This past Sunday was the 2012 Appetite for Awareness hosted by the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. I loved this event so much in 2010 that I couldn't wait to get back to Philadelphia for the 2012 event. For me, this event was quite different from the one I attended two years ago. While the gluten-free food was obviously the main event, my main focus on Sunday was all about the people. I saw old friends and met new fans and friends of my blog and from Twitter. I spoke with vendors that I have emailed for months and finally put faces and email names together. I really love having my online friends, but meeting these people face-to-face is even more exciting. It makes the gluten-free community all the more important and real to me.
As a Celiac diagnosed as a toddler, I never knew another Celiac until I was a teenager. Now, I have this amazing group of friends and colleagues all because of Celiac Disease. We share this crazy gluten-free world and get each other through the day with our tips, stories, and compassion. I would never have met these people without having Celiac and for that I am grateful. To be in a room of hundreds of people that know about Celiac Disease and living gluten-free still blows my mind. I don't think I will ever get over the emotions of seeing all of these friendly faces that completely understand what Celiac living is all about.
I didn't get pictures with all of the amazing gluten-free people I spoke to on Sunday, but here is a rundown of who I spoke with at Appetite for Awareness 2012.
Alice, Kristin, Cheryl, Alicia, and Nancy from the NFCA
Michael of Gluten-Free Philly
Candice from Embrace G-Free
Maureen of Hold the Gluten
Amie from The Healthy Apple
Jason from Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free NJ
Amanda aka GFMaven
Sue from Gluten-Free LI
Nicole (and her husband Brian) from Gluten-Free on a Shoestring
Paul from Food Living and Everything Else
Gabrielle from Kitchen Classroom 4 Kids
Jen from Gluten-Free School
I will have some food reviews and product announcements in upcoming posts, but as I said Sunday at Appetite for Awareness was all about the people!
As a Celiac diagnosed as a toddler, I never knew another Celiac until I was a teenager. Now, I have this amazing group of friends and colleagues all because of Celiac Disease. We share this crazy gluten-free world and get each other through the day with our tips, stories, and compassion. I would never have met these people without having Celiac and for that I am grateful. To be in a room of hundreds of people that know about Celiac Disease and living gluten-free still blows my mind. I don't think I will ever get over the emotions of seeing all of these friendly faces that completely understand what Celiac living is all about.
I didn't get pictures with all of the amazing gluten-free people I spoke to on Sunday, but here is a rundown of who I spoke with at Appetite for Awareness 2012.
Alice, Kristin, Cheryl, Alicia, and Nancy from the NFCA
Michael of Gluten-Free Philly
Candice from Embrace G-Free
Maureen of Hold the Gluten
Amie from The Healthy Apple
Jason from Gluten-Free/Dairy-Free NJ
Amanda aka GFMaven
Sue from Gluten-Free LI
Nicole (and her husband Brian) from Gluten-Free on a Shoestring
Paul from Food Living and Everything Else
Gabrielle from Kitchen Classroom 4 Kids
Jen from Gluten-Free School
I will have some food reviews and product announcements in upcoming posts, but as I said Sunday at Appetite for Awareness was all about the people!
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| Michael of Gluten-Free Philly and I |
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| Candice of Embrace G-Free and I |
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| Amie of The Healthy Apple and I |
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| Me and Maureen of Hold the Gluten |
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| Michael Savett accepting his award from the NFCA Board |
Labels: Appetite for Awareness, NFCA
1 Comments:
Fabulous! As always, it's the people who make an event.
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