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Job and what she likes best about it: Founder and director of Lubbock Victim Assistance Services Inc., a program for survivors of violent crime and their families. LVAS provides information, referrals and criminal justice system support, as well as personal support, such as listening, directional focus, allowing the victims to have a voice in their case and ensuring that each victim is treated with fairness, dignity and compassion. I really enjoy what I do, and if I can make just a little part of a victim's life easier, then I find my job totally rewarding.
Family: Husband Lynn is a State Farm Insurance agent; a daughter, Tymber, age 13; a son, Taylor, age 5; two adult stepchildren, Eric and his wife, Jamie, and Jennifer and her husband, Gary Stephenson; grandson, Hunter, age 5; parents, Weldon and Virginia Sikes; two brothers, J.R. and Russell and his wife, Brenda; three nieces, Vanessa, Shayla and Cyndi; and four nephews, Trey, Jeremy, Adam and Jordan.
Pets: Two dogs, Cassie and Miscka; three cats, Beethoven, Holly and T.K.; and one fish, Ben.
City of residence: Lubbock.
Hometown: Plainview (until fourth grade), then transplanted to Lubbock, so Lubbock is now my hometown!
Biggest responsibilities: Juggling my family's needs, playing taxi mom to dance, baseball, etc., and working with victims and their needs.
What motivates her: God.
Most recent career accomplishment: Completing my first victim-offender mediation between the mother of a homicide victim and the man who killed her son.
Most recent personal accomplishment: Watching my daughter grow into a loving, caring, bright Christian young lady (a.k.a teenager) and a son who always brings a smile to your face — two kids who make a mom proud!
Awards, volunteer services and clubs in a nutshell: President of South Plains Lubbock Mothers Against Drunk Driving Chapter, treasurer for Altrusa Dawners, advisory board member for Child Advocacy Research and Education Center, secretary for Lubbock Priority House, beautification committee for Honey Elementary, served on the first pardons and parole board 1995-2001, Texas Crime Victim Clearinghouse Planning Committee and Red Coat with the Chamber of Commerce. Liberty Bell Award, Award for Public Service from the U.S. Department of Justice, Director's Citation from the Criminal Justice Department and award from Martin Luther King Commemorative Council of Lubbock.
When she was a kid, what she wanted to be when she grew up: A dancing rock 'n' roll star.
Best decision: To listen to God and open Lubbock Victim Assistance Services.
What she does to pamper herself: Hot bubble bath with candles and music.
Goal she's working on now: To create a video that helps families know what to do when their child has been a victim of sexual abuse and give to all elementary schools in our area (15 counties).
An interesting fact most people don't know about her: Red belt in tae kwon do.
Obstacles she has overcome: In the beginning of LVAS, so many people told me that it would take two or more years to open our doors, but each time a door was closed, God quickly opened up three in its place, and LVAS was in business within a three-month period. LVAS is now facing grant cutbacks, but I have no doubt that God will take care of this problem, too! | ||||
