Note from Doni: Below you’ll find a message from Bruce Greenberg, my husband. Although by trade he’s a studio furniture-maker, since November, Bruce has acted as Food for Thought’s business manager.

This allows me to concentrate on journalism, and lets me worry about gathering content for this site. It lets him focus on handling everything else, especially drumming up money to feed Food for Thought and keep it alive.

So far, so good. Well, I’ll let Bruce explain all that. Here he is:

Consider this a quarterly report of sorts.

It’s been just three months since we launched donigreenberg.com.

Whew! What a whirlwind. I’ll spare you the birthing details, except to say the baby is healthy, growing fast and named Food for Thought.

In January, Food for Thought averaged 4,400 page views per day.

I’m not surprised. In the decades Doni has lived and worked in our community, she has met many interesting and talented people, and made many friends along the way.

Although it was a dark time for us when Doni lost her job, from the day we began the Web site it was obvious from readers‘ reactions that they appreciated a rich community resource; a place that welcomed their voices.

Who knew that when the lights were turned on so many competent, thoughtful and articulate people would be standing there saying yes, we will take time out of our busy schedules to participate. It’s been like an online barn-raising, where the neighbors have pitched in and a proud new building is rising toward the sky.

More people continue to step forward daily. They contribute, encourage, support, read, comment and tell their friends. And their friends tell their friends. That’s how it’s gone all along.

Although we haven’t yet advertised or marketed Food for Thought, in the past three months readers have posted more than 1,000 comments. Here are more statistics from this time period:

Unique visitors: November 2007 had 2,145 — December 2007 had 3,064 — January 2008 had 4,262

Site visits: November  7,217 — December 11,588 — January 15,918

Page views: November 46,664 — December 110,654 — January 136,420

Hits: November 105,521 –December 326,113 — January 555,353

Without reading too much into the numbers, the obvious conclusion is that Food for Thought is growing at a very healthy rate.

While many Web sites play a bunch of games to “drive eyeballs” to their site, we’ve done none of that. We’re letting it grow naturally.

The average viewer to our site views eight pages of material or stories.

You may have noticed ads in the right-hand column. These are from local businesses who believe this site has value. You will see many more advertisers. The list is growing.

One final word. I’m struck by what a huge responsibility it is to be the caretaker of a place that hosts honest, interesting and civil dialogue. And I’m humbled as I stand shoulder to shoulder with this site’s readers and commenters  - all members of a community I’m proud to call home.

As Doni likes to say, “I think it’s gonna be good.”

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