The Richland County Celiac Support Group is located in Mansfield and meets once a month. We are there to guide the newly diagnosed patient through their beginning days on the diet. We provide them with information packets for getting started. We guide them in their choices of food and where to find it.
One of our members in our group will go shopping with the newly diagnosed celiac and show them what to look for and how to read those labels. We provide them with literature, resources, recipes, and moral support, including internet sites where they can find gluten free recipes, cookbooks, or other celiac information. We answer their questions, and they have many! This is very overwhelming in the beginning and then becomes much easier.
At each meeting, members voluntarily bring something they have made and include copies of the recipe so others can try their hand at it. Each month when we meet, we have handouts of current information on products. We try to stay current on the foods that are being added daily to our gluten free list, and also those that have been removed so that there are no accidental ingestions of gluten.
We have had many companies who have sent us free samples of their products so that we may try them at our meetings. This usually results in group orders if we like their products, and we then share the shipping costs.
As our members get more comfortable with their diet, sometimes they feel secure enough to go it on their own. Others have been with the group since its inception. It is good to be able to ask questions and know that others can help you. We have so many people who can help others, either with shopping, baking, or eating out.
We have outings to local restaurants on occasion so that new members can learn how to handle this situation and how to ask questions.
The Richland County Celiac Support Group meets the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Trimble Road. If you come, enter at the back of the church. Our group has been together since 2001.
Anyone wishing more information on Celiac Disease or our support group can call Bev Messner at 419-589-5972 (Email: bevmessner@aol.com). A private consultation can be arranged as it takes quite a bit of time to go over all the material, or feel free to attend one of our meetings. For those in the Ashland area, they can call Peg Snyder at 419-281-9045 (Email: snyderc@zoominternet.net).
- We have had several guest speakers including the following:
- A local medical doctor who also has celiac disease
- A local gastroenterologist
- A neurosurgeon even came in to discuss strokes
- Connie Porter spoke on vitamin supplement from the Wellness Store
- Connie Sarros, a cookbook author, has been to Mansfield twice
- Mary Kay Sharrett, a dietician from Children's Hospital in Columbus, has visited us twice.
- Owners of health food stores
- Kathy, of Kathy's Creations, a gluten free bakery in Alliance, came with samples and has become our favorite place to visit.
- We will order food in bulk to save shipping costs.
- Knowing you are not alone in this.
- Developing new friendships, not only for the celiac but for the family.
- Teaching people how to eat out in restaurants, which is very difficult.
- Advance knowledge of celiac conferences around the country.
- Travel help - Someone has either been where you are going or can help with meals on the go.
- Just being there if you need us.
- No requirements for attendance, and no dues. Just come when you can.
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