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Support Groups
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Alcoholics Anonymous
(cl) closed (o) open (bb) big book (n/s) non-smoking (ls) literature study
A.A.: Ellinwood Group, United Church of Christ, 701 North Fritz. 620-792-4123, Thursday (o)  8 p.m.
A.A.: Grapevine Group Great Bend 1910 17th  620-786-0440, Sunday (cl) 10 a.m.; Tuesday (o, bb) 5:30 p.m.; Thursday (o) 10 a.m.; Thursday (cl)  5:30 p.m.
A.A.: Great Bend Group 1620 Hubbard (wheelchair accessible) Sunday (cl) 10:30 a.m.; Monday (cl) 10 a.m.; Monday (o) 8 p.m.; Tuesday (cl-n/s) 10 a.m.; Wednesday (cl) 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.; Friday (cl) 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.; Saturday (cl) 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.
A.A.: Hoisington Group 419 East Third Street (wheelchair accessible) Sunday (o) 9 a.m.; Tuesday (o, n/s) 8 p.m., Wednesday (o) 8 p.m.,
A.A.: Larned Town Group  504 Broadway 620-285-2656, Tuesday (o) 8 p.m.; Thursday (bb/o) 8 p.m.; Friday (cl) 8 p.m.; Saturday  8 p.m.
A.A.: Tri-County Claflin Group — City Library (Main Street)- 620-587-3944- Monday (cl) 10 a.m.
Al-Anon
Al-Anon: Grapevine Group Great Bend — 1910  17th  Tuesday 7 p.m.
Al-Anon: Great Bend Group 17th & Hubbard — 620-793-3962  Wednesday Noon; Thursday  8 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m.; 620-793-3962;
Narcotics Anonymous
For more information on Barton County N.A. meetings call Christa D. at  620-792-6109 (home) or 620-282-0746 (cell)
N.A.:  Ellinwood “Be Prepared” Group — Fritz & A St. (Boy Scout Cabin) Tuesdays (o) 8 p.m.; Saturday (cl/candlelight) 8 p.m.
N.A.: Great Bend “Living By Faith” Group — 1910  17th, Sunday 5:30 p.m. (women); Monday 7 p.m.; Tuesday 11:30 a.m.; Friday 8 p.m.
N.A.:  Hoisington “Keep It Simple” Group — 165 East First, Sunday 7 p.m.; Monday 7 p.m.; Thursday 7 p.m.
N.A. Larned “Just for Today” Group — 1st Christian Church Annex (South of Jordan Library- East side of Broadway) Sunday (o/ns) 8 p.m.;  Tuesday (o/ns/ls) 8 p.m.; Thursday (cl/ns) 5:30 p.m.; Friday (o/ns) 8 p.m.
Abuse support
Family Crisis Center’s domestic violence and sexual assault support group — Thursdays from 10 to 11:30 a.m. and 6 to 7:30 p.m. Call 792-1885 or the toll-free number, 1-866-792-1885. Sexual assault support group – 6:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesdays.
Kansas Statewide Hotline: 1-888-END ABUSE
Breast feeding
La Leche League of Great Bend — 6 p.m., second Thursdays, Barton County Health Department, 1300 Kansas Ave. Call Robin, (620) 617-1663; or Ronda, (620) 338-0508. No meeting in December.
Cancer support
Heroes and Friends, cancer support group — 7 p.m., first and third Tuesdays, Presbyterian Church, Larned.
Breast Friends — Support group for breast cancer survivors — 6 p.m., third Wednesday at the Barton County Annex Building, 352 West 12th, Hoisington. Call (620) 653-4834 for more information.
Us Too prostate cancer support group — Meets sporadically at St. Rose Ambulatory Surgical Center. Call Bill Terry, 792-4586, or John Smith, 793-5619.
Touched by Cancer Support Group – First Tuesdays, 2-3 p.m., and third Tuesdays at 5:45 p.m. at Heartland Cancer Center, 204 Cleveland, Great Bend. Upcoming: 5:45 p.m. on Nov. 6, speaker Kenya Lear; 2 p.m. on Nov. 20, Thanksgiving sharing meeting. Also, on Nov. 14, there will be an Interactive Television presentation at 3 p.m. at St. Rose Ambulatory & Surgery Center. Contact Dana Foss, 620-793-5811 or danafoss57@yahoo.com.
Christian-based recovery
Celebrate Recovery — 6-30-8:30 p.m. Mondays at Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley St., Great Bend. The group is open to all adults, and deals with addictions and hurts, hang-ups and habits.
The Serenity Seekers, a Christian-centered 12 Step program — 7 p.m. Tuesdays at 2100 Broadway Ave., Great Bend. Call Randy, 282-2324, for more information. The group is for anyone needing help with alcohol abuse, drugs and life’s troubles.
Diabetes support
La Nueva Esperanza Hispanic diabetes support group — Heart of Kansas Family Health Care Inc., 1905 19th St. For more information call 792-5700.
Divorce support
DivorceCare — 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at First Assembly of God Church, 601 S. Patton Road. Call 792-5211. Child care provided all ages.
Divorce Support Group — 7 p.m. Tuesdays at First Southern Baptist Church, 3301 19th St., Great Bend. Call 793-8444.
Drum Circle
Drum Circle meets from 7-8:30 p.m. on the third Monday of each month at the Great Bend Senior Center, 2005 Kansas Ave., Great Bend, led by John Makings. No charge to participate; drumming is open to all ages as a way to reduce stress and tension, and to promote teamwork and fun.
Gay Christians
Gay Christian Support Group  — Meets at 7 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. For meeting place and other information call Kristin at 620-617-0386.
Grief support
Golden Belt Home Health and Hospice Grief Support Group — Nine weekly sessions, three times a year. Current session from Oct. 8 through Feb. 25, 2013, meets from 6:30-8 p.m. on the second and fourth Monday of the month (except Christmas Eve), in the Thelma Faye Harms Room on the basement level of St. Rose Ambulatory and Surgery Center, 3515 Broadway, Great Bend. For information call John Grummon, (620) 792-8171.
GriefShare — Each self-contained session includes a video seminar and group discussion.  Sessions are held throughout the year at Foundry Methodist Church, 5401 Broadway, Great Bend and are open to people grieving the loss of someone close. See www.foundrymethodist.org for current schedule or call 620-793-3327 for more information.
Home School Support
Golden Belt Home Educators — Monthly field trips and support group meetings. For information see the website: gbhe.org.
Mental Health
Bright Horizons, 4801 10th St., Great Bend, offers adult peer-to-peer mental heath support. For more information call (620) 793-8855 or the toll-free number, (866) 793-8855. Transportation available in Barton County; call (620) 639-8851.
MS support
Multiple Sclerosis support group — 6:30 p.m., fourth Tuesday, Main Street Pizza Hut, Great Bend. Handicap accessible. Call (620) 639-4500.
Parenting
Parents Helping Parents support group, for parents of children with special needs — 6:30 to 8 p.m., second Thursday of each month, at Grace Community Church, 210 McKinley St., Great Bend. Call Beth, (620) 639-1999.
Visual impaired support
Central Kansas Association Visual Impaired — 2 p.m., fourth Sunday, 3600 Broadway, Dominican Sisters Auditorium. Call 792-1232 or 793-7410.
Weight loss support
TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) No. 827 — 4:30 p.m. Mondays, Claflin Independent Township Library meeting room.
TOPS KS 248 — 9:15 a.m. Fridays, Church of Christ, 12th and Stone. For more information call Pauline at 793-8998 or 1 (800) 932-8677 or e-mail Bednasek@networksplus.net.