Question:
any suggestions on how to boost a support group
— nikki R. (posted on May 13, 2002)
May 13, 2002
The last support meeting I ran we did a protein party and clothing
exchange. I brought in samples of protein and mixed different shake
recipes and had people tasting them in dixie cups. Then I set up tables
and had people put clothing on them by size. Anything not taken was
donated to charity (I arranged for a pickup by the charitable
organization). A good time was had by all. Good luck and God Bless!
— Kimberly L.
May 14, 2002
The support group I founded last year, Evergreen Morbid Obesity Surgery
Support (EMOSS) is really organized and has developed a great program that
seems to work well for our community. We meet every other Tuesday night,
and two Saturdays a month, with a broad range of topics that try to cover
most of the common issues. We have clothing exchanges at our Tuesday night
meetings (we are lucky to have a permanent meeting space and free
storage!)<p>Our Tuesday night meetings rotate through these
topics:<ul><li>Strategies for the day of surgery & the
first three months</li><li>Journaling and personal web
pages</li><li>Eating in social situations; and vitamins &
supplements</li><li>Before and after stories; clothing
issues</li><li>Changing relationships: spouses, significant
others, and sex</li><li>Exercise and fitness: improving surgery
results</li><li>Maintaining the weight loss long-term: after
the first year</li><li>Plastic surgery: tummy tucks, breast
lifts, and other options</li><li>Introduction to Weight Loss
Surgery</li><li>Dealing with your family, friends, and
co-workers</li></ul></p><p>Our Saturday meetings
have slightly different topics and are limited in their audience. The first
Saturday of the month, the topic is "WLS 101" and the
audience is people considering or researching surgery. This group is led by
experienced post-op board members. The third Saturday of the month, the
topic is "Near or at Goal" (NOAG), and the audience is
post-ops who are within 10% of their goal or who have achieved their WLS
goals. This group focuses on maintenance, long-term emotional issues, and
some level of WLS advocacy.</p><p>Our group has a nine-member
Board of Directors and is incorporating as a 501(c)3 non-profit educational
organization. Our online group has more than 160 members, and over 250
individuals have attended our in-person meetings, so I estimate our
membership at around 300. We serve all of Western Washington. We recently
purchased a 1000-lb capacity electronic scale so that everyone can weigh in
on a regular basis if they'd like. <p>I'd be happy to answer any
other questions about our group, or you can check out our website...
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EMOSS
— Julia M.
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