In honor of National Hospice Month, we'll be bringing you stories of volunteers who have offered their time to make a difference in the lives of patients and families who have chosen to use hospice care.

It may take Nicole Newton a while to choose exactly what she wants to do, but once she decides, she is all over it. A senior at the University of Alabama majoring in interior design, Nicole went through several potential majors before finding her passion.

Nicole is absolutely dedicated to the task at hand. That includes her volunteer work with Community Hospices of America.

Among one of CHA's most committed volunteers, Nicole drives 45 minutes each way from her home in Springville to CHA's Birmingham headquarters. She devotes eight hours to work in the hospice agency's office every Tuesday, (and has rarely missed a week since she began volunteering more than a year ago) helping the entire office staff complete an array of duties. "I look forward to that day," she says. "When I can make time, I volunteer on other days, too."

"How does the old cliché go? When you need something done, ask a busy person," said Libby Jones, volunteer coordinator for CHA. "Nicole works part time, goes to school full time, and donates one day a week to help in the office. She is amazing!"

Nicole became a CHA volunteer through her "sister" Ginny, who is an administrative assistant on staff there. And the organization soon found a need for Nicole's particular talent. When the administrator of a local nursing home asked area hospice organizations to design and decorate rooms for terminally ill patients, Nicole stepped forward for CHA.

It wasn't an easy task. She had only $200 and some donations to set up a room for a person who is dying. By using donated frames for some new artwork, on-sale upholstery fabric, tacks and other things, she designed a lovely, comfortable and comforting room. "I like knowing I've done something that makes a difference," Nicole says.

"The transformation of the hospice room was phenomenal. A once blah and nondescript space became a welcoming suite for a patient and his/her visitors. 'Designing On A Dime,' Nicole was exceptionally resourceful in transforming some tired donations into lovely, functional accents. I imagine this experience will be unique from ones her classmates will have and it will look good in her portfolio," said Libby.

Nicole says she will continue her work with CHA, because "I like knowing that I'm doing something that makes a difference."

You, too, can make a difference in the life of a hospice patient of their family. By using your unique gifts and interests, you will be helping people during a crucial time in their lives. For more information about hospice care, visit the Web site for Community Hospices of America.

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