Debra Bowers

by Dale Green

Deb is a compassionate, wonderfully direct, kind volunteer who is not afraid to take on responsibility, no matter how messy it is! Her volunteering began at The Ranch several years ago and she has since become an invaluable asset. Deb implemented a toy creation/distribution project, repurposing old towels and fabrics that she tightly braids into dog toys – a win-win! She then carefully distributes the toys to runs where she is certain they will not fuel disagreements. She also has eyes and ears on our dogs, and always leaves us a note or a quick e-mail to inform us of any issues or ideas. Deb puts a lot of thought into everything she does, and it shows.

As our unofficial (wait – okay, yeah, she's official!) doghouse manager, Deb periodically walks the kennel areas with her trusty drill in hand for repairs. She salvages whatever she can (houses are sometimes short-lived, since our dogs seem to think they are chew toys, surfboards, play sets, you name it!) and recognizes when a structure has reached the end of its useful life. Deb even used her own money to purchase some much-needed houses so everyone has a dry, cozy retreat. This is especially critical during the rainy season, where horizontal deluges sometimes soak everything in the runs. So Deb's warm heart protects our dogs in more ways than one.

We don't know where we'd be without Deb and her thoughtful ministrations!