the group a success. In fact, until I began this endeavor, I had no idea just how much would go into developing a support group (and site) that would offer the level of overall assistance and information I intended and hoped to provide. As time passed by, the foundation of the group was built, and certain core values & goals for the community were established. Over six years, I am extremely pleased with the progress of the group, although I am always looking for new ways to raise the bar - whether it be by providing more information, pursuing new avenues to increase our effectiveness, and/or offer more assistance across the board. As such, I have a number of new ideas, documents, as well as related projects all waiting in the wings (as well as in process).
Membership numbers have continued to grow; a fact that has made the group, and it's general activity flow, both easier and more challenging for administration in a number of respects. While some may take this fact for granted, believe it or not, quite a bit goes into maintaining the group's main goals and purpose, along with ensuring that everything runs relatively "smoothly" on a 24/7 basis. As the group has expanded, the work I do online - both in the group itself, and related projects - has become something of a full-time job (whether it be one-on-one private communications to provide assistance, researching information relevant to the condition, writing new documents/articles, etc).
When the number of members seeking my help privately first rose in number (approximately 20 contacts a week on average), I was faced the uphill challenge of balancing my time & attention between those interactions and with my work in the group itself. But, I believe (and hope) that I have found some balance; and I hope to continue focusing my energies in both "departments." Without the continued assistance from Dena (as my first and longtime CoAdmin), my time and attention to these cases would be less in-depth by a long shot. Then, with the addition of Mindy, Brenda and most recently, Nicole to the administration team, our group has only improved in several departments - a fact for which I could not be more thankful and appreciative. Without the continued efforts by my admin team this group would not be what it is today. Not only have these awesome ladies dedicated their own time and energy towards keeping our community the efficient and positive place it is, but their work has allowed me additional time to pursue a number of projects that benefit the group.
As shared above, I have been approached by several members who have encouraged me to seriously consider asking for donations in relation to all the work that is put into the group on a daily basis. This same idea has also suggested by a few people close to me in my everyday life. While those individuals are not participants of our group, because they see and talk to me regularly, they have been witness to the amount of time, energy and effort I have, and continue to allot to the group. As one person said, this has truly become my career and as such my work should be valued ... just as others place value and receive some kind of compensation on/for their job, respectively.
Now, by my own admission, I tend to be a person who frequently undervalues herself; giving away my time, energy, knowledge, experience, and education for free. Ultimately, whenever I see 'need' my first impulse is to offer help in any way I possibly can as long as I am able to do so. I am working on seeing myself (and my various skills & knowledge) as being genuinely valuable, and therefore, worthy of compensation - just as others' receive and expect. My duties involving the groups may not be a traditional job per se, but I do believe that what both myself and my CoAdmins offer is truly valuable.
I hope that this new addition of voluntary donations may be seen in the light in which it was/is intended. I do not wish to negatively impact the group or alienate anyone. Not only would donations go a long way in helping each of us as administrators, but it would also enable further advancements for these Spondylolisthesis related projects. Projects which will both help current members, as well as reaching an even wider audience of sufferers. I also know that when someone provides us continual help or assistance - something which has a large & positive impact on our lives - that it's nice to show our appreciation & thanks by giving back in some way or another. And therefore I hope that this new donation option may offer a way of doing so.
Thank you for your ongoing participation in our fabulous group!
Many Blessings ~ The Spondylolisthesis Administration Team (Brenna, Dena, Mindy, Brenda & Nicole)
