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                     How a Support Group Thrives
                     ---------------------------

[Editor's note:  Normally I remove information specific to our local
group from the online editions of this newsletter.  However, I did not
remove this article because I felt that, while the individual
suggestions were specific to our group, the overall theme might be of
value to other support groups.]

TCCSSG is a great celiac support group.  The meetings are interesting
and well attended.  New celiacs join routinely and are welcomed.  The
newsletter informs members both near and far.  The Shopping Guide is a
welcome aid to many people across the country.  An accident?  Luck?
No, it's much simpler than that.  It's a small group of dedicated
officers, board members, and workers who see that things get done to
make it happen.

But things happen when a small dedicated group is good.  The group
grows.  Numbers increase.  Each little job becomes just a bit bigger
to properly serve the greater number of members.  At the same time,
this small dedicated group is changing.  Age and health creep in.
Family, school, and church activities take up more time.  Life gets
more complicated.

So how does the group grow?  More members contribute a little bit.
The jobs get done and everyone's life is just a little easier and a
little better.  For example, at last month's meeting, Jim Lyles, our
newsletter editor, explained the various activities that are involved
with putting out the newsletter each month and asked for some help.
Several people contacted him and that "group" project is moving
forward.  Are there other "committee" functions like that to help
TCCSSG stay active?

How about a "Pop Committee"?  Are there 2, 3, or 4 members who, among
themselves, could see that the bottles of pop and the plastic cups are
available at each meeting during the year?  Each "committee" member
would in actuality be responsible for only one or two meetings a year.
If someone is out of town for the winter, they could take the
September and May meetings and make their contribution.  No ONE
individual would be responsible for everything every month.  Whoever
replaces the cups and/or bottles of pop turns in their receipts to the
treasurer at the meeting and receives a check right back.  A few of
the members take care of one little thing and all the membership
benefits.

Or how about a "Coffee Committee"?  Again, 2, 3, or 4 members, among
themselves, see that the coffee, cream, sugar, cups, and swizzle
sticks are available at each meeting during the year.  And again, each
"committee" member would in actuality be responsible for only one or
two meetings a year.  Timing is again the choice of the group.
Expense receipts are reimbursed when turned in at the meeting.  And
another few of the members take care of one little thing and all the
membership benefits.

Can everyone hear at the meetings?  Does the speaker system help?
Well, that speaker system has to be carried in, unboxed, the amplifier
wired to the speakers, the microphone(s) plugged in and the system
tested BEFORE each meeting.  After the meeting the system must be
unplugged, reboxed and carried home until the next meeting.  Are there
2 or 3 members comfortable with handling an amplifier/speaker system,
that could form an "Audio Committee" and see that each meeting gets
"wired for sound"?  A few benefiting all.

How many have stayed around after a meeting to help with the mailing
of the newsletters?  If truth be known, it's a lot of fun.  But the
reality is that it is the ONLY way we can possibly mail 900+ letters
each month.  And with the line set up, it doesn't take that long and
it's DONE.  But where do the staplers and spare staples come from?
Where do the stamps and post office mailing boxes appear from?  Well,
if we had a "Stapler or Mailing Committee" of 3 or 4 members, it would
be a simple matter:  Each committee member would see that the proper
equipment was at the meeting only once or twice a year.  Cooperation
of a few for the benefit of all.

At the end of each meeting we get a fantastic response when we ask for
help in taking down the chairs and tables and putting them away.  The
cooperation is exceptional.  Does anyone wonder how the room got set
up in the first place?  Would 10 or 12 members want to make up the
"Setup Committee" and arrange, among themselves, to have a few of them
at the church BEFORE each meeting to handle the set up for the
meeting?  It's just the reverse of what happens at the end of the
meeting and it has to happen for the meetings to run smoothly.  A few
can make such a difference.

Just as it's the little things that make life pleasant, it's the
little things that make a support group thrive.  So gather yourselves
together in groups of 3 or 4 and decide how you can do a little to
make it so much better for all.  Just let any one of the officers know
how you want to help (they're listed on the inside back page of the
newsletter) and we'll give you all the support and assistance you
need.  We WANT to be as helpful to as many as we can.  As we attract
more members, we also NEED to be "Celiacs Helping Celiacs".  Let's
hear from you.--The TCCSSG Board