Promoters of Wellness

WELLNESS is not just the opposite of illness or being sick, but rather it has to do with the wholesomeness of body, mind, and spirit. It is the quality or state of being in good health - especially as an actively sought goal.

Further, wellness is the conviction to live in a way which elevates wholeness in the totality of life. For example, knowing that exercise is proven to promote wellness, an individual might buy a gym membership or decide to play on the company's softball team. Or, a person might start walking, running, riding a bike, or watching calories on a regular basis. The idea of wellness connotes fitness, heartiness, robustness, soundness, effervescence, enthusiasm, vitality, and zestfulness.

Through the years there have been thousands of men and women who have been genuine promoters of wellness. These are the individuals who have served, and those who continue to serve, as practitioners and educators in the health professions, of course. But, this list of proponents also includes those who have worked, or continue to work, in the fields of physical education, recreation, leisure services, sports management, and fitness.

People who seek to advance the concept of wellness are agents for good for our total population. Their titles vary widely and may change several times over the years. However, they include titles such as medical doctor, nurse, physician assistant, professor, recreation director, activities coordinator, coach, athletic trainer, aerobic instructor, Y director, health center director, and the like. While every person with these titles is not an outspoken promoter of wellness, many are.  

A few have risen to the top of the group of wellness advocates.  One such individual, Dr. Rex Brown, is a true champion of wellness.

Born, raised, and educated in Arkansas, Rex Brown has devoted over four decades to the promotion of wellness. He has taught health and physical education and coached on the high school level. And, he has coached, served as athletics director, and was chair of the department of health and physical education on the university level. In addition, during his nearly three decades at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri, Dr. Brown served as a professor of health and physical education.

In the midst of his career and a busy schedule, Brown somehow found time for involvement in his community. For several years he was a member of the Polk County Health Board. Even in retirement, Brown has continued to supervise student teachers from the University and to promote the values of wellness. It's really no surprise at all that SBU's final title for Dr. Rex Brown was "senior professor emeritus of health and physical education."

Perhaps the best thing to say about Rex Brown is that he truly believes in the concept of total wellness, and that he continues to be involved in activities that push him personally toward his own goal of full health and a state of well-being.

In stopping to think about it, shouldn't we all be promoters of wellness - for ourselves, and others? YES, I believe so!