Dear Bluegrass Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (BGAND) Members, Former Members, and Prospective Members,

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You may recall that our Secretary, Rachel Harrington, recently shared that BGAND was at risk of deactivation for the 2025–2026 year. We're pleased to report that—thanks to your feedback and collaboration with our state affiliate, the Kentucky Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (KAND)—BGAND will remain active for the upcoming year! However, we wanted to note that things will look a bit different as we are in a year of transition, evaluating member values and needs and how we can efficiently meet them. Our aim is to be transparent with you so you know what to expect over the coming year.

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Your responses to our membership survey provided valuable insight into how BGAND can better serve you. The results overwhelmingly supported continuing BGAND, with some key suggestions for improvement:

·  Cost: Many members noted that maintaining dual membership in the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and BGAND was financially burdensome.

·  Meeting Format: Our monthly virtual CEU meetings were seen as either difficult to attend due to scheduling or unnecessary given the availability of free CEUs elsewhere.

·  Community: There was a strong desire to return to in-person networking events to foster connection within the Bluegrass region.

·  Technology: Members experienced issues with email communications, virtual meeting access, and website usability.

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In response to this feedback, BGAND will implement the following changes to improve member satisfaction and reduce the workload on our volunteer board:

·  Eliminate BGAND annual membership dues, moving to an event-based fee model for in-person networking events.

·  Shift from monthly virtual CEU meetings to contributing 1–2 CEUs through KAND’s upcoming webinar series for 2025–2026.

·  Host 1–2 in-person networking events annually that will include CEUs.

·  Use KAND’s website, email list, and virtual meeting platform to streamline communication and reduce tech-related barriers.

We sincerely appreciate your input and patience as we partner with KAND to roll out these changes. Stay tuned—more details on membership and upcoming events will be shared in the coming weeks!

Mary Plowman
President, BGAND (2024–2025)