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We have worked hard to raise celiac awareness in our small city of about  
60,000.   Our latest project was to have a booth at the county fair  for a week.
 
I must tell you that it was a great success.   We were fortunate  in that we 
had someone footing the bill for the booth, but we paid for our own  brochures 
to hand out.   We had our huge banner up with all the  symptoms listed.  It 
stops people in their tracks.   We connected  with so many people, either those 
with the symptoms listed, or some who were  just tested or diagnosed with CD. 
  We handed out samples of Bob's Red  Mill cereal, Pamela's cookies, Enjoy 
Life cookies, etc.   
 
We felt we educated quite a few people.  The volunteers who manned the  table 
really enjoyed it, and at first they were worried that they weren't  educated 
enough. We told them just having the disease is education enough to  talk 
about it.  
 
It was sad to see the week come to an end, but we were also tired.  It  was 
an effort that paid off. Last year we did just one day and were swamped, so  we 
knew we would make an impact doing a week there.   
 
Everyone out there can do their part.  Call your local newspapers and  ask 
them to write a story in your area.   Or call the local radio  station. Usually 
the AM channels have morning talk shows.   Do a  health fair.   We also do a 
GF day at our local hospital once a year,  setting up in the cafeteria and 
giving out celiac information. The chef even  prepares GF items.   
 
There are so many ways to make this disease a household word. We just need  
to keep working at it.   We are definitely making progress. I see it  in our 
local doctors now who aer actually testing for it,  where five years  ago they 
didn't.  But of course we still have some who think they can  diagnose a person 
by just looking at them....or rather tell them they DON"T have  it just by 
looking at them.    Remember.......  Persistence  pays off!!
 
Bev Messner
Richland County Celiac Support Group
Mansfield, OH

Visit the Celiac Web Page at Http://www.enabling.org/ia/celiac/index.html
Archives are at: Http://Listserv.icors.org/SCRIPTS/WA-ICORS.EXE?LIST=CELIAC