Sault women honoured for saving lost puppy (2 photos)

Alissa Begin, a Sault Area Hospital (SAH) social worker, was nearing the end of a long and busy shift Dec. 6, 2017, when a social media post went out requesting the public’s help in locating a lost four-month-old Labradoodle puppy.

The female Labradoodle (a crossbreed dog, created by crossing the Labrador Retriever and the Standard, Miniature or Toy Poodle) was reported missing in the Millcreek Drive area, near Old Garden River Road. 

Upon finishing her shift, Begin, who had worked that day partnered with Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Cst. Emily Coccimiglio on the Community Crisis Response Team (CCRT, responding to mental health-related calls), decided she wasn’t going home, but would look for the missing dog.     

Begin and Coccimiglio searched for the puppy for three and a half hours after the end of their shift.

Begin spotted the puppy in the Old Garden River Road area. Upon approaching it, the dog ran off, but Begin and Coccimiglio followed it through a heavily wooded area, through the cold and darkness, following its tracks.

The puppy was eventually found by other police officers who helped with the search. The puppy was cold but unharmed, its owners delighted to see it safely returned. 

For her efforts, Begin was one of several Sault residents who were honoured at the 32nd Annual Police Community Programs Night, held at The Delta Tuesday evening. 

“It was cold…but I’m a dog lover and I would do it all over again,” Begin smiled while speaking to SooToday.

“The owners were ecstatic. Without Alissa first locating the dog, who knows what would have happened. With her help we actually got to pinpoint the area,” Coccimiglio said.

“She didn’t stop. We had some falls and tumbles down a ravine, but she’s a trouper,” Coccimiglio said.

“I think it’s amazing (to work with police on the CCRT),” Begin said, referring to the broader topic of working with police on mental health-related calls.

“We have a great rapport with the officers…it’s a very valuable relationship we have,” Begin said.

“The CCRT workers are great to work with. They bring mental health expertise to calls for service and it makes it more relaxing to know you have their support in making determinations in how things are going to go,” Coccimiglio said.

Marsha Duguay was another local woman honoured Tuesday for performing a good deed. 

Police and Fire Services were called to the scene of a fire at Joe’s No Frills on Korah Road March 31, 2017.

The driver of a vehicle had been waiting for his wife, who was shopping inside the supermarket, when he noticed smoke coming from underneath the dash of his truck. He escaped from the vehicle uninjured, but the truck was soon completely engulfed in flames.

His wife ran out of the supermarket, the couple traumatized while their vehicle burned.

Sgt. Rob Gioia, master of ceremonies at Tuesday’s awards, noted that while others stood by and shot video of the fire with their cell phones, Duguay demonstrated kindness by paying for the couple’s groceries and giving them a lift home.

“Their truck burnt to nothing,” Duguay told SooToday.

“I noticed that her groceries were in the aisle beside me. I thought someone today is having a really hard day and I thought there’s something I can do to make their day a little less traumatic, so I got in line and paid for their groceries while they were outside.”

“I stood outside with them after and realized they probably didn’t have a ride home either, so I said ‘how about I give you a ride home?’”

Word of Duguay’s kindness spread.

“When the police called about tonight’s dinner I said ‘that’s really nice. Who’s getting the award? And they said you are.’ It was a nice surprise. It didn’t end up as anonymous as I was trying to make it,” Duguay chuckled.

The awards, said Sgt. Rob Gioia, were for those citizens who report crimes or help with the apprehension of criminals, or to those who go above and beyond to help their fellow citizens.

“They shed a light into the darkness, and in doing so make our lives a little brighter,” Gioia told Tuesday’s audience at The Delta.

Other commendations went to:

• David Boyer, for helping at the scene of a motor vehicle collision, climbing inside a vehicle and stabilizing the neck of a seriously injured driver until an ambulance arrived
• David Dutkiewicz and George Kyei-Poku for helping an injured  motorcycle driver, stabilizing his broken leg until an ambulance arrived
• Jan Robinson and Frank Maliszewski for stopping a suicidal female from jumping into the St. Marys River
• Joanne Perreault and Kara Perrault for helping an officer in caring for a lost three-year-old child

Plaques went to:

• Aurora’s Hillside for providing lunch to a family that helped police care for a lost three-year-old child
• Lavish Salon for providing haircuts at the Neighbourhood Resource Centre (NRC) and for fundraising efforts for the good of the community
• No Strings Attached for providing free meals at the NRC on a weekly basis
• Centre for Social Justice and Good Works for working with police in providing services and programs for the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie
• Women in Crisis for contributions toward officer training in the investigation and related trauma associated with domestic violence
• the City of Sault Ste. Marie Human Resources department for its role in implementing a Peer Support Program for First Responders

Anna McCrae, St. Paul, Pinewood and Holy Family were honoured for being safe schools.