REMEMBERING CONNIE
Halloween program continues work of woman known for helping others.
Halloween was tinged with sadness in Membertou this year but that didn’t stop 27 crossing guards from keeping a careful eye on young children, making sure they had a carefree evening trick-or-treating.
The woman responsible for hiring those guards died Saturday evening in hospital in Halifax. Connie Paul (Osborne), 56, was officially the Membertou safety and emergency management co-ordinator but to her community, she was so much more.
At a noon training session to help the guards prepare for their evening’s work, a moment of silence was held before the instruction began.
Laurie Doucette, who works as an executive assistant with Membertou Police, was one of the crossing guards taking part and had worked with Paul over the years on the program. She remembered when Paul began it about 20 years ago.
“When she first started it, she hired community members so people would know that if there was trouble, the kids would know who they were going to,” said Doucette. “She did so much.”
Paul also helped establish Membertou’s Neighbourhood Watch and Block Parents programs. In addition to her work in keeping the community safe for residents and visitors, Paul was involved in many community ventures and was especially known for her work assisting children.
Since 2008, she staged a special gingerbread house display in her backyard and fundraised to insure each child in the community received a gift. As well, she helped organize a gingerbread parade that grows bigger each year.
In 2011, she was honoured as Membertou’s citizen of the year.
Peter Stevens, Membertou’s safety officer, worked with Paul on a regular basis and says she will be missed.
“It’s a pretty big loss to the community,” said Stevens. “She made sure that health and safety was a top priority for not just children but all people who come to Membertou. Her mission and goal was to ensure that everybody would have a safe Halloween. She really pushed that.”
Stevens says in his years as a health and safety officer, he’s never seen a more complete approach to Halloween safety that the one she initiated in Membertou.
“She hired crossing guards and every year it got bigger and bigger so basically she covered every intersection in residential areas in Membertou,” Stevens explains. “With Membertou getting bigger and bigger, each year the number of guards expands so this year we have 27 Halloween guards and they’re strategically located on every intersection in Membertou.
“I’ve never seen this from where I have worked and I have worked in many places. I think it’s just amazing.”