Hi, I'm new to this and I'm so glad I found this site . I actually live in Chino Hills and although it would be great to have a group close by, I am willing to travel to support groups in So. Cal. LA area is not so far, San Diego or especially San luis Obispo are getting a bit too far to go regularly. Would like to find something that meets weekly. I understand that some of the groups don't meet very often. Even Victorville or east may not be a problem, though the traffic up the 15 can make it difficult to get to Victorville area.


Gayle

Hey Gayle,

Welcome to the board! We are happy you have joined us. This is a great resource. Feel free to read, do searches, and ask questions.

I am not from CA, but here is a list of groups that www.celiac.com, the parent site to this forum, has listed.

As for weekly meetings: I have had experience with groups in Virginia Beach, Richmond, northern VA, and Harrisburg/Hershey PA....and none of them have weekly meetings. In general, *most* are monthly.

from http://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-38107304304.87

California
Carlsbad - Resource:
Contact: Helen Foreman
7112 Lantana Terrace
Carlsbad, CA 92011
Tel: (760) 931-7809
E-mail: bhforeman@webtv.net

Merced - Resource:
Contact: Gary L. Brackney Sr.
3596 Hagen Court
Merced, CA 95348
Tel: (209) 722-7760

Modesto/Stockton/Turlock - Support Group
Central Valley Celiacs
Contact: Karen Cadiz
Tel: (209) 823-3211
E-mail: centralvalleyceliacs@comcast.net

Newport Beach - Support Group
Contact: Barbara Nielsen
Newport Beach Celiacs
440 Villa Point Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Tel: (949) 644-4966
E-mail: glutenfreecoach@cox.net

Oakland - Support Group
Contact 1: Ellen Switkes
Sprue Group of the SF Bay Area
116 Fairview Avenue
Piedmont, CA 94610
Tel: (510) 655-0215
E-mail: ellen@rutile.yi.org
Contact 2: Ellen Eagan
632 Miller Ave.
South San Francisco, CA 94080
Tel: (415) 583-6413
E-mail: eagan@pangloss.ucsf.EDU

Orange County - Support Group
Contact: Cecile Weed
Orange County Celiacs
Tel: (714) 750-9543

Palm Springs - Resource:
Contact: Taylor Cushmore
2283 S. Alhambra Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92264
Tel: (760) 416-2051
E-mail: TaylorCush@aol.com

Redding - Resource:
Contact: Karen Foss
795 Flower Ash Lane
Redding, CA 96003
Tel: (916) 222-1605

San Fernando Valley - Support Group
Contacts: Violla Orloff
San Fernando Celiacs (CDF Group)
Tel: (818) 345-8966

Sacramento - Support Group
Contact 1: Diane Craig
Sprue & You (CSA)
Tel: (916) 483-8546
E-mail: dcraig101@hotmail.com
Contact 2: Kathleen G. Hughes
Tel: (530) 672-1104

San Bernardino - Support Group
Contact 1:Patricia Berger
Redlands Area Celiac Sprue Support Group
627 Fountain Ave.
Redlands, CA 92373
Tel: (909) 793-3712
Contact 2: Robert V. Breunig
Highlander Hall Economics Dept.
University of California Riverside
Riverside, CA 92521
E-mail: bbreunig@mail.ucr.edu.

San Diego Support Group
Contact: Glorian Beeson
San Diego Celiac Sprue Association (CSA)
Tel: (760) 721-1791
E-mail: frankbeeson@cox.net
Contact 2: William & Helen Foreman
7112 Lantana Terrace
Carlsbad, CA 92009
Tel: (760) 931-7809
E-mail: bhforeman@webtv.net
Contact 3: Sandy Milne
Tel: (858) 278-1413
E-mail: shipmates2@mindspring.com

San Rafael - Resource:
Contact: Elizabeth Habberton
101 Pikes Peak Drive
San Rafael, CA 94903
Tel: (415) 472-4042

Santa Ana - Support Group
Santa Ana Celiacs
Contact: Cecile Weed
13471 Marty Lane
Garden Grove, CA 92843
Tel: (714) 750-9543
Contact 2: Debbie Lee
Tel: (714) 830-8237

Santa Cruz - Support Group
Santa Cruz Celiac Support Group
Contact: Pam Newbury
543 Ice Cream Grade
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Tel: (831) 423-6904
E-mail: pknewbury@earthlink.net

Santa Rosa - Support Group
Contact 1: Laura Southworth
Sonoma County CSA
480 Bohemian Highway
Freestone, CA 95472
Tel: (714) 798-3112
Contact 2: Rosemary Yates
129 Grenvillia Drive
Petaluma, CA 94952
Tel: (707) 766-8606.

Stanford - Support Group
Contact: Kelly Rohlfs
Stanford Celiacs
Stanford University
Palo Alto, CA
Tel: (650) 725-4771
E-mail: krohlfs@stanford.edu

Stockton - Support Group
Contact 1: Jeanne M. Morey
Central Valley Celiacs (CSA)
6706 Tam O'Shanter Dr. #144
Stockton, CA 95210
Tel: (209) 951-9608

Temecula - Resource:
Contact: Arlene Gibbs
42013 Thoroughbred Lane
Murrieta, CA 92562
Tel: (909) 696-9730

Ventura County - Support Group
Contact: Kathy Button
2525 Waxwing Ave.
Ventura, CA 93003
Tel: (805) 650-0520
E-mail: venturaceliac@sbcglobal.net
Internet: http://www.venturaceliac.org

Thank you so much for the information. I just wanted to let you know that the information has been very helpful and I think I have gotten in touch with some good people. I also wanted to let you know that the numbers for Redding, Karen Foss, (916)222-1605 and Temecula, Arlene Gibbs, (909)696-9730 are not working. So, maybe these groups do not exist anymore?

Gayle

I live in the Palm Springs area, and have been looking for a group as well. I tried to e-mail a number of people on that list and from a list another celiac website had for the San Bernadino/Redlands group, and no one has responded at all. Very disappointing. If anyone has current info on when and where this group meets (if still in existence), please let me know. Thanks!

Hi tummytroubles.

I found the San Bernardino/Redlands support group about five years ago when I lived in San Bernardino Co., but we moved out of the area before I could attend a meeting. They only met quarterly. I was really sick and needed help then, so I was very disappointed.

I did find a great group online at www.delphiforums.com/celiac. The Delphi site is hosted by a celiac who is a pediatrician. Lots of free recipes, a gluten-free products list, and really good information on all subjects relating to celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. I find it much easier to navigate than this one.

One day soon I'd like to get to Palm Springs again. We have friends in Palm Desert we want to visit. I've been looking for restaurants in your area with gluten-free menus and so far have found Outback Steakhouse, PF Changs, and Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.

I noticed that your bio says you have MS. How were you diagnosed?

CeliacNW

My husband and I go to Outback a lot and are very pleased with the quality of food they serve. They seem to be knowledgeable and detailed in making sure that they food we get is free of gluten. The same thing with PF Chang's. We haven't yet been to Ruth's Chris since it's more expensive than Outback :-)

I was diagnosed back in 1993 via MRI. I had an MRI done when symptoms (coordination problems, vertigo, numbness, etc.) were active. They noticed a large lesion where my brain and spinal cord meet. They thought it was either a brain tumor or more likely MS. Once the symptoms went away (after a month or two), they did another MRI and were able to diagnos it as MS. Hearing I had MS was a relief compared to the possiblity of having a brain tumor. From what it sounds like, my situation was unusual since it normally takes years to get a diagnosis.

Hi Gayle, I live in Anaheim and can help you out if you wish. after 12 years of the gluten free life I am pretty good at it now. Check your private messages for my phone number and email address.
WW

Gayle,
My name is Donna and I was diagnosed a couple of weeks ago. I also live in Chino Hills. Would love to hear from and/or get together. Don't know how to navigate around this yet so I am not sure how to pull up your information to contact you directly or by e-mail...please contact me if you can.