Kiwanis awards grant to Cummins

Sisters Kiwanis awards grants to Sisters-area adults who are seeking a career change or wish to enhance career opportunities. This 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. Since its inception, the fund has awarded more than $60,000 in assistance to help Sisters-area residents reach their educational dreams.

Loryn Cummins, a Sisters resident, was recently awarded a COF grant; she is enrolled in a master of counseling program at OSU-Cascades.

She graduated from Sisters High School in 2010 and then double majored in psychology and adventure education at Prescott College in Arizona.

After college graduation, Loryn worked three years for Evoke Wilderness Therapy where she lived in the wilderness with at-risk adolescents and young adults in week-long therapy sessions. A typical client might have experienced trauma, had poor peer communication, struggled with suicidal thought or had any number of other issues where therapy would be indicated.

When she was presented with the COF award, Loryn was asked about her career choice. She said: "My passion is to help others. Many people have physical, mental and emotional needs that are not always met. It fills my cup to support people in healing wounds created by unmet needs."

Her goal is to become a licensed professional counselor. This certification will enable her to do more complex therapies, have more occupational choices, establish her own practice and enhance her earnings significantly. She plans on continuing her work with adolescents and young adults and also provide support for families with at-risk members.

The Kiwanis Career Opportunity Fund provides 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 area 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: (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.

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