How can we make a group a better place to be?

I'm not thinking of better in team matches or better chess knowledge, I'm thinking of getting people to really enjoy being a member in a group.

In the group I'm trying to build up we now have team matches, tournaments, vote chess, Monday puzzle, Tuesday dictionary, Wednesday easy puzzle, weekend news and the opening of the month. But I'm not sure if people enjoy being a member of the group... 

In the group (another group) I am really enjoying being a member we talk a lot in the notes. Just stupid comments (mostly), but still..... you feel like a member in a community! 

How can I make / what can I do to give the members in the first group to feel this way?