Largo group marks 30th year of empowering women
By JIM HARRINGTON
Article published on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007  |
LARGO – When she moved down to Pinellas County about a year and a half ago, Ingrid Akin knew she had to make a career change. Working in real estate in Virginia, the 45-year-old Palm Harbor woman wanted to tackle something else.
But where to find information on changing a career, and updating her resume proved to be a problem.
Then, one day while she was rifling through the mail, Akin opened a welcome letter from her homeowner’s association and found an insert from the Resource Center for Women.
She gave the Largo nonprofit a call and connected with Barbara Letvin, a career development coordinator at the organization, which helps women with life skills services, including career development, parenting issues, money management, personal guidance, and computer training.
Letvin updated her resume and gave her some tips on job interviewing, said Akin, who lives with her husband, Jim.
“I was looking for something different in work,” said Akin, whose daughter attends USF.
Over the years, she had taken some college courses but didn’t have a degree. Still, she has skills. Born in Guatemala, she is conversant in Spanish, Italian and English and is computer savvy, which was helpful since she communicated, in part, with Letvin by e-mail.
Eventually, with the Resource Center’s help, she landed a job as a relations manager at Heartland Payment Systems, a payroll services company.
To help fund its services, the Resource Center plans to celebrate its 30th anniversary with a Dream Auction at the Hilton in Carillon Park on March 24.
There will be a silent and live auction, and a dinner with music at the black tie affair.
Items to be auctioned include a stint as batboy or girl for the Devil Rays, vacation packages and an autographed Eric Clapton guitar.
The organization asks for reservations by March 9. Call 586-1110.
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Article published on Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007
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