Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Walz.
Hi Amy, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I had a career in the medical world for almost 30 years. When our oldest child and only daughter got engaged the night before her college graduation, I had no idea that this event would change my profession and future so drastically!
In September 2015, Ashley and Seth had been engaged for 4 months, had their wedding date set for August 2016, their venue booked and bridal gown purchased, We were having fun checking things off the wedding planning to-do list, when blood work for Seth showed a problem. He had lost two very important men in his life and was feeling run down and exhausted, we thought perhaps symptoms of grief and depression. Within six hours of that initial blood work, Seth was diagnosed at the age of 24, with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), generally an older person’s leukemia.
The couple living two hours apart during this time faced many obstacles along the way. Seth’s mental health was challenged with this diagnosis. With our family (myself personally) had a history of depression and anxiety, I was able to relate to what Seth was experiencing. I became a sounding board for both kids as we muddled through their engagement and working towards their wedding day. I asked how I could be of help and jumped into making invitations (paper invites by hand), painting decor and working through all the many details, finding true joy in a pretty dark time in our family.
We made it to their beautiful wedding day, a true testament of love under adversity! By the time the wedding arrived, I knew I needed more joy like this in my life! My first thought was reasonable rental solutions for couples for decor as I really enjoyed that process. Then I remembered all my years of customer service as a server in high school and college, why not try to get more involved with the wedding details and coordinating a wedding day? It was a perfect fit! With my servant’s heart, this was a perfect match. Quite honestly, if I can plan wedding through a cancer diagnosis, nothing truly stresses me out, not even Covid!
I am a very spiritual person and kept hearing God tell me not to name it only for weddings, it is for any kind of event. Not really understanding why only events and not just weddings, I trusted his plan and Amy’s Cherished Events (aces) was born in 2017.
I have enjoyed six amazing seasons as a wedding coordinator and planner! When a passion turns into a business, with a person that has no business background, it can be quite an adventure. I simply followed “my gut” in all that I did! I remained honest in my abilities in the beginning and built trust with my sweet couples. I have been involved with so many amazing families along the way, it has been such a joy for me! I pride myself on being my couple’s (and family’s) anxiety relief in the process of the many details of wedding planning and making sure they soak up all the moments on wedding day enjoying their family and guests! I love to share my experiences with them and take on their worry and/or concern of all the many wedding details there are in planning a wedding at this current time!
In my fifth year, 2021, my business tripled and I was absolutely blessed with some amazing young women that were just starting their own businesses and needed more experience. I have been amazed at the team that I have been blessed with on this journey. I know that I am truly only as good as my team and could not do this without them! I always tell them, I do not like to be called their boss, but simply am the captain on the ship and we are navigating the waters together. I find that this creates teamwork and loyalty that is immeasurable.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has been a fun adventure, but of course, there were obstacles. One of the biggest was purchasing a beautiful arbor/stage for wedding ceremonies. I didn’t have a great way to transport it, even the first time I had to rent a trailer for it for a wedding. The arbor was too big and the trailer was too small! I ended up needing a moving truck to transport it, only having enough funds from the rental to cover the cost of the truck. What a stressful day that was, but we pulled it off for our bride and groom! Phew!
We’ve been impressed with Amy’s Cherished Events, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I believe I covered this in my opening paragraphs. But the other part vision that was able to get accomplished was creating a non-profit this past year! Not being tied to a 9-5 job for another company, has allowed me to set my hours and be there for these important milestones and help with my elderly parents. Thus, the reason why my business is an events business, not strictly a wedding business…the full circle moment of our name! 😉
Like I noted previously, our family was deeply affected by mental health diagnoses. We created a facade for our family, no one have ever know we were struggling. I struggled for many years with depression and anxiety, it finally manifested itself in my 30s as anorexia. When I was a year into my therapy, our then 11-yo son attempted suicide. We were unaware of the struggles he was facing in school, until a Monday night when he attempted suicide. We discovered that night that he had been being physically bullied by “a friend”.
After hospitalization and a few months of therapy, the therapist gave us his words of advice, “your son would benefit from the love of a dog”. Two months later, a beautiful 6-hour-old little black laboratory retriever changed the trajectory of our future. The unconditional love of our sweet girl, Lilly Ray of Hope, changed our family in sooo many wonderful ways! After five years we added another pup, Oliver, to the family and he provided comic relief!
We learned of the amazing healing power of a pup in our lives and wanted to share that with others struggling with mental health diagnoses. Lilly passed away at the age of 12 and on that day I took a nap on the porch (our favorite spot) and a vision for my future began to unfold.
This vision had a golden retriever as the center to build our mission around. In sharing my vision, I was gifted with a beautiful and sweet 4-month-old golden whom I named Willow Grace. My goal was to train Willow to be a therapy dog that I could take with me into hospitals and nursing homes, and hopefully into the school setting. With her as “the draw”, I would utilize her as a conversation starter, share our story and help others struggling in the darkness of mental illness.
Unfortunately, Covid hit and we would not be able to get into the hospital setting as previously planned at Allina Mercy Hospital. But in August 2021, a meeting with our Monticello Superintendent Eric Olson, gave me the blessing to start a therapy dog program in the Monticello School District. What an amazing adventure that unfolded before us, creating an amazing pilot program to now share with other school districts. I shared our story with students and staff and created conversations surrounding anxiety, depression, bullying and all the stressors that middle school kids are now facing. It is a judgment-free zone where were are helping students get the help they may need in sharing their issues with Willow and her handler (me).
Our mission at You’re Not Alone; is to shatter the stigma of mental illness and at no cost to the school district! We will supply therapy dog teams in all middle schools in the state of MN!
But the greatest part of the mission is creating a peer network for people struggling with mental health diagnoses. Pairing them up with others that have struggled and found their way/hope to the other side. Woman to woman, sibling to sibling, youth to youth. Just like Alcoholics Anonymous has a sponsor to walk the journey with their participants, our peer mentorship program has paired the participants with a person that has previously struggled, providing hope for a brighter tomm! My goal is to travel the nation creating this network of hope. A network of hope that could have helped me so much in my struggles!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I am an open book, I am a heart-forward servant’s heart type of person. All who meet me will quickly realize I want the best for everyone!
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.amyscherishedevents.com. Www.ynausa.org
- Instagram: @Amys_Cherished_Events. | @yourenotalone_np
- Facebook: Amy’s Cherished Events You’re Not Alone
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/2JmJ3Qvd55M
Image Credits
Courtney Paal Photography and Amy Gregg Photography
