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Hi Everyone,
I have been a member of this list for 10 years now and have gained so much  
information from it.  I have also run a support group for the past 10  
years, and I pass on to them some of the things I have learned from all of  you. 
  
 
I subscribe to many publications to extract up-to-date information to pass  
on also.  My group started small and had grown to about 40 per month....not 
 bad for our small city.     I have noticed a definite trend  in the last 
year or two, with numbers dwindling.   I know the amount  of people being 
diagnosed has not dwindled, but at the same time, the  availability of GF foods 
has grown so much.   
 
I was wondering if others have noticed this trend also.   I  worked very 
hard all month to put together information for our meetings.  I  copy articles 
and recipes to pass out.   I find speakers whenever  possible.  We have had 
dining out experiences.    I have had  celiac walks, been at county fairs, 
and done much to raise  awareness.   
 
Is it that people feel they now can do it on their own?  I am sure  they 
can, if they know where to look, but it seems that so much vital  information 
is being missed by them.  
 
I have several die-hard attendees who wouldn't dream of missing a meeting,  
but others seem to have a not-so-serious attitude about being GF.  I know I 
 can't do much about that, but I am really thinking that maybe the need 
isn't  there anymore.  I am seriously considering doing away with the group, or 
 perhaps only meet quarterly, or perhaps only do telephone support.  I have 
 always counseled new members in my home before they come to meetings so 
that  they could get a good grip on the diet before coming to a meeting.  Then 
 they come with more questions, and it worked out great.  
 
So....bottom line.....have other group leaders seen this  trend??   Any 
suggestions???     I spend hours and  hours preparing for each month's meeting, 
and now I am down to about a dozen  people attending.   Perhaps they know 
they can go to the website and  pick up the handouts I give without the 
bother of attending the meetings, but so  much is missed just in back and forth 
conversations during the  meetings.    I am at a loss as to what to do.  I 
want to  make a solid decision on whether to quit the meetings by the end of 
the  year.  
 
Thanks for any suggestions that you can send.
 
Bev

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