A mother of three who has served more than six years as a volunteer helping crime victims is the Grand Junction Lions Club’s 10th hometown hero.

Vicky Brickey volunteers with the Grand Junction Police Department’s victims-services unit.

Brickey, who works for School District 51 in its technology support department, has volunteered more 2,115 hours to working with crime victims to help them deal with the consequences of crime and to understand their rights,

Volunteers work 12-hour shifts and generally sign up for the 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. shift.

“That means she gets called away from work,” Lions Club presenter Reford Theobold said.

“When that happens, by prior arrangement with her employer, (Brickey) makes up the hours missed later, after work or on the weekends.”

When more training is needed to continue to volunteer for the program, Brickey takes vacation time, Theobold said.

In her six years, Brickey has been called to 80 cases of domestic violence; 33 unattended deaths; five suicides; 16 sexual assaults, including three assaults on children; one murder; three robberies; one kidnapping; and five reports of felony menacing.

“In each case, she exhibits a gentle, nonjudgmental demeanor with victims and is always willing to stand with them,” Theobold said.

Brickey’s sons, Travis, 33, Matt, 28, and Cole, 25, attended the surprise presentation.

Brickey, who thought she was to make a presentation to the club, said she was surprised with the recognition for doing work that isn’t always pleasant.

“You may be the only person who ever listened to them, the only person who ever cared what they had to say,” Brickey said.

“It changes your perspective. Whatever you’re going through sort of pales in comparison.”

The Lions Club’s Hometown Heroes Award has been presented now for a decade to volunteers who also are working a full-time job or raising a family, or both.

Their efforts must be hands-on as opposed to sitting on a board, for example, and must be unpaid.