I can understand your frustrations. I am president of a PTO with 492 students in a rural area. Luckly I a few more parents that I can rely on durning the day at school. But I have a whole bunch that I can rely on to do things from home. Maybe this might be a help to you.

For example, find some mom's willing to work from home and send those box tops home!!!

Here are some other things we do (hope this helps)

We tried a pot luck dinner-meeting in Nov. and attendace was up by 10 people!!

For our big event in the spring, we offer the kids a chance to win one of six Wal-Mart gift cards if they can get an adult to work for 30 minutes. You can rely on the kids more than the parents and the kids remind the parents about working!!!

We only hold 4 meetings a year: the first includes an awards cemerony for students scoring excellant on standardized test, the second is the Thanksgiving Pot Luck, the third includes an open floor discussion on what item to purchase using profits from fundraisers, the fourth includes the election of officers and the voting of the item to be purchased.

All of our fundraisers are run by smaller committees each headed by a different officer. We have 7 board members. This way each person gets their own friends/family to help, increasing parent involvement.

I understand exactly what your saying. We have 3 mommies that work all the time and 2 that come in every once in a while. When they do come in its to work at whatever we've created. And fuss about how stupid, ugly or expensive it is. Its very frustrating.

I say do what you can without getting stressed out and let the rest fall aside. Maybe when people notice that things aren't happening, they will pitch in. If they don't, you will know that you did everything that you could.
Communication is a big thing and it sounds like you are doing that.
I sent out a letter and volunteer application this year in the beginning of the year so that parent would know what would be happening throughout the year and they could sign up for what interest them. I could send you a copy if you would like. email me at bevshorespto at cs.com

PREZonPAXIL;

YOU ARE NOT DOING ANYTHING WRONG!!!
Just breathe. Just breathe.
You are not alone.

I have been very active in my daughters school for the past 4 years.This is my first year to serve as PTO president.We are a very rural area the Elementary consists of 280 students.The PTO doesn't consists of any commitees or boards I am basically it.
I have always been well liked in the community and have lots of friends but I can't get anyone to come to meetings or help out. I have tried delegating diffrent tasks, I personally call everyone before a meeting or event,I send out a newsletter Thanking the few people that help,I am constantly at the school,I am always welcoming new people,I never complain(that much)about PTO and with over 40 members I can't depend on the first one of them. Lot's of them tell me that they will be there but they never show up.
I get very discouraged and just as an example:Today,I was very sick with a cold but still went to the school expecting at least 5 other people to show up for help with BoxTop clipping and bundling .Only one person came after I called them again at home,then leaving 15 minutes later due to family emergency leaving me to clip and bundle 2,783 box tops all by myself except for my 4 year old son that was more than willing to help cut things including his own hair and mine also.
Most of our members our teachers but over 90% of our members have never came to the first meeting?
I always send letters home and as I said before I call to remind each one of them. I have always tried to encourage attendence by giving a brief Agenda and telling them how much thier involvement matters. What am I doing wrong?