In the fall of 2025, community leaders, partners, and advocates gathered at the Alamance Wellness Summit to celebrate a milestone that represents far more than an anniversary. The event marked ten years of community-driven collaboration led by the Alamance Wellness Collaborative—ten years of aligning vision across sectors, listening to residents, and turning shared priorities into measurable improvements in health and well-being throughout Alamance County. The Summit served as both a celebration of progress and a reaffirmation of the collective commitment that has fueled this work from the beginning.

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Over the past decade, the Collaborative has played a central role in shaping policies that protect and promote public health. One powerful example is the county’s move toward tobacco-free parks. What began as a simple idea grew into a meaningful policy change through persistent advocacy, trusted partnerships, and community engagement. By bringing together public health professionals, city leaders, and residents, the Collaborative helped translate community voice into action—demonstrating how local policy can evolve when collaboration is intentional and inclusive.

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The Collaborative’s impact extends beyond policy into systems-level change that makes healthy choices easier and more accessible. The launch of the Active Alamance App exemplifies this approach. By uniting seven recreation and parks departments under one shared digital platform, partners created a countywide system that connects residents and visitors to parks, trails, and wellness resources. This shared infrastructure reflects a decade of relationship-building and trust, proving that when organizations move together, they can create solutions no single entity could achieve alone.

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Equally important has been the Collaborative’s focus on building environments that welcome everyone. Through inclusive design and meaningful community engagement, parks across Alamance County have become more accessible, equitable, and reflective of the people they serve. By listening to families, individuals with disabilities, and community advocates, partners have learned that healthy environments are built not only with ramps and pathways, but with empathy, feedback, and shared ownership at the center.

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As the Alamance Wellness Collaborative looks ahead, its first ten years stand as a testament to the power of working together toward a common goal. From healthier policies to stronger systems and more inclusive spaces, the foundation laid over the past decade positions the Collaborative—and the community—for even greater impact in the years to come. The mission remains clear: to foster a healthier, more accessible Alamance County through collaboration, innovation, and the collective power of community.