You’ve seen them for years, stationed at community events, ready to jump into action when duty calls.
St. John Ambulance volunteers have been keeping Canadians healthy and safe for 135 years. In this region, the charity has been around since 1941.
But the times are changing, and one of the fastest-growing services the organization offers is its therapy dog program.
“More mental health (issues) are coming to the forefront, and it’s been proven without a doubt that petting a dog relieves stress,” said Cathy Banting, manager of St. John Ambulance’s Barrie Simcoe Muskoka branch.
The volunteers and dogs were there after students took their own lives at area high schools.
“The schools called us and we took the therapy dogs in for the students and the teachers,” Banting said.
It was a canine to rescue when a woman in a seniors’ residence wouldn’t get dressed and refused to interact with others.
“The day the therapy dog would come, she would reach out and pet the dog and she’d get dressed,” Banting recalled.
The branch also offers a Paws for Stories program at area libraries. Kids who are having trouble reading will read aloud to the therapy dogs.
They are also often at colleges and universities to provide some comfort to students at exam time.
St. John Ambulance has about 78 therapy dogs at work in an area that stretches from Barrie to Muskoka, and another 28 in New Tecumseth. It is hoping to start a therapy dog unit specifically for Orillia and Muskoka.
With the growing demand for its therapy dogs, as well as its more traditional services, St. John Ambulance is in need of volunteers.
“They are our lifeblood. We need more volunteers to meet the demand,” Banting said.
This is the perfect week to become a volunteer, she said, as it is St. John Ambulance Week.
The flag was raised Monday at municipal offices in Orillia, Barrie, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Huntsville. Similar ceremonies took place Tuesday in Alliston, Bradford, Innisfil and Wasaga Beach.
Banting has been with the organization for more than two decades and she encourages people to get involved.
“When you see the impact it has, it makes it worthwhile,” she said. “That’s why I’ve been doing it for 24 years.”
To learn more about St. John Ambulance, including how to volunteer, call 705-726-0991 or visit sja.ca.
By the numbers
Barrie Simcoe Muskoka branch highlights from 2017:
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19,366 hours of volunteer service
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6 community service units working in the community (two medical first responder units, two therapy dog units, one car seat unit, one youth unit)
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127 assisted by a medical first responder
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3,440 clients visited by a therapy dog
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717 hours of service toward the development of youth
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178 parents/guardians educated on how to properly install a child’s car seat
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5,525 people trained in first aid, health and safety-related courses
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150 people trained in CPR at no charge
