I posted this to the wrong Forum. My mistake. I just want CC and all Admins to know how much you're appreciated. And how cool this website is!

My class joined Classcreator in 2011 in anticipation of our 50th reunion. I set it up and the class has used it, for the last 10-11 years, as a database for classmate addresses, classmate obituary information, and reunion and other announcements (few and far between). It seems classmates were using it for the obituaries and not much else. It was not a particularly "active" site. In fact, over the years the class address list was converted to an Excel list - and no real effort was made to keep addresses current. However, over the years the class has continued to renew our subscription, luckily, so when I returned as Root Admin this last September the basic system was still around.

The first thing I did was start relearning and evaluating what we had, looking for a better way to incorporate it into a meaningful tool for our (aging) class. My background is not coding or systems design but I was able to make the initial setup of our site 10 years ago on my own with the help of this tip site so knew I could do the basics. I decided a conversion to Responsive Design was exactly what was needed to give our site a fresh look and open up possibilities. Best decision EVER (other than joining originally).

Initially, it was a tough conversion for me and I floundered for a month or two. Then I contacted Gwen Corey of TAPS fame and asked for her help. I've read that it's a hard conversion (to RD) but I've found it's not as hard as it's full of multiple design decisions. Gwen's tutoring helped me tackle those decisions one by one and I like what I ended up with! Her tips like using Post Announcements for your Home Page made the layout better looking. She taught me how to Link pages and I'd thought I'd died and gone to heaven! Her patience with me and my learning curve was invaluable. Just the coach I needed! The conversion took place in January and both my classmates and I are delighted! For any Admins hesitating, converting to RD is well worth the effort!

Part of my homework had been looking at other sites for ideas. Now that I had a new, good-looking RD site, I wanted to incorporate some of the neat, creative things I had seen and read about. I was particularly intrigued by Jack Vermeulen's photocube and video player work. And I wanted, badly, a Jukebox. That again seemed to be above my pay grade, but Jack was kind enough to not only help me get through these but exerted extra effort to make them work on my Safari browser. I am now sitting and listening to my website Jukebox (Jack's Jukebox?) as I type this. Heaven! I just this past week, on my own, I installed some JVscript stuff...figured it out myself using Jack's instruction manual! I am so proud. Thank you, Jack!

Others Admins that have helped me include Phil Nelson who introduced me to outside vendor widgets that I could use, and have. Phil helped me get Jack's JVphotocube Carousel up and going for my first article and it was a hit! I love John Ralph's menu organization and plan to tweak my menu lineup a bit. So many other Admins who've contributed to the postings have been invaluable in teaching me what I need to know and where and how to look for help.

And finally, Classcreator is just the best! I sometimes pinch myself as I'm utilizing some CC feature and am so thrilled to have it available. Yes, yes, I wish they would have a web-based email system and yes, yes, I wish they had better documentation for RD implementation and Gallerys (that's my Achilles heel - working on writing my own procedure!). But I would not trade this website for anything. The team effort makes it all work.

I love Classcreator, all their support staff, and the Admins that work to support each other and ask and answer posts on this tip site.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you - all of you.

These last 10 months have, for me, been interesting, challenging, and satisfying and it's all due to this Classcreator website project and all of you guys. My class members are paying more attention to the site than before, and I'm encouraged that now we have the ability to be a site they will check regularly.

Leahray Smith Wroten
Denison High School, Class of 62

Thank you for the kind words, Leahray. The time spent on calls with you was a mix of directions, tips, quiet time while you concentrated, laughter, and more. Denison62.com is of interest to your members because of YOU! You wanted better and would not stop until it was all it could be and then some. You spent weeks tweaking the Responsive Design, yet did not publish it until you added more content. It was my pleasure to witness the drive within you.

Gwen