Question:
Does anyone know how to start a support group in your local area?

   — Glenda M. (posted on January 31, 2002)

January 30, 2002
I work at a local library and I too would like to start a support group! What a good question.
   — Oldsoul

January 31, 2002
Hi! I started a support group a year ago and it's grown by leaps and bounds. I came to the obesityhelp.com website and went to the "Find Peers" section and looked up the email addresses of everyone in Alabama. If they lived within 100 miles of me I sent them an email invitation to the Support Group. The first email invitation went to 150 people and 8 showed up. Now, one year later, we email about 500 people regularly and have 150 at the meetings. I also did a nice looking flyer and sent it to the surgeons in our area who are doing WLS. Most folks come to us by word-of-mouth now. We meet twice a month, once on Saturday and once on a week night. Week night meetings are "just visiting". Saturday meetings we have one post op patient share their journey with the group then we may have a special speaker like a surgeon. We have open discussion for about an hour or so and then a linger-longer phase for about another hour. It's been a very fun and rewarding process. Best of luck to you! You'll never regret starting a group.
   — ronascott

February 1, 2002
There is an OSSG-SGL (support group leaders) list. It's not very active, but if you ask this question there, you will get several answers from people who are actively being SGL.
   — vitalady

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