Kara Saltz is a runner, mountain biker, hiker, camper, animal lover, yoga and qigong practitioner and a businesswoman. She is also the first in her family to go to college, a recipient of Connestee Falls scholarships in both 2016 and 2017, and a 2018 graduate of Brevard College.
After graduating in 2013 from Rosman High School, Saltz spent a year at East Tennessee State University and two years at Blue Ridge Community College; she then transferred to Brevard College in 2016. She graduated in May with a Bachelor of Science degree in health science and a minor in biology. She plans to continue her education to become a holistic health practitioner, concentrating in acupuncture and oriental medicine. Her appreciation of the spiritual side of oriental medicine is reflected in her meditation, yoga and qigong practice. She credits her mentor, Jody Miller, the owner of Wild Dogs in Brevard, with inspiring her career choice.
Saltz's adventurous spirit has taken her to Alaska twice, during the summers of 2016 and 2017. She worked for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a field technician, collecting biological samples and data for the last two years of the Chinook Salmon Research Initiative Project.
Upon her return from the 2016 trip, when she was transferring to Brevard College and moving out of her parents' house, she developed hives. A doctor prescribed steroids; Saltz decided to seek a different path. Her search took her to acupuncturist Paul Buch-man, whose treatments over a period of time cleared up the problem, convincing her that practicing holistic medicine would be her way to give back.
Saltz's parents live and work in Rosman, and her younger brother is a student and athlete at RosmanHigh. She appreciates the gifts her parents have given her of a strong moral compass and work ethic. They raised Siberian huskies while she was growing up, which she says definitely sparked her love for animals as "there was always a dog to cuddle or puppies to run around with."
Saltz has now started her own business, Howling Meowtain Pet Sitting. She is also enrolled in an EMS class which runs through July; she is preparing to move away from Brevard at the end of the month to complete her holistic health training.
Because she has had to work to support herself during her college years, it took her five years to complete her undergraduate degree.
The extra time commitment did not dampen her spirits. She said, "My life has totally changed because of the opportunities I am able to pursue as a result of being able to go to college. The time, energy and treasure invested by the scholarship program is not going to waste!"
For more information about the Connestee Falls Student Scholarship Program or to donate securely online, visit http://www.cfscholarships.org.