by Audrey Walls, M.Ed., M.F.A.
Photograph courtesy of Cat McCarthy Creative, Fall Fest 2024.
April 20-26 is National Volunteer Week, when nonprofits and other organizations everywhere are taking a moment to thank and acknowledge the meaningful work their volunteers bring to the table every day. But in our humble opinion, nowhere are you going to find kinder and more dedicated volunteers than Debbie and Barry Carver.
Debbie and Barry are familiar faces to many here at Full Circle, as clients and staff might often see them in the halls of our offices, quietly and busily taking on administrative tasks, or at our events like Fall Fest and Living Your Dash. They are equal parts joyful and diligent, with warm smiles and selfless spirits that are always ready to pitch in on any task. As part of their volunteering, they both serve as members of our Event Planning Committee for this year’s Living Your Dash event.
The Carvers came to Full Circle after the tragic loss of their daughter, Olivia, who died from suicide in 2017. What started, according to the Carvers, as one of the “darkest times” of their lives, became a journey “back into the light” as they learned to find joy, even in the face of loss.
“By providing a safe space to meet other people experiencing the same thing, we suddenly did not feel so alone,” Barry writes. “These connections at Full Circle allowed us to collectively express our pain and grief and find love and support from each other. I genuinely hope that all grieving souls find their joy again with the help of organizations like Full Circle.”
Debbie similarly states that Full Circle was a great help to them in their grief journey. “Barry and I will always be grateful to Full Circle for all the love and support they have continually shown to us and it is our honor and privilege to be able to give back and help others in need in any way we can,” she adds.
After working for over 40 years, Debbie as a legal secretary, and Barry in accounting and finance, the Carvers embarked on a new chapter in their lives as retirees, which allows them to give back to their community and help others who are grieving. In addition, Debbie also enjoys spending time with her young granddaughter, reading, scrapbooking, attending Broadway shows, and making friends at their local YMCA. Barry can be found relearning the pipe organ after many years of playing the piano, and training to become a master gardener.
We are incredibly grateful for the support and dedication that Barry and Debbie have shown us after so many years, as they have become among our most trusted and treasured volunteers here at Full Circle.
Full Circle Grief Center 