The International Bluegrass Music Association will once again host a Health Fair during World of Bluegrass, their annual convention scheduled for September 27 – October 1 in Raleigh, NC.
Recognizing that many professionals in the bluegrass world are self-employed and may have limited access to medical resources for preventative care, IBMA will partner this fall with Sight & Sound Vision Care, a philanthropic non-profit organization who assist uninsured musicians with vision care, and MusiCares, a project of the Recording Academy (The Grammys) who provide a range of services to music industry people in need.
During World of Bluegrass, eligible registrants will have access to free dental screenings and cleaning, vision testing, and fitting for custom noise-blocking ear plugs. Those in need of eyewear can also have them provided at no charge.
Mark Lindsey from Sight & Sound says that offering this sort of service is exactly why they formed their organization.
“Sight & Sound, as a provider of eye care to those in the music industry, is thrilled to be working alongside the International Bluegrass Music Association. We understand that not everyone has access to regular eye care. We look forward to providing care to all attendees and hearing some terrific bluegrass music. Please come by our clinic this year for free exams and eyewear. Special thanks to America’s Best Glasses and Contacts for their donations of time, equipment and resources.”
MusiCares will host the dental clinic in conjunction with their Smiles program, offering screenings, teeth cleaning and complete x-ray packages to eligible participants.
To find out more about qualifying for these free services, please contact the IBMA by phone at 615-256-3222.
IBMA staff are still finalizing other health-related events which will fall under the Health Fair umbrella during World of Bluegrass 2016, and further details will be forthcoming. This could be a great opportunity for those who scrape together funds to attend the convention to stretch that budget and work in some needed attention to their health.
Complete information about World of Bluegrass can be found online.
