We’d like to add one more voice to today’s discussion about the IBMA Wellness Program, and its being rolled into the Education Committee. Here are a few words from the current Chair of that committee, Jon Weisberger.

“Health and wellness issues are indeed important for the IBMA to address on a consistent basis, including at the World of Bluegrass trade show, and in fact they will be addressed at this year’s WOB and, I’m confident, at future ones, too.

What’s important, I think, is to understand that the administrative decision to recombine all seminars, including wellness-related ones, under the purview of the WoB Education Committee, isn’t a reflection on the priority the organization assigns to these issues, but rather a reflection of the experiences we’ve had in trying to put together a comprehensive and well-organized educational program as part of the World of Bluegrass. As Dan Hays has already noted, we anticipate that Musicares – the NARAS health program of which Dave Moultrup spoke so highly on the GrassCast podcast – will be having its health fair at the trade show again this year, and while the Education Committee is just now finalizing its list of seminars to be offered this year (which, by the way, means that any comments about a lack of wellness-related seminars in 2006 were necessarily speculative), it appears just about certain that health issues will be among the topics addressed. We are also looking into some other health-related offerings that may not necessarily take the form of seminars.

Finally, the Education Committee always welcomes suggestions for seminar topics – not just during the springtime planning period for a given year’s trade show, but year-round – whether they’re offered by individuals or by a group of IBMA members. Probably the most convenient way to do this is via the contact us page on the IBMA’s website.”