Aiken veterinarian Dr. Holly Woltz, known to many as "Doc Holly," does more than monitor and improve the health of the various pets brought to her office on Whiskey Road.
Out of a special concern for the lives of young women, she and Aiken High School guidance counselors Linda Strojan and Gray Hagler founded Girls Educated and Motivated for Success, also known as GEM, a mentoring program designed to guide, encourage and motivate teenage girls so that they can achieve personal and professional fulfillment.
Doc Holly will explain the program to members of the Aiken branch of the American Association of University Women at their April luncheon.
Mentoring is a key element of the GEM program. Each young woman is paired with a mentor who is her own special friend and guide as she makes the challenging choices of adolescence.
Participants meet at Aiken High School once a month to learn about and discuss a variety of topics that might include things such as health, nutrition, self image, budgeting, job interviews, and table manners.
A special event held this past February was a dinner at the Willcox Inn where the young women were able to practice the manners they had learned in after school sessions.
This year the program has 27 Aiken High School students participating. Six of them will receive GEM scholarships of $1,000 each so that they can further their education after graduation.
Doc Holly is an example for the young women of an active and involved life. She has been a teacher and a columnist for the Aiken Standard and other publications. She serves on the Board of the Community Health Clinic and is the founder of the Paws for Cancer Walk.
The luncheon at which she will address members of the Aiken Branch of the American Association of University Women will take place at Woodside Country Club at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 18.