| Musicians are among the first to respond when there is a local emergency or cause such as Relay for Life, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Breast and Prostate Cancer Research, and the Children’s Relief Fund. On a larger scale, national emergencies like Hurricane Katrina and 9/11, and international events such as the tsunami in Indonesia and United Support of Artists for Africa (“We Are The World”) all attract the selfless involvement of musicians. All of these organizations and causes supported by the musicians are very important to the quality of the lives of people everywhere.
Musicians and artists in general have given their time, money, and resources freely to help those in dire need in any way they can, no matter what the emergency. We think that it is time to give back – to reciprocate, if you will. What would this planet be without the gift of music to soothe our souls, bring us to love, and help us understand and care about each other? Music and musicians have the ability to create magic in our daily lives. It is for this greater good of the overall continuance of the healing power of music that touches all of our lives that MEMA, the Musicians Emergency Medical Association, was founded.
MEMA is the brainchild of Paul J Biondi, a professional saxophonist now based in Eugene, Oregon (www.pauljbiondi.com). MEMA was founded by musicians, for local entertainment industry workers and their families, as a non-profit 501(c)(3) corporation to be a resource when a medical emergency occurs. When we are fully up and running, we will have links to existing resources as well as a fund to financially assist musicians without medical insurance when all other resources have been exhausted. We are beginning with the local Lane County area, and we will spread countrywide. |
