Our History
In the spring of 1998, Bev Anderson was on the Auburn Interfaith Food Closet Board. She was Secretary and Barbara Whitney was President of the Board. Placer County asked that the food closet be moved from where it was to a new location at DeWitt Center. Barbara and Bev were asked to check the two sites to see if this was feasible. Barbara brought along her husband, Grant, a retired architect who expertly drew out both spaces and showed that it would work.
When Bev got out of the car, she was using her cane because the grass around the intended site had not been mowed and the ground looked uneven. She said, “I use a cane because I have peripheral neuropathy.” (Even though NCCNA may be a result of someone not mowing the lawn, please don’t use that as an excuse.)
Grant responded, “I have peripheral neuropathy, too. Have you joined The Neuropathy Association?”
Bev said she hadn't heard of it before. That night, she joined online and sent in the requested dues. She got the newsletter showing support groups, but there were none near Auburn. So she asked Grant if he would be game to see if there would be enough interest in Auburn to form one. They found they could meet at Bakers Square Restaurant’s separate room on the first Monday of the month. So a meeting was scheduled for November, a mailing sent to current members by The Neuropathy Association, and an article given to the Auburn Journal. On the day of the meeting, the Auburn Journal put the notice at the top of the FYI column on the front page.
Bev and Grant expected a half-dozen or so and made 12 copies of some handouts. 33 people came. Bev started the meeting while Grant ran to Kinko's to make more copies of the handouts. At the end of the meeting, those there said “We are meeting next month, aren't we?” This group has met nearly every month since. Today, there are two groups in Auburn—day and evening.
The publicity focus reached an area as far away as Sacramento. A gentleman there told Bev by phone that it was too far to come to Auburn so they would start a group there. He conducted the first meeting in the evening at Kaiser on Morse Avenue in December 1998.
By the end of 1999, Carolyn Clarke of the Auburn Group had started a group in Grass Valley, so the group changed its name from Central Placer Neuropathy Association to The Neuropathy Association of Placer and Nevada Counties. The Roseville Neuropathy Group started in January, 2000. The Neuropathy Association asked that the group consider incorporating so they could run their own business within California and be tax exempt as well. Incorporation came on May 18, 2001, and with it the name change to The Northern California Chapter of The Neuropathy Association.
One by one, the other groups on the list were started except for Walnut Creek. This group had been started previously by Ginny and Bob Olson. The group voted to join NCCNA and were welcomed.
Bev Anderson has been actively involved in starting groups and has a procedure that has worked well most of the time. It is also necessary, at times, to step in to help groups with leader transition so the group remains active and healthy as possible.
On June 22, 2007, the Truckee Peripheral Neuropathy Support Group became the 33rd support group in the NCCNA network.
The first Board of Directors Meeting was held on Thursday, May 31, 2001. Those elected at this meeting as the first Board of Directors were Bev Anderson (President), Mary Lou Baum (Director), Carolyn Clarke (Secretary), Yvonne Huber (Treasure), and Grant Whitney (Vice President). Others who have served on the Board of Directors for a period of time are Jim Collins, Martha Chandley, Alan Dampsey, Georgia Smiley, Bob Nelson, and Susi Watson. Joe Nicosia was active in the planning stages prior to incorporation. Please see our board page for information on our current board.
NCCNA’s first Neuropathy Conference was held June 27-28, 2003, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Sacramento. The second Neuropathy Conference was June 25, 2005, at the Elks Lodge in Sacramento. The First Group Leaders Gathering was September 28, 2004. On June 29, 2004, the Board approved an agreement with CAC Professional Services to receive incoming funds, to bank and account for these funds, and to receive the bank statement listing disbursements from the Treasurer to produce quarterly financial reports.
In the last couple years, the NCCNA has secured a website, increased its newsletter publication from quarterly to monthly, had board members take training, partnered with other organizations, and held spring and fall leadership meetings.