Beginning her career as a lecturer, Alyce Mae Nielson had always enjoyed sharing and helping others. In addition to lecturing, she served as a trainee, group leader, and center manager for several Weight Watchers locations in the New York metropolitan area from 1979 to 1997, including those in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. She kick-started her career as the school lunch manager at Brooklyn Public School #61 in 1963, remaining in this position for one year before becoming a clerk in the Stock and Bond Dividend Department of First National City Bank in New York from 1966 to 1969. In her most recent role, Ms. Nielson made a point to keep her centers well-supplied and was excited by the opportunity to help other human beings.
Prior to the start of her career, Ms. Nielson pursued a formal education at the State University of New York at Cobleskill, where she obtained an Associate of Science in food in 1963. A member of 4-H from nine years old until college, she participated in many demonstrations, acquiring the skills to make and model her own dresses. Through her membership, she also nurtured animals and gardened. Her favorite part of her program was whipping up things in the kitchen, which is what has carried her through everything else she has done thus far.
Active in her local community, Ms. Nielson volunteered with Warm Up America in Kingston, New York, from 1999 to 2002. Established in 1992, the nonprofit organization provides hand-knitted and crocheted blankets, clothing and accessories made by volunteers across the country and donates to people in need. Additionally, Ms. Nielson has continued to volunteer at Bizzy Bee’s in Kingston, New York, since 2003, a learning center that provides many music and movement classes for mothers and their young children.
As a poet, Ms. Nielson has contributed myriad poems to anthologies, with titles such as “Melting Glaciers,” “The Raven,” and “Words Are Treasures.” She is also the author behind two self-published books titled “Blessings” and “Palms, Prayers, and Inspiration.” An affiliate of the International Society of Poets, Ms. Nielson was the recipient of numerous Editor’s Choice Awards between 1995 and 2003 and was named to the International Poetry Hall of Fame in 1996. Ms. Nielson wrote about the things she knew from growing up; she was raised in a rural environment. Her writing comes from her great observation of the nature surrounding her, which is one of her biggest joys. She is partial to writing about the things she can see from her window because she never has to make anything up.
Throughout her life, much of Ms. Nielson’s motivation has come from the immense respect she has for her mother, who always listened to what she had to say. Her mother taught her to knit and crochet, and was very active in their local church. The Bible is Ms. Nielson’s inspiration for writing; she finds so much good in it that she shares with other people. One thing she loves to do is wish anyone and everyone she meets a blessed day. Today, she resides in upstate New York with her loving husband of 55 years, David Bruce Nielson, with whom she has raised two wonderful children, Kenneth David and Nancy Lynn. Likewise, she is a proud grandmother of five beloved grandchildren. A second-degree black belt in taekwondo, she has been known to enjoy tai chi, music, needlecrafts, and cooking in her spare time.