E-Mail I recieved from Claudette on COF Cancellation!

Dear Members of the Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group,   It is with a very heavy heart that I send out this message.  When the Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group began one year ago at the suggestion of four post op patients, I was asked to be its leader.  It was with some trepidation that I accepted because of the reason that these four individuals were forced to find support outside of the group they had been attending.  One of my main reasons for accepting was in defense of the wrong they had incurred.   It has always been my desire to provide education and support to the morbily obese population, and especially those who were deciding, had decided, or had undergone bariatric surgery.   Many of you know that I have received a lot of support from  Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group members lately, and I really can't tell you how much I appreciate that, but you may also realize that I also receive some very cruel hate mail.  You have seen some of it on OH this past week, but it has mostly been deleted.  In addition to that, I have received some "even worse" e-mail.  This has NOT been anonymous, and was sent by one member of the group representing several other members.   I want to apologize to those individuals whom I have offended.  I stand by the fact that I NEVER intended to cause offense.  One member of the Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group even accused me of posting the anonymous hate post on OH myself to garner attention.  I have been accused of things that many of you would not even comprehend.   What it boils down to, after much prayer, family time, time with close friends, and time with my very good friend who is also a psychiatrist is that I really must dissolve the Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group.  I have cancelled the room at the library and there will be no more meetings of the Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group.   I am so sorry to all of you who will miss it, and I encourage you to continue to find support in a way that is meaningful to you.   You may have noticed that I have discontinued my profile on OH.  I really am not equipped to emotionally handle the onslaught of hateful, hurtful, lies that have been slung my way.   I am in the process of spending time with my family trying to gain some healing, but I wanted all of you to know I will miss you, and that I have enjoyed the positive aspects of leading the Circle of Friends Bariatric Support Group.   Best of Luck in your Journey,   Claudette Kammerer   PS Jan or Janet, if you would like to let the OH board know that there will be no meetings, that would be great, as I am not sure if my email database included everyone who is on the board.  If you do post regarding this, I would appreciate the respect of mentioning that I IN NO WAY am doing this to garner attention to myself.  Thank you.  

Hi Brenda, Since I am so new here, I don't even have a clue what the COF even is.  I DO know however, that after living 52 years and being the mother of 5 children and having a degree in elem./spec. education, that the posts in the last week seemed childish to me.  It seems to me that this is still a free country last time I checked and it also seems to me that Claudette is a caring person who obviously worked her patooty off to help others.  So why was she getting grief for being a caring person? I'm sorry everything has come to this. I'll pray for the healing of hurt feelings. Lori

Yes its a shame that US adults---cant behave ourselves and that some have to act so childish. Last i knew most if not all of us were 20ish and above----Adults in any way you look at it. Or at least we thought so. Hmmm---what a shame.  Also a shame that people have to write emails and posts without using their name.  If they so strongly believe in what they claim and accuse then put a real name to it. Amber

Hi Lori, The COF is, or should I say "was" the "Circle of Friends" Support Group that meets in Springfield MO once a month. I myself have only been able to attend one meeting because I live 4 hours away. I really enjoyed the time I spent at the meeting and  afterwards at the restaurant. I had planned on  coming next week with Tammy Hughes, another  4 hour drive because we feel so close to some of the people that go to that support group meeting.  I understand why Claudette resigned as the leader  due to some hurtful things that have been said to her, but I don't understand resolving the group? Does the 30 or 40 people that come to the COF meetings have  to just up and have no place to turn to for support? I am not trying here to hurt Claudette or anything like that but why can't someone else take the torch and keep the meetings going? Brenda

{{{Claudette}}} I'm so sorry hon.  I truly am.  Brenda - if you could let her know I'm praying for her, I'd really appreciate that. As for those of you left without the COF support group, I agree - why not start another group.  If there were legalities of some sort with the name, use of the room or some other thing that perhaps would cause Claudette to just dissolve the group instead of handing over leadership - then by all means, there were obviously enough people in the group for their to be a group - so start another!!  Carry on  - because there is a need.  The need doesn't stop because Claudette isn't there to lead you.  The need doesn't stop because of a few hateful folks.  As I posted in the other thread, I don't know what all transpired regarding COF, and who said what to whom about what.  I don't want to know.  I truly loathe gossip and meanness.  BUT, I know folks are hurting, I know there is a need for the displaced COF folks to have a support group - so someone pick put the torch and carry on.     I hope someone will do that.  I live much too far away from the Springfield area - or else I would do it.