Every month, Debi Nichols dedicates time to help complete strangers cope with tragedy. Debi is a volunteer victim advocate for the Boulder County Sheriff's Office Victim Assistance program, which provides crisis response to victims of violent crime, trauma, and sudden death.

"An advocate is there to bridge the gap between what a victim's life once was, to what it will become," Debi says, describing her volunteer work. "Listening is an advocate's most important job."

Debi was inspired to give back to her community after hospice volunteers helped her cope with a loved one's death. She attended clown school and began volunteering for the Make-A-Wish foundation, entertaining hospitalized children. Later, she volunteered as an EMT and eventually worked as a police dispatcher. When she heard of the County's Victim Assistance program, she decided to learn more.

Now, Debi volunteers to be on-call for victim assistance during a specified shift for one week per month. When called, Debi travels to the victim's location and makes herself available for as long as the victim or family may need her. She is accompanied by a partner advocate, but when multiple tragedies strike she may perform her advocate duties alone. Some of those duties include informing families of a loved one's death, connecting victims to organizations that offer financial or legal assistance, or offering emotional support to victims and their families.

In addition to her past work and volunteer experience, Debi draws on the skills and knowledge provided by her victim advocacy training - four weeks of academic, psychological, and emotional preparation that volunteers must complete before participating in the Victim Assistance program.

Despite the physical and emotional stresses that accompany victim advocacy, Debi continues to volunteer because she is able to gain positive insight from even the worst situations. And even when she isn't quite sure how to help, she remarks cheerfully, "I can always make coffee!"

For information about volunteering with Boulder County Sheriff's Office Victim Assistance program or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.