Anne Cepukas, a volunteer at The Salvation Army Thrift store in Wingham,Ont., recently received one of the highest honours in the Order of St. John, and she owes it all to the dogs!

She accepted the White Cross during a special ceremony at the Parliament buildings in Ottawa for her work with the St. Johns therapy dogs program.

Anne says it's incredible to go to nursing homes with her shitzu 'Lucy' to the Alzheimer's ward and see residents with different memories of their own dog. She recalls one patient who couldn't move and staff weren't sure if he had suffered a stroke or was depressed. Lucy was placed on his lap and he began to pet her. Tears streamed down his face.

Thrift store manager, Debbie Morrison, says: "Anne always shows a friendly attitude and tries her best to cheer the customers up if she knows they're having a bad day. Anne always gives more than anyone expects her to, never looking for anything in return."