Kiwanis grant helps woman change careers

Last updated 7/31/2019 at Noon

Nina Walz, left, is shifting her career from the food services industry into wellness counseling. wphoto provided

Sisters Kiwanis is helping a Sisters-area resident shift her career path.

Sisters Kiwanis awards grants to Sisters-area adults who are seeking a career change or who wish to enhance their career opportunities. The program, known as the Kiwanis Career Opportunity Fund (COF) assists adults (25 or older) who are financially unable to return to school or retrain for a career change. In the last 10 years, since its inception, the fund has awarded more than $70,000 in assistance to help residents reach their educational goals.

Nina Walz was the most recent recipient of a COF grant. She currently works in the food service industry and retail, but due to medical issues she needs to pursue another career avenue. She has chosen to pursue a degree toward becoming an Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor. This will involve both in-class and online classroom formats, with some travel involved. Once she has accomplished this educational goal, she will be able to employ Ayurvedic practices to determine a client’s body constitution, conduct consultations, give Ayurvedic guidance on daily routines and meditation, and offer advice on special therapies and home remedies.

The COF grant will provide some of the funds necessary for Walz to take this course beginning in fall 2019 through the Kerala Ayurveda program. Nina shared with Kiwanis that she enjoys Ayurveda’s emphasis on diet and lifestyle, and sees this career of helping others as a positive step in influencing positive change in our community.

The Kiwanis Career Opportunity Fund is designed to provide assistance to start, augment or complete a career that may include vocational, technical, artistic or general fields of study. Funds are available to qualified residents within the Sisters community regardless of age, gender, disability, marital status, race or current occupation. Kiwanis does not set limitations on potential use of the award.

COF applications are available on the Kiwanis website: http://www.sisterskiwanis.org/about-us/career-opportunity-fund; at the Sisters Habitat for Humanity office, from Family Access Network, or by calling 541-410-2870. Kiwanis is actively seeking applicants for COF grants.

To donate to the COF, make checks payable to Sisters Kiwanis COF and post to Sisters Kiwanis, P.O. Box 1296, Sisters, OR 97759.