Sweet relief for Sault-area police, fire, and ambulance services (8 photos)

Armed with trays of chocolate chip cookies, banana muffins, Pulla buns, and other baked goods, residents of the Ontario Finnish Resthome Association (OFRA) packed into a bus on Wednesday and headed on the road with a mission to “give back”.

June is Seniors’ Month and to promote it the residents of the rest home decided to travel around to different emergency services in the Sault and hand out baked goods to Sault-area police, fire, and ambulance services.

“The theme of Seniors’ Month this year is ‘seniors making a difference’ and what the residents decided to do was, in order to make a difference, they would go out and give back to those who make a difference in our community every day,” said Kayla Bussiere, a recreational therapist intern at OFRA and the event coordinator.

First stop on the trip was the fire station on Tancred Street where Sault Ste. Marie Fire Services Deputy Chief Paul Milosevich greeted the gang of do-gooders.

“I know they're looking forward to these upstairs,” said Milosevich accepting a tray of baked goods with a big thank-you card on it signed by the residents of OFRA's Kotitalo.

As the bus drove away OFRA’s Gwen Gravelle, 93, talked about how she babysat the children of former deputy fire chief Ralph Barbeau, but that was before Milosevich’s time.

Next stop was to the Regional Emergency Services Complex on Old Garden River Road to fill up the bellies of more firefighters and emergency medical workers however, when the bus arrived, almost all the staff members were out on calls.

“It’s a busy time of year,” said one of the EMS staff.

Fortunately for everyone, two support service technicians were in the back garage doing safety inspections on a trailer and they were more than happy to take a break for some nice snacks.

OFRA’s Calvin Campbell, 88, introduced himself to them.

“Hello, perhaps you might know my son, Brian Campbell, he just retired on Sunday.”

Sault Ste. Marie Fire Service’s Dan Crozier’s eyes lit up.

“You're ‘Shadow’s’ dad?” referring to Calvin’s son’s nickname, "he was a great guy. If only I can raise my kids half as good you did sir,” said Crozier.

The group chatted a bit and off and then they went to the Ontario Provincial Police station on Great Northern Road where, after giving a card and baked goods to some of the police officers and detectives inside the building, a few OPP staff went onto the bus to talk to the residents who weren't up to walking around.

The OFRA residents on the bus were really looking forward to stopping at the OPP station because one of their fellow residents' daughter is the OPP's acting Sergeant Monique Baker.

“How many times has Franca told us the story?” said OFRA’s Mildred Mancuso, describing what must be an incredibly proud mother.

The last stop was the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services station where the OFRA crew were met by Staff Sergeant Ken Hruska.

OFRA’s June Harbottle, 88, told Hruska about how her husband’s uncle George Harbottle was the Sault's Chief of Police during World War II - a story before his time as well.

At the end of the day the residents were happy to get back to OFRA’s Kotitalo building where they could sit back and relax in the air conditioning knowing that they made their little difference in the world.

Also for Senior’s Month, OFRA is also collecting food donations to give to the Soup Kitchen.

The last day to donate is July 8.

Contact them if you’d like to donate or for more information.