Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – Friday, December 6, 2019 Armstrong Ambulance collecting clothing and food donations to support those in need A RLINGTON – Armstrong Ambulance is collecting donations of warm clothing and nonperishable food for those in need this holiday season. From now until Dec. 31, Armstrong will be collecting new and gently used clothing items to help the homeless stay warm this winter. The items that are needed most include coats and jackets, boots, gloves, hats, scarves, socks, sweatpants and jeans. In addition, Armstrong invites members of the communities it serves – plus anyone from surrounding communities – to contribute nonperishable food items. Ideal items for donation include canned protein like tuna, chicken, salmon and beans, low-sodium soups; canned vegetables, pasta sauce, fruit and applesauce; whole grains like crackers, oatmeal, high fiber cereal and rice; and dairy items like evaporated milk. ASKS | from page 7 in communicating. All you had was a pager. I come to find out after the owners came forward that the dog had run out into the storm and had run under a car on a rainy night and got all cut up on its back. I tended to it, and the people came down and claimed their dog, and they were crying and happy as could be. There are a lot of situations like that during the years, and it’s really heartwarming when you can reunite the owners with their dog. Q: And this dog from Middleton? A: Well, this dog was missing for about three months, and I had it for at least 10 days, and I had it on Channel 7 and Channel 5. And we thought the dog cations, and residents interested in donating items may leave them at the facility, where they will be collected by an Armstrong employee. Donations can be delivered locally to 16 Hamilton St. in Saugus. “Armstrong is dedicated to Clothing items will be donated to Bay Cove Human Services, and food items will be dowas abused at first. We didn’t know the story about it running away. It looked like somebody had taken a knife and slit it down the back. And it wasn’t. It had run under a car. There were so many dogs like that in that situation, whether the owners found them or not. And sometimes we would find them new homes, and most people who adopted dogs from me have told me that it was the best dog they ever had. And another thing – a heartwrenching thing – I was on patrol on the east part of Saugus, and there was a police call: that a little boy was stuck in a rowboat at Ballard’s Landing. So, I went down there because I was the only one in the area. All the other cops were on the other side of town on annated to the Greater Boston Food Bank. Please note that the food bank does not accept other issue. I responded and found there was a 60-foot lobster boat that has slipped and fell on the man. It was terrible – and I was the first one on the scene – a young male in his 20s. The landing is named after him. That was a heart-wrenching thing to see, and I wasn’t expecting to see that. And I had to call on the radio and get authorities down there to take care of it. I climbed under the boat to see if I could help him. He was gone. And I can still see that face in my head till this day. That was something that was unexpected in my job. I have gone into people’s houses who have passed on. The dogs are there by the body, mourning the owner, or they’re scared, trying to protect the owner. You run into cats in the house, and baby food or pet food. Collection bins are located inside each of Armstrong’s loit’s the same idea. Some people lived alone all these years, just with their dog or cat, and we end up getting the call to go and check it out with the Police Department and the Fire Department. Q: What has been the most challenging part of the job? A: Letting people know what the laws are and to abide by the laws and to enforce the laws. That was the big thing with me. Some people just took it, “It’s just a dog,” but it’s more than a dog. It affects some people’s lives. I had a woman up on Golden Hills. She had a rottweiler that was running around up there, so I wrote her up a couple of fines, and sent them certified in the mail. And she never paid them. I went to court and had a hearing. She didn’t providing a higher standard of care for our patients and communities every day, and we want to heighten that care by giving back,” Armstrong CEO Rich Raymond said. “Our care providers regularly interact with vulnerable populations and understand there is a significant need for support that we, along with our partner communities, can help meet. We encourage everyone to join us and help collect warm clothing and nutritious food items for families who need it the most this holiday season.” Any questions may be directed to Meredith Lambroff at 781-859-1306. show up. I went up in front of the judge, and the judge put out a bench warrant for her, and I took that warrant with me. About a week later, that dog was running around loose again. She was yelling out the window at me. And I said, “Your dog is running around.” And she yelled back, “He’s in the house.” And I said, “Listen, can you come down and talk to us please? I don’t want to yell at the window upstairs to you.” She came down, and I had two police officers outside the door, and they cuffed her and took her to court. She was avoiding the court and not abiding by the laws. Q: She was thumbing her nose at you. ASKS | SEE PAGE 12
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