Thank You a_willow!

a_willow, aka Michelle Willow, is a Squidoo lensmaster, Giant Squid and SquidAngel.

She is the wonderfully helpful leader of the Fresh Squid Group, that helps new Squidoo members get a great start.

She is The Wiwon team leader, helping her fellow squids achieve Giant Squid & Giant 100 Club Status.

Most importantly, a_willow is kind and helpful to all of us... from baby squids to Giants, she is always there with a hand held out to help us on our own squid journeys.

"Thank you for what you did,

You didn't have to do it.

But I'm glad someone like you Could help us to get through it.

You have a good and gracious heart,

But then, we always knew it.

A small rhyme from a small cat

Thank you, dear lady, from Vladimir"

"When I joined up to team WiWon I really didn't think I would make it to 100 by the end of the month but thanks to all the help of a brilliant team leader, Michelle, otherwise known as a_willow, I will be over 100 lenses with time to spare.

Michelle, thank you. You are an inspiration to us all, long live Team WiWon."

"Michelle (a_willow) it's been wonderful being a member of the WiWon team. You are such a wonderful leader, I couldn't have asked for a better mentor and team leader.

You have shown such dedication and support to us all, and have given us all the help we have needed. Every time I turn around you are offering support or suggestions to someone. You always seem to make it around to my lenses and leave notes of encouragement that brighten my day. On twitter you promote mine and other lensmasters lenses, every time I turn around you seem to be tweeting.

I also appreciate the whip cracking that you do. You tell it like it is, but you are a very sweet and kind person. You seem to know when to push and when to encourage, and that is a very special gift. I have enjoyed my time on your team, and I'm glad we're online-squidoo-twitter friends. :) ".

"A_Willow (or Michelle),
Thank you so much for spending a lot of time with us on the WiWon Team! You must be a SuperWoman!

After all, how can you live way over there, and help me way over here?"

"Michelle, I was enjoying writing on Squidoo, but blissfully ignorant of how much you could do with lenses.

Thank you so much for inviting me to join the WiWon team. I've had fun, made friends, and made much better lenses. God bless you, my new friend."

"Michelle is one of the first people I met on Squidoo, and she was the most patient, encouraging person. I had questions--lots of them. Between a_willow, chefkeem, and clouda9, I learned the ropes quickly and was on my way to making lenses.

It's been fun watching her leadership qualities in WiWon. She keeps her eye on the goal and knows how to prod us along. Thanks, Michelle, for being both a friend and a mentor when I first came aboard. Thanks, too, for inviting me to join this group of hard-working lensmasters. Although I won't make the 100 this time around, you've nudged me in that direction! Blessings, m'friend."

"When the challenge was announced, I was stuck at 78 lenses and I was out of ideas and incentive. Then Michelle invited me to join the WiWon team and her enthusiasm and positive attitude were infectious. I was doubtful that I could contribute many lenses but she encouraged me but without making me feel pressurized.

I now have 103 lenses with two weeks left and I'm sure I can do between 5 and 7 more in the time. Without Michelle and the Wiwon team, I don't think I'd have more than 80 right now. ~ Thanks Michelle and the other team members."

"A big Thanks to a "Little" Croatian Squid who gives so much of herself to help and encourage others:

THANK YOU!"

"Michelle has been a great support for me and for the members of WiWon.

I would like to thank her for keeping the spirit of the Giant Squid challenge alive by constant and regular support within the WiWon discussion forum and on Twitter.

I would like to thank her personally for having faith in one of my Rocketmom challenge lenses when mine had deserted me! This led to this particular lens to receiving 6 Squid Angel blessings, a huge number of wonderful comments and a definite promise from me never to consider deleting a squidoo lens ever again!

So, thank you ever so much for being the best Wiwon team leader and Squidoo friend ever!"

"I want to thank Michelle for inviting me to join her team. I didn't have all that many lenses, which meant Michelle didn't choose me only because I was close to making Squid Giant. Evidently, she liked my lenses, which is a great compliment.

Michelle sends thoughtful, encouraging messages periodically to the team members, and she doesn't try to cause us stress to win the contest (although I hope we do).

Thanks!"

"Michelle, you have been so wonderful and encouraged me so much!

You've given me so much help and pointed out so many things that I wouldn't have noticed by myself, and all without me asking. I don't know many people who would take someone new under their wing like that.

Even as I'm writing this message you're giving me some great advice via Twitter!

I wouldn't have been trying to be a giant squid if you hadn't told me about the challenge and therefore made me feel like I could achieve it.

Thank you for making me a part of the WiWon group. I've learnt so much and felt included- I'm not usually very good at joining in with online communities but you made it very easy for me to feel like I belonged."

"What is in a name?
Many feel that names have power. According to Michelle, her last name, when translated into English, means "willow". If you research the meaning, history and qualities of the Willow tree, you will find some of the same qualities that our beloved team leader possesses.

The Willow has strength, but is bending and has long been associated with being useful. It has been said that groves of Willows have been used by artisans to gain eloquence, inspiration and skills. We team members have certainly gained eloquence, inspiration and skills from working with our Willow and when faced with adversity, our Willow can bend without breaking, then bounce back and start anew. Her example has helped us to attain some of the dedication and determination necessary to complete the Challenge.

The Seneca, a tribe of Native Americans, calls Willows the "Standing People" and consider them to be a source of gentle humility, charm and grace. Again, our Willow is true to her name as she often charms Fresh and Giant Squids alike with her gentle humility. Helpful is an understatement when we are describing Michelle.

I am proud to count her as a friend. We struggled along together on the road to Giant Squidom and I am so happy to have Michelle and her guidance and strength as we trudge toward a second finish line. Thank you Michelle, for all that you have done to help every member of the WiWon team to achieve their goal. You are a very special person and we couldn't have done it without you."

"Thank you, Michelle for being such a terrific WiWon Team Leader. A few short words can hardly do justice to what
you've done for me and the team. I want you to know that the words are sincere and the thoughts deeply felt.

Your constant attention and advice along the way to us added up to that extra push that means success. In any case, it would be difficult to overrate the support you gave us. Please be sure that I deeply appreciate your support. I hope that someday I'll be able to show you just how much."

" started this project with 74 lenses and no intention of joining the 100 Club this time around. But Willow apparently had a different goal for me and she is VERY convincing!

She has been my mentor and a voice of encouragement since I was a baby Squidette and here I sit at 98 lenses poised to submit for a coveted 100 Club spot all thanks to her faith in my ability to do what I thought I couldn't.

Thank You Willow!"

"Dear a_willow,

We all have so much to thank you for. From just reaching out to new lensmasters and being willing to show them the ropes to pushing those who have been here a little longer to keep improving our lenses.

There are many qualities that go into a strong leader, one of the most important being setting a good example, you would never ask us to do something that you are not first willing to model. Throughout this challenge you have been right there with us, cheering us on and encouraging us to take ourselves just one step further.

Thank you for being you Michelle!"

"Willow has probably been the most inspirational and important lensmaster to me personally. She was the first person to rate and leave a message in my guestbook, and she's been a huge inspiration to me in the Giant challenge.

She's always there with a kind comment or suggestion and for that I'm extremely grateful. Thanks Willow for everything you do! If you lived closer, I'd give you a big squishy hug for being such a wonderful person. Since you're not, I'll have to settle with giving you a virtual squishy hug."

"Here's my short note on how great it's been to be on the Wiwon Team! Unfortunately, some of us (insert BLUSH here ~ cuttlefish blush so I guess Squid can too) have not been able to reach our targets or actively participate to the extent we would like ;-( however we still appreciate the efforts behind the group leadership and the advice that's always available for those who wish to take advantage of it.

My first dealings with Michelle were through the "Fresh Squid Group" and I found out from this group how kind and supportive a_willow is! During my first efforts at lensmaking, it was like having a 2nd "mother" giving great advice to help me reach success. Thank you, Michelle, I hope you reach your goals, whatever they may be."

"I wanted to thank Michelle for ALL the support she has given everyone...

and for all the amazing and informative lenses she has created.

Thanks Michelle, for being creative, caring, talented AND helpful!"

"A_Willow, aka Michelle, was a great leader for the WiWon team. Michelle built a Ning site to allow us to communicate and kept everybody moving.

I added 23 lenses during the contest - something I would not have accomplished without the encouragement from the WiWon team."

"A-Willow - Michelle

I would personally like to thank you for all that you have done for us. Your wisdom and expertise, the many hours you spend working on your site is greatly appreciated. You have helped me refine my sites into something more plausible and because of your words of wisdom, I am getting more traffic to them.

Thanks for all the great tips and for taking the time to share your words of wisdom with the team."

"There have been a few online communities in which I felt truly comfortable, but none quite so much as Squidoo. From the start, the folks in the forum and those who visited my lenses were kind, supportive, and helpful.

There was one visitor, however, who kept coming back, who made sure to help promote my lenses, and who was quick to leave a nice comment. I knew her only as a cute avatar with a sun and a colorful rainbow. Each time I saw that little avatar, my confidence would grow.

She stopped me short when she asked me to join WiWon, her potential Giant team. I'd only been on Squidoo a few months. I was unsure I could swing the time to make the deadline, but she assured me the experience would be worthwhile whether I made it or not. I'm glad I took her advice. I'm two lenses away and two weeks from the deadline. I've established connections with a great group of people I enjoy and whom I might not otherwise have met.

The WiWon team has been such a friendly, team-oriented network of creative minds. I feel as if I've received way more than I could ever give back and it's a_willow, Michelle, I have to thank.

THANK YOU, MICHELLE! (delivered with a hug and a smile)."

"Thank you Michelle for setting up this amazing group for the contest!

You've offered all of us such motivational support through this competition and pushed us all beyond what we've normally been capable of (and right up to the next level!). Between the interesting group spotlight to your Fresh Squids group, your selfless acts have inspired hundreds of Squids to soar to new heights!

Thank you for all of your hard work!"

"I wish to thank Michelle for cracking that whip, Devo style, and inspiring me to excel as a Squidoo lensmaster.

I am deeply grateful for the way she looked over my shoulder as an angel, well before she became a Squidoo Angel.

I also want to thank Michelle for her efforts in helping and watching over the "newbies". It is her hard work in this arena that is most commendable. What she is doing is helping to raise the Squidoo quality bar of the future by feverishly fostering and bestowing her unparrelled work ethic upon the Fresh Squids."

"From my first day on Squidoo AND SquidU, you have been such a big source of support and inspiration, and I can't thank you enough.

I love your enthusiasm and honesty, not to mention your lenses!

I also want to thank you for leading our group and cheering us all on. I hope I can adequately return the favor."

"Many of us first met a_willow aka: Michelle, as brand new baby squids. She is an inspiration to us all in her tireless effort to welcome new Squidoo members and help them succeed with her Fresh Squid Group.

When this challenge began. my e-mail was flooded with invites by the different team leaders asking me to join their teams. Although I really admire and respect all of the team leaders, there was never a question in my mind about whose team I would join.

Michelle has supported me in everything I've done since I joined Squidoo, and without the warm welcome she extends to new squids, many would probably give up right away. Michelle is an asset to the entire Squidoo community and one of my personal Squid Heroes."

"Michelle... thank you for always kicking my butt into action.

My spirit is willing to Squidoo forever but my body is not... and here I thank you for pushing my body to get into Squidoo action from time to time. Thank you for showing me and the rest of the lensmasters what could be done if one just had an ounce of passion.

Please don't hesitate to kick me again to get me moving. Again many thanks."

"Thanks Michelle for doing all this.

You have been really wonderful."

"As usual Michelle (a_willow), you have excelled in your performance with the June giant challenge.

The WIWon team has been successful in beating off all other challengers, however it is only down to the enthusiastic approach that you take in encouraging other lensmasters to participate in the challenge.

Without your efforts the team would not have done half as well. My own contribution was not as much as I wanted because of other commitments, but I hope that I can improve on this in future challenges.

Thank you very much for the efforts, WiWon is a great team to be part of."

"Thank you so much Michelle/a_willow for you all of your help and support.

You helped me long before I was even close to having 50 lenses.

Thank you for asking me to join your team. It has been a lot of fun. You have been so much help to me."

"To our wonderful Croatian Squid, Willow... It's so great knowing that such a selfless generous person exists in this world!

And so much better that you participate in a community like Squidoo! Thanks for doing all that you do!"

"Thank you for including me on your team.

Your expertise that you freely shared with us had an unexpected (but positive) effect on me...I've had to stop and look at all my lenses in a new way.

May all your generous gifts to us be returned to you tenfold!"

"Michelle has been a wonderful inspiration and leader for the WiWon Team.

She works very hard for all squids to help them to grow and also to promote their work.

She's one of the good ones!"