Our Beginnings

In the early months of 1982 in Asheville, NC, a small group of nurses who did endoscopy at Memorial Mission and St. Joseph's Hospitals, met for an informal meeting to form a "local" regional chapter of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates. Those nurses were as follows: Lorrayne Connor, Roberta Golden, Wanda Parker, Linda Beckham, Evelyn Joyce, Brenda Sprinkle and Wanda Redmond. Our goal was to provide quality continuing education and a means of networking with our peers.

We contacted national SGNA and were given the requirements for forming our chapter. We elected officers, paid out dues of $10.00, developed our bylaws, and planned our first educational meeting. We sent out brochures to hospitals in upper South Carolina and throughout North Carolina.

I can remember holding bake sales to raise money for our workshops. Our gastroenterology physicians donated money and time to help us with our workshops. Olympus and Pentax were our first vendors at out meetings.

Our membership continues to grow, as did our endoscopy departments. As we look back over the years, we have not only grown in knowledge and skills, but have made may friends as well.

Linda Beckham

Mission and Goals

Western North Carolina SGNA Mission Statement

To provide quality GI conferences for our members, providing networking opportunity to support the daily practice of GI nursing at the regional level.

Goals