News and Information for Members of SJA in Ontario

Durham Branch Provides Much Needed Support During the Ice Storm 

On Monday, December 23rd, the Region of Durham contacted St. John Ambulance Durham Region Branch to provide first aid services at a number of warming centres across Durham. Due to the loss of power many people in Durham Region were left in the dark with no light, heat, or way of communication to the outside world. These warming centres were a lifeline for many in our communities who needed a warm place to stay, a hot meal, and a hot shower.   

The St. John Ambulance Emergency Preparedness Plan was lifted off the shelf, and staff started the call out to the leadership team and Medical First Response volunteers. St. John Ambulance was able to have volunteers at three centres within 2-hours of the notification and a fourth team on shift an hour later. After 24-hours, two warming centres remained open in Durham Region. 

St. John Ambulance volunteers were able to maintain 24-hour coverage at the two warming centres in Ajax and Pickering. Over twenty-five staff and volunteers gave up so much of their time to help. Our volunteers sacrificed Christmas Eve gatherings, Christmas dinner with family, and even missed watching their children and family open presents as they were providing assistance at the warming centres. St. John Ambulance was able to call on many of its volunteers across the province. We had members from Kitchener-Waterloo, Niagara Falls, Northumberland, St. Thomas and Barrie join us to assist those needing care at the warming centres.

So many heart filled stories were heard and shared, so many people were displaced during Christmas, and many children spent Christmas in a warming centre. St. John Ambulance knew this is where they needed to be.

On Friday, December 27th, we were notified that we were able to stand down the efforts as of  4 pm. Most residents had received power back and they were able to return to their homes. This is a Christmas that we will never forget.

Premier Wynn hosted an event in Pickering on Saturday, December 28th to recognize the participants from agencies and organizations during the five day event.

Our Board of Directors, staff and leadership team congratulate all members of St. John who personally gave, as it was a great cost to you and your family. This is precisely the sort of response that displays our volunteers commitment to SJA and their community, every time we are called upon.

Congratulations on a job well done!

A Therapy Dog Honour Guard Tribute

The Therapy Dogs of Lincoln provided an Honour Guard for a funeral on Tuesday, December 31, 2013. One of the long term staff members of the SJA office in St. Catharines lost her two sons on Boxing Day in a tragic accident. Within 48-hours a full Honour Guard of twenty handlers and dogs came forward to support her and her family. This tribute was truly an honour for the handlers and the dogs to participate in. 

The handler teams provided an Honour Guard before and after the funeral service outside the entrance of the church. This tribute by the dogs was greatly appreciated by the family and many attendees, as they found support and comfort in the dogs. Many people commented on how special it was to see them all lined up in their black ceremony vests. Many thanks to the Burlington Branch for lending their Black vests so that almost every therapy dog could be outfitted.

Therapy Dogs Participates in Santa Clause Parade

The Therapy Dogs, along with the cadets and MFR's in the Lincoln Branch enjoyed the many Santa Claus parades that they participated in this season. Denis with Bridgette the Bulldog, and Susan with Norton the Chocolate Lab enjoyed meeting onlookers as they walked along in the parade in Fort Erie on Sunday, November 17th, 2013. The 16-degree weather made it much more enjoyable than some of the snowy cold weather they experienced in some of the other parades they participated in this year!

The Therapy Dogs of Lincoln enjoyed participating in 4 local Santa Claus parades this past Christmas. These included Fort Erie, St. Catharines, Port Colborne (night parade) and Niagara-on-the-Lake.  

Lincoln Therapy Dogs 2014 Calendar

The Therapy Dogs of Lincoln created a 2014 calendar that featured many of their dogs. Within 24-hours of printing 100 copies it was soon apparent that they were selling like hot cakes, therefore another 100 were printed to accommodate the high demand! Knox was very helpful in convincing people to buy the calendar when he spent the day with his handler at the local PetSmart selling them.

Brock University 'Puppy Room' 

The SJA Therapy Dogs of Lincoln spent five days at Brock University in St. Catharines in November and December for 'stress down days'. These popular events allow students to come and pet the dogs for an hour or so and relieve some stress from studying for their upcoming exams. The Therapy Dogs helped de-stress almost 1700 students and staff at the University! Some of the students admitted that their final decision to attend Brock University over other institutions was due to the fact that they knew the 'puppy rooms' would be available at Brock!  

Way to go Renfrew!

Smile for the day....  

Puppy Love Therapy by Lori Thwaites 

(Therapy Dog Unit Volunteer)

I always knew that dogs had a calming effect on me. In the past I have been labeled as "Mother Teresa and the Tasmanian Devil (cartoon one) rolled into one. So when Mecho joined our family, she was certain to slow me down... somewhat. 

I have found that I enjoy sharing Mecho with others through the Therapy Dog program. It has been determined that just a few minutes of stroking a dog promotes a release of a number of "feel good" hormones in humans. I also found out that relaxation with a dog is comparable to eating chocolate - but with a lot less calories.

The Therapy Dog program is not just a terrific hobby with a special friend, our furry companions are really providing a great health service to the community.