The Asia Pacific Islander and Internationally Educated Nurses (API/IEN) Committee, in partnership with Angel Medical Center, its hospital division, as well as local community leaders, hosted a unique Aquatic Biomonitoring event at Parker Meadows on Aug. 9.
The gathering brought together about 24 participants, including bedside nurses, healthcare professionals, community members, and local leaders along with their families. The event aimed to protect community health through environmental stewardship and create space for API and internationally educated nurses to connect, share experiences, and strengthen their support networks.
This event is about more than monitoring streams; it’s about bringing nurses, environmental advocates, and residents together to protect the health of our entire community. Clean water, healthy ecosystems, and informed communities are essential to preventing disease and promoting wellness. I’m incredibly proud of the Asia-Pacific Islander and Internationally Educated Nurses Committee for stepping up.
Nurses and healthcare workers gained mentorship, networking, and encouragement, while the community learned valuable insights about local waterways. The data will shape conservation and public health policies. Volunteers worked alongside MountainTrue to assess stream health, contributing their skills to safeguard both environmental and human well-being.
“Thanks to the help of volunteers from the Asia-Pacific Islander and Internationally Educated Nurses Committee during our biomonitoring event, we were able to determine that Cartoogechaye Creek still has a healthy aquatic community,” said Callie Moore, MountainTrue’s western regional director.
Special guests included Franklin Vice Mayor Stacy J. Guffey, who played a key role in coordinating the event. Guffey collaborated with organizers to engage local groups. He also spoke about the importance of clean water to the local economy. Elaine Eisenbraun, executive director of the Noquisi Initiative, spoke to participants about cultural significance as well as the environmental importance of clean water.
Organizers began preparing for the event in late May by coordinating with nonprofit environmental groups, producing flyers and social media content, and personally recruiting volunteers. The highlight of the day came when nurses from diverse cultural and professional backgrounds shared stories and reflected on the resilience of local rivers following Hurricane Helene.
Organizers announced that they are already planning additional events based on the strong turnout and positive feedback.