I have been the moderator for the Welcome Mat Forum for several years now and continue to be amazed at the lack of participation from the existing Forum members in welcoming new members.

True, the majority of the new members do not participate in the Forums and may have joined to sell their collection or a relatives collection, just to say they are members or feel they have to join to be able to read and post something if they want. It is not our business to know why they have joined!

But, they have joined and deserve a welcome even if they do not post or care to replay to our welcome. I have been observing the members that do post a welcome and it has been averaging 3-4 members that do participate regularly with a welcome while there have been an average of 45-50 members and non-members that view, but, for some reason do not think it's important enough or is a waste of their time and efforts to extend a welcome. I know when I joined years ago and got my welcomes from the members at that time I immediately felt a warm feeling that I had stumbled across a group of friendly collectors and lighthouse friendly people.

Things have changed a lot and we no longer chat the way we did, no longer have the spirit of Harbour Lights (Bill and Nancy) to look forward to seeing, the economy has taken a bite out of our lives and collecting spirits and many of the then members have either passed, run out of room and money or have lost the interests in lighthouses. BUT, it doesn't cost a cent to post a welcome and it only takes a couple of minutes to make these new members feel some warmth to the Forums.

I'm not making this post to insult or make anyone feel bad and it doesn't require a response with the reasons that you don't make a welcome post. Just think about it the next time you are viewing the new members and remember how YOU felt when existing members welcomed you. I just felt I had to get it off of my chest with the lack of participation I'm have been observing.