Welcome Address Holistic Health Fair 8th April 2018
by Ms. Eugene Holder, President, Barbados Reiki Association
Good morning. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of you present here this morning at the start of Holistic Health Fair 2018. Today we are pleased to see a record number of Exhibitors, fellow Reiki Practitioners, practitioners in the complementary medicine fraternity, specially invited guests, visitors and friends.
It gives me great pleasure to launch HHF 2018: even though it is tinged with sadness as we recognize the passing of one of our own members, who was a hard worker and vibrant contributor to the HHF organizing committee. Bonita was one of the persons who pushed HHF to a higher level. Even though she was fighting her final illness, Bonita was able to make her input with her usual generosity of spirit, enthusiasm and ideas. Indeed, her last contribution to this year’s effort was that we should recognize that HHF is ‘A fair with a different flair’. This statement became our theme, and thus, unwittingly, will be our tribute to her. She gave us a different focus, and we have truly exceeded our expectations and growth targets. In her honour, the members of the Board of Directors have agreed to dedicate today’s HHF to her. At this time, I would like to have a moment of silence to acknowledge the transition of our own, Bonita Morgan… RIP, dear Bonita.
In what has become an annual event, our Association has partnered with other holistic and complementary health and wellness practitioners to showcase the vast diversity and availability of products and services on the island. Our Association has been organising and partnering with other holistic and complementary health practitioners since 1998 in an effort to give healthy lifestyle alternatives and healthy food choices, activities and complementary treatment to combat the growing numbers of chronic diseases. We have also been increasing our acceptance and inclusion of other skills outside the holistic spectrum and it our great pleasure to be showcasing the Autism Spectrum Disorder, dealing with domestic abuse, a presentation on childhood obesity, and counseling to the young woman on her body’s changes.
Our focus this year in on the diverse ways to create and maintain a healthy life style.
There are healthy and natural products on sale; there will be demonstrations on meditation, yoga, dancing and boxing as a way to stay fit. There will be talks and demonstrations on energy healing, natural skin care products, healthy food items and fresh food produce. We will also have copies of the Barbados Food Guide, which have been donated by the Dietitians at the Hospital, for distribution to assist you as part of your healthy eating initiative.
The Barbados Reiki Association continues to be pleased with your participation and appreciate your growing interest and support of our endeavour. We continue to challenge ourselves to make each year bigger, in the numbers attending, and better, for you participating and showcasing our collective efforts to make Barbados a healthier place. We look forward to your continued support and we value your feedback to evaluate your experience, and our performance.
I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone present that there is a wide selection of products and services in the Bell Tower and on the grounds. We are pleased with the interest shown to our storytelling over the past few years and this year there is a new workshop and Art Therapy. There is such a therapeutic benefit to what is now the lost art of storytelling.
In order to present this event, we have had the commitment and hard work of our HHF 2018 organizing committee; the support of sponsors and contributors which include Sign Station Barbados, Aroma Friendly, Yello, National Cultural Foundation, The Travel House, Barbados Today, The staff of Harrison College, and the wholehearted support of the members of our organization and many of our friends and volunteers. Each year we do this with you in mind; so that you can equate our HHF as a time to leisurely spend a Sunday afternoon, releasing the stresses and anxiety of the past week, renewing your body and spirit for the coming week; eating some wholesome food; getting healthy exercise in a safe garden and buying healthy products at a good price. A truly ‘win, win situation’.
We acknowledge the support of the Ministry of Health, who have always embraced our attempts at integrating holistic ideas with existing medical care, and who have graciously accepted our invitation to open our event today.
